This pristine wall on the south side of Cayman Brac features an abundance of hard corals, gorgonians, and massive red, orange, green, and purple sponges. Cayman Brac offered multiple relaxed dive spots on reefs all along the edge of the island. June to October brings . Our travel experts have highlighted our favourite places to visit each month, Terms & Conditions 10 Best Scuba Diving Companies In Grand Cayman (2023) Their sister company, Tortuga Divers, operates from Morritts Tortuga Club in East End. There is a lot of soft coral here, which makes for an interesting experience. . The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 o C (78 o F). This world-class scuba destination is colorful, bright, and teeming with life. It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. Water temperatures are usually low 80's F. Marine life is plentiful and varied. A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking with the final 50% . Do you love diving in the Caymans? Its also the historical rainfall patterns. Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. Three long, wide tunnels, accessible to the majority of divers, extend from the sand flats to open out onto the reef wall. Sunset Reef is a popular shore dive just 60 meters (200ft) off the Sunset House Resorts pier. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands Diving is available year-round. I like the idea of being able to dive off both islands while staying on one. The 20 Best Dive sites in Caymans? Erwin Poliakoff, Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA Nikon D7000, Tokina 10-17 zoom, Nikkor 60mm, 85mm, and 105mm macros, Nauticam housing Dive Courses | Learning to Dive in Grand Cayman | Cayman Resident Cayman Islands Liveaboard Diving | Scuba Diving Earth Thus, you can keep going back and still discover new sites. Live like a local and get under the skin of a destination with our in-country concierges. 5. 10 Best Things to Do in the Cayman Islands Top Cayman Islands July has a jump in visits for families in part because school children are out for the summer. 10 Best Dive Destinations in the Caribbean Best diving in the Caribbean 10 Best Dive Destinations in the Caribbean Cecily Russell 25 February, 2022 Vast blue waters, plummeting wall dives and pelagic life are just a few reasons why you'll find some of the world's best diving in the Caribbean. I have worked in the corporate world and had little time for adventure. U.S. News rates the cheapest travel insurance options, considering expert and consumer recommendations. The 5 Best Dive Sites In Grand Cayman - DesertDivers if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'scubadivegeek_com-leader-1','ezslot_4',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-leader-1-0'); By descending down to 15 meters (50 feet) deep, you will arrive at what divers call the hanging garden which is a vertical limestone wall filled with black corals, barrel sponges, and purple sea fans. 11 Dive Resorts in the Cayman Islands | PADI Travel Penetration can be done in this wreck courtesy from its numerous entry and exit points that were made before it was intentionally sunk to become an artificial reef. Grand Cayman is a sophisticated Caribbean island with great nightlife, great resort options, and the wonderful attraction of stingray city, and very good wall diving. 5. Grand Cayman has dives for all experience levels, and our on-site dive shop Ocean Frontiers Diving Adventures offers a range of PADI dive courses and signature dive adventures. A few great choices are the Sunset House Hotel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac Beach Resort and the Little Cayman Beach Resort. dive in each month of the year. Most people see flights, accommodations, and activities far cheaper during this time since fewer tourists are visiting. 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. 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? Some resorts offer "Hurricane protection". Lighthouse Point is located in West Bay in Grand Cayman. Indonesia. I quickly learned that if I poked at an area with my stick, the groupers would go right there, a great tool to get them to pose right where i wanted them in my reef scenes. 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. Dive Shop and Front desk is open 7 days per week | 7am to 6pm and can be reached directly on (345)-640-7500 Here are a few of our favourite dive sites in Grand Cayman: 1. Below are our recommendations for the best months to dive in The Cayman Islands dollar is legal tender in these islands. Though scuba diving in the Cayman Islands is mostly known for close encounters with stingrays, it has much more to offer. Cruise lines can reduce the number of ships that visit Grand Cayman in the fall, but hotels and resorts cant reduce the number of rooms. 