On top of being generally warm, the waters are clear with underwater visibility running from 18 30 meters (60 100 feet). The Cayman Diving Season The islands are very much a year round diving destination. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! 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. 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. I have lived in the corporate world for a few years now with very little excitement in my life. Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. You need to take a boat to reach this wreck. Eden Rock has lots of coral and fish, and Devils Grotto has underwater caves that you can explore. This is a must do dive. The waters here are 15 to 25 meters deep. With a PADI Travel account, you can favourite dive operators to come back to later on any device or computer. 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. From the mooring, divers often descend through a cut in the reef and out onto the wall. We dived 3 days in February 2014, and they were all excellent and memorable dives. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . Megan Johnson|Sharael KolbergMarch 3, 2023, Holly Johnson|Erin EvansFebruary 28, 2023, U.S. News Travel EditorsFebruary 28, 2023, Kyle McCarthy|Catriona KendallFebruary 22, 2023. From Grand Cayman, you can transfer to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. Closer to the reef, turtles, groupers, horse-eyed jacks, and an over-abundance of lionfish make this colorful site even more interesting. 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. Eden Rock & Devils Grotto are two dive sites that are next to each other. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. Flights to Grand Cayman arrive at Owen Roberts International Airport. Wreck of the Oro Verde is located in Grand Cayman. . Corals and sponges are plentiful. 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. Canyons and drop-offs provide a varied topography making the site a firm favorite with photographers. 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 . Overall it is a place worth seeing. The Kittiwake wreck as well as other wrecks in the close vicinity add variety and interesting structure which I really enjoyed. When shopping and eating out, be sure to identify which currency prices . The Eden Rock Dive Center has everything you need for an unforgettable day underwater in the Cayman Islands. The most interesting topside activities for us were exploring the island in a rental car and driving on the left side of the road. This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. As for temperature and weather, the Cayman Islands are tropical, meaning it's warm 365 days a year. December through April are especially popular times to go because of low risk of rainfall and more moderate temperatures. 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. Lionfish have become an invasive species and some of the dive operators offer culling excursions. You can also go wreck diving as there are some shipwrecks that can be explored like the remains of USS Kittiwake. There are also usually direct flights from Boston, Chicago, and New York. Black groupers, sergeant majors, yellowtail snapper, and moray eels are just a few of the species you can expect to see. Diving is available year-round. You can spot eagle rays, reef sharks, sailfin blennies, tilefish, peacock flounders, garden eels, or yellow-headed jawfish. Boasting strong diving infrastructure, diverse types of diving, incredible walls and wrecks, and great visibility. Use Add to ideas + to collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. The islands are warm year-round with average highs. 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. Find a Liveaboard -Practical Information - Book a Trip. Eagle Ray Pass is located along the North Wall in Grand Cayman. There is slightly more rain during the summer months. The rainy season spans from May through October though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time. As a diver, with a PADI account you can access your eLearning along with many more tools to help you on your adventures. Dive N Stay Vacation Packages - Compass Point Dive Resort - Cayman Islands (1st January 2023 - 31st December 2023) We offer pre-set Dive & Stay Vacation Packages for 3, 5 or 7 nights, and can also customize your package for any number of nights and for various group sizes. Family Traveller Excellence Awards 2019 Winner. A favourite stop for those diving and snorkeling lovers, the Bay Islands' important three islands are Roatan, Utila and Guanaja. This British overseas island is home to mystical caves, unscaled escarpments, tropical forests, diverse wildlife and a plethora of other unique experiences. The depths start at around 12m/40ft and end at 30m/98ft. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. 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. 1 is a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom unit. It seems the dive guides hunt the lionfish and then feed the groupers, so they joined us right away each dive. 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. For beginners or those who get nervous in enclosed spaces, there are plenty of decks around the exterior to check out. you are in the right place at the right time to see the very best "High Season" at the hotels is mid-December to mid-April, so rates will be higher then. Macro photographers should keep an eye out for the neck and decorator crabs who make their homes here. Welcome to my scuba diving bucket list. They became my favorite focus on the reef. These hot temperatures start in May and last into November. The flight and hotel fares are discounted up to 50 percent this time of year. The Cayman Islands hosts one of the best dives in the World: Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman. From Rolex watches to Caymanite earrings to a shell necklace. Otherwise, it is clear that December through April are the best months of the year to visit Grand Cayman, especially early April. Head to the turret guns for a superb photo opportunity and keep your eyes peeled for barracuda, bright sponges, and schooling reef fish. Despite the name, you arent guaranteed to see tarpon here. Cayman Brac is the last of the islands and also much less traveld than Grand Caymen. Just be prepared for a rain shower or two, as this is the start of the region's wet season. Its also the historical rainfall patterns. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. You will see a lot of tarpon at this spot, as well as coral and other fish. You need to take a boat to reach this area. Manage Settings Collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make an enquiry. That's is how we pay ourselves. As of 2023, you can renew your passport online. Would also recommend spending an afternoon at Rum Point, where you can relax and also do some snorkeling if you like. There are actually around two dozen dive sites within the bay, with Bloody Bay Wall top of the list. 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. Another great wall diving site in Little Cayman is Joys Joy. Drift dives are possible here depending on your operator. 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. It is an amazing sight, and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. 20 Best Dive Sites In The Cayman Islands (2023) In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. 1. 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. 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. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. But they are sometimes the cheapest months to visit. Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Cayman Islands International Film Festival. 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. iFrameResize({log:true, enablePublicMethods:true}); It's the kind of peaceful place where you will make your own fun. The Cayman Islands certainly offer diversity without a long trip from the states. