Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. Butterflyfish, triggerfish, shrimp, snapper, and more hand out in and around the large coral heads that sit nor far from the waters surface. Lionfish have become an invasive species and some of the dive operators offer culling excursions. Plus, the water temperature ranges between 78-82F (26-28C). View Map. Moray eels and angelfish move among the coral, and turtles are often seen cruising over the reef. From full scuba certification courses to one-day experiences for those who've never breathed off a regulator, the Cayman Islands qualify as an scuba diving shrine. Away from the reef, divers can look around the LCM David Nicholson wreck. The highlight of the dive is the photo opportunity with this Cayman reefs most famous resident. Discover these empowering women's history destinations selected by the U.S. News travel editors. 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. Roberts Wall is located on the North Wall in Grand Cayman. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Bloody Bay Marine Park is one of Cayman's best known dive sites and is named after the battles that took place between the British navy and its privateers following the outlaw of piracy. Look out for the big groupers who sometimes get inside the huge barrel sponges, turtle, the occasional shark, plenty of reef fish, and the macro life at the cleaning stations. 1. Cayman Islands Reservations Phone: (345)-947-0000 Our Reservations Office is located on site at the Dive Shop & Resort in the Cayman Islands. 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. For macro subjects, you can see angelfish, morays, lettuce slug nudibranchs and many more. From 5 star restaurants to fish frys at the local gas station. Ive been to Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. 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. 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. Choose your design and prove your PADI certified diver status across the world with a recycled plastic card, eCard or both. 10 Go Scavenger Hunting At Seven Mile Beach. The amazing strawberry sponges were in abundance there. Roundabout is located along the North Wall in Grand Cayman. Find & Book PADI Adventures App It is Batabano, the countrys biggest festival, which is scheduled for early May each year. Dining can be pricey but the meals I have had have been wonderful. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Cathy Church has a shop at Sunset House where you can often meet her and see her beautiful underwater photos from the area. 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. A few great choices are the Sunset House Hotel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac Beach Resort and the Little Cayman Beach Resort. 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. Watch your buoyancy and head out into the blue, look back to really appreciate the Great Walls sheer size and impressive drop-off. The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 o C (78 o F). Enjoy the comfort of an airport lounge with free drinks and snacks, even if you're flying economy. Divers of all levels can explore the engines, pistons, and pieces of the wreck that are scattered at 18m/60ft. 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. Enquire Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. Its not often divers can see a mermaid on a dive, but at Sunset Reef they can. Get forecasts each morning for every major island. As said earlier, Grand Cayman has over 50 dive sites and we will not leave this section without mentioning other noted dive spots. Each time has been a wonderful underwater adventure. In 2017, Tropical Storm Nate shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. Away from the stingray action, there are a number of coral heads with a variety of life to check out. Twitter 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. And, thanks to a keen focus on conservation, many of the country's famous underwater spectacles are still well worth a visit today. They have ladders that you can use to enter and exit the water safely. But its not just the heat that matters when visiting the Cayman Islands. 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. ScubaDiveGeek.com also participates in other affiliate programs and Google Adwords and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these and other companies. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list.. If you love nature, you can go hiking or explore some caverns and caves. The dive schedule would include a deep wall dive followed by a shallower reef or wreck. 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 . Our mission has been to do this with the best crew, using the best equipment while offering the most competing Cayman Islands dive packages. 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. Generally, even with up to four dives per day on offer Cayman Islands scuba diving . Please Sign-in or Register to save My Ideas for later, Our social channels Grand Cayman Monthly Weather: Rain, Temperatures, Grand Cayman Vacation Tips: Hotels, Attractions, Weather, Cayman Islands overnight visitor statistics; Caribeez.com. Get certified to scuba dive. Jackson's Bight- Located also in the Bloody Bay Marine Park, it does not fail to provide scuba divers with an amazing dive. 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;}. But they are sometimes the cheapest months to visit. Cheeseburger Reef is located in George Town, Grand Cayman. Read more about diving in Bonaire. 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. You can enter different swim-through areas where the wall drops to great depths. There are also lots of tarpon and small silver sprats in this area. Grand Cayman Island probably has the best diving as it has the North Wall deep drop-off dive and the USS Kittiwake wreck dive. Only ten miles long and one mile wide, this is a place where you can truly focus on your opportunity to relax. There is also a small restaurant and dive resort. You can hand-feed wild Southern stingrays. Rum Point Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned diver, Grand Cayman has a dive site for you. The Cayman Islands is a world-class diving destination famous for its reefs, wrecks and rum. 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. There are over 15 PADI 5-Star Centers in the Cayman Islands, ready to teach you everything you want to know about diving. