The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. They have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water safely. Find & Book Liveaboards Choose from a selection of more than 250 vessels and 18,000 trips worldwide. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Although the rays who made this site their home permanently have moved on, there is still a good chance of spotting them here. The Eden Rock Dive Center has everything you need for an unforgettable day underwater in the Cayman Islands. 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). Indonesia. It's the kind of peaceful place where you will make your own fun. This is one of the top island destinations in the United Kingdom. This is one of the best dive sites in Cayman Brac, and is a must-do experience. Swim throughs, ledges, overhangs, and an average depth of 12 meters (40ft) make this a Cayman dive site for all experience levels to explore. 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. Northerners also want to get away from the cold and snow of winter. 390 S Church St, George Town KY1-1106, Cayman Islands. For shark diving, we suggest the Maze, Scuba Bowl and the Grouper Grotto which is also filled with lots of good-size groupers. Its not often divers can see a mermaid on a dive, but at Sunset Reef they can. If you want to enjoy these five dive sites . Usually you will see at least a few tarpon at this spot. December and July are good times for families because children are out of school for the holidays and summer. 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. For us divers, the financial self-sufficiency of the Cayman Islands is only the icing on the cake. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Kittiwake Shipwreck and diver in Grand Cayman - photo from Canva. . 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. 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. For water sports lovers, there are great spots for snorkeling including night snorkeling with bioluminescence, options to go sailing or on a catamaran cruise. The primary reason why scuba divers frequently visit the Cayman Islands is to do a different kind of investment: definitely not monetary, but instead fun, enjoyment and great underwater adventures. Theyre not timid and as they surround you, these rays seem happy to receive a gentle stroke or two. It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. Phone +1 345-949-7111. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 cleaved the 100m/328ft ship in half but divers can still explore both sections of the wreckage. The best time to visit Grand Cayman is March and April. Otherwise, it is clear that December through April are the best months of the year to visit Grand Cayman, especially early April. 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. Our team will meet you at the airport and fast-track you through. Cayman Islands Reservations Phone: (345)-947-0000 Our Reservations Office is located on site at the Dive Shop & Resort in the Cayman Islands. Explore the top-rated styles for every type of trip to the beach. 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. The islands are warm year-round with average highs. Grand Cayman is somewhat unique among major Caribbean destinations because it is one of the few islands that has average daytime temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and fall. It also does not lack of options to go visit some museums, art galleries, go on walking eco-tours or historical tours, do some shopping and even have a blast at some amazing festivals. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! The islands are warm year-round with average highs holding steady in the 80s. Little Cayman GoPro Video Workshop: April 2023, Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners, shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. We conduct this course from our shore location where the water is ideal for new divers! Now large groups of southern stingrays are lurking around daily. It should not be a surprise that January through April also happen to be popular months to visit the islands via western Caribbean cruises because of their ideal combination of cooler temperatures and low rainfall. Get in touch with our specialists for even more in-depth travel advice. Cayman Brac offered multiple relaxed dive spots on reefs all along the edge of the island. 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. Located 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Little Cayman is another elongated island that is popular with anglers and scuba divers. Each time has been a wonderful underwater adventure. Its a very easy and fun dive, we saw some angelfish and eagle rays. This is a must-do dive for people vacationing in Grand Cayman. Cayman Islands, as well as our suggestions for the best places to Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. The ridges are carpeted in a variety of hard and soft coral, barrel and tube sponges, and purple sea fans that house a vast array of miniature sea creatures. You can dive along this wall and explore the different entrances. Having a less touristic crowd, Cayman Brac still has several tourism facilities like Cayman Brac Dive Resorts that are scattered along its narrow coast. 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. My favorite were the groupers who followed us like pets. The wreck was specifically set up for safe penetration, giving divers many interior rooms to explore. Away from the reef, divers can look around the LCM David Nicholson wreck. 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. Address. Its also the historical rainfall patterns. Most of the units for rent are 2-bedroom and 2-bathroons units. Wheres the best place(s) to stay when looking into a diving trip in the Caymans? The Cayman Islands are one of the Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners. You can also go wreck diving as there are some shipwrecks that can be explored like the remains of USS Kittiwake. Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center. In February, the cost is roughly $1,044 round trip . The 20 Best Dive sites in Caymans? Instagram, My Ideas Click here to learn more. 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 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;}. 