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. Generally, the off-season is the cheapest time to visit Grand Cayman, from May through November. Wonderful restaurants nearby. Yes, that is true and get ready since the 333 islands of Fiji will take you into a quintessential South United Arab Emirates: Unspoiled Dive Sites. Seven Mile Beach is considered the most popular tourist area in the Cayman Islands, thanks to its stunning white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. With regards to transportation, you have to take note that there are no taxis in Little Cayman and the best way to explore the island is by renting a bike. It was then sunk in Grand Cayman in 1980 to make a new dive site. Here youll find more than 50 dives sites including the famous Bloody Bay. You need to take a boat to reach this wreck. Living The Dream Divers Diving Packages | Grand Cayman The islands' location in the western part of the Caribbean shields them from being hit too hard by the annual hurricane season, which lasts from June to November. As well as healthy coral and large pelagic species, you can expect to catch sight of Nassau groupers, stingrays, angelfish, snappers, horse-eye jacks, and turtles. The depths start at around 12m/40ft and end at 30m/98ft. The wall drop is not for the light-hearted as it can reach over 6500ft (2000 m), but along the drop, you can see yellow tube sponges, black and wire corals and waving sea fans. Tourism volume is estimated based on in-market destination search query interest from Google and on travel.usnews.com in 2015-2016. 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. 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. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! 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 . Cheeseburger Reef is located in George Town, Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands is a land of breath-taking experiences. Overall it is a place worth seeing. The Pedro St. James National Historic Site is a great place for photography, or you can visit Rum Point for a true Caribbean beach experience. If you plan to do some land-based explorations on your trip, you'll have to choose between the busier warmer months (like April and November) or the cooler, but generally cheaper, months in between. Elkhorn corals adorn the tops of the ridges while large gorgonians, tube sponges, and hard corals occupy the gullies. In a nutshell, its an island full of land and water adventures. This is a must do dive. Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands: an experience of a lifetime Little Cayman GoPro Video Workshop: April 2023, Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners, shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. If you are vacationing in Cayman Brac, then you need to visit this spot. Closely packed ridges form huge coral heads between the shore and the reef wall. No crowds. 4 of the Best Places to Go Shore Diving in Grand Cayman. The islands are warm year-round with average highs holding steady in the 80s. Little Cayman, best time of year for diving | Page 2 | ScubaBoard The ship has been opened up with large access holes so that you can swim through the interior of the ship. Tarpon Alley is part of the North Wall with depths between 15 to 25 meters (50-80ft). Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. The prices of hotels and short excursions that would normally be prohibitively expensive fall to more reasonable levels during this time. 20 Best Dive Sites In The Cayman Islands (2023) In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. All content is copyright protected by either DIVEIN.com or respected copyright holders, Disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn. The best dive site is either Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman or the USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman. Best Time To Dive The Cayman Island This 82 hectare (200 acres) protected area is the refuge of the largest red-footed booby population in the Caribbean and is a popular bird-watching site. 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. Before the USS Kittiwake was sunk, the Oro Verde was the wreck dive of choice in the Caymans. All the information you need to plan your dive vacations anywhere in the world. The seven mile beach area is beautiful for walking and photo opportunities. Diving is available year-round. 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. This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. Please Sign-in or Register You can spot eagle rays, reef sharks, sailfin blennies, tilefish, peacock flounders, garden eels, or yellow-headed jawfish. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . Both are wonderful underwater. GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT DIVING IN CAYMANS? Sharks and turtles are frequent visitors as are snappers, groupers, and grunts. Still great for diving with great walls for all levels of divers and the walls and the Russian destroyer 356 aka Russian destroyer. The largest among the three islands, Grand Cayman is highly popular among SCUBA divers from all over the world. We did see some nurse sharks, sea turtles and a few rays. You can hand-feed wild Southern stingrays. The Cayman Islands hosts one of the best dives in the World: Bloody Bay Wall on Little 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 best diving depth at this Cayman site, between 30 and 40 meters (98-130ft) means its best for deep certified advanced divers. Take a walk along the coast line or rent a bicycle and ride around the island. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. Turtles munched on big sponges with no worries about divers hanging about. We understand that diving the best Grand Cayman Dives is the primary goal of your Grand Cayman Dive vacation. The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 o C (78 o F). Hotel prices are sourced from a sample of U.S. News Best Hotels rates through 2015-2016. Dining can be pricey but the meals I have had have been wonderful. You can even make a side trip to "Hell", a small area with black volcanic rocks, a few curio shops, and an actual post office you can send mail from with a postmark from Hell. From Rolex watches to Caymanite earrings to a shell necklace. Best Time to Visit The Cayman Islands are mostly sunny and warm year-round, but it may be best to visit between March and June when the hotel rates drop. Best Time To Visit Cayman Islands - Travel Tips For Every Season Canyons and drop-offs provide a varied topography making the site a firm favorite with photographers. Jacques Costeau loved diving in the Caymans and its easy to see why. It does not make the product pricier for you. It seems the dive guides hunt the lionfish and then feed the groupers, so they joined us right away each dive. Scuba diving in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac | ZuBlu Princess Pennies Pinnacle is located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. We were lucky enough to see the tail end of silversides on the wreck of the Balboa right in the Harbor too. divemasters and lovers of all things underwater, know the best time However, there are large coral canyons that provide exciting swim-throughs for divers. The majority of travel agents will advise you that the best time to visit Grand Cayman in order to get the most bang for your buck on a vacation to the Cayman Islands is between the months of March and June. Grand Cayman has more dive sites than Little Cayman. Now large groups of southern stingrays are lurking around daily. The Cayman Islands are one of the Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners. It is 330-feet in length, and was sunk in Cayman Brac in 1996. Frugal travel planners can look for good deals during these months while keeping an eye on the 10-day weather forecast. If the forecast looks good, they should consider taking a last-minute trip to Grand Cayman if they also spot an attractive discount. Grand Cayman, the main island, is often one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, especially with western Caribbean cruises. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. It was named after the famous free-diver Penny Ventura. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman house over 300 dive sites, making up the breathtaking Cayman dive map. Exploring its underwater habitats allows you to see an incredible reef that starts at 6 meters (20 feet) deep and slowly slopes down towards a vertical limestone wall that drops down up to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) deep. The people of the island are friendly and culturally diverse. 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. If youre thinking Cheeseburger is an odd name for a dive site, you probably wont be surprised that this shore dive probably took its name after the Burger King that was located across the road! Explore the top-rated styles for every type of trip to the beach. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country in Western Asia located at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The Best Time to Visit Grand Cayman in 2023 | Travellers If you have time, you should also take a flight to Little Cayman from Grand Cayman, and dive at Bloody Bay Wall. There is a lot of marine life among the coral and resident angelfish and groupers are found at the stern of the ship. 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. Apart from the elephant ear sponges, keep your eyes peeled for blacktip Carribean reef sharks in the blue. I thought it might be too touristy, but it was a lot of fun. There are plenty of great dive resorts available, but liveaboard is the best option if you want to dive around all three islands. Eels, rays, sharks, and turtles are frequently seen. Kittiwake- Though this wreck has been sunken rather recently and has not developed much coral yet, it is still a fantastic dive site for all levels. Divers can observe the bow guns and go along the rails to make some great photos. Matt Hampton was a guest of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (visitcaymanislands.com), British Airways, which has London returns from 688 (ba.com), and the Westin Seven Mile Beach, which . With over 40 operators and 365 sites marked with moorings, thrill-seekers from all over take the plunge here. Jackson's Bight- Located also in the Bloody Bay Marine Park, it does not fail to provide scuba divers with an amazing dive. The waters here are 15 to 25 meters deep. Little Cayman is a lovely, quiet little island with a population of less than 170. In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. Diving in the Cayman Islands - Bluewater Dive Travel They became my favorite focus on the reef. I make money by sharing links to services that I personally use and recommend. The dive schedule would include a deep wall dive followed by a shallower reef or wreck. