Best Time to Dive Cayman Islands Diving is available year-round. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. View thelive availability of some of the best liveaboards in the Cayman Islandsand book online at the best price or check out our sidebar for land-based options! The Cayman Islands is a land of breath-taking experiences. DIVEIN.com was founded in 2009 by the two brothers Torben and Nicolai. Through this site,my intent is to be able to sponsor the new chapter in my life as a scuba diver. Our travel experts have highlighted our favourite places to visit each month, Terms & Conditions Instead, they pass through the vicinity and bring heavy rains and wind to the island. I would appreciate if you don't as these referral links are what keep me posting and sharing on this blog. This is one of the top island destinations in the United Kingdom. In addition, you're more likely to snag a hotel deal during these months. The best time to visit Grand Cayman is March and April. There is a lot of marine life among the coral and resident angelfish and groupers are found at the stern of the ship. The wall dive also has several other topographical features including swim-throughs and tunnels. This gives the unique Caymans dive site a blend of steep vertical walls, sloping reefs, and coral-crusted fingers. This is one of the best dive sites in Cayman Brac, and is a must-do experience. Family Traveller Excellence Awards 2019 Winner. If wall diving is your thing, check out diving in Turks & Caicos. 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. With a PADI Travel account, you can favourite dive operators to come back to later on any device or computer. In general, the tourism industry in the Cayman Islands is designed with divers in mind. Our Original Diving experts, made up of marine biologists, September is the worst month of the Caribbean hurricane season, which officially goes from June through November. Most of the units for rent are 2-bedroom and 2-bathroons units. This British overseas island is home to mystical caves, unscaled escarpments, tropical forests, diverse wildlife and a plethora of other unique experiences. 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. I have stayed there several times at a dive resort with on-site dive operation. If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. However, the Cayman Islands can be impacted by hurricanes primarily between June and November. Don't forget to visit Stingray City before leaving Grand Cayman. Grand Caymans North Wall plunges deeper than 1800 metres/6000 feet and offers beautiful wall diving with opportunities to see spotted eagle rays and sea turtles. Lemon Reef is a mini-wall dive site located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. January and February are the coolest months with average lows in the high 60s. You could spend . 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. The ship was originally built for the US Army Transportation Corps over 70-years ago. I have been diving in Grand Cayman several times. The water drops over a hundred feet. Theres plenty to do if you are not diving. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Grand Cayman is the most commercial island, with a lot of resorts, great nightlife, and more tourist attractions. You can see Spotted Eagle Rays flying passed this area from depths of about 30 to 100 feet. The Kittiwake wreck as well as other wrecks in the close vicinity add variety and interesting structure which I really enjoyed. Otherwise, it is clear that December through April are the best months of the year to visit Grand Cayman, especially early April. 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. Bloody Bay Wall is considered the epicenter of scuba diving in this marine park. Named for a historical anchorage, Anchor Point features a tight chimney-like descent at the beginning of the dive. Grab your gear and dive into the crystal clear waters of Grand Cayman! Click the link below to read our article about Eden Rock: Deep Stingray City is located in Grand Cayman. In February, the cost is roughly $1,044 round trip . We have put together a comprehensive collection of packages to suit your needs. The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. Just south of Seven Mile Beach and approximately 46 feet below the surface are Eden Rock and Devil's Grotto, two of the most popular diving spots on Grand Cayman. The waters here are 15 to 25 meters deep. We did not make it to Stingray city, but did get to the other must do dive in Grand Cayman - the USS Kittiwake, a submarine rescue vessel. While the Cayman Islands are famous for its encounters with stingrays in Stingray City where the rays are said to be almost tame, there are many more sites that the islands offer. Share your love of diving, experience new adventures, expand your dive skills, and help save the ocean. 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. Reservations Office is open Monday-Friday | 8:30am-5:30pm Cayman Islands time. It is rich with tunnels, chutes, cervices, and beautiful reefs. 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. StingrayCity. Income disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn affiliate commissions when you buy via links found on DIVEIN.com: If you find a good deal on our site, you click to the retailer and you buy the product, we get a commission of the sale. For water sports lovers, there are great spots for snorkeling including night snorkeling with bioluminescence, options to go sailing or on a catamaran cruise. 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. I am Dan, this site is my blog where I document my research on the best diving spots in the world. 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. View Map. Black coral and colorful sponges decorate the near-vertical face and the shallows are dotted with large coral heads teeming with marine life. 