Ive been to Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. 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. Named for a historical anchorage, Anchor Point features a tight chimney-like descent at the beginning of the dive. 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. Away from the reef, divers can look around the LCM David Nicholson wreck. It seems the dive guides hunt the lionfish and then feed the groupers, so they joined us right away each dive. The water clarity is typically amazingly clear. No diving trip in Grand Cayman would be complete without a dive at the infamous Stingray City. Over 200 permanent boat moorings are installed to avoid damaging corals with the dropping of boat anchors. 10 Best Dive Sites in Caribbean Islands in 2023 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. See and be seen at these stunning natural wonders. 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. Take a walk along the coast line or rent a bicycle and ride around the island. 5. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Eels, rays, sharks, and turtles are frequently seen. These hot temperatures start in May and last into November. December and July are good times for families because children are out of school for the holidays and summer. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. 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. The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 o C (78 o F). The Best Scuba Diving Experiences On Grand Cayman Why? There is a lot of soft coral here, which makes for an interesting experience. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. Our mission has been to do this with the best crew, using the best equipment while offering the most competing Cayman Islands dive packages. For this reason, wreck junkies and aficionados often have the Keith on their to-dive lists. Besides scuba diving, there are plenty of other things to do on the Cayman Islands. When to go Best time Low season Off season Where to go when Dive Into the Cayman Islands | Cond Nast Traveler The most interesting topside activities for us were exploring the island in a rental car and driving on the left side of the road. Scuba diving in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac | ZuBlu Clearly Cayman Group Specials - Big savings on 7-night stays! Head to the turret guns for a superb photo opportunity and keep your eyes peeled for barracuda, bright sponges, and schooling reef fish. 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. Though scuba diving in the Cayman Islands is mostly known for close encounters with stingrays, it has much more to offer. 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? With the wall beginning at just 6 meters (20ft), the site is popular with both divers and snorkelers. Flights to Grand Cayman arrive at Owen Roberts International Airport. 310-915-6677 And, thanks to a keen focus on conservation, many of the country's famous underwater spectacles are still well worth a visit today. 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. Some of those services give me a small percentage of what you pay as commission for my referral. The best part about the dive is the . Bloody Bay Wall- Most scuba divers will say this is their favorite dive site in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are one of the Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners. 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. Eden Rock has lots of coral and fish, and Devils Grotto has underwater caves that you can explore. Even though July is a popular month, it is not necessarily a good time to go because of the reasons below. Our team will meet you at the airport and fast-track you through. The Best Diving in Cayman Islands 2022 - Divein Cayman Islands Diving | Silver Thatch Water Sports | Breakers June to October brings higher topside temperatures (up to 33C, 91F). Because great in-depth gear reviews will help you select the right products for your specific needs, budget, and interests. This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. This is a fun dive spot that you can access from shore. Exploring this site requires you to descend to 10 meters (33 feet) deep where you will arrive at the top portion of the reef. Read more about diving in Bonaire. 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. Youtube+ Exploring this site requires you to descend to a depth of 18 meters (60 feet) where the entrance of this elaborate tunnel system starts. 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 . There is decent shore diving from their dock. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! Click the link below to read our article about Cheeseburger Reef: Sunset House is located on the south-side of Grand Cayman, near George Town. A highlight dive is the Tibbets wreck with great structure and lots of life. Founder of Georges Watersports & Thingstodocayman.net. The USS Kittiwake is an ex-US Navy ship that was purposely sunk in Grand Cayman to create a new dive site. The wreck can be penetrated in some parts but speak for your guide or instructor beforehand. If you want to get rid of the tourist crowd in Grand Cayman and explore a dive site that is remote and that the diver to fish ratio is 1 to a million, then we suggest you head out northwest of Grand Cayman via a Cayman Liveaboard vessel in a site called Babylon. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. The Cayman Islands are widely regarded as the birthplace of recreational scuba diving, thanks to some pioneering efforts by local operators in the 1980s. 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! A 2018 poll listed Bonaire as the best dive spot for beginners, conservation, freediving, macro diving, shore diving, and snorkeling. Most of them are located around the Grand Cayman but a little over sixty sites stay around Cayman Brac and the Little Cayman. The rainy season spans from May through October though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time. The Cayman Islands certainly offer diversity without a long trip from the states. Get certified to scuba dive. Our Exclusive Dive-only Packages in the Cayman Islands - Ocean Frontiers We conduct this course from our shore location where the water is ideal for new divers! The Kittiwake wreck as well as other wrecks in the close vicinity add variety and interesting structure which I really enjoyed. 