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Red Sail Sports have been Scuba Diving in Cayman for 40 years. ASK US HERE! A First Timer's Guide to Grand Cayman Island - AFAR Media 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. Cactus coral, sea fans, great star coral, and tube sponges blanket the reef and provide refuge for a variety of sea creatures. We are proud to off-set 100% of the carbon generated by our clients' flights. Bloody Bay Wall is considered the epicenter of scuba diving in this marine park. For diving, the reefs are easy to reach from many dive operators and offer a diversity of schooling fish, sponges, turtles, rays, and even sharks. Here, you can take diving lessons, go on a guided dive, or rent tanks and gear. My wife and I are traveling there in February 2015 and are PADI AOW and Nitrox certified with ten years of recreational experience diving. From the mooring, divers often descend through a cut in the reef and out onto the wall. Answer 1 of 11: Does anyone have firsthand experience with any of the dive operators on Little Cayman that they will share? 0 Diving Season: The best time to dive Cuba's Jardines de la Reina is during the dry season, from November to late April, as this time has the most ideal visibility and sea conditions. Some of those services give me a small percentage of what you pay as commission for my referral. Pinterest If you like diving in caves and grottos, Trinity Caves on Grand Caymans west side is the site for you. Diving is available year-round. She met her end on the reef in the late 70s, allegedly due to mutiny aboard. Best Dive & Stay Packages in the Cayman Islands - Ocean Frontiers Founder of Georges Watersports & Thingstodocayman.net. Were a free review guide run by passionate Divers, Sports, and Outdoor fanatics. While Grand Cayman, the most popular island, has a mix of accessible shore and boat diving. Of course, the Soviets didnt call her Keith Tibbets, she was renamed for a local dive operator after the Cayman government purchased the wreck for dive tourism. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. The winter and early spring months are the most popular time in the Cayman Islands. I am a scuba diving newbie, a Project Manager by profession, and an entrepreneur at heart. Find & Book Adventures Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. January and February are the coolest months with average lows in the high 60s. Theres also Little Cayman thats the least developed of the 3 islands. Just south of Seven Mile Beach and approximately 46 feet below the surface are Eden Rock and Devil's Grotto, two of the most popular diving spots on Grand Cayman. The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. for even more in-depth travel advice. We conduct this course from our shore location where the water is ideal for new divers! This island is very small and there is little to do, other than dive. Cracks in the ceilings let in plenty of natural light making it easy to search the nooks and crannies for the many crustaceans and other marine creatures that occupy the tunnels. Ocean Cabanas Dive Resort: Great views, amazing stay - See 33 traveler reviews, 112 candid photos, and great deals for Ocean Cabanas Dive Resort at Tripadvisor. This is how we pay ourselves. Bert Brothers Boulders is also a great spot to see flying gurnards at around 5.5 meters (18ft). As the name suggests, this Cayman dive site is known for eagle rays. We gave our Gear Lovers one job: Cathy Church has a shop at Sunset House where you can often meet her and see her beautiful underwater photos from the area. Cayman Islands Diving | Sport Diver 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). Grand Cayman Monthly Weather: Rain, Temperatures, Grand Cayman Vacation Tips: Hotels, Attractions, Weather, Cayman Islands overnight visitor statistics; Caribeez.com. But its not just the heat that matters when visiting the Cayman Islands. The dive boat did make the excursion across to Little Cayman's Bloody Bay wall one day which is very achievable from Cayman Brac. My favorite were the groupers who followed us like pets. You will need little more (and some prefer less) than a 3 mm full length wetsuit. 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? With virtually no currents and outstanding underwater visibility, Cayman has amazing wall dives, coral reefs and wrecks for you to explore and discover. Each time has been a wonderful underwater adventure. Use Add to ideas + to collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make Grand Cayman is the most visited island in the Cayman Islands by Scuba Divers. Find & Book Liveaboards Choose from a selection of more than 250 vessels and 18,000 trips worldwide. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. And as you might imagine, the coral-encrusted archway makes for a fantastic photo opportunity.