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. During the day rays, turtles, the occasional barracuda and plenty of reef fish mean theres a lot to keep divers engaged. 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. Enquire 1. Lionfish have become an invasive species and some of the dive operators offer culling excursions. 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. In effect, there are more registered businesses in Cayman Island as compared to its local population. 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.. Drop us a comment below and tell us your favorite site! It's the kind of peaceful place where you will make your own fun. The best diving depth at this Cayman site, between 30 and 40 meters (98-130ft) means its best for deep certified advanced divers. If you enjoy diving, then you need to visit the USS Kittiwake during your vacation to Grand Cayman. Having a less touristic crowd, Cayman Brac still has several tourism facilities like Cayman Brac Dive Resorts that are scattered along its narrow coast. 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. The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. Butterflyfish, triggerfish, shrimp, snapper, and more hand out in and around the large coral heads that sit nor far from the waters surface. The winter and early spring months are the most popular time in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands are widely regarded as the birthplace of recreational scuba diving, thanks to some pioneering efforts by local operators in the 1980s. Give the perfect gift for your favorite ocean lover and explorer. Otherwise, it is clear that December through April are the best months of the year to visit Grand Cayman, especially early April. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. We understand that diving the best Grand Cayman Dives is the primary goal of your Grand Cayman Dive vacation. Most dive operators will take you there. Click the link below to read our article about Eden Rock: Deep Stingray City is located in Grand Cayman. Diving is available year-round. But these arent the only good and bad times. May through November, and especially September and October, are the riskiest months to visit. There is a separate fee to dive this wreck that goes towards conservation, and you also get a nice yellow diver medallion to keep. We are proud to off-set 100% of the carbon generated by our clients' flights. The water is about 12-feet deep here. In addition, you're more likely to snag a hotel deal during these months. 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. All levels of divers can enjoy the site as there is plenty to see at shallow depths or at deeper parts. Topside, the community is expanding with ongoing construction. The best part about the dive is the . Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. They can offer up their first-hand Why? Because great in-depth gear reviews will help you select the right products for your specific needs, budget, and interests. Live like a local and get under the skin of a destination with our in-country concierges. But the main reason for diving here are the sharks, especially hammerheads. With over 365 dive sites, clear waters, coral reefs and abundant marine life, the Cayman Islands are one of the best diving spots in the world. 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. Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population. Share your love of diving, experience new adventures, expand your dive skills, and help save the ocean. So, either way, the experience is well worth the money. You can go hiking in the Mastic Trail where it has really nice views from the harbors and the beaches. This is one of the top island destinations in the United Kingdom. East End 5. 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. Take a walk along the coast line or rent a bicycle and ride around the island. Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. Indonesia. January and February are the coolest months with average lows in the high 60s. Orange Canyon is a popular dive site on the west-side of Grand Cayman. 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. Choose from a selection of more than 250 vessels and 18,000 trips worldwide. You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. The islands are warm year-round with average highs. This is really a divers paradise. Instagram, My Ideas I guess thats one drawback of guided dives, everyone is constantly on the move, not ideal for photography, especially macro photography. This is a must-do dive for people vacationing in Grand Cayman. Trinity Caves is a popular dive site that is located off the coast of West Bay in 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. No diving trip in Grand Cayman would be complete without a dive at the infamous Stingray City. 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. Crabs and lobsters are among the critters hiding in the crevices. Although this is a wall dive, the cut in the sites name comes from the swim-through many divers use upon descent. If the forecast looks good, they should consider taking a last-minute trip to Grand Cayman if they also spot an attractive discount. Grand Cayman scuba diving is also more popular than on the other islands due to the stingray population there. I've stayed at hotels and used independent dive operators and I have stayed at dive resorts with on-site dive operations. When diving through the cut itself, look under and in crevices, plenty of little critters make homes for themselves here. The amazing diversity and dive sites for all levels are just one of the reasons why the Cayman Islands is also one of the top dive destinations in the Carribean. Our team will meet you at the airport and fast-track you through. Despite the name, you arent guaranteed to see tarpon here. Look in the blue off the wall for passing sharks, rays, and turtles. Photographers will love Greenhouse for its varied macro life. Great diving. There are lots of other fish and coral. 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. If you're looking for great diving and hotel prices, the best time is between March and June when the rates all drop. Exploring its underwater habitats allows you to see an incredible reef that starts at 6 meters (20 feet) deep and slowly slopes down towards a vertical limestone wall that drops down up to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) deep. Little Cayman GoPro Video Workshop: April 2023, Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginners, shifted the Kittiwake from her original position. Divers in the Caymans visit Kittiwake for the wreck itself. to save My Ideas for later. ASK US HERE! 