Cayman Islands - Facts

Cayman Islands FAQs

Pre-Arrival Boat: Announce your arrival to Port Security on VHF Ch 16 upon arrival into Cayman Island waters and raise your Q flag. See Clearance for full details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: Visas are not required by nationals from a number of countries. Typically a 14 or 30 day entry stamp is issued on arrival. See Immigration for full details.
Where can I enter? There are 2 ports of entry: George Town Port in Grand Cayman and the Cayman Brac Port in Cayman Brac. See Clearance for additional details.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? There are no fees if clearing in between 08:30-16:00 Monday through Friday and 8:30-12:30 on Saturdays. Outside of these hours an overtime fee will be charged. See Fees for more details.
What security concerns should I know about? The Cayman Islands are generally a safe country with the normal Caribbean precautions. See Security for more information.

Cayman Islands Facts for Sailors

• The three Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, are located in the western Caribbean about 150 miles south of Cuba.
• The islands are small and low lying. The total size of the three islands that comprise Grand Cayman is 100 square miles, which is about 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
• The geography is mostly a rocky limestone base surrounded by coral reefs.
• This is a popular cruise ship port and the diving is world renowned.
• The Caymans are a British Overseas Territory and the official language is English, often with a Caymanian dialect. Jamaican patois is also spoken.
• The population is about 64,420 of which approximately 36,154 are Caymanian.
• The official currency is the Cayman Islands dollar KYD. For specifics see General Info.
• Time zone is (UTC-5). For specifics see General Info.
• The Islands have a wet season from May to October and a dry season that runs from November to April. See Weather below for more detail.
• Besides earthquakes, another major natural hazard is the tropical cyclones that form during the Atlantic hurricane season from July to November.
• The island uses the IALA-B (red right returning) buoyage system.
• Cars drive on the left side of the street, the same as in the United Kingdom.
• Marine supplies and provisions can be obtained here, at a price, and there is a boatyard suitable for yachts. See Yachting Essentials for more details.