Cayman Islands Sports - Car Rental Coupans

In addition to an abundance of watersports, Grand Cayman offers visitors a variety of both spectator and competitive sports.

Tennis, squash, volleyball, jogging, walking, cycling and a good selection of local health clubs and fitness centres are other activities enjoyed by visitors. Martial arts training centres feature instruction in Taekwondo and karate, popular with young residents.

There are three golf courses, one of which is a Jack Nicklaus-designed course at the Hyatt Regency Britannia Golf Club (which can be played as either executive 18 holes or 9 hole course) and the Championship 18-hole course, The Links at SafeHaven, a USGA Par-71 course. Sunrise Family Golf Centre in Newlands also offers a 9 hole par 3 course.

Regular local sports competitions are held throughout the year, including triathlons; 5K and 10K runs; swimming events and cycling races.

The Cayman Islands has one of the world's largest Little Leagues, with over 600 young local ballplayers participating. The association has its own "Field of Dreams" complex with four playing fields on Grand Cayman.

Cayman Islands Shopping - Local Car Rental

The Cayman Islands enjoy a duty-free status and our capital of George Town in Grand Cayman is one of the most attractive shopping centres in the Caribbean. Here you'll find not only the main duty-free shops, but also a fine selection of fine jewellery, specialty and souvenir shops as well as a variety of casual restaurants. Stores in George Town are closed on Sunday. A large enclosed car park offers parking space in George Town's Piccadilly Car Park, next to Hobbies & Books on Elgin Avenue.

You'll find a good selection of traditional duty free items such as watches, china and crystal, perfumes and fine jewellery-including authentic treasure coin jewellery - on Grand Cayman and at a few stores on Cayman Brac. Prices on perfume, watches and select luxury items may be as much as 30% cheaper here. 

Cayman Islands History - Weekend Rental Car

Christopher Columbus discovered Little Cayman and Cayman Brac during his fourth and last voyage to the New World, on May 10, 1503. While sailing from Panama to Hispaniola, severe winds pushed his ships off course west.

The ship's log reported "... we were in sight of two very small islands, full of tortoise, as was the sea about, inasmuch as they looked like little rocks." Consequently, Columbus named the islands Las Tortugas after the abundant sea turtles he sighted. The islands were later renamed Lagartos, meaning alligator or large lizard and finally, the name Caymanas was applied around 1540, derived from the Carib word for marine crocodile. This name, in a modified form, has remained since the late 16th century.

Sir Francis Drake visited the islands during a voyage between 1585-86 and reported sighting "great serpents called Caymanas, like large lizards, which are edible." An anonymous author in Drake's fleet also described 10-foot long crocodiles. According to the Cayman Islands National Archive, there are written accounts of Cayman dating back to the 1830's which describe the shooting of crocodiles as a Sunday sport.

During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the islands were replenishment centres supplying abundant fresh water and food, including sea turtles and wild fowl, for English, Dutch, French and Spanish explorers and buccaneers plying the Spanish Main route.

The Cayman Islands came under British control in 1655 when Jamaica was captured from the Spanish by Oliver Cromwell's army. They officially became part of the British Empire under the Treaty of Madrid in 1670, after which Spain recognized British possession of "all lands, islands, colonies and places situated in the West Indies." For almost 300 years after that, the islands were administered as a dependency of Jamaica.

The first recorded settlement was of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac between 1666-1671, while Sir Thomas Modyford was Governor of Jamaica, comprising descendants of emigrants from the British Isles.

Cayman Islands Government - Affordable Car Rental

The Cayman Islands' highest official is the Governor, who is the appointed representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He presides over the Executive Council, the ruling body of the country. The Governor's term of office is four years.

The existing constitution of the Cayman Islands, introduced on August 22, 1972, provides for the government of the Cayman Islands as a British Overseas Territory. It establishes a governing body called the Executive Council, which consists of three official and five elected members, the latter being selected from the 15 elected representatives of the Legislative Assembly.

The three Official Members of Executive Council are civil servants appointed by the Governor to the positions of Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary and Attorney General, and they have seats in the Legislative Assembly.

In February 1994 a constitutional amendment introduced a new ministerial form of government. Our five elected Members of Executive Council are now called Ministers, with portfolio responsibilities assigned by the Governor. In addition, a District Commissioner represents the Governor in the Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

All official Government offices and Ministries are located in the Government Administration Building ("the Glass House") on Elgin Avenue in George Town.

Elections are held every four years.

Getting Married in Cayman Islands

Visitors to the Cayman Islands can get married on the day they arrive. This includes passengers arriving on cruise ships, who may be legally married during their day in port in Grand Cayman.

A special licence will be granted by the Governor for non-resident couples. The application for this license can be obtained from:

Chief Secretary's Office,
4th Floor, Government Administration Building
George Town, Grand Cayman
Phone: (345) 244-2403

The fee for this license is CI$150 plus a CI$10 stamp duty (CI$160 or US$200 total). It is possible to obtain the special licence on the day of the marriage, however, visitors are advised to make arrangements in advance to expedite paperwork and all required details.

Couples must arrange for a Cayman Islands Marriage Officer before applying for the licence. A list of officers is available from the Chief Secretary's office and can be sent in advance of arrival.

