Fast Facts

Area Codes -- The area code for all of the Cayman Islands is 345.

Business Hours -- Normally, banks are open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 2:30pm and Friday 9am to 1pm and 2:30 to 4:30pm. Most shops are open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, but hours can vary greatly.

Drinking Laws -- The legal drinking age is 18. Beer, wine, and liquor are sold at most grocery and convenience stores Monday to Saturday. It is legal to have an open container on the beach. Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your car or any public area that isn't zoned for alcohol consumption. The police can fine you on the spot. Don't even think about driving while intoxicated.

Drugstores -- If you're going to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, don't depend on local outlets there to have the drugs or medication you need. Stock up before you go. On Grand Cayman the most convenient pharmacies are Fosters Food Fair Pharmacy, the Strand Shopping Centre on West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach (tel. 345/945-7759), open Monday to Saturday 7am to 10pm; and Cayman Drug, Kirk Freeport Centre, George Town (tel. 345/949-2597), open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:30am to 4pm.

Electricity -- Electricity on the Cayman Islands is 110-volt AC (60 cycles), so U.S. and Canadian appliances will not need adapters or transformers, but appliances from Europe, Australia, or New Zealand will require adapters and transformers.

Embassies & Consulates -- No nations maintain an embassy or consulate in the Cayman Islands.

Emergencies -- On Grand Cayman dial tel. 555 for an ambulance; tel. 345/949-0241 for an air ambulance from Island Air; and tel. 911 for police, fire, or medical emergencies.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- Stations charge about the same, ranging from CI$3 to CI$4 per gallon. Taxes are already included in the printed price. One U.S. gallon equals 3.8 liters or .85 imperial gallons.

Etiquette & Customs -- You should pay attention to dress codes in the Cayman Islands, as it still remains a "proper" British crown colony, and its residents are often conservative in dress and manners. Avoid wearing bathing suits or scanty beachwear outside a beach area or cruise ship. Cover up in public areas, especially when walking and sightseeing on the streets of George Town. There are no nude beaches, and public nudity, including topless bathing, is strictly prohibited by law. Visitors will want to wear smart casual tropical resort wear at most restaurants. When attending church, "Sunday dress" is appropriate -- that is, no shorts or T-shirts. Men don't have to wear ties, however. Avoid profanity in public -- it is extremely frowned upon.

For business attire, concessions are made for the local climate. Open collars, white trousers, knit shirts, and blazers are, to an increasing degree, appropriate for business meetings. Punctuality is appreciated, even if the temptation exists for a more relaxed observation of "island time." Don't be surprised if some of the meeting planners suggest a fishing or snorkeling trip on a private boat.

Holidays -- Caymanians observe New Year's Day (Jan 1), National Heroes' Day (Jan 27), Ash Wednesday (Feb or Mar), Good Friday (Mar or Apr), Easter (Mar or Apr), Discovery Day (third week in May), Whitsunday (May or June), the Queen's Birthday (June), Constitution Day (July 7), Remembrance Day (second Mon in Nov), Christmas Day (Dec 25), and Boxing Day (Dec 26).

Hospitals -- On Grand Cayman, George Town Hospital (tel. 345/949-8600) lies south of George Town on Hospital Road (south of Smith Rd.).

Insurance -- For information on traveler's insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and medical insurance while traveling, please visit www.frommers.com/planning. In general, if you can afford it, we always recommend that visitors take out travel insurance. For the most part, the Caymans are a safe destination. However, they attract thousands of scuba divers and, in spite of safety precautions, accidents do occur. Even if you're an adventurous traveler, any number of things can go wrong on a trip -- lost luggage, trip cancellation, or a medical emergency, so consider the insurance for added protection.

Internet Access -- Most large resorts and hotels have Internet access. You can also access the Internet at Café del Sol/Team Café, located on Seven Mile Beach at the Marquee Cinema Shopping Centre on Lawrence Blvd. (tel. 345/946-2233; www.cafedelsol.ky).

Language -- English is the official language of the islands.

Legal Aid -- In such a small island country, there are no local resources for legal aid. You must hire a loyal lawyer, and be prepared to post some upfront money.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. Visa's emergency number is tel. 800/847-2911 or 410/581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's-check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309 or 636/722-7111. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory at tel. 800/555-1212.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Mail -- Most mail takes from 2 to 7 days, if airmailed, to reach points between the Cayman Islands and the U.S. mainland. The Cayman Islands don't use postal or zip codes. The main post office in George Town lies at Edward Street and Cardinal Avenue (tel. 345/949-2474), between the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia.

