Grand Cayman has more dive sites than Little Cayman. Booming in the sense that Little Cayman has over 15 dive sites that have attracted divers from all parts of the globe, and sprawling since all the dive sites are teeming with marine life. The Cayman Islands has also designated four special areas for protection such as marine park zones, replenishment zones, environmental zones, and no diving zones. Sign up to get the latest updates, offers and more. 6. You get to enjoy some of the warm weather, which is especially nice if you live in the northern U.S., where it's still winter. The highlight of the dive is the photo opportunity with this Cayman reefs most famous resident. 4. Moray eels and angelfish move among the coral, and turtles are often seen cruising over the reef. For this reason, wreck junkies and aficionados often have the Keith on their to-dive lists. May through November, and especially September and October, are the riskiest months to visit. You can also go wreck diving as there are some shipwrecks that can be explored like the remains of USS Kittiwake. Find & Book Adventures Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. It is only a 10-minute walk from the cruise ship port in George Town to Eden Rock. September can bring rougher waters if there is a tropical storm, and that is also the month with a higher chance of a hurricane, although hurricanes are not common. This is also where you will board your liveaboard. Eels, rays, sharks, and turtles are frequently seen. Many divers who have been diving in this area said that this is really an up close and personal experience with stingrays as they are literally touching and surrounding you. Grand Cayman is a beautiful dive destination with many options for accommodations and for diving. Having done a lot of dives in Florida, one thing we did notice was that there were not as many fishes on the reefs in Grand Cayman as in south Florida, but after looking at my pictures after this trip I did notice many small fishes and critters. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is any time of year, but hotel rates drop in March and June and temperatures rise to around 80 degrees. Plus, along the wall, you can meet triggerfish, eagle rays, turtles, lobsters and many more! We could easily get to reefs and wrecks by ourselves from shore and take as much time as our tanks allowed. A direct flight from Miami to Grand Cayman takes only 70 minutes. You will find Nassau gropers, triggerfish, and other unique marine life at the Bloody Bay Wall. Grand Caymans North Wall plunges deeper than 1800 metres/6000 feet and offers beautiful wall diving with opportunities to see spotted eagle rays and sea turtles. But which Cayman Island has the best diving? Grand Cayman Island probably has the best diving as it has the North Wall deep drop-off dive and the USS Kittiwake wreck dive. If you want to escape the crowds of cruise ship passengers, the East End is the place to go. Over 200 permanent boat moorings are installed to avoid damaging corals with the dropping of boat anchors. The water clarity is typically amazingly clear. Sharp-eyed divers can find leopard flatworms and the tunnels are also popular hangouts for rays and green moray eels. In effect, there are more registered businesses in Cayman Island as compared to its local population. Eagle rays glide past in the blue water, triggerfish, Nassau groupers, electric yellow sponges and much make this site popular with divers in the Caymans. Divers in the Caymans visit Kittiwake for the wreck itself. Click the link below to read our article about Eden Rock: Deep Stingray City is located in Grand Cayman. You can go hiking in the Mastic Trail where it has really nice views from the harbors and the beaches. Not to be confused with the Anchor Point dive sites in Scotlands Loch Fyne, the Solomon Islands, or Sri Lanka, the Cayman dive site is located on Grand Cayman and is characterized by swathes of black coral. Located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Little Cayman is another elongated island that is popular with anglers and scuba divers. The dives are shallow and you can closely observe them swimming around or above you. Below are our recommendations for the best months to dive in Cayman Islands, as well as our suggestions for the best places to dive in each month of the year. Drift dives are possible here depending on your operator. Courtesy of IreneCorti/Getty Images/iStockphoto. Another top option for divers, Cayman Brac Beach Resort is, as its name implies, located on the third island in the Cayman Islands: 15-square-mile Cayman Brac. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. This wreck is the only Russian warship that can explore in the Western hemisphere. And when you have the right product, youre a little bit happier which affects the people around you! There is a reason you won't find under a 5-star review for Silver Thatch, they are the best. If you love nature, you can go hiking or explore some caverns and caves. Swim throughs, ledges, overhangs, and an average depth of 12 meters (40ft) make this a Cayman dive site for all experience levels to explore. ScubaDiveGeek.com also participates in other affiliate programs and Google Adwords and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these and other companies. Three long, wide tunnels, accessible to the majority of divers, extend from the sand flats to open out onto the reef wall. But Little Cayman also has good diving including Bloody Bay Wall dive, which means a Caymans Island liveaboard is the best way to experience all the best Cayman's diving. Orange Canyon is a popular dive site on the west-side of Grand Cayman. We were lucky enough to see the tail end of silversides on the wreck of the Balboa right in the Harbor too. This is brought to you by the paradise-features of diving Cayman Islands: three islands where the bounty of nature is amplified as you go underwater.