My wife and I are considering a dive trip to either Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. Can anyone offer any pros or cons to either place?
Lttle Cayman vs. Cayman Brac
- Thread starter JRRKAR
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I love both islands. I have been to Brac three times. The diving can be a little rougher there than LC. Each time that I have stayed on Brac the dive boat has made a trip over to LC for a two-tank dive, so you see the best of both worlds. Check with the resort to make sure there is the LC option.
I have stayed at Pirates Point on LC (we have friends working there). LC diving is superior. Check with the dive operator about the number of dives per day. Pirates Point does two dives a day and has incredible food, some of the others have an option for three dives a day. I believe some of the LC operators will go over to Brac to dive the Russian Destroyer.
Personally, I would stay at LC next time. Bloody Bay wall is awesome beyond belief!
Regarding flights, it is easier to fly into Brac than LC. Some Cayman Air flights go direct to Brac, check their website for schedules. If you are going to LC you will take Island Air from Grand Cayman.
If this is your first visit to the Sister Islands, you can't go wrong staying at either island. Have a fantastic trip!
I have stayed at Pirates Point on LC (we have friends working there). LC diving is superior. Check with the dive operator about the number of dives per day. Pirates Point does two dives a day and has incredible food, some of the others have an option for three dives a day. I believe some of the LC operators will go over to Brac to dive the Russian Destroyer.
Personally, I would stay at LC next time. Bloody Bay wall is awesome beyond belief!
Regarding flights, it is easier to fly into Brac than LC. Some Cayman Air flights go direct to Brac, check their website for schedules. If you are going to LC you will take Island Air from Grand Cayman.
If this is your first visit to the Sister Islands, you can't go wrong staying at either island. Have a fantastic trip!
Tim Ingersoll
Contributor
I have been to Little Cayman and am going to Cayman Brac in January. Little Cayman diving was unbelievable. Some of the best wall diving ever. This time we are staying on the Brac. From what I have heard Little Cayman is the better diving in that the wall in Bloody Bay starts in 20-25 feet as opposed to 50-70 at the Brac. If you want privacy and still be close to a resort check out Conch Club Condos on Little Cayman. They are 150 yards down the road from the Little Cayman Beach Resort (which I hear is getting a little loud and annoying). I highly recommend the condos.
caymaniac
Contributor
I've been going to the Caymans since 81'. The first time was a fuel stop in 1976, I shoulda bought some land, but I was just married, oh well. The first time at the Brac was 88', and I bought one week of the timeshares at the Divi in 89. We have got our use out of it, but things sure have changed. It was 91 0r 92 when L.C. first got electricity, wow, too bad. One year when LCBR was first built we stayed on L.C. What was great about that trip was my wife and I were the only people at the resort for the first four days. The diving at both has been awesome. L.C. Bloody Bay is one of the best spots to dive in the Carribean. The boats at the Divi usually go 3 times a week to L.C. Diving on the Brac is a bit deeper but still excellent.
I remember my first night dive on Bloody BAy, I don't think that I've seen any more stars in one night that night, no city lights, stars from horizon to horizon
These are Happy thoughts!!
I remember my first night dive on Bloody BAy, I don't think that I've seen any more stars in one night that night, no city lights, stars from horizon to horizon
These are Happy thoughts!!
DivePartner1
Contributor
I'm with Carlise and Caymaniac. I don't think you can go wrong with either one. I've heard some say that Brac doesn't have "the wall" but it has great diversity in its own right and, yes, some pretty interesting walls and shoots.
ON the other hand, I just stepped in the door from a week at Anthony's Key Resort at Roatan--as a dive resort it really can't be beat. And the diving is good--not quite as spectacular as the Caymans geographically but bigger and more numerous fish.
ON the other hand, I just stepped in the door from a week at Anthony's Key Resort at Roatan--as a dive resort it really can't be beat. And the diving is good--not quite as spectacular as the Caymans geographically but bigger and more numerous fish.
OP
Divepartner1 you bring up another comparison. Yesterday my wife spoke with Carribean Dive Travel. We booked our trip to Bonaire through them last year and they were very helpful. They suggested LC and Brac and also Roatan. My wife is really into seeing fish life. Bonaire had a lot of fish life, but all small fish. With more experience under her belt she would like to see some larger fish, rays and maybe sharks (I can't quite get her to this level yet). How does Roatan compare to LC or Brac in terms of fish life? I looked at the web site for Anthonys Resort and it looked very interesting. Was there anything you liked or dislike about it? We are still up in the air as to where we want to go. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Tim Ingersoll
Contributor
I have dove Roatan with Anthony's Key Resort and also LC with Little Cayman Beach resort. I would say that Little Cayman is a winner hands down for fish life and wall diving. I would rate LC a 9.5 out of ten and Roatan a 7. Fish life in Little Cayman was abundant and pretty big. I saw quite a few reef sharks and stingrays in LC. I saw no pelagics in Roatan. LC is the best!
DivePartner1
Contributor
I agree with Tim that I've consistly seen more barracuda, rays and sharks in the Caymans. But in Roatan, grouper and many kinds of angels were bigger and more numerous than I've seen in the Caymans, including some astoundingly populous schools of sargent majors. Also, I've never seen seahorses or wild dolphins under water in the Caymans but did last week in Roatan (the latter is just luck in either place).
I'll still dive the Caymans (maybe as soon as as mid-January if some friends have their way) but I'd say Anthony Key's Resort is the best run dive resort I've seen. It's very user-friendly and nothing goes wanting. They don't overplay ridiculously load music to 11, as Little Cayman Beach Resort does. And instead of bulldozing the forest for a hotel, they have little bungalos spread around, with or without a/c. Easy on the land and cheap to build after hurricanes.
I usually pay around $2K for a 7 night stay in the Caymans. I got a week of 3 boat dives, 7 night stay and unlimited shore dives with room, board and airfare to Anthony Key's from DC for $1100, although it was in a low demand period. Of course, with a rare Washington DC snow storm it took a day and half to get there (and a tour through El Salvador and Honduras), but that's another story.
Also, the food's better at AKC than at Little Cayman Beach Resort of Divi Tiara. My buddy had to cancel, and they didn't raise the rate for my single occupancy tree house in the rain forest overlooking the sea.
I'll be doing nearby Utila in Feb. for whale shark season and will post how that rates.
I'll still dive the Caymans (maybe as soon as as mid-January if some friends have their way) but I'd say Anthony Key's Resort is the best run dive resort I've seen. It's very user-friendly and nothing goes wanting. They don't overplay ridiculously load music to 11, as Little Cayman Beach Resort does. And instead of bulldozing the forest for a hotel, they have little bungalos spread around, with or without a/c. Easy on the land and cheap to build after hurricanes.
I usually pay around $2K for a 7 night stay in the Caymans. I got a week of 3 boat dives, 7 night stay and unlimited shore dives with room, board and airfare to Anthony Key's from DC for $1100, although it was in a low demand period. Of course, with a rare Washington DC snow storm it took a day and half to get there (and a tour through El Salvador and Honduras), but that's another story.
Also, the food's better at AKC than at Little Cayman Beach Resort of Divi Tiara. My buddy had to cancel, and they didn't raise the rate for my single occupancy tree house in the rain forest overlooking the sea.
I'll be doing nearby Utila in Feb. for whale shark season and will post how that rates.
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