6. If you like diving in caves and grottos, Trinity Caves on Grand Caymans west side is the site for you. December rainfall drops back down to about three inches. This site is well-known and popular with divers, snorkelers, and glass-bottom boaters alike. Theres good diving, with great Walls and of course stingray city, where you can see and feed stingrays. The USS Kittiwake is an ex-US Navy ship that was purposely sunk in Grand Cayman to create a new dive site. Elkhorn corals adorn the tops of the ridges while large gorgonians, tube sponges, and hard corals occupy the gullies. There is also a small restaurant and dive resort. We did see some nurse sharks, sea turtles and a few rays. Furthermore, the islands are home to some of the world's best beaches, making them an ideal vacation destination. Aside from corals, barrel sponges are sprawling in this vibrant reef that is also filled with tropical reef fish like groupers, butterflyfish, angelfish, moray eels and lionfish which is believed to be an invasive species. Schools of bright snappers brightened the reefs among colorful sponges. Choose from private or single rates, we will find you the best possible option to help you enjoy the famous Cayman Stingray City. December through April are especially popular times to go because of low risk of rainfall and more moderate temperatures. The ship has been opened up with large access holes so that you can swim through the interior of the ship. 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. The water depth here is around 18-meters. Why? The famous diver and explorer Jacques Cousteau said that Bloody Bay Wall is one of the top dive sites in the world. This wreck is the only Russian warship that can explore in the Western hemisphere. It now rests in an upright position at a depth of 27meters (89feet). All the information you need to plan your dive vacations anywhere in the world. Exploring this site requires you to descend to a depth of 18 meters (60 feet) where the entrance of this elaborate tunnel system starts. I guess thats one drawback of guided dives, everyone is constantly on the move, not ideal for photography, especially macro photography. 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. Pinterest Still great for diving with great walls for all levels of divers and the walls and the Russian destroyer 356 aka Russian destroyer. Below are our recommendations for the best months to dive in The Cayman Islands hosts one of the best dives in the World: Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman. This is a fun dive spot that you can access from shore. But its not just the heat that matters when visiting the Cayman Islands. For this reason, wreck junkies and aficionados often have the Keith on their to-dive lists. The Cayman Islands is a world-class diving destination famous for its reefs, wrecks and rum. // , Call us today at+1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com. Little Caymans Bloody Bay is home to some of the most dramatic and spectacular drop-offs and swim-throughs in the Carribean. Located 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) northwest of the Capital City of George Town is one of the most popular dive sites, not just in the Cayman Islands, but in the Caribbean the Stingray City which is classified as a sandbar that has been naturally aggregated with southern stingrays that have been accustomed to human presence because of feeding. [What You Need to Know]. Also, check out our article where we review the top 25 things to do in Grand Cayman. View Map. For scuba diving, the best time to dive the Cayman Islands is pretty much any time except peak hurricane season. Sharp-eyed divers can find leopard flatworms and the tunnels are also popular hangouts for rays and green moray eels. Cactus coral, sea fans, great star coral, and tube sponges blanket the reef and provide refuge for a variety of sea creatures. It is only a 10-minute walk from the cruise ship port in George Town to Eden Rock. April is an especially good choice because it has the warmest weather of the entire five-month dry season. You will need little more (and some prefer less) than a 3 mm full length wetsuit. MV Capt. They are located in George Town in Grand Cayman. So, what are you waiting for? 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. Courtesy of IreneCorti/Getty Images/iStockphoto. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! Collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make an enquiry. Click the link below to read our article about Macabuca: Tarpon Alley is located at the North Wall in Grand Cayman. Despite the name, you arent guaranteed to see tarpon here. Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. Average rainfall jumps to more than five inches in May, June and July. Along the drop-off, crevices and canyons cut through the reefs face. Cruise ships visit here, so expect everything you would find in most international cruise ship ports. While the gazebo itself is actually an arch, this small dive site never fails to please. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. Cheeseburger Reef is located in George Town, Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman, the main island, is often one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, especially with western Caribbean cruises. A shallow dive site, the colors here really pop making it a good choice for photographers. There is slightly more rain during the summer months. ScubaDiveGeek.com also participates in other affiliate programs and Google Adwords and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these and other companies. Besides scuba diving, there are plenty of other things to do on the Cayman Islands. Your dive profile in Stingray City is relatively shallow since your maximum depth is just only 6 meters (20 feet) when you reach the sandy seafloor. There are actually around two dozen dive sites within the bay, with Bloody Bay Wall top of the list. Instead, they pass through the vicinity and bring heavy rains and wind to the island. 2. Don't forget to visit Stingray City before leaving Grand Cayman. Best Times To Visit Cayman Islands The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and June when the hotel rates drop. However, as we just mentioned, diving in the Cayman Islands is possible all year round. 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. If you have time, you should also take a flight to Little Cayman from Grand Cayman, and dive at Bloody Bay Wall. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Our reviews: We can make the world a little bit better with great in-depth reviews. Settle on the sand at just 3.7 meters (12ft) and have hordes of southern stingrays glide gracefully around you. Dive vacations in the Cayman Islands are a good choice for underwater photographers with their many opportunities to capture the beauty of the place and wonderful visibility, and also for travellers looking for deep dives - you can find many along the Cayman walls. Our DSD is $99 USD per person and includes all equipment needed and a fantastic shallow dive to a max depth of 40ft. Tourism volume is estimated based on in-market destination search query interest from Google and on travel.usnews.com in 2015-2016. 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. The highlight of the dive is the photo opportunity with this Cayman reefs most famous resident. And as you might imagine, the coral-encrusted archway makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. Live a life others only dream about. 