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'scubadivegeek_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Who would ever think that at the peak of an undersea mountain range lies a country that has one of the Worlds largest financial centers? But its not just the heat that matters when visiting the Cayman Islands. You can dive from shore because they have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water. The North Wall is one of the most visited diving sites and plunges to a depth of 6000 feet (1800 meters). Please Sign-in or Register to save My Ideas for later, Our social channels Purposely sunk in 2011, she now sits upright in the sand at 18 meters (60ft) and is a teeming artificial reef encrusted with coral. We rarely boast about our service but we believe it's what sets us apart and makes us truly original, so please forgive this moment of unabashed self-promotion. Divers can observe the bow guns and go along the rails to make some great photos. Great Wall is the kind of dive that makes you feel like a tiny speck in the ocean as you hang near a wall that drops dramatically to more than 1,800 meters (6,000ft). From April to October water temperature are at least 27 o C (81 o F) and can reach over 30 o C (85 o F). For example, let's look at one airline flying from Miami to Grand Cayman. They were all guided dives. Although this is a wall dive, the cut in the sites name comes from the swim-through many divers use upon descent. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! It now rests in an upright position at a depth of 27meters (89feet). For macro subjects, you can see angelfish, morays, lettuce slug nudibranchs and many more. You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. It is 330-feet in length, and was sunk in Cayman Brac in 1996. The shore diving was really easy to access with actual ladders or stairs and even showers at some sites. Boat rides were no longer than 15 minutes, with most being around 5 minutes. Click the link below to read our article about Cheeseburger Reef: Sunset House is located on the south-side of Grand Cayman, near George Town. Find & Book Liveaboards Choose from a selection of more than 250 vessels and 18,000 trips worldwide. I am Dan, this site is my blog where I document my research on the best diving spots in the world. Pelagics are attracted to the wall while schools of reef fish populate the shallows, swimming around the many purple, red, and yellow sponges. Flamingo tongues can be found on the sea fans, while arrow crabs, bristle worms, and long-spined sea urchins hide in the cracks and grooves. My poker stick resembled the dive guides spears, so they followed me closely and would even "show" me where the lion fish were, confused when I didn't feed them. As you enter the cave, you will realize that it is not totally dark as it is illuminated by streaking sunlight streaming from overhead cracks and crevices. So, what are you waiting for? Under its 1986 declaration covering an area of hectares (23 acres) are dive sites that are popular to tourists and divers alike. Keith Tibbets- This Soviet-built Frigate that was owned by the Cuban navy was given to the Cayman Islands to purposefully sink it. The boat dives were offered mostly in the mornings, and we were on our own in the afternoons. Grand Cayman and Little Cayman are the main diving areas in the Cayman Islands which are recognized as having one of the best wall dives in the world. There are lots of options for great photography and for posing for memorable photos, such as by the Kittiwake sign, swimming by the prop, or pretending to steer the helm on the bridge. The best time to see whitetip reef sharks in the Cayman Islands is from May to August. Please Sign-in or Register Apart from the elephant ear sponges, keep your eyes peeled for blacktip Carribean reef sharks in the blue. Head to the turret guns for a superb photo opportunity and keep your eyes peeled for barracuda, bright sponges, and schooling reef fish. The water is about 100 feet deep, and there is a good variety of soft and hard corals. I would like to mention 2 points though, one that it is a bit expensive, both the accommodations and the diving, and secondly, it looks like they allow open water divers to do the deeper wall dives, where you can be as deep as 100 feet, just an FYI, in case youre not comfortable at that depth. The Cayman Islands continues to receive global recognition and top the charts for diving. Manage Settings Aside from corals, barrel sponges are sprawling in this vibrant reef that is also filled with tropical reef fish like groupers, butterflyfish, angelfish, moray eels and lionfish which is believed to be an invasive species. Instead, they pass through the vicinity and bring heavy rains and wind to the island. North Wall 2. stingray city 3. Plus, the water temperature ranges between 78-82F (26-28C). Dive conditions could not have been more perfect, flat seas (the north side is supposed to be more choppy but the day we dived Eagle Ray pass, it was just 2 feet seas, the rest of the dives were on the west side, where the sea was flat both days), warm water (80 degrees for our stay), clear water with awesome 90-100+ feet visibility (great for wide angle photography). A shallow dive site, the colors here really pop making it a good choice for photographers. If you don't want to sacrifice weather for a break on hotel prices, plan a trip for the region's dry season, which runs from November to April. to save My Ideas for later. The primary reason why scuba divers frequently visit the Cayman Islands is to do a different kind of investment: definitely not monetary, but instead fun, enjoyment and great underwater adventures. Closely packed ridges form huge coral heads between the shore and the reef wall. Best time to dive When to dive in the Cayman Islands entirely depends on your own personal preferences. From April to October water temperature are at least 27 o C (81 o F) and can . My wife and I are traveling there in February 2015 and are PADI AOW and Nitrox certified with ten years of recreational experience diving. Located just a short walk from George Town, the Sunset House Hotel is home to Sunset Divers, and both resort and dive center are favorites of divers. Cayman Turtle Centre. The dive resorts are more expensive than places like Roatan or Belize, but given the reputation of the islands and the quality and ease of the diving, we find the prices reasonable. Despite the name, you arent guaranteed to see tarpon here. This is a wreck worth a dive or two. The water is about 12-feet deep here. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'scubadivegeek_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_14',101,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-medrectangle-4-0');The Cayman Islands has a tropical marine climate with two pronounced seasons: a rainy season that runs from May to October and a dry season from November to April. Find the best travel insurance for you with these U.S. News ratings, which factor in expert and consumer recommendations. Eden Rock & Devils Grotto are two dive sites that are next to each other. We understand that diving the best Grand Cayman Dives is the primary goal of your Grand Cayman Dive vacation. Eden Rock has lots of coral and fish, and Devils Grotto has underwater caves that you can explore. Aside from taking photos at the solid bronze emblem at one of its 5 decks or at the stern with the propeller, penetration can be done with the USS Kittiwake courtesy from multiple sunlit entries and exit points. // ]]>, Call us today at+1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com. Roundabout is located along the North Wall in Grand Cayman. Yes, that is the Cayman Islands and this is due in part of the tax holiday being implemented that has attracted businesses worldwide. Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. Although the rays who made this site their home permanently have moved on, there is still a good chance of spotting them here. PrivacyPolicy, 2023 Original Diving | Web Design by D3R. They have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water safely. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. When to go Best time Low season Off season Where to go when But these arent the only good and bad times. If you're looking for great diving and hotel prices, the best time is between March and June when the rates all drop. Having a less touristic crowd, Cayman Brac still has several tourism facilities like Cayman Brac Dive Resorts that are scattered along its narrow coast. Our Original Diving experts, made up of marine biologists, divemasters and lovers of all things underwater, know the best time to dive in Little Cayman. Grand Cayman, the main island, is often one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, especially with western Caribbean cruises. And as you might imagine, the coral-encrusted archway makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. If you don't feel comfortable using my referral links, you can always go directly to their site and bypass me. Hop to the other islands by hiring a private boat operator, or better yet, arrange for a liveaboard tour and explore as many Cayman Islands diving sites as you can. Often you can see massive tarpons, barracudas, and schools of silversides. Three Fathom Wall is a popular night dive when eels, lobsters, and reef squid make an appearance. Tarpon Alley is part of the North Wall with depths between 15 to 25 meters (50-80ft). However, there are large coral canyons that provide exciting swim-throughs for divers. Sidetrip: Visit Little Caymans Booby Pond Nature Reserve. The ship was originally built for the US Army Transportation Corps over 70-years ago. Unfortunately, the tarpons that gave this site its name have moved on, but you may be lucky and catch a glimpse of these silver kings. Canyons and drop-offs provide a varied topography making the site a firm favorite with photographers. There is a separate fee to dive this wreck that goes towards conservation, and you also get a nice yellow diver medallion to keep. Welcome to my scuba diving bucket list. 3. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands Diving is available year-round. For shark diving, we suggest the Maze, Scuba Bowl and the Grouper Grotto which is also filled with lots of good-size groupers. (Closed Circuit Rebreathers/CCR) allows you to massively extend your dive time. Rainfall starts to climb in May. They pickup from the Westin, Ritz and Kimpton Seafire beaches for their West Dives, which is one of their standout features. Cayman Islands International Film Festival. Top 20 Best Dive Sites In Cayman Islands In 2023, The Best Starboard Paddle Boards: A Brand Guide, The Best iRocker Paddle Boards: A Brand Guide, Blackfin Paddle Boards: The Best Paddle boards from Blackfin, Top All-inclusive Resorts You Need To Visit, How To Choose a Kayak Paddle? Bloody Bay Coral Reef Wall - one of the most beautiful dive sites in the Cayman Islands It's time to head back underwater for another jaw-dropping location: the Bloody Bay Wall. In the 2019 Scuba Diving Magazine Readers Choice Awards, the Islands were named one of the Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic and scored first place for Best Advanced Diving and Underwater Photography. While many visitors come here to scuba dive, snorkel, or relax and soak up the sun on the beach, those looking for something more adventurous can try . On Grand Cayman, I stayed at hotels on the west end along Seven Mile beach. When we talk about Fiji, what immediately comes into our mind is a tropical dream holiday. The amazing diversity and dive sites for all levels are just one of the reasons why the Cayman Islands is also one of the top dive destinations in the Carribean. 