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. So, what are you waiting for? We gave our Gear Lovers one job: Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. I have lived in the corporate world for a few years now with very little excitement in my life. Seven Mile Beach 4. Trinity Caves is one Cayman dive site that never disappoints. 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. Its a very easy and fun dive, we saw some angelfish and eagle rays. Find the best and most popular products and review them. In this article, we review the top 20 scuba dive sites in the Cayman Islands. Trinity Caves is a popular dive site that is located off the coast of West Bay in Grand Cayman. From 5 star restaurants to fish frys at the local gas station. A 2018 poll listed Bonaire as the best dive spot for beginners, conservation, freediving, macro diving, shore diving, and snorkeling. Located in popular Bloody Bay, Donnas Delight is home to some classic Cayman wall diving: Giant barrel sponges, arching sea fans, and bright corals. This is a must-do dive for people vacationing in Grand Cayman. In the shallows, flamingo tongues cling onto sea fans while lobsters, eels, and jewfish can be found hiding in the ridges and gullies. Eels, rays, sharks, and turtles are frequently seen. 1. You get to enjoy some of the warm weather, which is especially nice if you live in the northern U.S., where it's still winter. 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. Cayman Islands International Film Festival. You can dive from shore because they have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water. The Cayman Islands continues to receive global recognition and top the charts for diving. 390 S Church St, George Town KY1-1106, Cayman Islands. Because great in-depth gear reviews will help you select the right products for your specific needs, budget, and interests. Sidetrip: Visit Little Caymans Booby Pond Nature Reserve. In the Cayman Islands, spring is in full force. Wonderful restaurants nearby. Hurricanes rarely hit Grand Cayman directly. 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. It now rests in an upright position at a depth of 27meters (89feet). Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. Stingray City is in only 12ft (4m) of water and is a huge draw for divers and underwater photographers. 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. But these arent the only good and bad times. This spot is about 20-feet deep, and has a lot of coral. 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. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor. Stingrays and turtles are known to swim here. Hop to the other islands by hiring a private boat operator, or better yet, arrange for a liveaboard tour and explore as many Cayman Islands diving sites as you can. 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. 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. 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. Courtesy of Sunset House Resort, Grand Cayman. Dining can be pricey but the meals I have had have been wonderful. MV Capt. However, as we just mentioned, diving in the Cayman Islands is possible all year round. Another great wall diving site in Little Cayman is Joys Joy. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . Naturally, this is also the most expensive season, and reservations must be made at least three months in advance. Sharks and turtles are frequent visitors as are snappers, groupers, and grunts. The seven mile beach area is beautiful for walking and photo opportunities. Though scuba diving in the Cayman Islands is mostly known for close encounters with stingrays, it has much more to offer. The islands are warm year-round with average highs holding steady in the 80s. You need to take a boat to reach this wreck. Get in touch with our specialists This dive site first became popular in the 90s when it was featured in the film The Firm, starring Tom Cruise. The Caymans have one major event that also may impact the best times to go there. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list. For scuba diving, the best time to dive the Cayman Islands is pretty much any time except peak hurricane season. They can offer up their first-hand Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. With 365 named dive sites, the enchanting Cayman Islands is a year-round underwater paradise. For us divers, the financial self-sufficiency of the Cayman Islands is only the icing on the cake. This is a shore dive, meaning that you enter the water from the shore, and then swim to Cheeseburger Reef. And, thanks to a keen focus on conservation, many of the country's famous underwater spectacles are still well worth a visit today. 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.. Address. Besides the thick black corals, keep an eye out for tarpon, large yellow tube sponges, and ginormous barrel sponges. PADI Dive Resorts for all budgets, in the best dive locations around the world. 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. 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. 6. It does not make the product pricier for you. Find & Book PADI Adventures App This is a wreck worth a dive or two. 1. 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 . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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 . Grand Cayman has beautiful beaches and probably the most topside activities or restaurants anyone would want. Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population. These Florida Keys resorts are ideal for family getaways and romantic retreats. The shore diving was really easy to access with actual ladders or stairs and even showers at some sites. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. Cayman Islands Reservations Phone: (345)-947-0000 Our Reservations Office is located on site at the Dive Shop & Resort in the Cayman Islands. 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. // Trivago Commercial Actress, Satans Slaves Mc Dorset, Articles B