Cayman Islands: Getting there & around

Most international passengers arrive at Owen Roberts International Airport just a couple miles from George Town on Grand Cayman. Some flights also serve Cayman Brac's Gerrard Smith International Airport. The best access to the islands is from the US, and numerous carriers have regular flights between Grand Cayman and Florida cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando. Airlines also offer direct service from Houston, Atlanta, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Chicago, Boston, Newark and other US cities. Cayman Airways has a few flights between US cities and Cayman Brac. Air Canada flies direct from Toronto and British Airways flies direct from London-Heathrow. There are also flights between George Town and Jamaica on Air Jamaica. There's a departure tax of US$25.00 , but the tax is often included in the price of your ticket. Cruise ships regularly dock at George Town on Grand Cayman and at Creek on Cayman Brac.

Grand Cayman has a public minibus service, but it's elusive; renting a car is the best way to explore the island - on the sister islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, it's virtually the only form of transport. You can rent from agencies at the airport or have a car delivered to your hotel. The required driving permit is available from your rental agency for US$7.50 you must be at least 21 and carry a valid driver's license from home. Motorcycles and scooters are also available on all three islands. Traffic moves slowly, with refreshing courtesy. Driving is on the left.

You can take a taxi anywhere on Grand Cayman, though availability drops off the farther you get from George Town. Taxis are not available on Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, though many hotels offer shuttle services to guests. You can take a ferry between North Sound and Rum Point on Grand Cayman, which takes about 40 minutes each way (adult/child return US$15.00 / US$7.50 ). The Caymans are flat and small enough that getting about by bicycle is feasible, so long as you're not ferrying scuba gear. Bicycles are available for hire.

Short of chartering a private boat, the only way to get from Grand Cayman to the sister islands is by air. Both Cayman Express and Cayman Airways offer regular service from Grand Cayman to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Grand Cayman's Owen Roberts Airport is less than 3km (2mi) south of George Town, and taxis are plentiful for the trip into town. Gerrard-Smith Airport is located at the western end of Cayman Brac. On Little Cayman, Edward Bodden Airfield is located just west of South Town, on the southwestern coast. Neither of the smaller islands have an airport taxi service, but hotels will pick travellers up.

There's no ferry service from Grand Cayman to either of the sister islands, but private boat operators will shuttle you between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman for about US$25.00 .