Cayman Islands Travel Guide

The Cayman Islands -- made up of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman islands -- are a British overseas territory located in the heart of the Caribbean Ocean. As a territory, the Caymans remain under the control of the British governament and as such, are one of the last remaining non-self-governing territories in the world.

The British have controlled the Caymans for several centuries, and the first settlement of the islands took place around 1700. The earliest residents included pirates, shipwrecked sailors, slaves, and religious refugees.

The Caymans were traditionally governed by the as a single colony with Jamaica until 1962, at which time Jamaica became an independent nation.

The Caymans are located roughly 200km south of Cuba and 250 km west of Jamaica and are home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches. The largest of the three islands, Grand Cayman, is the primary tourist destination and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Tourists come to the Caymans not only for the beaches, however, but also for the island's world-class fishing and diving spots.