Caymans

[oren413]

Hey everyone

My dad and I are going to plan a trip to take at the end of June to the caymans, but i have no idea where the best diving is there.

I personally have heard better things about Belize and Bonaire than i have about the Caymans, but my pops really wants the caymans. If you realllllllly think bonaire or belize is a better spot please tell me.

We're both experienced divers clearing the 500+ dives easily, but mostly in the Red Sea.

Money isn't really the issue its more of where do i want to dive in the caymans. We plan to go for a thursday- monday vaca and dive as much as possible.

Pretty much ANY suggestions will be taken into consideration.

Thanks for the help!

Oren

 

[AggieDiver]

I have been to Belize, and nothing I saw in Belize came close to being as good as the average Little Cayman or Cayman Brac dive site. Bonaire is different than Cayman diving, so it is hard to compare. I haven't been to Bonaire, but it is known mainly as a macro paradise, not for the variety of underwater topography or larger marine life. Cayman is routinely voted to be the best wall diving in the Caribbean.

If money were no object, I would pick either Little Cayman Beach Resort or Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman.

 

[Damselfish]

They are all good spots as far as Caribbean diving goes, so best really depends on your preferences. You can't really generalize about Belize. Diving from Ambergris vs. southern Belize vs. the various atolls or on a liveaboard will get you very different experiences and diving. This pretty much applies to the different areas of Cayman as well. If you dive the least of Belize and the best of Cayman, Cayman will look better. And vice versa.

To the OP, your location says Israel. Are you already going to be on this side of the pond for something else and adding this dive trip because you're already relatively close? Or are you coming only for a long weekend? I'm not sure I would fly to any of those places for a long weekend dive trip from Boston, let alone Israel. (And if I did, flight schedules would play a large part in where I chose to maximize time actually at the destination.) From what I understand, Caribbean diving may be disappointing to you in comparison to the Red Sea. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence!

 

[oren413]

Damsel fish you bring up a good point. I was working as an instructor in Israel in the Red Sea after my army service and living there for 3 years. I moved back to the US in April and forgot to change my location. I'll do that now.

Anyway, i've decide on the grand cayman and have booked a 5 day trip at cobal coast resort.

anybody ever been?

i leave thursday and fly back monday night

 

[DeputyDan]

Cobalt coast will be fine!

 

[DiverRider]

I've been to Bonaire 3 times and to date haven't made it to the Caymans. I have heard to wall diving is awesome in the Caymans and is on my list to see. Scheduling a flight like that, Thursday to Monday will be quite a trick. Getting a room will be even trickier. You will also need a rental vehicle for shore dives on Bonaire unless you do a boat dive package that will take you to Klein Island too. If you stay at Buddy Dive everything is there, room, rental vehicles, rental equipment, drive trough air/nitrox, and boat dives. There are some 90 spots to dive in Bonaire between the main island and Klein Island. I will be going back as there is much to see yet. Friday nights there is usually a night dive under the Salt Pier if there are enough people. If a salt freighter is in then no dives are allowed. The last visit my fiancé got OW certified and after she was done I took her to some easy shore diving spots and saw rays, turtles and a big old lobster, the first one I saw there. By far the biggest I ever saw!!

As I said before making such travel arrangements for those days will be a trick.

 

[3.14]

I just returned from dive trip on Grand Cayman. Would def recommend diving cracked conch at turtle reef. Has a nice wall shore dive.

 

[dickiefl]

I just returned from dive trip on Grand Cayman. Would def recommend diving cracked conch at turtle reef. Has a nice wall shore dive.

Diving there next Tuesday!!!

 

[oren413]

BACK!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Cobalt Coast was great and DiveTec was just as good!

I would highly recommend both places to anyone visiting the caymans and looking for a little more subtle vacation. Cobalt Coast is nice and secluded while only a short drive or cab ride to 7 mile beach.

I personally did the two boat dives every day until my last day where i went ahead and did the 3 shore dives.

my favorite dive much have been either at Croncked Croch or something like that and the lighthouse dive


anyway, highly recommend both places!

 

[ronscuba]

I would include doing at least a day or two of diving on the east end.