The Cayman Islands are world-renowned for their incredible underwater scenery, particularly the beautiful coral reefs and array of colourful fish.
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Located in the western Caribbean, just 480 miles south of Miami, Cayman is perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling, boasting some of the Caribbean’s best excursions. With virtually no currents and outstanding underwater visibility, Cayman has amazing wall dives, coral reefs and wrecks for you to explore and discover. If you are ‘dive-curious’, there are a wealth of things to do in, under, or on the water at every skill level. A variety of dive operators can teach you how to dive, improve your skills and provide you with an amazing underwater experience. With water temperatures ranging from 26–30°C (78.8–86°F) all year round, it is always a good time to get in the water and discover the stunning scenery beneath the surface.
Diving in the Cayman Islands
Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands continues to earn global recognition, recently ranking second in the world in the 2024 Scuba Diving Magazine Readers' Choice Awards for the Best Scuba Diving Destination. It also made the top five lists for wreck diving, large animals, microbiology, shore diving, wall diving, advanced diving, beginner diving, snorkelling, photography, and cave, cavern and grotto diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic.
Cayman is hyperaware of the importance of coral reefs to our three islands, our waters, the marine ecosystem and the diving industry. Although many efforts have been put in place to safeguard the coral reefs, sea grass and mangroves in the Cayman Islands, other factors have contributed to their destruction. Our reefs in particular have experienced frequent stresses as water temperatures have risen over the past few decades, making them more susceptible to disease. Construction and overdevelopment are still the main cause of Cayman's mangroves being destroyed.
According to experts at the Department of Environment (DoE), Cayman's coral reefs are steadily dying and fewer will reappear each season year on year. The Cayman Islands, like many other nations in this region, is under a NOAA bleach watch as the reefs become increasingly vulnerable to a warming planet. Sadly, many dive sites in Grand Cayman have been affected by the spread of the deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). Researchers have found evidence that SCTLD is caused by a breakdown in the symbiotic relationship between corals and Zooxanthellae algae. This discovery is a big step towards finding future treatments for this disease. Given the rapid spread of SCTLD in the Cayman Islands, the DoE urges the public to disinfect all snorkel and dive gear before and after each shore dive and boat trip by soaking them in disinfectant solution (with 1% bleach) for 10 minutes.
On a more positive note, Divetech has been hosting the Women’s Dive Day event for 11 years and have raised over CI$50,000 for the Cayman Breast Cancer Foundation. The 2025 PADI Women's Dive Day invited divers to take part in an underwater scavenger hunt. The event attracted more than 80 divers as well as support and donations from the dive community locally and overseas. The PADI Women’s Dive Day occurs annually on the third Saturday of July and celebrates women in diving, while raising money and awareness for breast cancer and the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation.
Elsewhere, the Cayman Islands Government announced that new legislation is being prepared to restrict the importation of six types of single-use plastics. Despite some uncertainties, activists commend the progress and stress the importance of a continued comprehensive approach to tackling plastic pollution.
8 Reasons to Dive Cayman
- World-class dive operators and facilities
- Diving options for all skill and experience levels
- 60-100+ft visibility year round
- Average 78.8-86 °F water temperature
- Little to no current
- 369 dive sites across the three Islands
- Wreck diving and underwater attractions
- Convenient and affordable shore diving options
Best Dive Sites
With a dive site for every day of the year, it can be difficult to choose the 'best dive site' in Cayman but we've managed to narrow it down to our ten top spots:
Big Tunnels - Northwest Point, Grand Cayman
Bloody Bay Wall - Little Cayman
The USS Kittiwake - Northwest Point, Grand Cayman
Babylon - Old Man Bay, Grand Cayman
Wreck of the Balboa - George Town, Grand Cayman
Eden Rock & Devil's Grotto - George Town, Grand Cayman
Orange Caynon - Northwest Point, Grand Cayman
Snapper Hole - East End, Grand Cayman
Ghost Mountain - North Wall, Grand Cayman
Anchor Point - East End, Grand Cayman
Snorkelling in the Cayman Islands
Already ticked these dive sites off your list? To find out about all the other sites to explore, refer to the Dive Areas section for a general overview of what to expect from each area or the Dive 365 section to learn about the programme that suggests a new dive site for every day of the year.