Other requirements include proper documentation of proof:

• Citizenship and age (passport or birth certificate)
• Marital status (proof of legal divorce decree or death certificate if spouse has died, if applicable)
• Immigration card showing legal entry into the Cayman Islands (you will receive this card as you clear immigration at the airport), or
  Documentation proving visitor is a passenger on a cruise ship.

Note: The minimum legal age for getting married without parental consent is 18.

A brochure, 'Getting Married in the Cayman Islands', containing complete guidelines and information is available from:

Government Information Services
Cricket Square, Grand Cayman.
British West Indies
Phone: (345) 949-8092
Fax: (345) 949-5936. 

Cayman Islands Geography - Best Car Rental

The Cayman Islands is a British Crown Colony located in the western Caribbean, 480 miles south of Miami, 150 miles south of Cuba and 180 miles northwest of Jamaica. The islands lie between 19° 15' and 19° 45' North and between 79° 44 ' and 81° 27' West and over 1000 miles west of the US Virgin Islands and the Leeward Island chain.

The Cayman Islands consists of three Islands. The largest and most developed is Grand Cayman, and the two Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman lie approximately 89 miles east-northeast of Grand Cayman. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are separated from each other by a channel about seven miles wide.

Grand Cayman: Approximately 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point, reaching a maximum elevation at East End of 60 feet.Grand Cayman occupies 76 square miles. Grand Cayman is divided into 5 districts: West Bay, George Town, Bodden Town, East End and North Side. For the most part, their names tell you where they are located; George Town and Bodden Town are located on the southern part of the island.

Cayman Brac: Covering 14 square miles, Cayman Brac is 12 miles long and just over a mile wide. This island has the most dramatic topography of the trio. Its majestic Bluff rises west to east along the length of the island to 140 feet at the eastern tip, ending in a sheer cliff. There are many mysterious caves carved throughout this awe-inspiring natural attraction.

Little Cayman: Only 10 square miles, this island is 10 miles long and a mile wide. Little Cayman is the flattest of the three Islands, reaching a maximum elevation of 40 feet. Its famous Bloody Bay Wall Marine Park has been called one of the world's best dive sites. Inland, the 203-acre Booby Pond Nature Reserve is a RAMSAR site and nesting ground for the Caribbean's largest population of Red Footed Boobies.

The three islands are limestone outcroppings, the tops of a submarine mountain range called the Cayman Ridge. The ridge extends west-southwest, from the Sierra Maestra range off the southeast part of Cuba to the Misteriosa Bank near Belize. The islands lack rivers or streams because of the porous nature of the limestone rock. It is this lack of runoff that gives the surrounding Caribbean Sea its exceptional visibility, which is often well over 120 feet.

Between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica lies the deepest part of the Caribbean Sea, the Cayman Trough, which is over four miles deep. South of Cayman is the Bartlett Deep where depths of over 18,000 feet have been recorded. All three islands are surrounded by healthy coral reefs which lie at the top of dramatic walls and drop-offs close to shore, creating ideal conditions for diving and sport fishing. 

Cayman Islands Entertainment - Hire Car Services

The Cayman Islands offer an enjoyable variety of nightlife and entertainment. Bars, clubs and dance halls must close by 3:00am on weekdays and midnight on Saturdays. There are no nightclubs open on Sunday.

Once you arrive, consult our local publications for the latest listings. These include Friday's edition of our local daily newspapers the Caymanian Compass and Cayman Net News, and local informational magazines like Key To Cayman, What's Hot, and Destination Cayman. Most of these magazines can be picked up free of charge at hotels, supermarkets, and coffee shops around the island. You can also check the Events section on this website for upcoming events. You'll find information about local performances, what's playing at the movies, and what special events are currently happening on the island. Offerings include:

Night Life: The Next Level, The Matrix, and Chameleon are just a few of the many lively nightclubs in Grand Cayman. Pre-club dancing can be found at The O Bar or Bed Lounge. Many clubs offer a V.I.P. section and drink specials. Not into the busy club atmosphere? Not to worry: there are lots of other options, including pool halls, lounges and the cinema.

Local Flavour: Top local bands appear regularly at most nightclubs and major hotels. Popular local bands include Coco Red, Exit, 45 C.I., Lammie, Heat, Gone Country, Hi-Tide, and Mainstream.

Live Entertainment: The Lions Centre in Red Bay on Grand Cayman is the location for a variety of events throughout the year, ranging from concerts by top names in Caribbean and International music to country, pop and rock performers from the US. There are also occasional stage productions, contests, pageants, and sports events.

Theatre: The Harquail Theatre on West Bay Road is the venue for cultural events including stage productions sponsored by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation, including plays by Caymanian and other West Indian playwrights, dramas and comedies by Caribbean performers and special events such as art exhibitions and concerts. The Prospect Playhouse in Red Bay features year-round regular performances of comedy, drama and musicals by the Cayman Drama Society.

On the Water: There is a wide variety of sunset and dinner cruises offered by local water sports operators. Looking for something romantic? Spend the evening aboard a replica pirate ship, or dine and dance under the stars on a 19th century tall ship.

On Cayman Brac: There are occasional weekend dances where local bands perform. Community events including talent shows and other stage and musical presentations at the Aston Rutty centre provide the island's main nightlife; if you want more privacy, take a romantic walk under the stars and enjoy some good-old-fashioned conversation.