Where in Cayman?

[m5tsai]

We're thinking about going to Cayman in the middle of Oct for about a week, any suggestions of a good place to stay? Nothing fancy, prefer all-inclusive if the food isn't too bad, good services, and small but dependable dive op. (6~8 person instead of cattle boat if possible).
We've been to GC once(stayed on spanish bay I think) and like the diving, want to dive some more this time and also enjoy the local environ a bit. If stay on GC, will the dive boats go to LC for great wall dives and such? Does the east coast of GC got damaged by the hurricane last year hurt the diving much? Or should just stay at LC and enjoy the tranquility? If all-inclusive is not possible, where to go eat? And what's the average cost of dining?(I know the dining there is expensive).

So many questions, any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.
Thanks,
May

 

[ianr33]

Dive boats from Grand Cayman WILL NOT go to Little Cayman (something like 70 miles away !) Maybe you are confusing Grand Cayman with Cayman Brac??
I understand the Hurricane did not affect the diving too much,the only operator currently diving the east End is Ocean Frontiers (unless that has changed recently)
As for somewhere to stay you might look at http://www.cobaltcoast.com/ It is small,very nice.Divetech has a shop there

 

[Skipp]

We're thinking about going to Cayman in the middle of Oct for about a week, any suggestions of a good place to stay? Nothing fancy, prefer all-inclusive if the food isn't too bad, good services, and small but dependable dive op. (6~8 person instead of cattle boat if possible).
We've been to GC once(stayed on spanish bay I think) and like the diving, want to dive some more this time and also enjoy the local environ a bit. If stay on GC, will the dive boats go to LC for great wall dives and such? Does the east coast of GC got damaged by the hurricane last year hurt the diving much? Or should just stay at LC and enjoy the tranquility? If all-inclusive is not possible, where to go eat? And what's the average cost of dining?(I know the dining there is expensive).

So many questions, any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.
Thanks,
May

Several other sites to check out on the internet(listed below). Cayman news has some ads you might look into. Red Sail Sports is operating. I have not been back since the hurricane. From what I have read, the Island is still not 100%. I recently read a nice review of a stay on Little Cayman which was posted on this Board. You may want to search for that particular post.

I have been spoiled while diving in Cayman as I would usually stay at Morrits or the Indies Suites. Indies Suites is closed for good. Morrits is to be open this month.
I have also stayed at a private condo called The Magnificent Dive Dump. Stayed there back in 1996, 1997? I am not sure if that is even in operation. You can make a nice shore dive to Hepps Pipline right off the property. One year all I did was shore dives. My total diving package was under $ 40 Cayman bucks (the owner rented tanks at a good price) that week and still had a great time.

As for dining, I would usually buy groceries and eat in. I ask the locals for suggestions as they know the affordable spots. I don't know if I have the name correct, but I'm thinking Lone Star Saloon. Good steaks and sandwiches and affordable.

The big hotels are open, Marriot and Hilton etc., but they can be quite expensive, way out of my league.

Good luck and have fun.

http://www.caymannetnews.com/

http://www.redsailcayman.com/gc_dive.html

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Very few options for all traditional inclusive in Grand Cayman. Spanish Bay is the only place that comes to mind, though some other places offer meal options, I think (Divetech w/ Cobalt coast Resort).

Grand Cayman dive boats do not make day trips to the Sister Islands of Little Cayman & Cayman Brac, about 90 miles away. Only the Cayman Aggressor liveaboard makes that trip by boat.

Underwater, Grand Cayman held up very well. As of Friday Sept 2 Tortuga Divers will be reopening for diving the East End of Grand Cayman. Tortuga Divers is a Red Sail Sports company and you could arrange diving all around Grand Cayman with the various locations.

 

[sdwho]

I'll second the suggestion of Cobalt Coast and Divetech. Check out their websites for packages, meal plans, etc. The rooms have refrigerators (but no microwave), so you can buy some bread and cheese, sodas, etc. and save some $$ that way. A couple of the advantages of CC and Divetech (apart from the fact that the folks who run both are wonderful people) is that they do a lot of North Wall diving when conditions allow (and I think conditions in October should still be okay). There also is great shore diving at both Cobalt Coast and at Turtle Reef, which is only a few minutes away. (Divetech has a second location at Turtle Reef so you often can get someone to give you a lift over there if you want to do a shore dive). CC only has around 20 rooms so its a nice friendly atmosphere, not a big impersonal resort. The boats are good-sized, and I never feel crowded even if they have 12 divers (and I've been on them with only 4 divers).

THe only downside for some people is that it is away from the "action" of Seven Mile beach -- bars, restaurants, nightlife etc. Its not that far however (and certainly closer than the East End). We always rent a car so we have the option of going out (even though we rarely do..the pool at CC is too inviting.)

sdwho

We're thinking about going to Cayman in the middle of Oct for about a week, any suggestions of a good place to stay? Nothing fancy, prefer all-inclusive if the food isn't too bad, good services, and small but dependable dive op. (6~8 person instead of cattle boat if possible).
We've been to GC once(stayed on spanish bay I think) and like the diving, want to dive some more this time and also enjoy the local environ a bit. If stay on GC, will the dive boats go to LC for great wall dives and such? Does the east coast of GC got damaged by the hurricane last year hurt the diving much? Or should just stay at LC and enjoy the tranquility? If all-inclusive is not possible, where to go eat? And what's the average cost of dining?(I know the dining there is expensive).

