Getting to know the intricacies of the Cayman Islands can be difficult at first, but we're here to help!
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Here we outline all the formalities you'll need to know from dress standards to greeting customs.
Sunday Closings
By law, most businesses in the Cayman Islands close on Sundays. Places that do remain open in Grand Cayman include some pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, hotels and hotel bars, Camana Bay’s cinema and the Mountain Dew Black Pearl Skate Park in Grand Harbour.
Business & Banking Hours
Typical business opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm. Usually only retail outlets are open on Saturdays. Most banks are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-4pm and Friday from 9am-4.30pm, but some bank branches are also open on Saturdays between 9am-1pm.
Attire & Dress Standardskeyboard_arrow_right
Residents in the Cayman Islands are generally a fashionably casual bunch. But during the work-week men who are business professionals may wear long trousers, long sleeved collared shirts and a tie. Jackets are very rarely worn, even in board meetings but are compulsory for lawyers attending court proceedings. You may see women in Cayman wearing a smart skirt, dress or slacks with a blouse at the office – all very appropriate for a professional setting.
Read MoreTime Zone
Daylight Savings Time is not observed in the Cayman Islands. Cayman is on Eastern Standard Time. Also when the United Kingdom is on British Summer Time (BST), the time difference between the UK and Cayman is six hours.
Date System
The Cayman Islands use the English date system: day/month/year. However, because of the influence of the US, some people write the date as month/day/year.
While Cayman businesses and government institutions normally use the English date system, business forms will usually indicate whether the date or month comes first. If you are dating a professional document, you may enquire how the date should be written if you are unsure. A good rule-of-thumb is to write out the month.
English Date System Examples: 21st May 2023 or 21/05/23
US Date System Examples: May 21, 2023 or 05/21/23
Greetings & Caymankind
The greeting customs of the Islands are as follows: always say “Good morning,” or “Good evening” on first meeting someone. If you are talking to a Caymanian, then we usually use the first name but preface it with a ‘Miss’ or a ‘Mr’. ‘Mrs’ is rarely used. If you do not know their name, and they are older than you, then “Sir” or “Ma’am” is appropriate.
The Cayman Islands or “CayMAN” as the locals say (and never the ‘Caymans’) is generally a welcoming place and the ‘Caymankindness’ found in the country is embodied by many, so be sure to engage with people you meet if you are a first time visitor.
Caymankind is a local’s way of presenting themselves to the world: they are generally courteous, compassionate and caring. People here will usually greet you with a smile or say a warm hello or perhaps even say something to make your day brighter than it already was. That’s Caymankindess!