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! Answer 1 of 11: Does anyone have firsthand experience with any of the dive operators on Little Cayman that they will share? These Florida Keys resorts are ideal for family getaways and romantic retreats. 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. There is also a restaurant, bar and dive shop at Macabuca. You need to take a boat to reach this area. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The islands are warm year-round with average highs. If you want to escape the crowds of cruise ship passengers, the East End is the place to go. Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population. Take your camera and get a snap with one of the abandoned bicycles that have also found a home here. However, the Cayman Islands can be impacted by hurricanes primarily between June and November. Also known as the Mixing Bowl, Three Fathom Wall is the point where Jacksons Bight and the Bloody Bay diving areas meet. The Pedro St. James National Historic Site is a great place for photography, or you can visit Rum Point for a true Caribbean beach experience. Naturally, this is also the most expensive season, and reservations must be made at least three months in advance. Average rainfall jumps to more than five inches in May, June and July. The wreck was specifically set up for safe penetration, giving divers many interior rooms to explore. Find the best and most popular products and review them. to dive in Cayman Islands. Bloody Bay Wall is considered the epicenter of scuba diving in this marine park. 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. The Cayman Islands dollar is legal tender in these islands. While at first the Oro Verde was a complete ship, rough seas and tumultuous weather have dispersed the wreckage. We were lucky enough to see the tail end of silversides on the wreck of the Balboa right in the Harbor too. that the underwater world (and overwater, if you plan on surfacing Family Traveller Excellence Awards 2019 Winner. Phone +1 345-949-7111. 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. 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. For water sports lovers, there are great spots for snorkeling including night snorkeling with bioluminescence, options to go sailing or on a catamaran cruise. 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. The Cayman dollar is exchanged at a rate fixed to the US dollar (CI $1 equals US $1.25). Boat rides were no longer than 15 minutes, with most being around 5 minutes. Dive conditions could not have been more perfect, flat seas (the north side is supposed to be more choppy but the day we dived Eagle Ray pass, it was just 2 feet seas, the rest of the dives were on the west side, where the sea was flat both days), warm water (80 degrees for our stay), clear water with awesome 90-100+ feet visibility (great for wide angle photography). Besides scuba diving, there are plenty of other things to do on the Cayman Islands. 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. This is one of the deepest sea-walls in the world. The visibility at Donnas Delight on Little Cayman is typically good and the relaxed and easy diving here is suitable for all levels. On Grand Cayman, I stayed at hotels on the west end along Seven Mile beach. So, either way, the experience is well worth the money. No diving trip in Grand Cayman would be complete without a dive at the infamous Stingray City. 1-800-652-1972. As of 2023, you can renew your passport online. Here are a few of our favourite dive sites in Grand Cayman: 1. This pristine wall on the south side of Cayman Brac features an abundance of hard corals, gorgonians, and massive red, orange, green, and purple sponges. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! In general, the tourism industry in the Cayman Islands is designed with divers in mind. Our DSD is $99 USD per person and includes all equipment needed and a fantastic shallow dive to a max depth of 40ft. The Cayman Islands are a premier diving destination, boasting 365 dive sites, as well as the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame . I would appreciate if you don't as these referral links are what keep me posting and sharing on this blog. . Their sister company, Tortuga Divers, operates from Morritts Tortuga Club in East End. We are proud to off-set 100% of the carbon generated by our clients' flights. A highlight dive is the Tibbets wreck with great structure and lots of life. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. 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. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and April. The units are privately owned and furnished, but they have 21 accommodations available for rental use. 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. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country in Western Asia located at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. All content is copyright protected by either DIVEIN.com or respected copyright holders, Disclosure: We are reader supported, and earn. Swim throughs, ledges, overhangs, and an average depth of 12 meters (40ft) make this a Cayman dive site for all experience levels to explore. From Rolex watches to Caymanite earrings to a shell necklace. Stingrays, stingrays, and more stingrays is what draws divers to this Cayman site. Three long, wide tunnels, accessible to the majority of divers, extend from the sand flats to open out onto the reef wall. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. Crabs and lobsters are among the critters hiding in the crevices. While Grand Cayman, the most popular island, has a mix of accessible shore and boat diving. Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. The North Wall is one of the most visited diving sites and plunges to a depth of 6000 feet (1800 meters). Little Cayman is a lovely, quiet little island with a population of less than 170. Both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman have great diving. Some resorts offer "Hurricane protection". 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! There is slightly more rain during the summer months. Grand Cayman's North Wall plunges deeper than 1800 metres/6000 feet and offers beautiful wall diving with opportunities to see spotted eagle rays and sea turtles. Marine Life & Environment - Top Dive Spots - Diving Conditions, How to Get There-How to Dive Cayman Islands-Best Time to Dive, NEW! Although the rays who made this site their home permanently have moved on, there is still a good chance of spotting them here. Other highlights include barracudas, yellowtail snappers, hawksbill turtles, and stingrays that sleep in the sand. This is a must-do dive for people vacationing in Grand Cayman. 