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. However, as we just mentioned, diving in the Cayman Islands is possible all year round. Both of these sites are accessible from shore. North Wall 2. stingray city 3. 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. I guess thats one drawback of guided dives, everyone is constantly on the move, not ideal for photography, especially macro photography. 4 Places to Go Shore Diving in Grand Cayman | The Residences Plenty of schooling reef fish call Ghost Mountain home and the pinnacle is also carpeted in deep, bloody-red finger sponges. Beginners can enjoy another smaller chimney instead. 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. Choose from private or single rates, we will find you the best possible option to help you enjoy the famous Cayman Stingray City. Best Resorts in the Cayman Islands | Islands Best Time To Dive The Cayman Island Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. Crabs and lobsters are among the critters hiding in the crevices. 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. Only ten miles long and one mile wide, this is a place where you can truly focus on your opportunity to relax. On Grand Cayman, I stayed at hotels on the west end along Seven Mile beach. U.S. News rates the cheapest travel insurance options, considering expert and consumer recommendations. Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands. 5. 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. That's is how we pay ourselves. MV Capt. You can dive along this wall and explore the different entrances. If you like diving in caves and grottos, Trinity Caves on Grand Caymans west side is the site for you. For water sports lovers, there are great spots for snorkeling including night snorkeling with bioluminescence, options to go sailing or on a catamaran cruise. Bloody Bay Wall Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. During this time, you can expect to see a variety of marine life, including turtles, rays, and a wide array of tropical fish. For big animals - you can find a good number of turtles and groupers, tarpon, nurse sharks, great barracuda, and stingrays. Thus, you can keep going back and still discover new sites. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman house over 300 dive sites, making up the breathtaking Cayman dive map. Away from the stingray action, there are a number of coral heads with a variety of life to check out. Scuba Diving in the Cayman Islands | Explore Cayman With 365 named dive sites, the enchanting Cayman Islands is a year-round underwater paradise. Live a life others only dream about. Cayman Brac Beach Resort. There are lots of other fish and coral. 10 Go Scavenger Hunting At Seven Mile Beach. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . You need to take a boat to reach this wreck. Best Dive & Stay Packages in the Cayman Islands - Ocean Frontiers This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list.. The best diving depth at this Cayman site, between 30 and 40 meters (98-130ft) means its best for deep certified advanced divers. Three long, wide tunnels, accessible to the majority of divers, extend from the sand flats to open out onto the reef wall. Best Time to Visit Cayman Islands - tripbirdie.com Is this the world's best place to learn to scuba dive? - thetimes.co.uk For shark diving, we suggest the Maze, Scuba Bowl and the Grouper Grotto which is also filled with lots of good-size groupers. Frugal travel planners can look for good deals during these months while keeping an eye on the 10-day weather forecast. 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. MV Captain Keith Tibbetts is an ex-Soviet Union ship that was built in 1984 for the Cuban Navy. If you're looking for great diving and hotel prices, the best time is between March and June when the rates all drop. Answer 1 of 11: Does anyone have firsthand experience with any of the dive operators on Little Cayman that they will share? Resident Nassau groupers often keep divers company and if you look closely, you may be rewarded with seahorses and lettuce-leaf slugs. Theyre not timid and as they surround you, these rays seem happy to receive a gentle stroke or two. Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Best Time to Dive in Little Cayman. Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Penetration is encouraged but to get the most out of the experience, take a torch. Top 12 Beautiful Places to Visit in the Cayman Islands Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. 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. 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;}. marine life, be it the tiny critters or bigger beasts of the ocean. Best Times to Visit Cayman Islands | U.S. News Travel #6 inBest Cheap Destination Wedding Locations, #4 inBest Places to Visit in January 2023. 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. knowledge to ensure you know when to dive to enjoy the very best Use Add to ideas + to collect your trip ideas, share with friends or make Fiji: Dive the Soft Coral Capital of the World. Cayman Turtle Centre. 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. Best 5 Dive Resorts In Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Trip101 Macro photographers should keep an eye out for the neck and decorator crabs who make their homes here. ASK US HERE! It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. Eagle Ray Pass is located along the North Wall in Grand Cayman. (Closed Circuit Rebreathers/CCR) allows you to massively extend your dive time. 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.
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