Scuba diving holidays in Grand Cayman

The Cayman Islands are blessed with some of the most beautiful scenery in the Caribbean, both above and below the water. Exploring the underwater treasures here is a diver's dream, particularly as there are over 200 named dives sites around Grand Cayman alone.

As the largest of the three Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman boasts a huge diversity of diving experiences, including beautiful caverns, wrecks, reefs and shore dives. One of the island's best underwater features is its surrounding wall, which starts at around 40 feet, so the wall dives here are particularly spectacular.

Diving in Grand Cayman can be divided into four main areas: Seven Mile Beach to Northwest Point in the west; North Wall, South Side and East End. Diving at each of these locations varies upon prevailing wind and sea conditions, however, particularly in the rougher East End and on the South Side where diving is less common. There is an excellent range of dive sites here for all levels of ability, but further training and certification can be provided by professional dive centres in Grand Cayman if required.

The west side of Grand Cayman offers the most consistently calm and clear diving conditions, and some of the best and most popular dive sites are located along the Western Wall, close to the famous Seven Mile Beach. You will find everything from beautiful reef and ocean wall dives to wrecks and shallow shore dives here, so this is often a preferred area for beginners. Some of the highlights include including Eden Rock, Devil's Grotto, Orange Canyon and the Oro Verde ship wreck, which was purposely sunk as an artificial reef.

More experienced diving enthusiasts tend to embrace the challenges of North Wall, which is renowned for its incredibly steep coral walls. The famous Stingray City in the North Sound is said to be the best and most exciting 12-foot dive in the world, and is inhabited by dozens of tame stingrays. Other popular sites here include Eagle Ray Pass, Tarpon Alley, Anchor Point and White Stroke Canyon, amongst others.

Grand Cayman's East End dive sites are recommended only for experienced divers and strong swimmers because the sea conditions are much rougher here. There are some beautiful dive sites in this area, incorporating dramatic walls, tunnels, caves and arches. Babylon is one of the best wall dives here, and a must for diving enthusiasts.

South Wall diving is less common because of the prevailing southeast winds, but the dive sites are just as beautiful and dramatic. One of the best has to be the Japanese Gardens, which features a series of tunnels, caves and swim-throughs which are full of marine life and some of the most elaborate corals in the Cayman Islands.

With so many diverse sites available around the island, divers will be in their element. A scuba diving holiday in Grand Cayman should certainly rank amongst the top ten of any diver's list.