Diving the Cayman Islands
15 June 2023
The Cayman Islands hosts one of the best dives in the World: Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman. This is currently number 20 on the 100 Best Dives list.
The sea is always warm in the Cayman Islands, with surface temperatures never dropping below around 25 oC (78 oF). From April to October water temperature are at least 27 oC (81 oF) and can reach over 30 oC (85 oF).
Find a Cayman Liveaboard: Book now, Pay later
When to dive the Cayman Islands? April and May are a good time to go. The weather is warm throughout the year but June to November is the hurricane season and the seas may be rougher during that time. The islands are busiest during winter.
The Caymans comprise three islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the most popular with divers offering shore diving and great wall diving on its North Wall. The more upmarket hotels are on Grand Cayman. It also benefits from the Turtle Centre. Here they breed turtles in captivity, transporting their eggs to beaches and burying them to replicate what happens in nature. The baby turtles make their way down to the sea, increasing the population which later return to island's waters.
Little Cayman
Little Cayman has the Bloody Bay Marine Park with strict conservation laws. Its wall dives are full of colour from sponges, sea fans and coral. And of course the chance to see turtles and rays.
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac also has some good diving. But if you like scenic diving with dramatic walls then we'd recommend choosing Little Cayman.
Cayman Islands Diving • Dive Operators • Your Comments
The Diving
Grand Cayman • Little Cayman • Cayman Brac
"The Caymans are well known for their healthy turtle population. You'll mostly see Hawksbill Sea Turtles but you'll get the occasional Green Sea Turtle. The islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are amazing for Nassau Grouper. Each mating season, huge numbers gather in Little Cayman for the spawning aggregation "
Jonathan Williams
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman benefits from the Turtle Centre. Here they breed turtles in captivity, transporting their eggs to beaches and burying them to replicate what happens in nature. The baby turtles make their way down to the sea, increasing the population which later return to island's waters.
"Dive down the grand cayman wall to about 30 metres, follow the wall along then come back up in a sand chute with large coral heads. A very good dive. "
Alex Witschey
"Swim through at approx 15 meters dives diagonally down through the wall and emerges at 30 meters on the face of the wall. Below is deep blue down to 2500 meters and the wall is covered in healthy coral. "
Grant Herman
"Pinnacle off Grand Cayman's North Wall. Multi-coloured sponges, undercuts, crevices and spectacular black corals. "
Dawn Clerkson, 2021
Built in 1945, the Kittiwake was a submarine rescue ship. She was decommissioned in 1994. In 2004 the Cayman Islands applied to the US Maritime Administration to use the ship as an artificial reef, the first time a ship would have been given to a foreign government for such a purpose. The ship was cleaned of hazardous material like asbestos and all loose materials removed. In December 2010 the Kittiwake was towed to Grand Cayman during a snow storm. She was sank at the northern end of Seven Mile Reef on the West of Grand Cayman.
She lies on the sand at 20 m. Her shallowest point is at just 6 m. The large A frame structure on the stern supported submarines and hard hat divers. The Kittiwake is in a marine park that is protected under law in Cayman, with no touching or taking of anything, no gloves and no fishing allowed. An exception to taking fish is made for culling lion fish. More details of the wreck history is at the wreck site.
In October 2017 Tropical Storm Nate moved the Kittiwake, toppling it onto its port side.
"There's a great spot if you just swim out from the Cracked Conch restaurant. You'll find a channel, about 85 ft deep. Tarpon rest there in a big school. Awesome experience swimming through a school of massive fish. I felt like Noah parting the Red sea. "
Lott's Wife's Books via Twitter, 2023
Little Cayman
Little Cayman is the smallest of the three Cayman Islands. The best diving is along the Bloody Bay Wall. Another good diving area is the nearby Jackson's Bight. Rather than a wall this has tunnels and swim-throughs.
One of the best dives in the Cayman Islands. This stunning underwater wall drops over 1000 m. Covered in colour from soft corals, sea fans and sponges this is a beautiful dive. Look closely for nudibranchs and even seahorses. Larger animals also patrol, including sharks, groupers and turtles. The wall is protected by a marine park. You can dive here as part of a liveaboard tour.