Dive Areas
Here's what to expect from dive locations across the Cayman Islands, from the caves of George Town to the unspoiled beauty of the Sister Islands.
Dive 365
In the Cayman Islands you really can dive a new site every day of the year with Dive 365 - a programme designed to highlight the Island's plentiful dive sites.
Wreck Divingkeyboard_arrow_right
Wreck diving is very popular as it provides a dramatic diving experience. There are several spectacular wrecks situated around the Cayman Islands, and as more marine life inhabits these sites, the diving experience improves. The dive sites below should be at the top of any diver’s list:
Balboa - George Town Harbour, Grand Cayman (you need permission from the harbour
master to dive the Balboa)
Cali - George Town, Grand Cayman (you need permission from Port Security to dive the Cali)
Carrie Lee - Southwest Coast, Grand Cayman (note that
this is a technical dive as the Carrie Lee sits at a depth of 180-260ft
near to the wall's edge)
Doc Polson - West Bay, Grand Cayman (it is recommended to use a boat to get to the site, as there is some boating traffic around the area)
Keith Tibbets - Cayman Brac
Oro Verde - Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman (a good beginners site due to its shallow depth)
The USS Kittiwake - Northwest Point, Grand Cayman
Shore Diving in Grand Cayman
As the underwater drop off is so close to shore in many areas, Cayman has a number of great dive sites that are accessible directly from the shore. This means certified divers can rent tanks and gear and go diving on their own schedule, independent of a group. However, the usual rules still apply so make sure you go with a buddy, and do not dive without the supervision of a divemaster if you do not feel confident and experienced enough, let someone on shore know where you have gone and what time you expect to be back.
Aerial view of shore diving at Sunset House
Grand Cayman offers five shore diving locations with on-site facilities for tank and gear rentals:
- Eden Rock
- Lighthouse Point
- Turtle Reef (Sundivers at Macabuca)
- Sunset House
- Cobalt Coast
Responsible Diving
Inform yourself on how to be a responsible diver by avoiding no dive zones, respecting the reefs or getting involved with minding coral nurseries or the lionfish culling programme.
Currently, there are seven no dive zones in Grand Cayman and one on each Sister Island that restricts SCUBA diving without permission.
Visit the Department of Environment website for details.
Respecting the Reefs
When diving in the Cayman Islands, we must remain cautious and responsible towards the reefs. Learn how to protect and respect them.
Coral Nurseries
A programme where local dive operaters, with permits, grow staghorn coral in small nurseries to keep reefs in the Cayman Islands healthy and thriving.
Lionfish
Learn about how lionfish came to the Cayman Islands, why they are so destructive to marine life, where you can eat them, and how to get involved with culling.
Dive Resortskeyboard_arrow_right
As a world-renowned diving oasis, it is no wonder there are a host of resorts in the Cayman Islands specifically catered for divers, some of which are regularly voted amongst the best dive resorts in the world. For the best deals on dive gear and the ideal diving locations look no further than these top dive resorts from Grand Cayman to the Sister Islands.
Dive Courses & Certifications
If you are ‘dive-curious’, there are a wealth of opportunities to get in, under or on the water at every skill level. There are a host of dive operators in the Cayman Islands that can teach you how to dive, get certifications, improve your skills, or even turn your passion into a career.
Read more for in-depth information on various dive courses and certifications available in the Cayman Islands.
Dive Shops & Operatorskeyboard_arrow_right
There are a number of dive operators in Grand Cayman, offering everything from an introductory resort course, to technical diving courses and instructor training, as well as trips to the USS Kittiwake.
Underwater Photography Lessonskeyboard_arrow_right
Given the incredible beauty of Cayman’s underwater world, many find themselves wanting to capture it in photographs. The island offers an opportunity to learn all types of underwater photography, videography and digital image and video editing. Serious dive-certified photographers also have the option of completing their PADI Digital Photography and PADI Videograph certifications.
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