grand cayman or little cayman

[Doctorfish]

I've dived GC, Brac and LC all a number of times and the diving on the North and East of GC is very good. There are some good wall dives on the west side of GC near Northwest Point as well. The shore diving at that area at Turtle Reef, Lighthouse Point and Cobalt Coast is also very good.

Eden Rock Devils Grotto is pretty much dived out so I agree with Kharon on that specific point. Hard for him to provide a valid opinion on the diving at LC and Brac if he has never been to either.

Overall, IMO, the diving on the north and east of GC is as good as the Brac and almost on a par with Little Cayman.

 

[heehee62]

Decided to spend a week on Little Cayman and then 4 days on Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is really just to snorkel at sandbar with sting rays and maybe one dive. Thanks a lot guys.

 

[Kharon]

Hard for him to provide a valid opinion on the diving at LC and Brac if he has never been to either.

Didn't provide an opinion - merely said I had heard.

 

[diver 85]

Decided to spend a week on Little Cayman and then 4 days on Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is really just to snorkel at sandbar with sting rays and maybe one dive. Thanks a lot guys.

IMO, you'll really enjoy/like the LC diving.........Where are you staying on LC??.......

 

[caymaniac]

Decided to spend a week on Little Cayman and then 4 days on Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is really just to snorkel at sandbar with sting rays and maybe one dive. Thanks a lot guys.

I think you'll really enjoy that choice. Now remember, the Caribbean is not the Pacific. If you've been to places in the Pacific you will know what I mean. Little Cayman is as good as it gets for Caribbean, not that other places are bad. Cozumel is fantastic, but it is Mexico as well and not a place I would take a vacation due to political/gang activity in the near future. Turks and Caicos is very close 2nd, depends where you dive. Bonaire is a great shore dive, perhaps the greatest shore diving in the Caribbean. Bonaire does lack in medium size marine life, turtles, stingray, eagleray, and large eels, large grouper. T&C is more true of seeing bigger marine life. sharks, whales, and dolphins but lacks the colorful sponges. Make sure you have a good light to see the colorful sponges off Bloody Bay wall, I hope you are taking a underwater camera...with a good strobe. With a week of diving you should see shark at some point

 

[drrich2]

Caymaniac:

Be mindful the safety factor in Mexico is said to vary widely by location, and Cozumel is an island off the mainland heavily oriented to tourism and generally regarded as quite safe (no place on Earth is perfect) from what I understand.

Bonaire isn't big on big stuff, yes. I do see a decent number of turtles, mostly garbage can lid sized or a bit smaller, but some bigger. I've seen some big green morays there; a bit sporadic. A few tarpon & barracuda by day; plenty of tarpon on night dives. Aside from little grouper like graysbys and coneys, I only see tiger grouper; not black, Nassau or goliath. I've seen few southern & a few eagle rays, but I've come to suspect my diving habits may be an issue; I don't normally spend much time covering sandy regions 10 - 15 feet deep, and that's where I saw the 2 big southern stingrays I saw on my last trip.

I've not hit Little Cayman or Turks & Caicos; got high hopes for someday though!

Richard.

 

[TommyAHS]

Heehee62,

I grew up diving GC because it was cheaper to fly and play there for a week than it was to spend a week at Myrtle Beach. Later in life I discovered LC. LC is a place where there is really only beautiful and quiet diving mixed with incredible food and fun staff members at the resorts. If you want the night life, the out of water fun, and things like that, then go to GC. If diving, solitary beaches, and all the critters you can see are your thing, go to LC. These days I choose LC, but that's because the wild stuff just doesn't float my boat much any more. Happy traveling.

 

[Damselfish]

Decided to spend a week on Little Cayman and then 4 days on Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is really just to snorkel at sandbar with sting rays and maybe one dive.

I think that's a good combo, though I'd do a little more diving than that on Grand while you're there. May as well, you're there anyway and there's certainly good diving to be had as long as you make good choices in location/op.

 

[heehee62]

Nuts. I think I waited too long to book. can't find a place to stay for all seven of us except southern cross club which is too expensive. may have to reschedule.

 

[KathyV]

Nuts. I think I waited too long to book. can't find a place to stay for all seven of us except southern cross club which is too expensive. may have to reschedule.

Little Cayman fills up fast; you might try renting a house on LC but make sure that there will be a dive operator with availability.

You might also consider Cayman Brac; the diving is very good (better than GC in my opinion) and there is a great wreck dive nearby (a Russian Frigate) and if the weather is good the dive operators will take you over to Bloody Bay Wall off LC for one or two days.

Of all the Caymans, Little Cayman has the best diving IMO; but Cayman Brac is very, very good - you won't be disappointed. And there are a more things to see and explore topside too; but it is still a small, quiet island.

We like to stay at the all-inclusive Brac Reef Beach Resort and the onsite dive operation (Reef Divers) is excellent and the food is great. BRBR is owned by the same family that owns/runs Little Cayman Beach Resort and they use the same dive operation, they are both small and diver-dedicated resorts; but I understand that there are other nice places to stay and another good dive operation on Brac as well. Good luck!

---------- Post added February 6th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ----------

It may be too late to book, but have you considered a liveaboard trip on the Cayman Aggressor? They are offering a $400 discount per person right now, see below.

We did this trip a few years ago and it was terrific. We had great weather and spent most of our time diving off of bloody bay wall. It seems expensive but the cost includes accommodations, meals, beverages including alcohol, and LOTS of diving. When you figure out the cost per dive of a liveaboard trip versus a land-based trip you usually find that the liveaboard is a bargain. But if there are any non-divers in your group this probably wouldn't be a good option. All you do is "eat, sleep, and dive"!

SAVE $400 Fleet Wide Special
Book and deposit on a new reservation from January 27 - February 13, 2015 for travel completed by April 29, 2015 and SAVE $400.

Applies to new reservations.
Money saving specials and promotions do not apply.
Includes all yachts except Komodo Dancer.