Grand Cayman is known for many things, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the most desirable vacation destinations for people who want to escape the adverse weather, active schedules, and most of all, the hustle and bustle of the city, suburban or a chaotic life that never slows down. The pristine white sand that covers the famous seven-mile beach is a destination that draws beach lovers from all over the world. The Cayman Islands offer some of the Caribbean’s best scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, with a range of diving locations and depths that are suitable for everyone from first-time divers to experienced scuba enthusiasts. Each island has unique diving venues that allow divers to experience every type of marine, plant and invertebrate life that lives in the calm, warm waters surrounding all of the islands.

Popular Diving and Snorkeling Sites in Grand Cayman

Snorkeling at Stingray City

Stingray City gets its name from the fleet of southern stingray fish who hang out close enough to the shore that people can look at the clear azure-colored water below as a group of two dozen fearless and friendly stingrays swim around them. Though not domesticated, these majestic looking fish have adjusted to the presence of people, so they aren’t afraid.

Kittiwake

Kittiwake lies 15 feet below the water’s surface at a depth of 64 feet. The former Chanticleer Class Submarine Rescue Ship was actively used between 1945 and 1994. One of its most heroic rescue missions involved assisting the U.S. Coast Guard and other branches of the U.S. military in recovering the Space Shuttle Challenger after the tragic explosion.

It’s trip to the Cayman Islands was an eventful and perilous one that took 9-days as the ship that towed it traveled through a dangerous ice storm. In a ceremonial tribute that included a three canon-salute, the Kittiwake bade farewell to the world as it sank to the bottom of the sea, soon to become a marine habitat for a variety of unusual and colorful creatures who make their home at the Northernmost tip of Seven Mile Beach. Divers can swim through the five decks, enjoying the site (without touching anything) of rare and colorful sea sponges, squirrelfish, sea urchins, and Goliath groupers.

Diving Sites in Cayman Brac

The newest diving attraction in Cayman Brac is the Russian-built ship that was formerly a Cuban naval frigate. The 330-foot vessel known as the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts sank off of the Northwest Coast of Cayman Brac in September of 1996. In the time since it sank, it has already become a habitat for a variety of marine life that enjoys the waters off the coast of Cayman Brac. The M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts is the largest of three dive wrecks that sank off the coast of Cayman Brac.

World-Class Diving Sites in Little Cayman

This island may be known as Little Cayman, but don’t let its name fool you. It is legendary among the world’s diving destinations for some of the most breathtakingly beautiful underwater marine life and coral gardens found anywhere. At Jackson Point and Bloody Bay wall in the  Bloody Bay Marine Park, visitors will be awestruck at the site of a sheer coral wall that starts at 20 feet below the surface and plunges to an extraordinary depth of 6,000 feet. The diving site features a huge variety of tropical fish, sea plumes that waver with the water’s moving current, and gorgeous underwater coral gardens.

The mild year-round air and water temperatures, world-class beaches, the variety of water sports and activities along with luxury accommodations and amenities make the Cayman Islands an ideal destination for a family vacation or a romantic honeymoon.