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. Visibility in the Cayman Islands is wonderful, averaging between 60 and 100 feet (18-30 meters). Out in the open, spotted eagle rays are often seen swimming in groups of at least 5 individuals and their passing by is often correlated to the flyby of fighter jets in low altitude. It does not make the product pricier for you. Our review team always considers durability, price, quality, and value in their reviews. 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. Live like a local and get under the skin of a destination with our in-country concierges. You can go hiking in the Mastic Trail where it has really nice views from the harbors and the beaches. 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. 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. Swim throughs, ledges, overhangs, and an average depth of 12 meters (40ft) make this a Cayman dive site for all experience levels to explore. A direct flight from Miami to Grand Cayman takes only 70 minutes. The famous diver and explorer Jacques Cousteau said that Bloody Bay Wall is one of the top dive sites 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. Only ten miles long and one mile wide, this is a place where you can truly focus on your opportunity to relax. to save My Ideas for later. Cayman Brac offers a good mix of wall, wreck and reef diving for all experience levels. When to go Best time Low season Off season Where to go when December and July are good times for families because children are out of school for the holidays and summer. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. 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. Address. They can offer up their first-hand These Florida Keys resorts are ideal for family getaways and romantic retreats. After being intentionally sunk to become an artificial reef, this former 76 meter (251 feet) long naval vessel now rests at 18 meters (60 feet) deep near the world-renowned Seven Mile Beach. Naturally, this is also the most expensive season, and reservations must be made at least three months in advance. divemasters and lovers of all things underwater, know the best time 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. July has a jump in visits for families in part because school children are out for the summer. Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. Best time to dive When to dive in the Cayman Islands entirely depends on your own personal preferences. Turtles munched on big sponges with no worries about divers hanging about. The shore diving was really easy to access with actual ladders or stairs and even showers at some sites. 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). The USS Kittiwake is an ex-US Navy ship that was purposely sunk in Grand Cayman to create a new dive site. Named for a historical anchorage, Anchor Point features a tight chimney-like descent at the beginning of the dive. Resident Nassau groupers often keep divers company and if you look closely, you may be rewarded with seahorses and lettuce-leaf slugs. Grand Cayman Island probably has the best diving as it has the North Wall deep drop-off dive and the USS Kittiwake wreck dive. Click the link below to read our article where we explain the difference between Deep Stingray City and Stingray City Sandbar: Macabuca is located in West Bay in Grand Cayman. Best Time to Dive in Little Cayman. 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. You will see many sea creatures such as octopus and arrow crabs. There is also a dive shop and restaurant. Water Temperatures: Ranges from around 22C (72F) in December to 29C (84F) in July. Grandview Condominiums are located on the south end of 7 Mile Beach in George Town on the scuba diving island of Grand Cayman. When diving through the cut itself, look under and in crevices, plenty of little critters make homes for themselves here. Lemon Reef is a mini-wall dive site located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. Frugal travel planners can look for good deals during these months while keeping an eye on the 10-day weather forecast. Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. Theres good diving, with great Walls and of course stingray city, where you can see and feed stingrays. Situated on a wide beach on the island's West End, the property offers 40 air-conditioned rooms (renovated in late 2015 and featuring soothing Caribbean . an enquiry. Along the wall you'll spot black coral bushes, barrel sponges and sea fans where barracudas, turtles, eagle rays and parrotfish like to show up. Sign up to get the latest updates, offers and more. 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. The non-divers with us were content to lounge by the pool, visit the spa, ride bikes, and go for walks. 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. Grand Cayman Monthly Weather: Rain, Temperatures, Grand Cayman Vacation Tips: Hotels, Attractions, Weather, Cayman Islands overnight visitor statistics; Caribeez.com. Under its 1986 declaration covering an area of hectares (23 acres) are dive sites that are popular to tourists and divers alike. It sounds like the best time overall, based on the posts so far. Along the drop-off, crevices and canyons cut through the reefs face. Indonesia. Access to tools and resources at your fingertips, curated to enhance your diving experience. Some of those services give me a small percentage of what you pay as commission for my referral. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country in Western Asia located at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. 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. I would appreciate if you don't as these referral links are what keep me posting and sharing on this blog. Sharks and turtles are frequent visitors as are snappers, groupers, and grunts. 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. Find & Book Adventures Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. April is an especially good choice because it has the warmest weather of the entire five-month dry season. 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. Away from the reef, divers can look around the LCM David Nicholson wreck. 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. 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. Trinity Caves is one Cayman dive site that never disappoints. June to October brings . Divers of all levels can explore the engines, pistons, and pieces of the wreck that are scattered at 18m/60ft. Schools of bright snappers brightened the reefs among colorful sponges. A 2.75 meter (9ft) bronze statue of Amphitrite (the wife of the mythological god Poseidon) rises up from the base of the reef. For deep divers, we highly suggest you explore the elephant-ear sponge laden reef of the Orange Canyon or go cave diving in Bonnies Arch. Founder of Georges Watersports & Thingstodocayman.net. The Cayman Islands are home to some of the best spots for scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. 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. Exploring this site requires you to initially descend to 18 meters (60 feet) deep where the wall starts. Babylon is located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. to dive in Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman has more dive sites than Little Cayman. StingRay City on scuba with a small group was so much fun feeding the rays. I have been diving in Grand Cayman several times. There is a lot of soft coral here, which makes for an interesting experience. 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). 1-800-652-1972. Enjoy 20% OFF select PADI eLearning programs, FREE ReActivate online refresher, subscription to Scuba Diving magazine + so much more when you join PADI Club. 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