So many questions, any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.
Thanks,
May

 

[m5tsai]

I'll second the suggestion of Cobalt Coast and Divetech. Check out their websites for packages, meal plans, etc. The rooms have refrigerators (but no microwave), so you can buy some bread and cheese, sodas, etc. and save some $$ that way. A couple of the advantages of CC and Divetech (apart from the fact that the folks who run both are wonderful people) is that they do a lot of North Wall diving when conditions allow (and I think conditions in October should still be okay). There also is great shore diving at both Cobalt Coast and at Turtle Reef, which is only a few minutes away. (Divetech has a second location at Turtle Reef so you often can get someone to give you a lift over there if you want to do a shore dive). CC only has around 20 rooms so its a nice friendly atmosphere, not a big impersonal resort. The boats are good-sized, and I never feel crowded even if they have 12 divers (and I've been on them with only 4 divers).

THe only downside for some people is that it is away from the "action" of Seven Mile beach -- bars, restaurants, nightlife etc. Its not that far however (and certainly closer than the East End). We always rent a car so we have the option of going out (even though we rarely do..the pool at CC is too inviting.)

sdwho

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. We're not very keen on going to a big hotel, just want some good dives and in the downtime(maybe one or two nights) have a bit of local cusine and such, the rest is just as simple as possible, thus the all-inclusive plan if feasible. I'll definitely check out the CC. But the shore diving sounds like needs to get on a bus to the dive center before get to dive? Will the dive op keep all the equips for us after the first dive? Or the CC has REAL shore diving and just turtle reef needs bussing?

Also, what are the MUST-DIVE sites? We've been to the stingray thing, a definite experience, so don't need to do it this time. Like marine lifes more than wreck diving, any suggestions?

 

[m5tsai]

Very few options for all traditional inclusive in Grand Cayman. Spanish Bay is the only place that comes to mind, though some other places offer meal options, I think (Divetech w/ Cobalt coast Resort).

Grand Cayman dive boats do not make day trips to the Sister Islands of Little Cayman & Cayman Brac, about 90 miles away. Only the Cayman Aggressor liveaboard makes that trip by boat.

Underwater, Grand Cayman held up very well. As of Friday Sept 2 Tortuga Divers will be reopening for diving the East End of Grand Cayman. Tortuga Divers is a Red Sail Sports company and you could arrange diving all around Grand Cayman with the various locations.

Thanks alot for the reply. Some questions:
Is LC's diving that much better than GC that it's more rewarding to stay at LC instead?
If so, any recommendations as to where to stay and any activities other than diving?
Don't really mind a quiet environ, just one or two nights have a bit different thing to do?

Since CC/Divetech is specialized in North Wall, is that a good dive site? Is it far from east side? I heard East GC has better diving, don' want to spend too much time on boating instead of diving, but that's not really a problem as long as it's not an hour each way.

Thanks, may

 

[m5tsai]

Dive boats from Grand Cayman WILL NOT go to Little Cayman (something like 70 miles away !) Maybe you are confusing Grand Cayman with Cayman Brac??
I understand the Hurricane did not affect the diving too much,the only operator currently diving the east End is Ocean Frontiers (unless that has changed recently)
As for somewhere to stay you might look at http://www.cobaltcoast.com/ It is small,very nice.Divetech has a shop there

I'll check out CC, thanks. One question - if the east end dive op only has Ocean Frontiers, does that mean the east end may not be a good place to stay because
the dives may not be that good compare with other locations? The thinking goes: If it's good, people will come(in flocks).

May

 

[m5tsai]

Several other sites to check out on the internet(listed below). Cayman news has some ads you might look into. Red Sail Sports is operating. I have not been back since the hurricane. From what I have read, the Island is still not 100%. I recently read a nice review of a stay on Little Cayman which was posted on this Board. You may want to search for that particular post.

I have been spoiled while diving in Cayman as I would usually stay at Morrits or the Indies Suites. Indies Suites is closed for good. Morrits is to be open this month.
I have also stayed at a private condo called The Magnificent Dive Dump. Stayed there back in 1996, 1997? I am not sure if that is even in operation. You can make a nice shore dive to Hepps Pipline right off the property. One year all I did was shore dives. My total diving package was under $ 40 Cayman bucks (the owner rented tanks at a good price) that week and still had a great time.

As for dining, I would usually buy groceries and eat in. I ask the locals for suggestions as they know the affordable spots. I don't know if I have the name correct, but I'm thinking Lone Star Saloon. Good steaks and sandwiches and affordable.

The big hotels are open, Marriot and Hilton etc., but they can be quite expensive, way out of my league.

Good luck and have fun.

http://www.caymannetnews.com/

http://www.redsailcayman.com/gc_dive.html

Thanks for the tips and the links, I'll check them out.
May

 

[ianr33]

Cobalt Coast has "real "shore diving. The dive shop is maybe 30 feet from the main bar/pool/restaurant.I would imagine you could keep gear in the shop but ask to make sure.

I tend to prefer the diving at the Turtle farm site.The wall is closer and I have found that it may have less current. Only 10 minutes drive from Cobalt Coast to the Turtle Farm