Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Shopping
George Town is the best place to shop in the Cayman Islands.
Here, you'll find a good selection of duty-free china, perfumes,
leather goods, watches, crystal, and more. Jewelry (mostly gold)
is a popular buy and available at stores such as
24 K-Mon Jewellers
(Treasure Island Resort),
Savoy Jewellers
(Fort Street and Church
Street), and
The Jewelry Center
(also on Fort Street). For china and
crystal, check out the
Kirk Freeport Centre
(Albert Panton Street).
Caymanite
, a stone found only on the eastern edge of Grand Cayman's
East End and the bluff on Cayman Brac, is sold throughout the islands
mounted as jewelry. The semi-precious stone, a form of dolomite, ranges
from a light beige to a beautiful amber color and is often mounted in a gold
setting. Another popular island purchase is the
Tortuga Rum Cake
,
available from the Tortuga Liquors (
800-444-0625), made using five-
year-old Tortuga Gold Rum. Sealed in a yellow and red box, the cake is the
product of a 100-year-old family recipe. If you want to skip the cake, take
home a bottle of Tortuga, Blackbear, or Cayman Gold Rum.
Black coral
jewelry
is also a widespread commodity, but note that its harvesting de-
pletes the sea's black coral supply. Only jewelers licensed to remove the
coral may do so.
AUTHORS' NOTE
:
Without a certificate testi-
fying that your purchase is from an approved
seller, your black coral may be confiscated at
Customs.
Anything made with
turtle products
should also be avoided. All goods -
including oils, steaks, shells, and jewelry - made from turtles and turtle
shells have been banned by US Customs. Even passengers traveling
through the US to other nations will have to surrender turtle products at
US Customs.
Local products you won't have to worry about clearing through Customs
are arts and crafts. Look for
birdhouses
made from coconuts,
brooms
woven from thatch, and
pepper sauce
distilled from fiery Scotch bonnet
peppers to capture the spirit of the islands.
Know your prices before you leave home; those
“bargains” may or may not be such a good buy.
Some of the really good deals are on Cayman-
made items.
