Grand Cayman or Turks and Caicos?

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We also stayed at Ports of Call. Less expensive, more than adequate, not spectacular. A short walk to the beach, several less expensive restaurants across the street, including Jimmey's Dive Bar, "How's my diving". We used Caicos Adventures, same pick up. Their dive boat, Caicos Cat was fast and smooth out to the dive sites.

We really liked the sharks, other than that, I'd give the tip to the Caymans. I would love to go back to T&C on one of the liveaboards.
 
Any recommendations on where to stay and who to dive with? @cruisekingkris

We started diving with Aqua TCI, great husband and wife team with awesome banana bread for the SI. I have nothing but great things to say about them.

I came across Flamingo divers one day and never turned back. Another great husband and wife team, I just happened to click even better with them. They run 2 tank dives in the morning and are normally the first to the site and first back to the marina. It’s nice to be able to have time on beach or by the pool after diving. If they have enough people they run out to West Caicos when conditions are good. You also can get 3 tank dives that day. Flamingo also has a personal sunset cruise on their small electric boat Sol Sister and it’s amazing.

We normally rent a villa out in Long Bay Beach, if we stay on Grace Bay we like staying at the Sands. Really nice complex With two or three pools, good restaurant and amazing beach.

We eat Dinner out every night, the restaurants are great. Don’t miss out on CoCo Van if you are on island. By far the best food/atmosphere on the island. Outdoor dining under the trees and a super cool Air stream trailer as a kitchen. Gourmet food from a trailer. Who knew.
They own the super fancy restaurant right behind the trees.

Ok now I’m drooling.

they are open and diving is full of sharks right now. Viz is still down due to last hurricane but getting better everyday.
 
I have been to T & C twice, once on liveaboard (Aggressor), and am supposed to head back for honeymoon in two weeks so long as the creek don't rise. I absolutely love the islands, the diving, the beach and the atmosphere. +1 for French Cay, we did a daytime and killer night dive there on the Aggressor. Quickest 50 minutes of my life!

Here is report form T & C

Turks & Caicos Aggressor 4/7 to 4/13

I also loved Cayman Brac Beach Resort and would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat. I was there between Christmas and New Years 2019. We had perfect weather, great diving, great food and a fun new years eve party. Did one night dive on Tarpon Reef, and a day trip over to Little Cayman. 5 days of 3 tank dives + one day of 2 tanks. Got to see a lot of variety in dive sites, and tons of friendly grouper.

Here is report from that trip:
Cayman Brac Beach Resort December 28 2019- January 4 2020

T & C definitely had more action, with sharks, turtles and rays on just about every dive, but the coral in some areas was more rubble and not as colorful. Cayman Brac had much more fish life and variety, with stunning coral but no sharks, just one turtle and a handful of rays.

As others told me, if you continue your diving career you are bound to hit both anyways, so just take your pick and hit the other spot on the next trip!
 
Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Report Apr. 2018 - Turks & Caicos Aggressor II 4/21-4/28 Trip Report
Turks & Caicos Research Notes - Turks & Caicos Research Notes
My old 2018 notes. On my trip we didn't make it to French Cay. I did a Cayman Aggressor IV (not V) trip in 2016 - 5 of the dives were off Grand Cayman, and I had 2 on a cruise stop years prior, so limited experience. Thinking in terms of G.C. vs. T&C to me:

1.) If you're not just diving, G.C. is an active cruise port with varied excursions, so maybe more to do topside.
2.) If you're just diving, as another poster mentioned, those long boat rides out of Providenciales in T&C could get old, and how many dives/day will you get? I suggest live-aboard!
3.) G.C. looks to offer more variety - as in wrecks. Granted, the Oro Verde looked more like 'wreckage' to me and that was years ago, but I liked the Doc Poulson and Kittiwake. Stingray City was a neat, albeit shallow and 'feed the rays' experience. T&C diving averaged deeper, and mostly about the vertical portion of the wall, not so much the flat shelf atop it (which was sandy).
4.) Turks & Caicos is famous for reef shark sightings, like the Bahamas, and we saw some. I saw reef sharks on the Aggressor IV trip, but I don't remember whether or how many were on G.C. dives. If seeing Caribbean reef sharks is a big deal, that might move you to T&C. Of course, if you want to see sharks that might decide it. But if you're in Maryland, you're not so far from North Carolina, and if you really want to see sharks, I'd consider Sand Tigers on the off-shore wrecks there a serious upgrade...

Looking at your profile, looks like you've been to Sunset House in G.C., and Little Cayman and Brac before. So, if I were you, I'd probably pick T&C if you haven't been before, to see for yourself and add one more thing to the 'bucket list.'
 
Last year i stayed on Grand Turk at the Bohio Dive resort had great time. Its a small boutique resort. The owners and staff were terrific. The diving was great as well. They had these small skiffs that held maybe 4 to 6 people and all the dive sites were literally 5 minutes from shore. All the sites were at the wall. The best part was after the first dive you come back to shore and while the staff fills your tanks you can enjoy a cup of coffee while the tanks and the wait staff will take you lunch order so lunch will be waiting for you after the second dive. It's a little pricey but everything in T&C is pricey but worth it I will definitely go back.
 
Thanks all, we are planning for sometime next year. Hopefully things calm down by then.
 
Just got back from Grand Turk, diving was excellent as always. While not swanky like Providenciales, its my favorite place in the Caribbean. (Full disclosure I own a house there). 5min boat rides, surface intervals on the beach. We actually made a trip out to dive the Endymion (44 gun warship that sank in 1780) and it was an all time dive for me. While obviously the liveaboards are great out of provo, I don't understand why anyone wanting to dive would put up with the 45min boat rides every day when you can dive GT. Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
 
Just got back from Grand Turk, diving was excellent as always. While not swanky like Providenciales, its my favorite place in the Caribbean. (Full disclosure I own a house there). 5min boat rides, surface intervals on the beach. We actually made a trip out to dive the Endymion (44 gun warship that sank in 1780) and it was an all time dive for me. While obviously the liveaboards are great out of provo, I don't understand why anyone wanting to dive would put up with the 45min boat rides every day when you can dive GT. Anyways, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

That is great to hear, glad you had a good trip! Do you have your own boat down there?
We do not hear much about folks going to GT, and if they do it is almost always on a cruise ship or via Bohio. I would love to go when the humpbacks are around.

Do you have any pics or video of that ship? Sounds awesome!
 
I haven’t gotten everything off the GoPro, these are some stills. Extremely healthy reef and the anchor of the Endymion is really special. It’s huge!
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