The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean, draw beach lovers to Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, divers to the walls and wrecks around all three islands, and cruise passengers to George Town, where ships anchor offshore and tenders ferry people to the terminals. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, the Sister Islands, are quieter still. The islands are outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so a European SIM pays its operator's roaming rates there.
Key facts for the Cayman Islands
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Flow (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 911 for police, ambulance, fire and the hyperbaric chamber
- Embassies: none; the Governor's Office helps British nationals, and the US and Canada cover the islands from Kingston, Jamaica
A safe destination, with a few strict rules
The US rates the Cayman Islands at its lowest advisory level, and crime rates are low. The rules at the border are strict, though. A single bullet left loose in a carry-on bag can lead to arrest, and spear guns, Hawaiian slings and any goods that depict or refer to cannabis may not be imported. Drug offences can bring up to 35 years in prison. Public nudity, including topless sunbathing, is prohibited, and many shops, banks and services close on Sundays.
On arrival you receive an immigration card that you must keep until you leave, along with a customs declaration handed out by the airline. Your passport cannot be renewed or replaced on the islands, so keep it somewhere safe.
Diving, the sea and the weather
Every year some visitors drown or suffer cardiac arrest while snorkelling or diving, so dive within your limits and with a reputable operator. If a diver needs the hyperbaric chamber, call 911. The coast guard can also be reached directly on (345) 649 6722. The hurricane season runs from June to November, and the government's NENS app sends emergency alerts by notification, text and email. Earthquakes are also possible: a magnitude 7.7 quake struck the region in 2020.
Health and money
Grand Cayman has three hospitals and Cayman Brac has Faith Hospital, but treatment is expensive and serious cases are stabilised and transferred to the US, so travel insurance with evacuation cover is essential. Dengue and Zika are present. The Cayman Islands dollar is the official currency, US dollars are used interchangeably, and many cash machines accept foreign cards.
Getting around
Traffic drives on the left. Drivers must be at least 21 and need a temporary permit, issued at the rental counter or a police station. Buses accept both US and Cayman dollars. The Sister Islands are reached only by Cayman Airways flights, and the drink-driving limit is 0.07 per cent, with fines and up to six months in prison for drivers over it.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed at home works as soon as you land at Owen Roberts International Airport or step off the tender in George Town. A Caribbean plan covers the islands along with Jamaica and other cruise stops; a Cayman plan is enough for a stay on Grand Cayman. With the eSIM handling data, your home SIM can stay reachable for bank codes, with its roaming switched off.
Local SIMs: Digicel and Flow are the local providers, and Digicel has a plan aimed at visitors.
Consular protection: who to call in the Cayman Islands
- Call 911 for the police, an ambulance, the fire service, the police marine unit or the hyperbaric chamber.
- As a British territory, the islands have no British embassy or consulate: British nationals are helped by the Governor's Office and the Cayman Islands authorities. The US Embassy and Canada's High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica, cover the islands, and Spain has an honorary consulate there.
- EU citizens whose country has no embassy or consulate covering the islands can go to that of any other EU country, which must assist them as it would its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language.
Questions travellers ask about the Cayman Islands
Will my EU plan work in the Cayman Islands?
Only on roaming at your operator's own rates, since the islands are not part of Roam Like at Home.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in the Cayman Islands?
Flow, with 4G and 5G where available.
What should I check in my luggage before flying?
That there is no ammunition, not even a single loose round, and no spear gun or items featuring cannabis. Any of these can lead to arrest or confiscation.
How do I get to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman?
Only by plane, with Cayman Airways.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you travel, check your bags for stray ammunition, keep your immigration card, dive with a reputable operator, download the NENS alerts app in hurricane season, and save 911.
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