The Three Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a three-island archipelago situated approximately 200 miles south of Cuba and a one-hour flight from Miami. Located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, they benefit from a perfect sub-tropical climate which keeps them warm all year round, whilst they are gently cooled by the trade winds.
They were first discovered in 1503 by Christopher Columbus but it wasn't until the middle of the 20th Century that the country set out on its path to become a major financial and tourist centre.
Grand Cayman has built on its position as a global frontrunner in international offshore finance in recent times with increasing numbers of international companies choosing to relocate there - and bringing with them a host of new job opportunities.
As Grand Cayman has developed it has attracted luxury hotels - such as the 5-star Ritz Carlton - and a host of excellent bars and restaurants.
The infrastructure is now in place on the island to support a much larger economy and the island continues to go from strength to strength.
Grand Cayman may be the main island where most of the international business, and tourism is based, but there are two 'Sister Islands':
Cayman Brac
Little Cayman
Cayman Brac is the second island with a population of around 2,000. The island takes its name from the Gaelic word for Bluff (Brac) and is dominated by a huge limestone bluff which rises from sealevel to a height of over 145 feet. It is the only high land on any of the three islands.
The island has attracted increased investment in recent years with a number of development projects set to break ground or already underway.
Little Cayman, with a permanent population of just 200, is a throwback to the Caribbean of old. It's grassy runway is too small to land a jet so most visitors arrive on Cayman Airways' Twin Otter planes or take a 30-minute boat ride from the Brac.
It's beauty lies in the fact that it is undeveloped with only a handful of hotels, so visitors can find solitude, beautiful sandy beaches and some of the best diving in the Cayman Islands - including Bloody Bay Wall.
