The Cayman Islands - 10 Striking Facts About the Caribbean Island of Grand Cayman

I've visited Grand Cayman twice. Today is the fourthmy home country of Barbados. The highest point on
day of my second visit and I have yet to meet anyonethe island is the landfill.
actually from this small Caribbean country. The woman4. Grand Cayman is the largest of the three islands
who gave me a pedicure this morning is from northerncomprising the Cayman Islands. The other two are
England; the hairdresser, from Georgia (I admit to a fairCayman Brac and Little Cayman.
amount of pampering); our hired driver, from Jamaica;5. Cayman is located in the Western Caribbean Sea,
waiters from Tunisia and other distant lands, but noneabout 400 miles south of Miami. (In contrast, Barbados
from Cayman, most not even from the Caribbean.is in the Eastern Caribbean, about 1600 miles south and
I live in Barbados, where Barbadians hold the majorityeast of Miami.)
of jobs at all levels of society. I've always felt that6. Cayman was first sighted by Christopher Columbus
locals give a country a sense of place. If not for locals,in 1503. He named the three islands Las Tortugas after
I figure I may as well be in an airport, easily the mostthe sea turtles. The name of Cayman, a Carib Indian
place-less places on earth.word, came later, after a local species of crocodile.
However, after snorkeling the pristine Caribbean7. Cayman never had slaves (unlike Barbados, which
waters of Cayman, I really couldn't hold thisafter 1650, imported thousands of African slaves to
place-less-ness against Grand Cayman. Eachwork the sugar cane fields).
Caribbean island holds a certain magic, including Grand8. Cayman and Jamaica were governed as a single
Cayman.British colony until 1962 when Cayman became
After two visits spent snorkeling, dining on deliciousdesignated a "British overseas territory," one of 14
seafood, and walking the gorgeous and famed Seventerritories under the sovereignty of the UK but not part
Mile Beach, I take away the following knowledge andof the UK and Jamaica became independent.
impressions of this small, English-speaking island:(Barbados, also once a British colony, is one of the 53
About Grand Caymanmember states belonging to the British
1. Grand Cayman offers some of the world's premierCommonwealth.)
snorkeling and SCUBA locations. The draw? The9. The Cayman Islands have more registered
graceful stingrays, sunken ships from its pirate days,businesses than people (population is around 60,000).
and beautiful coral. The beaches are pristine and theThe government's primary source of income is indirect
Caribbean Sea are a pretty light blue, warm, verytaxation: there is no income tax or capital gains tax or
gentle, and as clear as a glass of water.corporation tax. Based on income, the Caymanians
2. Grand Cayman is a fantastic place to do absolutelyenjoy the highest standard of living in the Caribbean.
nothing. Hotels line the soft white sand of Seven MileLocals complain there's not much to do on the island;
Beach. Five minutes on this beach and I enter lazythey tell me it's a more enjoyable place for tourists
mode; on one day of my holiday, my greatest exertion(and corporations!) than people who live there.
was holding my hand out to take my next iced10. The Cayman Islands have the dubious honor of
beverage from the waiter.having experienced the most hurricane strikes in
3. Grand Cayman is about 22 miles long and 4 to 8history. Hurricane Ivan almost completely destroyed the
miles wide and at sea level; like Barbados it is a coralunprotected island in 2004; within two years, the
island, not volcanic. My first impression was that it's aCaymanians had rebuilt their country.
sandbar, so different from the varied geography of