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. 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. 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. In the Cayman Islands, spring is in full force. 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. The three islands that make up the nation, Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman, and Little Cayman, are diverse and have distinct diving. Thus, you can keep going back and still discover new sites. Book your fun dives, snorkelling trips and courses online with thousands of PADI Dive Centers. As a diver, with a PADI account you can access your eLearning along with many more tools to help you on your adventures. Look in the blue off the wall for passing sharks, rays, and turtles. They were all guided dives. Grand Cayman also offers accessible shore diving on great coral reefs with little to no current. Grandview Condominiums are located on the south end of 7 Mile Beach in George Town on the scuba diving island of Grand Cayman. PADI Dive Resorts for all budgets, in the best dive locations around the world. 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. My wife and I are traveling there in February 2015 and are PADI AOW and Nitrox certified with ten years of recreational experience diving. The boat dives were offered mostly in the mornings, and we were on our own in the afternoons. The Cayman Islands are home to some of the best spots for scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. It now rests in an upright position at a depth of 27meters (89feet). A huge pinnacle branches out, creating a corridor-like passageway that is used by large pelagics cruising up from the abyss. This area is an international tourist destination and can be crowded. 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. 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. April is an especially good choice because it has the warmest weather of the entire five-month dry season. Share your love of diving, experience new adventures, expand your dive skills, and help save the ocean. U.S. News rates the cheapest travel insurance options, considering expert and consumer recommendations. The ship has been opened up with large access holes so that you can swim through the interior of the ship. Get in touch with our specialists Access to tools and resources at your fingertips, curated to enhance your diving experience. Web Visit website. Fiji: Dive the Soft Coral Capital of the World. After exploring the area, here are some of the best dive sites in the Cayman Islands: 1. MV Capt. The ship was originally built for the US Army Transportation Corps over 70-years ago. I have traveled to the Cayman islands many times. Aside from tourism promotion, marine conservation is in place in all the dive sites in the Cayman Islands. There are actually around two dozen dive sites within the bay, with Bloody Bay Wall top of the list. There is a good amount of coral and fish here. This is how we pay ourselves. Black groupers, sergeant majors, yellowtail snapper, and moray eels are just a few of the species you can expect to see. Grand Cayman has dives for all experience levels, and our on-site dive shop Ocean Frontiers Diving Adventures offers a range of PADI dive courses and signature dive adventures. These hot temperatures start in May and last into November. They can offer up their first-hand Our team will meet you at the airport and fast-track you through. Wheres the best place(s) to stay when looking into a diving trip in the Caymans? Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates. Black coral and colorful sponges decorate the near-vertical face and the shallows are dotted with large coral heads teeming with marine life. You may see hammerhead sharks if you are lucky. 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 Islands Seasonal Dive Planner The Caymans' hottest period is from May to November. 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. If you're looking for great diving and hotel prices, the best time is between March and June when the rates all drop. 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. If you are vacationing in Cayman Brac, then you need to visit this spot. Because the site is prone to strong currents, it isnt frequently dived which makes a trip to this very healthy reef even more special. 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? Frugal travel planners can look for good deals during these months while keeping an eye on the 10-day weather forecast. Furthermore, the islands are home to some of the world's best beaches, making them an ideal vacation destination. Bloody Bay Wall Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. It is possible to go scuba diving in Little Cayman all year round and the water temperature only varies from 21-27 degrees. The flight and hotel fares are discounted up to 50 percent this time of year. Live like a local and get under the skin of a destination with our in-country concierges. It is 330-feet in length, and was sunk in Cayman Brac in 1996. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. There is also a dive shop and restaurant. The months of January and February are the coldest, with average lows in the low 60s. Both are wonderful underwater. July has a jump in visits for families in part because school children are out for the summer. You will see a lot of tarpon at this spot, as well as coral and other fish. With the wall beginning at just 6 meters (20ft), the site is popular with both divers and snorkelers. The course includes a 2-hour pool and theory session, and an . The wreck of the Captain Keith is unusual it is the only Soviet-made warship that divers can visit in the western hemisphere. Yes, that is the Cayman Islands and this is due in part of the tax holiday being implemented that has attracted businesses worldwide. It's the kind of peaceful place where you will make your own fun. I stayed at an all inclusive where the food was exceptional, prepared by a world class chef. This is a wall that drops 2000 meters to the sea floor.
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