A postcard to the United States costs CI20¢. An airmail letter to the U.S. costs CI75¢ per half-ounce. Rates to Europe are CI80¢ per half-ounce for an airmail letter. Postcards to Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand range in price from CI20¢ to CI$1; airmail letters range from CI75¢ to CI$1 per ounce. It's recommended that packages be sent by Federal Express or another trackable delivery service.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Published daily, the Caymanian Compass is the most popular newspaper on Grand Cayman. The Friday edition is especially helpful because it lists current and upcoming events. Rival papers include New Caymanian, published every Friday, and Cayman Net News, published Tuesday and Thursday. Available at most hotels, What's Hot is a free monthly magazine geared toward visitors. Copies of The Miami Herald and the International Herald Tribune are available at the big resorts and at most major newsstands in George Town.

Passports -- Visit www.frommers.com/planning for information on how to obtain a passport.

Police -- Call tel. 911 if you need the police.

Smoking -- Smoking is not regulated as carefully in the Cayman Islands as it is in certain cities of the U.S. However, most hotels, at least the big ones, set aside some rooms for nonsmokers. Restaurants often lack sections set aside for nonsmokers. When being shown to a table, inform the captain or waiter that you want a table as far away from the smoke as possible.

Taxes -- A government tourist tax of 10% is added to your hotel bill. A departure tax of CI$20 is collected when you leave the Caymans, and this tax is included in your plane fare. There is no tax on goods or services.

Telephones -- Telephone, fax, and telex are offered by Cable & Wireless (tel. 345/949-7800) at Anderson Square in George Town.

Time -- U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) is in effect year-round; daylight saving time is not observed. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is 5 hours ahead of EST, so when it's noon in the Cayman Islands, it's 5pm in London (GMT) and 2am the next day in Sydney.

Tipping -- Most restaurants add a 10% to 15% charge in lieu of tipping, so check your bill carefully. Hotels also often add a 10% service charge to your bill. Taxi drivers expect a 10% to 15% tip.

Toilets -- Public restrooms are found along Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Public facilities can be found at most beaches, though they are few and far between and often unpleasant. Visitors usually use the facilities of the resorts, although you should technically be a guest or customer (you can always just purchase a soft drink or a bottle of water).

Useful Phone Numbers -- U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (manned 24 hr.); U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518; U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline: tel. 404/332-4559.

Visitor Information -- Before you go, check out the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism website (www.caymanislands.ky), an extensive search engine designed to help you find information about accommodations, dining, shopping, watersports, and other travel services. You can also sign up for printed or e-mail brochures and book vacations directly on this site. Alternatively, write to the Cayman Department of Tourism at P.O. Box 67, George Town, Grand Cayman, B.W.I., or call the Cayman Department of Tourism at tel. 345/949-0623. It's located in the Pavilion Building on Cricket Square in George Town. Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5pm.

In the United States, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism maintains the following offices: 8300 NW 53rd St., Miami, FL 33166 (tel. 305/599-9033; fax 305/599-3766); 30 N. LaSalle St., Ste. 1650, Chicago, IL 60602 (tel. 312/263-1750; fax 312/263-1753); Two Memorial City Plaza, 820 Gessner, Ste. 1335, Houston, TX 77024 (tel. 713/461-1317; fax 713/461-7409); 350 Fifth Ave., #1801, New York, NY 10118 (tel. 212/889-9009; fax 212/889-9125).

In Canada, contact Cayman Islands, 2 Bloor St. West, Ste. 700, Toronto, ON M4W 3R1 (tel. 416/485-1550 or 800/263-5808; fax 416/972-5071).

In the United Kingdom, contact Cayman Islands, 6 Arlington St., London SW1A 1RE (tel. 0207/491-7771; fax 0207/409-7773).

The Cayman Islands Government (www.gov.ky) website is full of important tourist and travel information, reports current local news, and features a community and sports calendar. Destination Cayman (www.destination.ky) is another great information source, including a Cayman business directory in addition to a visitor center with travel news and local forecasts, annual events, photographs, and much more.

Since the Cayman Islands are so small, very detailed maps are rarely a problem. All you'll need is the Cayman Islands Travelers' Road & Dive Map, which is free. This foldout map also includes good maps of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac if you're planning to visit these satellite islands. Car rental firms distribute this map, and it is available at hotels or condo rentals, even dive shops, tourist attractions, restaurants, and the Owen Roberts Airport.

Water -- The water in the Cayman Islands is, for the most part, safe to drink. Two desalination plants on Grand Cayman supply good-quality purified tap water to the entire West End, including Seven Mile Beach. If you can determine that you're drinking desalinated water, then it's safe to drink. Just ask. Cayman Brac's desalination plant also supplies purified water to residents, but Little Cayman establishments have their own water systems. If your hotel on Little Cayman relies on rainwater collected in cisterns, it's best to drink only bottled water. When checking into hotels, ask about the water source. Regardless of how fresh the water might appear, never take a drink from a river, spring, or stream.