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 a wreck worth a dive or two. The Cayman Islands-- Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac--have been attracting scuba divers for decades, including beginners! She met her end on the reef in the late 70s, allegedly due to mutiny aboard. Watch your buoyancy and head out into the blue, look back to really appreciate the Great Walls sheer size and impressive drop-off. 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. 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. Exploring this site requires you to initially descend to 18 meters (60 feet) deep where the wall starts. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. 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. Access to tools and resources at your fingertips, curated to enhance your diving experience. The visibility at Donnas Delight on Little Cayman is typically good and the relaxed and easy diving here is suitable for all levels. Please Sign-in or Register December to April is also the busiest time of year for tourism, so it's important to book your dive trips in advance. . You need to take a boat to reach this area. However, there are large coral canyons that provide exciting swim-throughs for divers. Though Kittiwake is a very popular diving site on Grand Island, the shallow and crystal-clear waters of the site make it an equally amazing snorkeling spot as well. 5. This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. But these arent the only good and bad times. Located 133 kilometers (83 miles) northeast of Grand Cayman is its little sister island Little Cayman. Grand Cayman is the most commercial island, with cruise ships visiting, but it has some wrecks and the wall dives are close boat rides. 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. This is the most famous dive site in the Cayman Islands - and with good reason. From April to October water temperature are at least 27 o C (81 o F) and can . When diving the Cayman Islands you can see a lot of large sponges, some good macro, and some tiny fish. Their sister company, Tortuga Divers, operates from Morritts Tortuga Club in East End. It is common to see barracudas and schools of horse-eye jacks in this area. Use Add to ideas + to collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make The prices of hotels and short excursions that would normally be prohibitively expensive fall to more reasonable levels during this time. 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! Honduras coast hosts the Bay Islands which is a compilation of eight islands and 53 small cays and these islands are one of the best scuba diving places in the world. Three Fathom Wall is a popular night dive when eels, lobsters, and reef squid make an appearance. 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. There are plenty of great dive resorts available, but liveaboard is the best option if you want to dive around all three islands. It is 330-feet in length, and was sunk in Cayman Brac in 1996. They can offer up their first-hand knowledge to ensure you know when to dive to enjoy the very best marine life, be it the tiny critters or bigger beasts of . The Cayman Islands are widely regarded as the birthplace of recreational scuba diving, thanks to some pioneering efforts by local operators in the 1980s. The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. This site is a firm favorite among local dive masters, most likely because of the intriguing geological features but there is plenty of marine life here too. 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. The water is about 10 to 20 feet deep. Our travel experts have highlighted our favourite places to visit each month, Terms & Conditions PADI Dive Resorts for all budgets, in the best dive locations around 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. January and February are the coolest months with average lows in the high 60s. The Cayman Islands dollar is issued in units of $100, $50, $25, $10, $5 and $1 with coins of 25 cents, 10, 5 and one cent. If you love nature, you can go hiking or explore some caverns and caves. Hurricanes rarely hit Grand Cayman directly. Plenty of schooling reef fish call Ghost Mountain home and the pinnacle is also carpeted in deep, bloody-red finger sponges. They can offer up their first-hand Aside from the coral laden walls of Babylon, your divemaster will usually lead you to a pinnacle where its towering structures are dominated by whip corals. The best part about the dive is the . There are also usually direct flights from Boston, Chicago, and New York. Eden Rock has lots of coral and fish, and Devils Grotto has underwater caves that you can explore. There is decent shore diving from their dock. Sharks and turtles are frequent visitors as are snappers, groupers, and grunts. At night, this popular Caymans dive site is great for spotting octopus, lobster, and shrimp. In 2017, Tropical Storm Nate shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. During the day rays, turtles, the occasional barracuda and plenty of reef fish mean theres a lot to keep divers engaged. 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. Closely packed ridges form huge coral heads between the shore and the reef wall. Red Sail Sports have been Scuba Diving in Cayman for 40 years. Plus, along the wall, you can meet triggerfish, eagle rays, turtles, lobsters and many more! Because great in-depth gear reviews will help you select the right products for your specific needs, budget, and interests. As a photographer, I never lacked for subjects both wide angle and macro and anything in between. Divers of all levels can explore the engines, pistons, and pieces of the wreck that are scattered at 18m/60ft. Choose your design and prove your PADI certified diver status across the world with a recycled plastic card, eCard or both. The ship was originally built for the US Army Transportation Corps over 70-years ago. Web Visit website. 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. Another great wall diving site in Little Cayman is Joys Joy. But which Cayman Island has the best diving? Book an introductory scuba diving package to learn the basics of diving from certified PADI instructors. Twitter but the best time to visit is between May and October. iFrameResize({log:true, enablePublicMethods:true}); 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. 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. 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. Bert Brothers Boulders is one of the most beautiful dive sites on Cayman Brac. Top dives include the famous 1000 Steps, the Hilmer Hooker wreck, and Bari Reef. 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.