They look dark brown without light but the first time my strobes lit one up I was amazed at the super bright rich red color. No diving trip in Grand Cayman would be complete without a dive at the infamous Stingray City. The Cayman Islands hosts one of the best dives in the World: Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman. Answer 1 of 11: Does anyone have firsthand experience with any of the dive operators on Little Cayman that they will share? This is an especiallygreat time to visit clear, calm waters are perfect for snorkeling, diving, sailing and fishing. For example, let's look at one airline flying from Miami to Grand Cayman. For big animals - you can find a good number of turtles and groupers, tarpon, nurse sharks, great barracuda, and stingrays. As said earlier, Grand Cayman has over 50 dive sites and we will not leave this section without mentioning other noted dive spots. You can also go wreck diving as there are some shipwrecks that can be explored like the remains of USS Kittiwake. The most striking and common marine life for me were the brightly yellow colored tube sponges. The protected Bloody Bay Marine Park lies in Little Cayman and offers magnificent marine life, great visibility, and spectacular bioluminescent corals. Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. 20 Best Dive Sites In The Cayman Islands (2023) In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. These Florida Keys resorts are ideal for family getaways and romantic retreats. From 5 star restaurants to fish frys at the local gas station. (Closed Circuit Rebreathers/CCR) allows you to massively extend your dive time. If you find a good deal on DIVEIN, you click to the retailer, and you buy the product, we get a commission of the sale. The Cayman Islands are one of the Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners. 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. Exploring this site requires you to initially descend to 18 meters (60 feet) deep where the wall starts. "High Season" at the hotels is mid-December to mid-April, so rates will be higher then. A highlight dive is the Tibbets wreck with great structure and lots of life. link to Fiji: Dive the Soft Coral Capital of the World, link to United Arab Emirates: Unspoiled Dive Sites, Wall diving, drift diving, cave diving, shore diving, boat diving, deep diving, and wreck diving, 100 different species of hard and soft corals plus over 500 species of tropical fish like the South-Atlantic stingrays, eagle rays, manta rays, nurse sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, flying gurnards, Nassau groupers, tarpon fish, Grand Cayman: Snorkeling at Stingray City, visit Dolphin Cove, hiking in the Mastic Trail, Pedro St. James National Historic Site, Cayman Islands National Museum, and the Cayman Turtle Farm. It exceeds six inches in August and jumps again to more than eight inches in September and October. 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. Choose from private or single rates, we will find you the best possible option to help you enjoy the famous Cayman Stingray City. The Eden Rock Dive Center has everything you need for an unforgettable day underwater in the Cayman Islands. The months of January and February are the coldest, with average lows in the low 60s. The main dive spot of Little Cayman is located on the northwest coast in a marine protected area the Bloody Bay Marine Park. Generally, the off-season is the cheapest time to visit Grand Cayman, from May through November. knowledge to ensure you know when to dive to enjoy the very best As the name suggests, this Cayman dive site is known for eagle rays. Before she was decommissioned in 1994, the USS Kittiwake was a Navy Chanticleer-class submarine rescue vessel. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. If you are into grottos or swim-throughs, then you must head out to the west side of Grand Cayman and explore the three long tunnel swim-throughs of the Trinity Caves. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. After exploring the area, here are some of the best dive sites in the Cayman Islands: 1. The flight and hotel fares are discounted up to 50 percent this time of year. On Grand Cayman, I stayed at hotels on the west end along Seven Mile beach. If you enjoy snorkeling, then check out our article where we discuss the top 25 snorkel spots in Grand Cayman. Recommended Level: Beginner Intermediate Advanced Dive Type: Boat Reef Wall Macro Wreck Canyon Shore Night Shallow Shark Cave Stingray Swim-Through Drift Liveboard Deep Great Wall East and West Little Cayman Great Wall West - Turtle Watch on They are located in George Town in Grand Cayman. This site is well-known and popular with divers, snorkelers, and glass-bottom boaters alike. When diving the Cayman Islands you can see a lot of large sponges, some good macro, and some tiny fish. There are over 15 PADI 5-Star Centers in the Cayman Islands, ready to teach you everything you want to know about diving. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 cleaved the 100m/328ft ship in half but divers can still explore both sections of the wreckage. Cayman Islands, as well as our suggestions for the best places to Grand Cayman makes a good dive vacation, but for us it was a great stop with plenty of good diving over 3 days on the way home from Cayman Brac. Plus, along the wall, you can meet triggerfish, eagle rays, turtles, lobsters and many more! 