Where to dive if I just moved to NYC

[oly5050user]

Thank you, your replies help me figure out what my budget is, I think this is above my Budget. I would pay not more than 1800 dollars for a person including everything for a week.[/
Bonaire can be done for close to that for airfare hotel dive package no food. Key largo may fit budget

 

[KathyV]

Thank you so much for this info!
I'm looking at their website, you are right it is a good deal. Why are you partial do diving in Cayman? How would you rate it compared to Cozumel?

I like them both but Cozumel is mostly drift diving and Cayman is mostly moored boat dives. Shore diving is also an option in Cayman, especially Grand Cayman. Both have very good reefs and excellent sea life. You are likely to have short boat rides out to the reefs in Cayman which is not always the case in Cozumel.

I like that there are 3 Cayman islands that offer a variety of vacation and diving experiences. Grand Cayman is the most developed island with a beautiful beach and lots of restaurants and other attractions - but GC also has quieter, less developed areas as you travel away from George Town and Seven Mile Beach. The East End and the Northside are much quieter areas on GC but you can still access the popular sites when you wish.

I suggested Grand Cayman as a possible choice for you because it seems pretty easy and cheap to travel there from NYC. The Cobalt Coast resort that is offering the holiday package is on the west side of the island but not too far from 7 Mile Beach. It is in a remote, quiet area - and there is not much to do besides eat, sleep, and dive. But airport transfers are included and if you decide to rent a car for a few days then you can do some exploring. The roads are good but they do drive on the left and there will be traffic around the airport and in George Town and 7MB during rush hours. If you want more night life then Cobalt Coast isn't the best option. The 7MB is a livelier area but it is more expensive, especially during the high season.

The Cayman Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are very rural and undeveloped - but not primitive - Cayman is a first world country. You need to take a short half-hour flight on Cayman Airways to get to CB or LC from GC if you want to take a trip to the Sister Islands. We like to spend a week on GC and then a week on one of the sister islands.

The same company that owns Cobalt Coast has resorts on CB and LC and they are also advertising their holiday packages but they are a little more expensive.

Little Cayman has the best diving of the 3 Cayman islands IMO - with Bloody Bay Wall being a great dive destination. Cayman Brac is the most topographically interesting of the 3 islands and offers opportunities for hiking, biking, caving, rock climbing, and other nature sports, and Grand Cayman has the best beach and the most topside attractions and restaurants. All 3 islands have something good to offer IMO and good diving.

Cayman is expensive, but when you find a good deal - like this Clearly Cayman holiday package that includes diving, accommodations, and food during the holiday season - then it isn't bad. Especially since you can usually find decent airfare to get there.

I've never stayed at Cobalt Coast but I have visited the resort and dived with them and it was nice, and I have stayed and dived at their resorts on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac several times. I thought that they were good dive operations and nice places to stay and the food was very good. We will be heading back to the LCBR soon.

I also like Cayman because I don't have to worry about eating the food or drinking the water, and there is very low risk of contracting tropical diseases and good healthcare is available. The people are friendly, the crime rates are low, the islands are safe and clean, and the diving is great.

You will see a lot of turtles and rays and tarpons and many tropical fish and reef creatures around the Caymans. There are some sharks (especially around the East End of Grand Cayman) but not loads of sharks - mostly reef sharks and nurse sharks, and many beautiful reefs and walls. There are lots of friendly groupers around Brac and Little Cayman also.

There are some interesting wrecks with the Kittiwake off of GC and the Tibbetts (a Russian frigate) on Brac being the most popular wrecks. Stringray City on GC is a fun dive, too.

If you are going to live in NYC for awhile then you should have some chances to visit the popular dive sites in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Florida. There's nothing wrong with Cozumel but you have already been there so I thought that perhaps you would like to try someplace different this trip?