Grand Cayman diving is world famous - and rightly so. It offers fantastic wall diving, an abundance of marine life and great visibility. With over 150 dive sites to choose from, there is plenty to keep you busy.
We've been to Grand Cayman a few times and each time we leave we say we have to come back. It makes our list of top dive destinations.
We will warn you, however, popularity has its price. Similar to Cozumel, dive boats can be cattle operations - particularly when the cruise ships are in. So call around and ask the max number of divers an operator will take. It should help make your Grand Cayman diving a more pleasurable experience.
Lay of the Land
Grand Cayman is the largest of the 3 islands that comprise the Cayman Islands (the other 2 are Cayman Brac and Little Cayman). Still, it is only 22 miles long by about 8 miles wide. The island is flat with the highest point only about 60 feet above sea level.
You can see the islands on our page of Grand Cayman maps. We have several maps for you to use, including a fun interactive map of Grand Cayman.
Grand Cayman is, by far, the most developed of the 3 Cayman Islands with a range of accommodations, restaurants, clubs and lots of dive operators. Most of the activity is centered around the capital, Georgetown, and the spectacular Seven Mile Beach on the island's west side. The east end of the island is just the opposite and is sometimes referred to as "the last frontier."
We have stayed on both Seven Mile Beach and the East End. Diving was really good at both spots but the topside experience is very different. You would never know you were on the same island.
Which is better? It really depends on what you're in the mood for and how much activity you want topside after you have finished your Grand Cayman diving for the day. If you want quiet and isolation, go for the East End. If you're in more of a party and socializing mood, Seven Mile Beach and the west side of the island would fit the bill.
Location
Grand Cayman is in the Western Caribbean and is less than 500 miles south of Miami. It lies about 200 miles northwest of Jamaica and 150 miles south of Cuba.
It is a short 1 1/2 hour plane ride away from Miamai. Given its popularity and short distance from the US mainland, there are several non-stops flights to whisk you away.
There are lots of Grand Cayman resorts to choose from. Most are located on the beautiful Seven Mile beach. But how do you choose and how do you know you are getting the best deal?
You can start with the free search tool we use all the time. You can find it on our Grand Cayman resorts page along with more info about where we stayed while on the island.
Weather
Temperatures are pleasant all year round on Grand Cayman. In the summer expect a high in the 90F range during the day with temperatures falling to a low in the low 80's at night. In winter, it is milder with daytime highs in the high 70's to low 80's. It cools off at night during the winter to around the high 60's to low 70's.
The rainy season is from May to November with the beginning (May/June) and end (October/November) of the this period typically seeing the most rain. February and March are usually the driest months. Absent a tropical depression/hurricane, rain usually comes in bursts of a couple hours so your whole day shouldn't be ruined.
Hurricane season in the Caribbean is from June 1 to November 30. Grand Cayman is in the hurricane belt and has been hit by a few major hurricanes. The most active months are in the fall - September through November. The last major hurricane to hit the islands was Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.
Water Temperature
Water temperature is pleasant year round averaging 80-82F in the summer and 77-80F in the winter. We don't tend to get cold when diving so we are usually comfortable in just a skin during our Grand Cayman diving trips. If you tend to get cold, a shorty 1.5mm would probably be sufficient.
Reefs and Rides
Grand Cayman is surrounded by four walls - meaning that you are never far away from a dive site. If you are diving off of Seven Mile Beach, boat rides are usually around 10-15 minutes or less. One of the pleasure of Grand Cayman diving. If you are diving off the East End, it is not much different.
Diving
Grand Cayman has more than 150 dive sites to choose from. Diving is obviously an industry here and the top attraction for alot of the tourists. Thus the possibility for the cattle boat operation mentioned above. Still, even if you are on a cattle boat, I think the diving is still worth it.
Off the shoreline you first have a sandy area leading to a fringing reef. Then you come to a spur and groove system (alternating channels of sand and patch reef). Then comes the walls - the reason why most people want to do some Grand Cayman diving in the first place. The walls off of Grand Cayman usually start at about 50-60 feet or so and go on forever (or so it seems).
The West Wall, which runs parallel to Seven Mile Beach, sees the most action primarily due to its location. Of course, easy access to the dive sites, great visibility and lots of sites to choose from doesn't hurt. The North and South walls offer a little more advanced diving and probably offer the best bet for BIG fish siting (hammerheads, etc.). The East Wall is the least explored but offers some great diving too and has plenty of dive sites to explore.
Grand Cayman is one of our all time favorite places to dive. Given its easy access to dive sites, visibility, healthy reefs, fantastic walls and topside choice between developed and semi-deserted, Grand Cayman diving is hard to beat.
Topside
Topside, to us, is all about the beach. Seven Mile Beach is one of the top beaches in the Caribbean and we leave lots of footprints on it after our diving is done for the day. Sure, there are other things to do on Grand Cayman, such as go to Hell and send a postcard, tour the botanical gardens or visit the turtle farm. But we have yet to tear ourselves away from the beach and visit these places. Maybe next time.
If you go, we hope you enjoy Grand Cayman diving as much as we do.
Have a great trip!
Stingray, Seven mile beach and Georgetown photos by Peggy Hughes, cayman girl and mizjellybean. Thanks!
on the island's west side. The east end of the island is just the opposite and is sometimes referred to as "the last frontier." 
Seven Mile Beach is one of the top beaches in the Caribbean and we leave lots of footprints on it after our diving is done for the day. Sure, there are other things to do on Grand Cayman, such as go to Hell and send a postcard, tour the botanical gardens or visit the turtle farm. But we have yet to tear ourselves away from the beach and visit these places. Maybe next time. 