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. Frugal travel planners can look for good deals during these months while keeping an eye on the 10-day weather forecast. 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. Address. The water is about 12-feet deep here. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. It is because of the sometimes extreme temperatures and rainfall that the Caymans have distinct spikes and dips in the number of tourists who visit each month. You may see hammerhead sharks if you are lucky. A 2018 poll listed Bonaire as the best dive spot for beginners, conservation, freediving, macro diving, shore diving, and snorkeling. Top 12 Beautiful Places to Visit in the Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Diving | Silver Thatch Water Sports | Breakers Diving the Cayman Islands - SCUBA Travel Find the best and most popular products and review them. All content is copyright protected by either DIVEIN.com or respected copyright holders, Disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn. Best Times to Visit Cayman Islands | U.S. News Travel Crabs and lobsters are among the critters hiding in the crevices. // ]]>, Call us today at+1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com. Diving the Cayman Islands - SCUBA Travel Everything most divers want. 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. Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center. Best Time to Visit Cayman Islands - tripbirdie.com ScubaDiveGeek.com also participates in other affiliate programs and Google Adwords and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these and other companies. Babylon- Grand Cayman Island is surrounded by a wall, but what makes the Babylon site special is the pinnacle with a canyon cutting the north wall. The Cayman Islands are widely regarded as the birthplace of recreational scuba diving, thanks to some pioneering efforts by local operators in the 1980s. Seven Mile Beach 4. Located 133 kilometers (83 miles) northeast of Grand Cayman is its little sister island Little Cayman. We gave our Gear Lovers one job: Living The Dream Divers Diving Packages | Grand Cayman 10 Go Scavenger Hunting At Seven Mile Beach. Our mission has been to do this with the best crew, using the best equipment while offering the most competing Cayman Islands dive packages. Three Fathom Wall is a popular night dive when eels, lobsters, and reef squid make an appearance. The main gateway to the Cayman Islands is through Grand Cayman. If you want to go a little more remote, try Little Cayman. Cayman Turtle Centre. East End 5. Best time to dive When to dive in the Cayman Islands entirely depends on your own personal preferences. As of 2023, you can renew your passport online. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. The ship has been opened up with large access holes so that you can swim through the interior of the ship. The best time to dive is between December and April when the water is at its warmest and the visibility is at its best. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and April. July has a jump in visits for families in part because school children are out for the summer. 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. Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population. The Best Diving in Cayman Islands 2022 - Divein I would appreciate if you don't as these referral links are what keep me posting and sharing on this blog. Elkhorn corals adorn the tops of the ridges while large gorgonians, tube sponges, and hard corals occupy the gullies. In 2017, Tropical Storm Nate shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. While the visibility here is often a little clouded, thats thanks to the nutrient-rich flow of water which enriches the corals on the pinnacle. The waters here are 15 to 25 meters deep. For us divers, the financial self-sufficiency of the Cayman Islands is only the icing on the cake. you are in the right place at the right time to see the very best I have worked in the corporate world and had little time for adventure. While the upper part of the reef is already teeming with corals, it becomes denser as you traverse the vertical limestone where it is now intermixed with sponges and sea fans. 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. You need to take a boat to reach this area. DIVEMASTER AND INSTRUCTOR TRAINING SPECIALTY AND TECHNICAL COURSE KIDS DISABLED DIVERS SAFETY The Cayman Islands boasts state-of-the-art medical facilities including a hyperbaric chamber (located on Grand Cayman) and, in the event of an emergency, quality care can be provided in minutes. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. to dive in Cayman Islands. The Best Destinations for Underwater Photography | Scuba Diving Best Cayman Islands Dive Centers and Resorts - TripSavvy I make money by sharing links to services that I personally use and recommend. There are plenty of great dive resorts available, but liveaboard is the best option if you want to dive around all three islands. 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. 