Grand Cayman is about 150 miles south of Cuba and 180 miles west of Jamaica. The three islands are outcrops of the Cayman Ridge, a range of submarine mountains extending west- southwest from the Sierra Maestra range in the southeast portion of Cuba to the Misteriosa Bank in the direction of Belize.

When Christopher Columbus first saw the Cayman Islands in 1503, he named them Las Tortugas, 'the turtles'. The name Cayman came from the Spanish-Carib word caymanas, or 'crocodiles'. The crocodiles in question are actually believed to have been iguanas, however. A haven for pirates through its early history, Scottish fisherman later arrived to establish a peaceful settlement that has today become a tranquil Caribbean oasis.

The Cayman Islands are known as one of the premier dive destinations in the world. Coral reefs and formations encircle the islands, and are filled with marine life. The 'Wall' (actually four walls off the islands) drops in spots from just 35 feet of water down to 1830 feet, often with visibility of up to 200 feet.

Among some of the attractions on the land are the Botanic Park, Mastic Trail, National Museum, Turtle Farm and Pedro St. James. Many other attractions exist including submarine excursions, inland caves exploration, the Blowholes at Breakers, shark feeding and more recently a small zoo called Cardinal D's Park. The major attraction for visitors continues to be the undersea world of these islands and second in line to our people; the reefs and other undersea life could collectively be called our National Treasure.

Each year the Cayman Islands play host to visitors from all over the world and we'd love to welcome you to our beautiful islands as well.