George Town, Grand Cayman: What you need to know before you visit
Written: May 05 '02 (Updated May 05 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful waterfront, clean, safe, lots of shopping
Cons: Congested with cruise ship passengers during the mornings; it's expensive to shop
The Bottom Line: Cheap rum, good rum cake, and great snorkeling are all within walking distance in the George Town harbor area. The streets can be crowded, but they are clean and safe.
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| diverpam's Full Review: George Town |
Grand Cayman is the largest and most developed of the Cayman Islands, including Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. George Town is the capital city, located on the west side Grand Cayman. It is the center of government, business and shopping.
What to Expect
The downtown George Town area is compact and filled with a variety of stores all along the waterfront. Here you will find a number of duty free shops where you can purchase jewelry, clothing, and souvenirs, as well as the famous Tortuga Rum Cake and black coral jewelry.
Due the the conservation laws in the Cayman Islands, it is illegal to harvest live coral, so the raw materials (black coral from depths of 200+ feet) is imported from Honduras and Belize. It is carved and polished and offered in a variety of jewelry options at jewelry stores throughout George Town.
You will find countless opportunities to purchase t-shirts and other souvenirs, or even drop a bundle on designer clothing, diamonds, cameras, or Swiss-made watches. You can also find a variety of Cuban cigars for sale here.
Grand Cayman is well known for its banking industry. You will see many diverse banks in George Town. I found it interesting that it has greatest number of fax machines per capita than any other city in the world.
Notably absent in George Town are roadside vendors and panhandlers. This is a refreshing change from some of Caribbean islands I have visited.
About the Cayman Dollar
Beware of how merchandise is priced. Usually everything is marked in Cayman Dollars. One U.S. dollar is only equal to 80 cents Caymanian. The first time you hand over a U.S. $20 bill and they ring it up as $16, you may go into shock... so be prepared.
Most of the prices on Grand Cayman are pretty high already, then factoring in the unfavorable exchange rate, you may find there are few real "bargains" to be had -- even duty free.
Getting Around George Town
Beware: This is a British Crown Colony and everyone drives on the left side of the street.
Rental cars have white license plates --- be especially wary of them -- they are being driven by tourists. Likely the husband is driving and the wife is shouting constantly, "Stay on the left!" I say this from personal experience.
The streets in George Town are fairly narrow and can get very crowded. There are sidewalks for most of the downtown area. However, there is some construction underway on a new shopping area, so the sidewalk doesn't go all the way down the main street. There are also lots of people riding bicycles downtown.
Be very careful and pay close attention where you are walking or driving.
There are taxis available at the dock area and there is also a public bus system.
When To Shop
George Town is a very popular cruise ship destination so you will find it very busy during the morning and early afternoon hours most days, except Sunday. All the shops in George Town are closed on Sundays. About the only places open on Sunday are restaurants and dive shops.
Mid to late afternoon is usually the best time to go to George Town for shopping. The cruise ships will be departing and you can walk around more freely. It gets very crowded on the sidewalks when several ships are in port simultaneously. Some days we saw four or five ships docked in the harbor.
If you are stopping over as part of a cruise there are many shopping areas within easy walking distance. If arriving by ship, be forewarned that the ship will dock out in the harbor and you will need to board a tender to come into the dock. There are shopping areas directly across from the docking areas.
Buying Liquor
If you are on a cruise ship you can purchase liquor (especially rum) at very attractive prices. You must make your purchases two hours before time for your ship to depart as purchases must be delivered to the ship.
If you're staying on Grand Cayman any liquor you purchase for consumption on the island comes at a hefty price tag (about $10 difference on a bottle of rum). You can bring back up to 2 liters per adult duty free. If you have flown in Grand Cayman, you can buy your liquor duty free at the airport.
The number of duty-free liters allowed per person varies, depending on the airport where you go through customs. We were told at the airport (in the liquor store) that we could each purchase 2 liters duty-free. On the plane we were told 1 liter per person. (We were flying back to the U.S. via Atlanta.) I believe 2 liters is allowed through Miami.
Note: In case you're wondering, we advised the customs agent we each had purchased 2 liters of alcohol. He asked if we had more than $2400 worth of goods that we purchased. No. Then he asked if we had any drugs. No! He just smiled and waved us on through.
Hard Rock Cafe
The Hard Rock opened in George Town in April 2000. Here you can purchase souvenirs, food and drink. Beware that the menu prices are in Cayman Dollars and they are higher than in the U.S.
We had two Cokes and two cheeseburgers for $35.00 U.S. (including 15% gratuity). You'll find that most restaurants automatically add a 15% gratuity on your tab.
Snorkeling/Diving
There are dive and snorkel facilities in George Town adjacent to the dock area. There are some very nice reefs nearby where you can see beautiful coral and a variety of fish. You will see Eden Rock just south of the harbor.
Other Underwater Activities
You can take a submarine ride on the Atlantis or ride on the partially submerged Nautilus to get some great underwater views if you prefer not to get wet. You'll find access to them located at the harbor, as well.
Seven Mile Beach
This stretch of beach is north of downtown and definitely popular. There are many hotels and condos lining the beach, but there are several public access areas.
General Information
~ The sun is very warm and intense and you can easily get sunburned just while walking around downtown. Located only 20 degrees north of the equator, you should expect warm, tropical weather.
~ Grand Cayman is on Eastern Standard Time year round.
~ There are public rest rooms in the cruise ship landing area, as well as in the craft market area across from Kirk Freeport shopping center.
~ You will need to purchase a temporary visitor's license if you plan to drive while in Grand Cayman. Available at the rental car agency.)
No-No's:
~ The Cayman Islands have very strict laws with large fines and severe prison terms for use or purchase of marijuana and other controlled substances.
~ There are no nude or topless beaches on any of the Cayman Islands.
~ Bathing suits are not appropriate attire in shops or restaurants.
Overall Recommendation
George Town is a clean, safe place to visit. A bit of advance planning will ensure you get the most out of your visit to George Town, capital city of the beautiful Cayman Islands.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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diverpam
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
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~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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