1-800-652-1972. Jackson's Bight- Located also in the Bloody Bay Marine Park, it does not fail to provide scuba divers with an amazing dive. The three islands that make up the nation, Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman, and Little Cayman, are diverse and have distinct diving. Little Caymans Bloody Bay is home to some of the most dramatic and spectacular drop-offs and swim-throughs in the Carribean. Grab your gear and dive into the crystal clear waters of Grand Cayman! With over 365 dive sites, clear waters, coral reefs and abundant marine life, the Cayman Islands are one of the best diving spots in the world. A favourite stop for those diving and snorkeling lovers, the Bay Islands' important three islands are Roatan, Utila and Guanaja. The Cayman Islands dollar is legal tender in these islands. There are also lots of tarpon and small silver sprats in this area. Nature lovers are lured to diverse hiking trails, caves, and a variety of flora and fauna around the island. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands Diving is available year-round. We did not make it to Stingray city, but did get to the other must do dive in Grand Cayman - the USS Kittiwake, a submarine rescue vessel. 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. Ive been to Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. It is possible to go scuba diving in Little Cayman all year round and the water temperature only varies from 21-27 degrees. Also known as the Mixing Bowl, Three Fathom Wall is the point where Jacksons Bight and the Bloody Bay diving areas meet. This spot is about 20-feet deep, and has a lot of coral. It is an amazing sight, and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Little Cayman GoPro Video Workshop: April 2023, Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners, shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. Best 5 Dive Resorts In Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Trip101 It does not make the product pricier for you. for even more in-depth travel advice. Bloody Bay Wall Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Here is a list of some of the marine animals you can likely spot when diving the Cayman Islands: There are over 300 dive sites in the Cayman Islands. The top is at 15m/50ft but the bottom is around 90m/200ft so diver ought to watch their depth gauges carefully as they circle the mountain. It is because of the sometimes extreme temperatures and rainfall that the Caymans have distinct spikes and dips in the number of tourists who visit each month. 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. StingRay City on scuba with a small group was so much fun feeding the rays. Our Exclusive Dive-only Packages in the Cayman Islands - Ocean Frontiers Moray eels and angelfish move among the coral, and turtles are often seen cruising over the reef. Corals and sponges are plentiful. Cruise ships visit here, so expect everything you would find in most international cruise ship ports. Best and Worst Times to Visit Grand Cayman - Caribeez.com No crowds. 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. Settle on the sand at just 3.7 meters (12ft) and have hordes of southern stingrays glide gracefully around you. [CDATA[ The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. 6. The rainy season spans from May through October though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time. Exploring this site requires you to descend to 10 meters (33 feet) deep where you will arrive at the top portion of the reef. 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. There are lots of beautiful beaches to visit and to relax. Stingray City has very large, friendly stingrays. With over 40 operators and 365 sites marked with moorings, thrill-seekers from all over take the plunge here. Income disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn affiliate commissions when you buy via links found on DIVEIN.com: If you find a good deal on our site, you click to the retailer and you buy the product, we get a commission of the sale. They make a difference for anyone visiting the Caymans by cruise who plans to spend more time shopping, dining and visiting attractions than spend time on the beaches. info@bluewaterdivetravel.com, Visited on 04/2018 - Submitted on 02/04/2020, Visited on 03/2013 - Submitted on 08/31/2014, Visited on 02/2014 - Submitted on 04/19/2014, Visited on 02/2014 - Submitted on 03/01/2014, Visited on 08/2013 - Submitted on 02/21/2014, Big savings on 7-night group stays at Little Cayman, Cayman Brac and Cobalt Coast Resorts, live availability of some of the best liveaboards in the Cayman Islands. 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 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. 7. Stingray City is in only 12ft (4m) of water and is a huge draw for divers and underwater photographers. Flights to Grand Cayman arrive at Owen Roberts International Airport. Dining can be pricey but the meals I have had have been wonderful. You can dive from shore because they have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water. Best Times To Visit Cayman Islands The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and June when the hotel rates drop. When diving through the cut itself, look under and in crevices, plenty of little critters make homes for themselves here. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. The boat dives were offered mostly in the mornings, and we were on our own in the afternoons. You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Besides the thick black corals, keep an eye out for tarpon, large yellow tube sponges, and ginormous barrel sponges. June to October brings higher topside temperatures (up to 33C, 91F). It now rests in an upright position at a depth of 27meters (89feet). Best Time to Dive in Little Cayman. Cayman Islands Diving - Caribbean Sea - Dive The World Top dives include the famous 1000 Steps, the Hilmer Hooker wreck, and Bari Reef. Questions about Cayman Island Diving | FAQs | Cayman Turtle Divers 1. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country in Western Asia located at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. January and February are the coolest months with average lows in the high 60s. Average rainfall jumps to more than five inches in May, June and July. Located near a popular resort is a vertical drop off that is filled with all sorts of marine life the North Wall. Cayman gives both the novice and the experienced some of the best diving in the world, as environmentally protected reefs surround each of our three islands. Grand Cayman, the main island, is often one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, especially with western Caribbean cruises. It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. This is a deep wall that drops several hundred feet into the abyss. Water temperatures are usually low 80's F. Marine life is plentiful and varied. Trinity Caves is one Cayman dive site that never disappoints. Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. 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. Its not often divers can see a mermaid on a dive, but at Sunset Reef they can. Here, you can take diving lessons, go on a guided dive, or rent tanks and gear. The wreck was specifically set up for safe penetration, giving divers many interior rooms to explore. Best Time to Dive in Little Cayman. Diving in Little Cayman | PADI Out in the open, expect schools of Nassau groupers, turtles, and snappers. This gives the unique Caymans dive site a blend of steep vertical walls, sloping reefs, and coral-crusted fingers. Do you love diving in the Caymans? Each time has been a wonderful underwater adventure. You will then follow a sloping reef up to 25 meters (82 feet) deep where the wall starts and drops down up to 900 meters (2,950 feet) deep. 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. This site is my attempt to live the adrenaline my life is missing and be able to live real-life storybook stories with my wife and children. A few great choices are the Sunset House Hotel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac Beach Resort and the Little Cayman Beach Resort. Resident Nassau groupers often keep divers company and if you look closely, you may be rewarded with seahorses and lettuce-leaf slugs. The best time to go to the Cayman Islands is in March and April because there is spring break from school and April has a combination of warm temperatures and a low risk of rain. Get forecasts each morning for every major island. In addition, you're more likely to snag a hotel deal during these months. As a photographer, I never lacked for subjects both wide angle and macro and anything in between. Sunset Reef is a popular shore dive just 60 meters (200ft) off the Sunset House Resorts pier. Please Sign-in or Register 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. In the shallows, flamingo tongues cling onto sea fans while lobsters, eels, and jewfish can be found hiding in the ridges and gullies. Best Time to Dive in Cayman Islands - Original Diving Get certified to scuba dive. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! 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 . 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. Share your love of diving, experience new adventures, expand your dive skills, and help save the ocean. Both of these sites are accessible from shore. I have stayed there several times at a dive resort with on-site dive operation. 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. Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. From spotting blue iguanas to kayaking in a bioluminescent bay to diving through intricate shipwrecks, here is a guide to making the most out of a first-time visit to Grand Cayman. Booming and sprawling are not just words describing the tourism facilities in Little Cayman, but it can also be used to describe its world-class dive sites. It is common to see barracudas and schools of horse-eye jacks in this area. Enquire The prices of hotels and short excursions that would normally be prohibitively expensive fall to more reasonable levels during this time. 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. We conduct this course from our shore location where the water is ideal for new divers! This is a shore dive, meaning that you enter the water from the shore, and then swim to Cheeseburger Reef. You will see a lot of tarpon at this spot, as well as coral and other fish. Collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make an enquiry. There is also a small restaurant and dive resort. Theres also Little Cayman thats the least developed of the 3 islands. For this reason, wreck junkies and aficionados often have the Keith on their to-dive lists. Stingray City- You can thank the local fishermen for this dive site as they used to clean their catch here that attracted the rays to the site. Of the three main islands, Grand Cayman is where most divers go where you can explore over 50 dive sites allowing you to do virtually all types of diving and is suited for all levels of certification.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'scubadivegeek_com-box-4','ezslot_16',103,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'scubadivegeek_com-box-4','ezslot_17',103,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-103{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:15px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}.