Cayman Islands

城市概覽

As far as archaeologists can tell, the Cayman Islands were uninhabited before they were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503. He named them Las Tortugas after their large number of turtles. By 1530, they were called the Caymanes from the Carib word caimán for the crocodiles that also lived there. Through a variety of spellings, the name evolved into the English term Cayman. The islands' early economy was focused on hunting turtles to provide turtle meat to ships preparing for the long journey back east across the Atlantic. After local turtles were hunted to extinction, Cayman turtlers began to hunt turtles on other nearby islands. For the first two hundred years, the islands were a lawless frontier society inhabited by pirates, privateers, refugees, shipwrecked sailors, and slaves. England acquired the Cayman Islands and Jamaica with the signing of the Treaty of Madrid in 1670, and administered the islands as an informal dependency of Jamaica. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the British colonized the Cayman Islands from Jamaica. The colonial government based at Kingston appointed several justices of the peace to supervise Cayman affairs. One of these justices was informally called the governor. White settlers brought black slaves with them from Jamaica, but slavery became entrenched only on Grand Cayman, which initially resisted emancipation after the British government abolished slavery in 1835. The early settlers were eventually able to develop more harmonious interracial relations, to the extent that about 40% of native Caymanians now identify as mixed-race. The American Revolution resulted in the loss of the American colonies in 1783, forcing the British government to realize it had to grant more leeway to its remaining colonies to govern their own affairs. In 1831, the Cayman Islands were allowed to elect their own legislative assembly. In 1832, the title of governor was renamed to "custos", after the ancient British office of custos

如何抵達

Entry requirements

By plane 1 Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM IATA) (near George Town on Grand Cayman). This is the main airport. It is about a 70-minute flight from Miami, Florida. It is served by a number of international airlines, flying to destinations in the Caribbean, North America, Central America & Europe. 2 Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (CYB IATA) (at the western end of Cayman Brac). Besides domestic flights there are also flights to Miami Airport and Havana

By boat George Town on Grand Cayman is a popular port for cruise ships.

當地交通

By car

Car rentals are readily available. You must be 21 years old to rent a car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and seatbelt use is mandatory. Historically, it was necessary for visitors to obtain and carry a temporary driver's licence along with their regular licence, but that is no longer the case. A valid driver's licence is now sufficient, along with an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English. Signs, road markings, and rules of the road are mostly British with a bit of American influence. Driving regulations are codified in the Road Code of 2012. The Cayman Islands posts speed limits in miles per hour, but the territorial government allows motor vehicles to be imported from countries other than the United States and the United Kingdom. Some rental cars have speedometers marked only in kilometers per hour and omit miles per hour (which violates both US and UK vehicle safety regulations). This is why many newly arrived tourists drive rental cars at 40 km/h, until they realize why all the other vehicles are passing them at 40 mph or 64 km/h. If your rental car falls into this category, you will need to memorize several conversions from miles to kilometers. Fuel stations provide both diesel and gasoline, often from nozzles on the same pump. Do not mix them up. For example, Enterprise/National/Alamo will make you sign an express promise to not mix them up when they rent you a car. On the islands, green means gasoline and black means diesel, the exact opposite of the colors used by gas stations in the United States. Most stations provide both full and self service. If you prefer to pump your own gas, Cayman gas pumps will first ask if you wish to pay at the pump or pay inside. If you pay at the pump, you will be required to type in an amount to be preauthorized on your credit or debit card, and then the pump will dispense gas up to that amount. If you select pay inside, you can pump immediately, then go into the

必看景點

The main attraction in Cayman is the water. Snorkeling and diving draw many visitors each year. However, there are several attractions on land worth visiting. Most attractions can be reached by bus, however, a car is significantly more convenient. Beach access is guaranteed by the Cayman constitution, so walking along the beach is permitted everywhere (all beaches are public), although getting to the beach is only allowed in certain areas. Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) of tourist hotels, with white sand beaches. It is a public beach and visitors can walk the entire stretch, no matter which hotel they are staying at. On Seven Mile Beach, The Ritz has a walkway over the main road containing local artists' work. Finding it can be challenging, however, the staff are happy to point you in the right direction. Pedro St. James national historic site is an attractive old house and grounds on the ocean. There is a multimedia show telling the history of the house, and an exhibit center with more Cayman historical displays. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a large botanical garden which includes gardens with plants arranged by colour, a large orchid garden, a gazebo on a lake and many Iguanas, including the rare blue iguanas. The Cayman Turtle Farm is a turtle farm where you can swim and pet turtles. A recent review of the farm indicated concerns for the animals, so this may be something some people want to research before visiting. Stingray City in the waters off Grand Cayman is reached by several tour companies by boat. In the shallow water many stingrays gather, and you can interact with them. If you book on a sailing vessel, you then get to sail back to port. The stingrays have been gathering here since the mid 1980s when boaters would clean their fish near the port.

體驗活動

Several activities are available for children and adults alike:

The Cayman Turtle farm is a fun place for children to learn about wildlife preservation Be sure to visit the Stingrays at the sandbars in the Cayman Islands. This is a popular tourist destination, and unlike swimming with dolphins in places such as Florida and the Bahamas, these stingrays are willfully living in the wild and can choose to leave at anytime. Several guided tours are available, in addition to packages that include this as well as snorkeling Several beautiful reefs are a fantastic place for beginner snorkelers. More e