Grand Cayman or Turks and Caicos?

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Scoooter961

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Location
Maryland
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200 - 499
If you were going to one or the other for diving only, which would you choose and why?
 
If I could be guaranteed being able to make the crossing over to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, the Caymans for sure. Turks and Caicos beats Grand Cayman, though.
 
If I could be guaranteed being able to make the crossing over to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, the Caymans for sure. Turks and Caicos beats Grand Cayman, though.

We've done both Brac and Little. We're just debating which to go to next year if either are letting us in.
 
I go to T&C twice a year and the diving is very nice. Wall diving with plenty of black tips swimming around. We use the smaller 6-8 pack boats. The ride from marina to dive sites is roughly 45 minutes. Great ride each way. Food on the island is amazing as well. Grand Cayman hasn't been able to captivate us this way.
 
I go to T&C twice a year and the diving is very nice. Wall diving with plenty of black tips swimming around. We use the smaller 6-8 pack boats. The ride from marina to dive sites is roughly 45 minutes. Great ride each way. Food on the island is amazing as well. Grand Cayman hasn't been able to captivate us this way.

Any recommendations on where to stay and who to dive with? @cruisekingkris
 
I've done T&C (explorer liveaboard), Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac (all land based)........If I had a choice I'd have the same answer as @rongoodman and would pick Little Cayman (especially if by liveaboard if I knew the crossing was going to happen).
 
I've done T&C (explorer liveaboard), Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac (all land based)........If I had a choice I'd have the same answer as @rongoodman and would pick Little Cayman (especially if by liveaboard if I knew the crossing was going to happen).

We are just doing land based if we do grand
 
We are just doing land based if we do grand

I can't comment on T&C land based, I didn't get a chance to spend any time on the island last year when I did the liveaboard....straight to the boat from airport. I can say that I do prefer Little Cayman or Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman diving....I prefer Little Cayman between the three, and have used Little Cayman Beach Resort.

That saying I only 4 days diving in Grand, and got to dive the northside on Grand with Divtech and enjoyed it......just haven't dived there as much as I have the other two.
 
Hi @Scoooter961

I have done T&C from land and have been to Grand Cayman many times, Little Cayman twice, Cayman Brac once, and Cayman Aggressor once.

I liked T&C quite a bit, but the trips out to West Caicos and French Cay are just too long, limiting the number of dives you can get in during a trip. If a were to do T&C again, I would do one of the liveaboards. A key factor is that T&C is open now.

On the other hand I would suggest doing the Caymans by land. My trip on the Aggressor was able to go to Little and Brac but sites were limited compared to land based ops Cayman Aggressor V, November 24-December 1, 2018 If I were going to Grand Cayman, just for diving, I would stay at Compass Point and dive with Ocean Frontiers. A key factor is that the Clearly Cayman resorts are not opening until at least November 7, maybe later. Planning a trip to the Caymans is risky.

When are you planning, next year? Hope things are improved
 
Any recommendations on where to stay and who to dive with? @cruisekingkris

Dive Provo, fantastic op. Ports of Call Hotel/Resort shares the same parking lot, easy access. Across the street is the 7 Stars Grace Bay. Grocery store is around the corner, trus me you'll want some groceries. Grace Bay Beach is great, Much like 7 Mile in Grand Cayman. Now to answer the original question of "which one and why". If I had to choose right now, T&C gets the vote. Sharks every dive, and French Cay is my new favorite dive site. The ride there is about an hour, but stunning is done on a perfect day. One of my lifes Top 10 dives was at French Cay. The dive(s) had EVERYTHING on a single dive. Wall, shallows, structure, reef, multiple sharks, turtles, remote, coral, all nestled in Caicos Bank. T&C is expensive, not that Cayman isn't, but you'll wanna be prepared, especially eating out. Have done all 3 of the Cayman's, and have nothing bad to say, except for the lack of consistent "big life". One of my other most favorite dive sites is Jacksons Wall/Reef on Little Cayman. Again it's a dive site that has/had it all. T&C is now open, Caymans are not. T&C is more laid back than Grand Cayman. The water around the entire country is insane, gorgeous. Was there last year, and was supposed to go back this year in June/July, but we all know why that didn't happen :(
 
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