Cayman Islands
Some swear that when Neptune created his underwater masterpiece, he broke the proverbial mold when he created this Caribbean Eden. The islands of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac have long occupied a seat on the pantheon of the world’s A-list dive destinations.
You could say that the wall diving at the Cayman Islands is the standard to which every wall diving destination measures up to (or measures down to). The islands have magnificent coral walls that are covered in a wide array of huge corals and sponges, and which also have numerous caves and swim-throughs you can poke around in.
It’s possible to squeeze all three islands into a single dive trip, but sometimes more is less. You cannot easily hop from one island to the next, so it’s best to immerse yourself in one island and come back again for the others. Each island has an excellent assortment of dive sites that deserve as much of your bottom-time as possible.
Photos courtesy of LITTLE CAYMAN BEACH RESORT and CAYMAN BRAC BEACH RESORT
Scuba Diving in the Cayman Islands
You might consider the Cayman Islands for your next dive vacation if you…
If You Enjoy Wall Diving
The Cayman Islands are coral heads that sit atop an underwater mountain range. Naturally, they’ve got sloping coral walls that slip down to the depths. Some of the walls are impressive simply for their enormous drop-offs, while others are etched with swim-throughs, canyons, and flourishing reef tops. At each island, you’ll encounter a beautiful assortment of sponges; there are 57 species at the Cayman Islands.
If You Enjoy Leisurely Diving
The seas are usually calm around the Cayman Islands so the diving is easy and pleasurable. Divers of all levels can visit the same dive sites; advanced divers can to go deeper down the walls while beginning divers can enjoy the sun-kissed reeftops. The visibility rarely drops below 60 feet, and can reach up to 100 feet.
If You’re Looking for a Quiet Getaway
The Cayman Islands aren’t much of a beach party, so it’s the ideal place to go if you’re looking for quiet, scenic beaches with fewer tourists. Grand Cayman is the exception, but even on the big island you can find areas and resorts that are quite serene.
Our Favorite Dive Destinations in the Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is home to the capital city of Georgetown. You’ll find most of the topside adventures here, like the Pedro St. James Castle, a swath of black volcanic limestone aptly named Hell, and Seven Mile Beach — one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. You can also check out Bioluminescent Bay, just as it sounds.
So far as diving goes, Grand Cayman’s north side has the largest, most spectacular walls. The north wall starts at 60 feet and drops thousands of feet into the ocean. As you’re soaring along the walls, you can spot eagle rays and schools of tarpons, barracudas, and mackerel. The walls are ornamented with big corals and a variety of caves and swim-throughs.
There are a few other electric dive sites, like the Kittiwake Wreck, Stingray City (a sandbank with dozens of friendly stingrays), and Amphitrite, a 9-foot bronze mermaid statue which is a can’t miss photo-op.
Little Cayman
Little Cayman is the smallest of the Cayman Islands, yet she offers perhaps the biggest diving attraction: Bloody Bay Wall. The wall plummets from 12 feet to more than 6,000 feet and nearly every inch is studded with fans and corals. In the stunning visibility you can see a variety of fish in all sizes. There are some places where the wall is so steep that it becomes truly vertical.
Little Cayman is home to both hawksbill sea turtles and the Lesser Caymans iguana, both critically endangered, and there’s a salt pond that’s home to a large population of tarpon. Nature lovers will appreciate all the wildlife that lives offshore and along the island interior.
If you’re looking for a secluded beach to plant your flag, you’ve come to the right place.
Cayman Brac
“Brac” is a Gaelic name for “bluff.” It’s a good name for Cayman Brac, an island iconic for its scenic limestone bluffs that offer hikers an extraordinary view of the ocean.
With her low-key demeanor and slow pace, Cayman Brac is the shiest of the sisters. However, like her sister, Little Cayman, her beauty is understated. There are more than 3 dozen dive sites ringing her shores, most of them coral walls — one of them is is covered in a dizzying number of strawberry sponges.
You’ll also find an immense wreck, the 330-foot MV Capt. Keith Tibbetts, a Russian battleship home to eels, eagle rays, and sea turtles.
Our Favorite Dive Resorts in the Cayman Islands
Cayman Brac Beach Resort
Cayman Brac
Compass Point Dive Resort
Grand Cayman
Little Cayman Beach Resort
Little Cayman
Sunset House
Grand Cayman
