Scuba diving in

Grand Cayman Island

Grand Cayman is the largest and best-known of the three Cayman Islands. And with more than 100 kilometres separating it from its Little Cayman to the east, Grand Cayman appears alone in the Caribbean Sea’s empty northwest corner. Even though it is just 22-miles long, this island is blessed with miles of sandy white beaches and warm, crystalline water, as well as a wealth of activities, attractions, and accommodation suitable for visitors of all varieties. And, alongside the island’s obvious commercial character you’ll also find the full spectrum of Caribbean culture, with old and modern architecture, music, and events.

Grand Cayman Island is widely regarded as the birthplace of recreational diving, and divers have been exploring the island’s underwater world for over 60 years. The Caribbean’s first dive operator was established here in 1957 and since then, the Cayman government has identified more than 200 local dive sites as part of its Dive 365 initiative, many of which offer some of the best underwater experiences on earth. Perched on the edge of the plummeting Bartlett Trough, and boasting a beautiful barrier reef as well as a large, sheltered bay, Grand Cayman offers a bounty of underwater treasures - from wrecks to dizzying walls and shallow stingray encounters.

The Cayman’s Owen Roberts International airport is located on Grand Cayman, making it the easiest to access. American Airlines provides daily direct flights to the island from Charlotte, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Miami. Cayman Airways also flies to Dallas and Miami, as well as New York, Chicago, and Tampa, while Delta Airlines operates flights from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and more. Coming from the UK? British Airways will have you from London Heathrow to Grand Cayman in a little over 12 hours, with a brief stopover in the Bahamas.

The island itself is easy to navigate, offering a wide variety of transportation options. If you plan on relaxing in a single area, using taxis or public buses might be the most economical approach. But if you want to get out and explore the entire island, a rental car is likely to be your best option. Organised tours to tourist sights are also easily available, and could prove cheaper if you only plan on visiting a handful of highlights.

As the most commercial of all the Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman offers plenty of accommodation and activities to suit every guest. The western half of the island is the most developed, and most of the Grand Cayman scuba diving resorts can be found in and around George Town, which acts as the country’s bustling capital. Built as a fortress against invaders, this small city now features an international airport and port, and the streets throng with tourists from around the globe who come to enjoy the tax-free shopping, countless cafes, and fascinating heritage. But, beyond the busy streets, George Town is still a picture-perfect Caribbean paradise, with palm-fringed beaches and sparkling seascapes.

Further north, lies stunning West Bay and Seven Mile Beach. Many consider Seven Mile Beach to be one of the top choices for accommodation in the Cayman Islands due with its beauty, size, and plenty of watersports such as scuba diving, snorkelling, paddleboarding, sun-lounging, and more. You’ll find a range of accommodation here, with an emphasis on sophisticated hotels and all-signing, all-dancing resorts.

Heading east, the atmosphere becomes more peaceful, as the resort towns give way to coastal enclaves that punctuate the thick, evergreen woodland. Here, destinations such as Rum Point offer a far more secluded getaway, where you can mingle with locals and immerse yourself in the eclectic culture of the Caribbean. In this half of the island, which includes Bodden Town, North Side, and East End, visitors will also find several nature reserves and protected natural habitats. 

The dry season on Grand Cayman Island runs from December to April. The cool northeast trade winds during this time help to moderate the high temperatures, creating a dry and pleasantly warm climate - perfect for hanging out on the beach. The odd day or two of windy, overcast weather is not unheard of during this period, but they are few and far between and rarely last long. Temperatures average 24-28°C on land and 25-28°C in the water. Visibility stays around 18-30 metres throughout the year.

Rainy season lasts from May through November, bringing short and intense rain showers on intermittent days, followed by clear skies and plenty of sun. Average temperatures rise by a few degrees during this time, hitting around 27-31°C on land and 28-30°C in the water. The official hurricane season runs from June through November, with the highest chances of a serious storm occurring between August and September. Divers often avoid these months, as wind and waves can churn the typically calm and crystalline waters, but with so many Grand Cayman scuba diving sites on offer, you can almost always find somewhere sheltered to explore.

Between 2008 and 2012, an ambitious initiative called Dive 365 helped to designate 68 new dive sites, creating a total of 365 in the islands - one for each day of the year. While showcasing the incredible diversity of diving in this country, the initiative also meant dive sites could be closed temporarily, allowing the reefs to recover from diver pressure. As a result, the Cayman Islands’ coral reefs are considered to be in good health, bouncing back to levels not seen since 1999, and defying the trend of coral loss seen elsewhere in the Caribbean.

For such a small island, Grand Cayman is also home to a long list of land and ocean-based protected areas, including replenishment zones, marine parks, grouper spawning sites, and the Little Sound Environmental Zone. These are all designed to protect natural habitats and provide safe spaces for species to replenish themselves.