1 is a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom unit. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and June when the hotel rates drop. Elkhorn corals adorn the tops of the ridges while large gorgonians, tube sponges, and hard corals occupy the gullies. Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. And when it comes to marine life, there is lots to see! Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population. The reef slopes gradually from 5 to 17 meters (17-55ft), and is covered in hard corals, sea whips, small sponges and gorgonians. The best dive site is either Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman or the USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman. Located in popular Bloody Bay, Donnas Delight is home to some classic Cayman wall diving: Giant barrel sponges, arching sea fans, and bright corals. The winter and early spring months are the most popular time in the Cayman Islands. . Cayman Brac Beach Resort. Around the coral fingers, stingrays, eagle rays and yellowhead jawfish rest on the sandy patches. The water is about 10 to 20 feet deep. Lionfish have become an invasive species and some of the dive operators offer culling excursions. MV Captain Keith Tibbetts is an ex-Soviet Union ship that was built in 1984 for the Cuban Navy. The Kittiwake wreck as well as other wrecks in the close vicinity add variety and interesting structure which I really enjoyed. Flights to Grand Cayman arrive at Owen Roberts International Airport. Take a walk along the coast line or rent a bicycle and ride around the island. They became my favorite focus on the reef. Here, you can take diving lessons, go on a guided dive, or rent tanks and gear. Even if they are stingrays and have the potential to inflict painful wounds via their tail, do not panic as they are not in their aggressive or defensive mode. The Cayman Islands is a world-class diving destination famous for its reefs, wrecks and rum. Live a life others only dream about. The USS Kittiwake is an ex-US Navy ship that was purposely sunk in Grand Cayman to create a new dive site. The Cayman Islands are home to some of the best spots for scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. This is a must do dive. The water depth here is around 18-meters. All levels of divers can enjoy the site as there is plenty to see at shallow depths or at deeper parts. While at first the Oro Verde was a complete ship, rough seas and tumultuous weather have dispersed the wreckage. The 6 Best Dive Sites in the Cayman Islands Cecily Russell 3 April, 2022 The trio of Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory situated in the western Caribbean Sea. If you are vacationing in Cayman Brac, then you need to visit this spot. Away from the reef, divers can look around the LCM David Nicholson wreck. No crowds. The flight and hotel fares are discounted up to 50 percent this time of year. ScubaDiveGeek.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. However, the Cayman Islands can be impacted by hurricanes primarily between June and November. Besides scuba diving, there are plenty of other things to do on the Cayman Islands. Closer to the reef, turtles, groupers, horse-eyed jacks, and an over-abundance of lionfish make this colorful site even more interesting. iFrameResize({log:true, enablePublicMethods:true}); I have been diving in Grand Cayman several times. Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. "High Season" at the hotels is mid-December to mid-April, so rates will be higher then. Scuba Divers can experience the world's best 12ft dive site at Stingray City, the beautiful Starfish Point and Bloody Bay . Best Liveaboard Destinations in the World, Vaccines recommended: Hep A; Typhoid if you will travel to rural areas, Visa: None needed for US citizens or European Union, Safety: Generally safe but petty theft can occur. While diving is a year-round activity in the Cayman Islands, June to August is considered to be the best time of year to dive Grand Cayman and the nearby islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Other highlights include barracudas, yellowtail snappers, hawksbill turtles, and stingrays that sleep in the sand. Along the drop-off, crevices and canyons cut through the reefs face. That's is how we pay ourselves. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. This is one of the best dive sites in Cayman Brac, and is a must-do experience. There are lots of beautiful beaches to visit and to relax. Located 133 kilometers (83 miles) northeast of Grand Cayman is its little sister island Little Cayman. The wreck was specifically set up for safe penetration, giving divers many interior rooms to explore. The most interesting topside activities for us were exploring the island in a rental car and driving on the left side of the road. It was named after the famous free-diver Penny Ventura. This site is a firm favorite among local dive masters, most likely because of the intriguing geological features but there is plenty of marine life here too. Your dive profile in Stingray City is relatively shallow since your maximum depth is just only 6 meters (20 feet) when you reach the sandy seafloor. Devilishly deep drop-offs, wicked wreck dives and some of the coolest coral in the Caribbean have made the Cayman Islands a world-class dive destination. But these aren't the only good and bad times. Phone +1 345-949-7111. 4. Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. Among the dive sites in Scuba Cayman Brac, the remains of a 100meter (330feet) long Russian Koni class frigate is considered one of the best underwater attraction in the Cayman Islands. Diving is available year-round. Located in the western Caribbean, just 480 miles south of Miami, Cayman is perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling, boasting some of the Caribbean's best excursions.
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