Grand Cayman is the most commercial island, with cruise ships visiting, but it has some wrecks and the wall dives are close boat rides. I know there are shore dives that can be done, and we plan to do some of those next time. Macro photographers should keep an eye out for the neck and decorator crabs who make their homes here. Despite being small measuring only 16 x 1.6 kilometers (10 x 1 mile), tourism is booming and tourism facilities are sprawling especially in South Town. 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. We are proud to off-set 100% of the carbon generated by our clients' flights. Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. We have put together a comprehensive collection of packages to suit your needs. Aside from being outside the high season which means that Grand Cayman dive resorts all-inclusive hotel prices and Caribbean dive packages are cheaper, this is also the months that the diving parameters are at its best. 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. Sidetrip: Grand Cayman is the biggest island and it is where most accommodations and restaurants are located. You will find Nassau gropers, triggerfish, and other unique marine life at the Bloody Bay Wall. With 365 named dive sites, the enchanting Cayman Islands is a year-round underwater paradise. Divers can observe the bow guns and go along the rails to make some great photos. 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. The entire experience is about 3 hours long from the time we pick you up from your hotel or condo along Seven Mile Beach to drop off. Family Traveller Excellence Awards 2019 Winner. Sidetrip: Visit Little Caymans Booby Pond Nature Reserve. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. I like the idea of being able to dive off both islands while staying on one. If you don't feel comfortable using my referral links, you can always go directly to their site and bypass me. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! Lemon Reef is a mini-wall dive site located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. Bloody Bay Wall Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Give the perfect gift for your favorite ocean lover and explorer. Also, check out our article where we review the top 25 things to do in Grand Cayman. This site is well-known and popular with divers, snorkelers, and glass-bottom boaters alike. The non-divers with us were content to lounge by the pool, visit the spa, ride bikes, and go for walks. but the best time to visit is between May and October. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list. 6. Over a 30-year history, the islands have averaged less than two inches of rain from January through April and a little more than two inches in December, according to the Cayman Islands National Weather Service. StingRay City on scuba with a small group was so much fun feeding the rays. Sea temperature varies little, from a high of 86F/30C in August/September to a low of 80F/26.5C in February. This British overseas island is home to mystical caves, unscaled escarpments, tropical forests, diverse wildlife and a plethora of other unique experiences. 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. 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. That's is how we pay ourselves. You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. Crabs and lobsters are among the critters hiding in the crevices. While you can get some rain, it's not as common as during the summer. There are actually around two dozen dive sites within the bay, with Bloody Bay Wall top of the list. Click the link below to read our article about the USS Kittiwake: Wilderness Wall is located on the south-side of Cayman Brac. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. 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. 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. If hot temperatures are an issue, it is better to visit the islands from December through April when they average in the upper 80s Fahrenheit. A 2.75 meter (9ft) bronze statue of Amphitrite (the wife of the mythological god Poseidon) rises up from the base of the reef. I created this website to help answer common questions about vacationing in the Cayman Islands, and to help tourists find the best things to do. I hope my research also helps you make a decision on your next scuba diving vacation.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'scubadivegeek_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_9',102,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-large-billboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'scubadivegeek_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_10',102,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-large-billboard-2-0_1'); .large-billboard-2-multi-102{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;}. // ]]>, Call us today at+1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com. 7. 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. Although this is a wall dive, the cut in the sites name comes from the swim-through many divers use upon descent. Most of them are located around the Grand Cayman but a little over sixty sites stay around Cayman Brac and the Little Cayman. Get in touch with our specialists for even more in-depth travel advice. Were a free review guide run by passionate Divers, Sports, and Outdoor fanatics. The visibility at Donnas Delight on Little Cayman is typically good and the relaxed and easy diving here is suitable for all levels. Cayman Islands, as well as our suggestions for the best places to Cayman Islands International Film Festival. 3. For big animals - you can find a good number of turtles and groupers, tarpon, nurse sharks, great barracuda, and stingrays. This island is very small and there is little to do, other than dive. 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 time to visit Grand Cayman is March and April. This is how we pay ourselves. Exploring this site requires you to descend to 10 meters (33 feet) deep where you will arrive at the top portion of the reef. There are plenty of great dive resorts available, but liveaboard is the best option if you want to dive around all three islands. I have lived in the corporate world for a few years now with very little excitement in my life. A few great choices are the Sunset House Hotel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac Beach Resort and the Little Cayman Beach Resort. If you want to escape the crowds of cruise ship passengers, the East End is the place to go. 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. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands. 4. The North Wall is one of the most visited diving sites and plunges to a depth of 6000 feet (1800 meters). The dive schedule would include a deep wall dive followed by a shallower reef or wreck. The most interesting topside activities for us were exploring the island in a rental car and driving on the left side of the road. The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 o C (78 o F). marine life, be it the tiny critters or bigger beasts of the ocean. While the tropical vacation destination does see fewer crowds, this is the rainiest season in the Cayman Islands so you may have to contend with some showers. Other highlights include barracudas, yellowtail snappers, hawksbill turtles, and stingrays that sleep in the sand. For scuba diving, the best time to dive the Cayman Islands is pretty much any time except peak hurricane season. From Grand Cayman, you can transfer to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. Here are a few of our favourite dive sites in Grand Cayman: 1. You need to take a boat to reach this wreck. Photographers can make the worst dive buddies. Stingray City has very large, friendly stingrays. This is a deep wall that drops several hundred feet into the abyss. The main dive spot of Little Cayman is located on the northwest coast in a marine protected area the Bloody Bay Marine Park. The prices of hotels and short excursions that would normally be prohibitively expensive fall to more reasonable levels during this time. It's the kind of peaceful place where you will make your own fun. 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). The Cayman Islands-- Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac--have been attracting scuba divers for decades, including beginners! You can dive along this wall and explore the different entrances. In addition, you're more likely to snag a hotel deal during these months. There are over 15 PADI 5-Star Centers in the Cayman Islands, ready to teach you everything you want to know about diving. And, thanks to a keen focus on conservation, many of the country's famous underwater spectacles are still well worth a visit today. There is a lot of soft coral here, which makes for an interesting experience. 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. Enquire 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. Little Cayman was first discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503. 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. It is only a 10-minute walk from the cruise ship port in George Town to Eden Rock. In the Cayman Islands, spring is in full force. The Cayman Islands dollar is legal tender in these islands. Beginners can enjoy another smaller chimney instead. dive in each month of the year. Usually you will see at least a few tarpon at this spot. Most of the units for rent are 2-bedroom and 2-bathroons units. The Cayman Diving Season The islands are very much a year round diving destination. Seven Mile Beach 4. Erwin Poliakoff, Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA Nikon D7000, Tokina 10-17 zoom, Nikkor 60mm, 85mm, and 105mm macros, Nauticam housing Boasting strong diving infrastructure, diverse types of diving, incredible walls and wrecks, and great visibility. As the name suggests, this Cayman dive site is known for eagle rays. The resident goliath grouper is a popular dive buddy at this Cayman dive site. Cruise ships visit here, so expect everything you would find in most international cruise ship ports. Read more about diving in Bonaire. PrivacyPolicy, 2023 Original Diving | Web Design by D3R. There are also lots of tarpon and small silver sprats in this area. We were lucky enough to see the tail end of silversides on the wreck of the Balboa right in the Harbor too. Named for the bright orange elephant ear sponges that characterize this site, Orange Canyon doesnt contain a closed canyon per se, but an open channel with lively reef on either side. Click here to learn more. The Eden Rock Dive Center has everything you need for an unforgettable day underwater in the Cayman Islands.