Besides the thick black corals, keep an eye out for tarpon, large yellow tube sponges, and ginormous barrel sponges. Along with the vertical structures of the wall are small cracks and crevices that have become the refuge of marine critters like crabs, lobsters, moray eels and octopus. Macro photographers should keep an eye out for the neck and decorator crabs who make their homes here. While Grand Cayman, the most popular island, has a mix of accessible shore and boat diving. We are proud to off-set 100% of the carbon generated by our clients' flights. 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. 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. Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. September is the worst month of the Caribbean hurricane season, which officially goes from June through November. Although the rays who made this site their home permanently have moved on, there is still a good chance of spotting them here. From Rolex watches to Caymanite earrings to a shell necklace. On top of being generally warm, the waters are clear with underwater visibility running from 18 30 meters (60 100 feet). 4 of the Best Places to Go Shore Diving in Grand Cayman. Indonesia. As a photographer, I never lacked for subjects both wide angle and macro and anything in between. Located in the Bloody Bay marine park on Little Caymans north side, Marilyns Cut is largely unspoiled and offers up pristine soft and hard corals. Replace or update your card, buy a Special Edition or Project AWARE version of your PADI certification card, or go digital with the purchase of a PADI eCard. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. dive in each month of the year. 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. 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. DIVEIN.com was founded in 2009 by the two brothers Torben and Nicolai. Diving is available year-round. Greenhouse is a nice medium-depth reef dive with plenty of grooves and gullies to explore. 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. This is a fun dive spot that you can access from shore. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. Best time to dive in Cayman Islands The diving is great year round in the Caribbean, something that is promoted with the dive 365 program. The Cayman Islands boasts world-class beaches, luxurious properties, worldwide culinary influences, high-end shops, local stores, and everything in between. Dining can be pricey but the meals I have had have been wonderful. 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. Before she was decommissioned in 1994, the USS Kittiwake was a Navy Chanticleer-class submarine rescue vessel. Address. No crowds. Great views, amazing stay - Review of Ocean Cabanas Dive Resort, West Seahorses - While the Cayman Islands are best known for their stunning coral reefs and diverse marine life, don't forget about the amazing small critters that call these waters home . Ghost Mountain Grand Cayman is another great spot for wall diving where you can further reach a protruding limestone that silhouettes like a ghost from afar. Choose from a selection of more than 250 vessels and 18,000 trips worldwide. Best Time to Visit Cayman Islands - tripbirdie.com (Closed Circuit Rebreathers/CCR) allows you to massively extend your dive time. The USS Kittiwake is an ex-US Navy ship that was purposely sunk in Grand Cayman to create a new dive site. Three long, wide tunnels, accessible to the majority of divers, extend from the sand flats to open out onto the reef wall. 390 S Church St, George Town KY1-1106, Cayman Islands. Cactus coral, sea fans, great star coral, and tube sponges blanket the reef and provide refuge for a variety of sea creatures. In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. For water sports lovers, there are great spots for snorkeling including night snorkeling with bioluminescence, options to go sailing or on a catamaran cruise. Best Resorts in the Cayman Islands | Islands During the day rays, turtles, the occasional barracuda and plenty of reef fish mean theres a lot to keep divers engaged. While Grand Cayman receives the most publicity and visitors, all three Cayman Islands - Cayman Brac and Little Cayman being the other two -- offer outstanding scuba diving. 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. There are lots of other fish and coral. Sharp-eyed divers can find leopard flatworms and the tunnels are also popular hangouts for rays and green moray eels. This is also where you will board your liveaboard. Black groupers, sergeant majors, yellowtail snapper, and moray eels are just a few of the species you can expect to see. MV Capt. Some of the nicest dive resorts in the Caribbean are in the Cayman Islands, and many of them have great shore diving and boat diving. 10 Go Scavenger Hunting At Seven Mile Beach. Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands: an experience of a lifetime Share your love of diving, experience new adventures, expand your dive skills, and help save the ocean. The boat dives were offered mostly in the mornings, and we were on our own in the afternoons. The Best Destinations for Underwater Photography | Scuba Diving 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. 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 largest among the three islands, Grand Cayman is highly popular among SCUBA divers from all over the world. If you like diving in caves and grottos, Trinity Caves on Grand Caymans west side is the site for you. If you have time, you should also take a flight to Little Cayman from Grand Cayman, and dive at Bloody Bay Wall. Manage Settings There are lots of beautiful beaches to visit and to relax. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and June when the hotel rates drop. The worst time is September during the hurricane season. Is this the world's best place to learn to scuba dive? - thetimes.co.uk At night, this popular Caymans dive site is great for spotting octopus, lobster, and shrimp. Cayman Islands Liveaboard Diving | Scuba Diving Earth Still great for diving with great walls for all levels of divers and the walls and the Russian destroyer 356 aka Russian destroyer. // ]]>, Call us today at+1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com. 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. The worst time is September during the hurricane season. Best and Worst Times to Visit Grand Cayman - Caribeez.com Having a less touristic crowd, Cayman Brac still has several tourism facilities like Cayman Brac Dive Resorts that are scattered along its narrow coast. They became my favorite focus on the reef. This spot is about 20-feet deep, and has a lot of coral. Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center. All the information you need to plan your dive vacations anywhere in the world. 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 . Black coral and colorful sponges decorate the near-vertical face and the shallows are dotted with large coral heads teeming with marine life. Diving in the Cayman Islands | PADI 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. Corals and sponges are plentiful. This area is an international tourist destination and can be crowded. Lighthouse Point is located in West Bay in Grand Cayman. 10 Best Dive Sites in Caribbean Islands in 2023 Located in popular Bloody Bay, Donnas Delight is home to some classic Cayman wall diving: Giant barrel sponges, arching sea fans, and bright corals. Before the USS Kittiwake was sunk, the Oro Verde was the wreck dive of choice in the Caymans. It is easily possible to visit all 3 of the Cayman Islands in a single dive trip and be able to enjoy the diversity they provide. The Best Time to Visit Grand Cayman in 2023 | Travellers That's is how we pay ourselves. We understand that diving the best Grand Cayman Dives is the primary goal of your Grand Cayman Dive vacation. Bloody Bay Wall Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Take your camera and get a snap with one of the abandoned bicycles that have also found a home here. 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 dive site first became popular in the 90s when it was featured in the film The Firm, starring Tom Cruise. Because the site is prone to strong currents, it isnt frequently dived which makes a trip to this very healthy reef even more special. Cruise ships visit here, so expect everything you would find in most international cruise ship ports. Schools of bright snappers brightened the reefs among colorful sponges. Turtles munched on big sponges with no worries about divers hanging about. Jackson's Bight- Located also in the Bloody Bay Marine Park, it does not fail to provide scuba divers with an amazing dive. 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. 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? Founder of Georges Watersports & Thingstodocayman.net. 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. Although this is a wall dive, the cut in the sites name comes from the swim-through many divers use upon descent. ASK US HERE! Best Time to Dive in Little Cayman. Along the drop-off, crevices and canyons cut through the reefs face. but the best time to visit is between May and October. Best Cayman Islands Dive Centers and Resorts - TripSavvy 0 Another great wall diving site in Little Cayman is Joys Joy. You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. 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. Theres good diving, with great Walls and of course stingray city, where you can see and feed stingrays. 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. Best Diving in the Caribbean - Top 12 - Bluewater Dive Travel It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. Three Fathom Wall is a popular night dive when eels, lobsters, and reef squid make an appearance. The rainy season spans from May through October though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time. an enquiry. 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. There is also a dive shop and restaurant. Diving the Cayman Islands - SCUBA Travel Plenty of schooling reef fish call Ghost Mountain home and the pinnacle is also carpeted in deep, bloody-red finger sponges. The water drops over a hundred feet. 1-800-652-1972. I would appreciate if you don't as these referral links are what keep me posting and sharing on this blog. While accessible from shore, it is a long surface swim so diving the Oro Verde by boat is recommended. 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. Little Cayman, best time of year for diving | Page 2 | ScubaBoard StingrayCity. This British overseas island is home to mystical caves, unscaled escarpments, tropical forests, diverse wildlife and a plethora of other unique experiences. And when it comes to marine life, there is lots to see! Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Get certified to scuba dive. Yes, that is the Cayman Islands and this is due in part of the tax holiday being implemented that has attracted businesses worldwide. Everything most divers want. Please Sign-in or Register to save My Ideas for later, Our social channels 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. My wife and I are traveling there in February 2015 and are PADI AOW and Nitrox certified with ten years of recreational experience diving. Part of the Bloody Bay wall, descending from the mooring here reveals a brightly colored vertical reef packed with sponges, corals, and vertebrate and invertebrate marine life. Both are wonderful underwater. The water is about 10 to 20 feet deep. The best time to dive is between December and April when the water is at its warmest and the visibility is at its best. Which Cayman Island Is The Best? - Fly & Sea Dive Adventures In February, the cost is roughly $1,044 round trip . North Wall 2. stingray city 3. It was quite crowded with dive and snorkel boats when we got there, but it was no big deal once we got in the water. When shopping and eating out, be sure to identify which currency prices . Living The Dream Divers Diving Packages | Grand Cayman This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Photographers can make the worst dive buddies. 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. "High Season" at the hotels is mid-December to mid-April, so rates will be higher then. Grand Cayman is a beautiful dive destination with many options for accommodations and for diving. Located in Little Cayman, the Bloody Bay Wall dive site is noted for its high visibility, rich marine life, and the presence of a sheer wall that drops 2000 meters into the deep ocean. Cayman Brac is the last of the islands and also much less traveld than Grand Caymen. For shark diving, we suggest the Maze, Scuba Bowl and the Grouper Grotto which is also filled with lots of good-size groupers. A favourite stop for those diving and snorkeling lovers, the Bay Islands' important three islands are Roatan, Utila and Guanaja. Enjoy the comfort of an airport lounge with free drinks and snacks, even if you're flying economy. 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 Orange Canyon is a popular dive site on the west-side of Grand Cayman. December and July are good times for families because children are out of school for the holidays and summer. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list.. Best Scuba Diving Destinations in the World - The Cayman Islands 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. Give the perfect gift for your favorite ocean lover and explorer. 6. Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. 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. 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. The water depth here is around 18-meters. There is a separate fee to dive this wreck that goes towards conservation, and you also get a nice yellow diver medallion to keep. This is a deep wall that drops several hundred feet into the abyss. You will also notice that this tunnel system has a healthy population of whip corals and sponges that are all tall in size.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'scubadivegeek_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_0',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-scubadivegeek_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Scuba diving in Grand Cayman is not just only about wall diving. 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. Stingray City is in only 12ft (4m) of water and is a huge draw for divers and underwater photographers. Devil's Grotto- Suitable for both beginners and advanced, it's a great shallow shore dive that features massive swim-throughs, chimneys and coral formations. We dived 3 days in February 2014, and they were all excellent and memorable dives. Our Original Diving experts, made up of marine biologists, Photographers will love Greenhouse for its varied macro life. Look along the ledge by the mooring for crabs and check out the four massive barrel sponges. Book an introductory scuba diving package to learn the basics of diving from certified PADI instructors. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman house over 300 dive sites, making up the breathtaking Cayman dive map. "High Season" at the hotels is mid-December to mid-April, so rates will be higher then. From the mooring, divers often descend through a cut in the reef and out onto the wall. Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Away from the stingray action, there are a number of coral heads with a variety of life to check out. Butterflyfish, triggerfish, shrimp, snapper, and more hand out in and around the large coral heads that sit nor far from the waters surface. 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? 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! The ship was originally built for the US Army Transportation Corps over 70-years ago. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. When diving through the cut itself, look under and in crevices, plenty of little critters make homes for themselves here. 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. You can also go wreck diving as there are some shipwrecks that can be explored like the remains of USS Kittiwake. The water is about 100 feet deep, and there is a good variety of soft and hard corals. Princess Pennies Pinnacle is located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. The Best Scuba Diving Experiences On Grand Cayman Instagram, My Ideas The best diving depth at this Cayman site, between 30 and 40 meters (98-130ft) means its best for deep certified advanced divers. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. Ive been to Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. So, what are you waiting for? Exploring this site requires you to initially descend to 18 meters (60 feet) deep where the wall starts. The 20 Best Scuba Dive Sites In The Cayman Islands (2023) It is worth noting however that from June until October is the hurricane season in the Caribbean. #6 inBest Cheap Destination Wedding Locations, #4 inBest Places to Visit in January 2023. Were a free review guide run by passionate Divers, Sports, and Outdoor fanatics. Each time has been a wonderful underwater adventure. 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. The islands are warm year-round with average highs holding steady in the 80s. The heat may be less of an issue for anyone planning to spend a week there mainly on the beaches during the day and shopping or having fun in the cooler evenings. It sounds like the best time overall, based on the posts so far. 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. Macro photographers should seek the banded coral shrimp and divers licensed to 30m/98ft will enjoy the gorgonian fans in the cavern at this depth. Little Cayman is a lovely, quiet little island with a population of less than 170. Cayman Islands Travel Guide - Cayman Islands Travel Tips & Attractions Grab your gear and dive into the crystal clear waters of Grand Cayman! 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. Generally, even with up to four dives per day on offer Cayman Islands scuba diving . But these aren't the only good and bad times. 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. Plus, along the wall, you can meet triggerfish, eagle rays, turtles, lobsters and many more! 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. 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. Scuba diving in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac | ZuBlu There is decent shore diving from their dock. The Cayman Islands continues to receive global recognition and top the charts for diving. 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;}. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and April. Tarpon Alley is part of the North Wall with depths between 15 to 25 meters (50-80ft). 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. 11 Dive Resorts in the Cayman Islands | PADI Travel There is also a small restaurant and dive resort. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 4. Located south-east of the Gulf of Mexico and close to Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, diving in the Caymans offers classic Carribean underwater scenes and the chance to spot both large and small marine life. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. From Grand Cayman, you can transfer to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. It seems the dive guides hunt the lionfish and then feed the groupers, so they joined us right away each dive. at any point on your diving holiday) has to offer. Here youll find more than 50 dives sites including the famous Bloody Bay. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands Diving is available year-round. 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.
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