"Great visibility and drop off features. "
Michael Rodriguez
"Visibility to 200 feet, sheer wall dive with healthy soft and hard corals, and multitudes of variations of fish. "
Kevin Jungfleisch
"The best wall diving in the Caribbean Sea "
Juan Videgain
"Swarms of sharks and rays, dramatic drop off into the black, layers and layers of beautiful ecosystems. Yum! "
Ray Kloss
"Wall starts in the 60 foot range and drops off into 6000 feet of deep blue. Unbelievable sponges and reef life--occasional large ocean travellers. "
Robert Osborne
Connects Bloody Bay Wall to Jackson's Bight. You may see nurse sharks and turtles here plus large shoals of fish.
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac is named after its most prominent feature, a 46-meter (150-foot) high limestone bluff called "The Brac" which runs the length of the island.
"Cayman Brac had a lot of good diving...it had tons of rays, a few turtles, reef and nurse sharks, sea turtles, barracudas, and plenty of other creatures...the diving was great overall...the sunken russian ship was very interesting and so was the recreation of the underwater "Atlantis"...the walls were cool and the dive instructors were awesome...the water is also very clear...it was a great place to dive... "
Ryan K
Another deliberately sunk wreck for divers. This former Cuban navy ship was scuttled in 1996. A storm broke her in two in 2004. Her bow now lists at 45 degrees and her midships have been largely broken up. The ship was renamed after a local politician and diver before being sunk.
Cayman Islands Dive Operators & Liveaboards
Recommend a dive operator or list your diving company on this page.
Find a Cayman Liveaboard: Book now, Pay later
Liveaboards • Grand Cayman • Little Cayman • Cayman Brac
Departs from Georgetown and offers 7 or 10 days of diving and visits dive sites on Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Brac.
Coconut Bay
25 Dunlop Drive
Grand Cayman
Cayman Islands
info@shaggysdiving.com
"Shaggys diving is the best plus they won trip advisors "travelers choice award" for 2020 on grand cayman? How are they not mentioned?"
Gary Bell
218 South Church Street
George Town
Grand Cayman
Cayman Islands
Tel: 1-345-938-4000
dfd@donfosters.com
"Don't forget to check out Don Foster's just outside of George Town. Great spot and dive guide"
Fabrizio
124 South Church Street
Georget Town
Grand Cayman
KY1-1110
Cayman Islands
See prices and book
Established in 1986, Cayman Marine Lab caters to divers interested in a smaller eco-diving experience. Run by a marine biologist.
P.O. Box 30548
Georgetown
Grand Cayman
Tel Mobile: +1 (345) 916 0849
Tel Office: +1 (345) 945 0583
Email: tbyrnes@caymanmarinelab.com
PADI 5 star dive center located at the Compass Point Dive Resort hotel. They dive 55 sites most of which are within a short boat ride
346 Austin Conolly Drive
East End
Grand Cayman
KY1-1801
Cayman Islands
Tel: +1 345-640-7500
reservations@oceanfrontiers.com
Little Cayman
E-mail: info@southerncrossclub.com
"My diving in the Caribbean Sea on Little Cayman Island in December was spectacular. The Southern Cross Club provides excellent, modern, clean and serene accommodations with three full gourmet meals a day. The dive boats (2) never had more than 6 or 7 people a day. The dive instructors are very experienced, professional and warm friendly people who are focused on your safety and enjoyment. I would definitely go back again."
Martha
Family dive company
South West End of Cayman Brac
Cayman Islands
Tel: 345 948 8472
info@bracscubashack.com
"Great family owned operation with small groups. Very knowledgeable and personable crew with valet diving. Boats are pristine with easy entry/exit with bench on swim platform, good ladder. Well worth every penny! Definitely recommend. We were a novice and a knowledgeable diver in our 70’s and we both had great experiences. "
Jean, US
Cayman Brac Beach Resort
Cayman Brac
Tel: +1 (345) 948-1323
reservations@reefdiversresorts.com
Your Comments
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