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. Instead, they pass through the vicinity and bring heavy rains and wind to the island. The best time to visit the Cayman Islands is between March and April. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list. Cayman Islands has an average water temperature ranging from 26 29C (78 84F). If you love nature, you can go hiking or explore some caverns and caves. Macro photographers should keep an eye out for the neck and decorator crabs who make their homes here. Most people see flights, accommodations, and activities far cheaper during this time since fewer tourists are visiting. The Cayman Islands-- Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac--have been attracting scuba divers for decades, including beginners! Grand Cayman is the most commercial island, with cruise ships visiting, but it has some wrecks and the wall dives are close boat rides. (Closed Circuit Rebreathers/CCR) allows you to massively extend your dive time. 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. This is a wreck worth a dive or two. The water clarity is typically amazingly clear. 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. There are actually around two dozen dive sites within the bay, with Bloody Bay Wall top of the list. The top of the wall is around 9 meters (30ft) so the site can be enjoyed as a shallow or deep dive. Three Fathom Wall is a popular night dive when eels, lobsters, and reef squid make an appearance. 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. Most of the units for rent are 2-bedroom and 2-bathroons units. Would also recommend spending an afternoon at Rum Point, where you can relax and also do some snorkeling if you like. This is how we pay ourselves. Most of them are located around the Grand Cayman but a little over sixty sites stay around Cayman Brac and the Little Cayman. dive in each month of the year. 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. 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 Interested in diving the Cayman Islands? Diving is available year-round. It seems the dive guides hunt the lionfish and then feed the groupers, so they joined us right away each dive. They were all guided dives. 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. 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. 5. Our review team always considers durability, price, quality, and value in their reviews. I created this website to help answer common questions about vacationing in the Cayman Islands, and to help tourists find the best things to do. The non-divers with us were content to lounge by the pool, visit the spa, ride bikes, and go for walks. Originally coined 356, this wreck is now called the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts after a well-known Cayman Brac politician. 4 of the Best Places to Go Shore Diving in Grand Cayman. PrivacyPolicy, 2023 Original Diving | Web Design by D3R. 7. I would like to mention 2 points though, one that it is a bit expensive, both the accommodations and the diving, and secondly, it looks like they allow open water divers to do the deeper wall dives, where you can be as deep as 100 feet, just an FYI, in case youre not comfortable at that depth. Clearly Cayman Group Specials - Big savings on 7-night stays! As said earlier, Grand Cayman has over 50 dive sites and we will not leave this section without mentioning other noted dive spots. I am a scuba diving newbie, a Project Manager by profession, and an entrepreneur at heart. When shopping and eating out, be sure to identify which currency prices . Little Caymans Bloody Bay is home to some of the most dramatic and spectacular drop-offs and swim-throughs in the Carribean. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 cleaved the 100m/328ft ship in half but divers can still explore both sections of the wreckage. Not to be confused with the Anchor Point dive sites in Scotlands Loch Fyne, the Solomon Islands, or Sri Lanka, the Cayman dive site is located on Grand Cayman and is characterized by swathes of black coral. Grand Cayman Monthly Weather: Rain, Temperatures, Grand Cayman Vacation Tips: Hotels, Attractions, Weather, Cayman Islands overnight visitor statistics; Caribeez.com. 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. Our DSD is $99 USD per person and includes all equipment needed and a fantastic shallow dive to a max depth of 40ft. U.S. News rates the cheapest travel insurance options, considering expert and consumer recommendations. The best time to see whitetip reef sharks in the Cayman Islands is from May to August. Occasionally, a nurse shark rest on the sand. The Kittiwake is a 76.5 meter (250ft) former submarine support ship. I have been diving in Grand Cayman several times. The Caymans have one major event that also may impact the best times to go there. Jacques Costeau loved diving in the Caymans and its easy to see why. The Cayman Islands dollar is legal tender in these islands. While you can get some rain, it's not as common as during the summer. Perhaps because of this, the coral isnt looking a healthy as it could. Despite the name, there arent actually caves here. Bloody Bay Wall is located in Little Cayman. Bert Brothers Boulders is also a great spot to see flying gurnards at around 5.5 meters (18ft). From the mooring, divers often descend through a cut in the reef and out onto the wall. This wreck is the only Russian warship that can explore in the Western hemisphere. The dive resorts are more expensive than places like Roatan or Belize, but given the reputation of the islands and the quality and ease of the diving, we find the prices reasonable. The best time to go to the Cayman Islands is in March and April because there is spring break from school and April has a combination of warm temperatures and a low risk of rain. 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. Hotels, resorts and cruise ships dont like unsold rooms and cabins, so they are more likely to offer discounts to attract customers. There is a good amount of coral and fish here. Bay Islands, Honduras. Tieneke, Joe, and Kevin went out of their way to accommodate our dive group and show us a really great time. Read more about diving in Bonaire. 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. StingrayCity. There is also an air pocket in a decompression chamber that you can pop into and chat with your buddy!! The prices of hotels and short excursions that would normally be prohibitively expensive fall to more reasonable levels during this time. Stingrays and turtles are known to swim here. Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. Kittiwake Shipwreck and diver in Grand Cayman - photo from Canva. 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.