Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Introduction
Once a few isolated islands populated by just a handful of residents, to-
day the Cayman Islands garner the attention of both the travel and
the business worlds. These islands are straight out of
Lifestyles of the Rich
and Famous
, the kind of destination where business people might take
care of banking chores in the morning and scuba dive in the afternoon.
Have a good look around. See the sunglass-clad fellow on the next chaise
lounge? He may well be in the islands to visit his bulging tax-free bank ac-
count.TwobikinisdownmaybeaNewYorkmodeltakingabreakfromthe
workaday world or a businesswoman on-island to attend a board of direc-
tors meeting of an offshore insurance company.
A Diverse Destination
These islands are sought for their underwater attractions, boast-
ing many of the best dive sites on the globe. Here, the waters have
a clarity second to none, a diversity of sites to interest even the
most well-traveled diver, and a variety of marine life that can't be beat. Va-
cationsherecenteraroundthosecrystallinewaters.Diversandsnorkelers
will find marine playgrounds around each of the islands. Fishermen wres-
tle with wily bonefish in the shallow flats or struggle with blue marlin,
yellowfin tuna, or wahoo from deep-water charter boats. Those looking for
a more leisurely pace enjoy sunset sails or long walks along powdery sand
beaches.
Business travelers frequent the largest of the three Cayman Islands,
Grand Cayman
. Unlike many Caribbean islands, whose commerce is
concentrated in inter-island trade, Grand Cayman is a major player in the
world market. This tiny isle is the fifth-largest financial center in the
world,withover500banks.Morethan30,000businessesareincorporated
here, most of them nothing more than a plaque on a wall somewhere. The
reason for the island's position as a business capital is its banking and
trust laws and tax-free status. (Remember
The Firm
? Portions of that
movie, based on the John Grisham book, were filmed right here and based
on the island's banking secrecy laws.)
The affluence brought about by its position as a financial leader has both
pros and cons for the vacationer. On one hand, you'll find the Cayman Is-
lands are a safe destination, a place where you can walk on the beach,
drive around in an open-air Jeep, and exercise no more than common-
sense safety precautions. You will never be bothered by beach hasslers try-
ingtohawkjewelryorbraidyourhair,somethingmanyvacationersresent
on other Caribbean islands. And you won't feel a sense of guilt staying in a
