Famous for its glittering beaches, mesmerizing scenery and untouched tropical wilderness, Little Cayman perfectly exemplifies what a classic island getaway should be.
Scuba diving in Little Caymans is famous amongst scuba divers from across the world who choose to explore the unspoiled tranquility and healthy diversity of marine life offered here. With dramatic drop offs, swim throughs, colorful coral gardens and exotic sponges, much of the beauty lies beneath the waters surrounding this Cayman island. Most of the time while under water visibility seems infinite. The Cayman Islands' claimed 365 dive sites offering some of the best diving in the Caribbean. Little Cayman is home to the Bloody Bay Wall Marine Park and Pond Reserve. Touted as one of the world’s best dive destinations – Little Cayman destinations are home to reef sharks, lobster, octopus, eagle rays, and unique tropical fish species.
While every diver has their favorites, below are just a few of the famous spots to strap on a tank and dive in.
1. BLOODY BAY WALL – The best diving area of the Caymans. Bloody Bay Marine Park boasts a perfect blend of unparalleled visibility and bountiful marine life. It is a sort of an otherworldly vertical forest of where giant waving fans, bioluminescent corals, and neon-yellow tube sponges can be found. You can also spot green turtles, lobsters, eagle rays and cheeky triggerfish at any of the dozen or so sites along the wall. However, some of the eye-catching moorings include roundup, eagle ray, randy's gazebo and mixing bowl. It is also known for its populations of Caribbean Reef Sharks and curious, sometimes positively friendly Nassau Grouper.
2. JACKSON’S BIGHT – Most divers plan a visit to Little Cayman for Bloody Bay Wall, however, the tunnels, crevices, chutes and the reefs that are found in Jackson are arguably the most spectacular one. It is located in the Bloody Bay Marine Park. From tiny sailfin blennies to graceful eagle rays and sleek Caribbean reef sharks which are often spotted here. Other marine life that can be found on deserted sand patches includes yellow-headed jawfish, garden eels, peacock flounders and tilefish. Some of the more colorful reef fish to be found around Little Cayman include Bluehead Wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) and elegant French Angelfish (Holocanthus ciliariaris).
3. THREE FATHOM WALL OR MIXING BOWL – Mixing Bowl or Three Fathom Wall is a dive site where you can experience the vertical depths of Bloody Bay's wall dives and the great sloping reefs and sandy patches of Jackson's Bay. In Three Fathom Wall one can come across many pelagic species, sharks and turtles. In the sandy flats, you will find stingrays, yellow-headed jawfish, and eagle rays. Both sites can be done as night dives as well with many lobsters, eels and groups of reef squid. Perfect place for macro photographers. One of the most thrilling sites when diving the wall is to spot a group of Eagle Rays.
4. GHOST MOUNTAIN – To scuba dive at Ghost Mountain, you need to travel; just off Grand Cayman’s north point. As you approach the cobalt blue water, in the distance you will be able to see a giant, mushroom-shaped pinnacle. This looming feature is covered in a carpet of creatures from blood red finger sponges to spires of starlet corals and banded coral shrimp. Advanced divers will have a great time as they will be rewarded with great views of the spectacular gorgonian at their maximum depth of 30m.
Scuba diving in Little Caymans has earned its place on many lists for its best places to dive in the Caribbean. The island is also home to the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. It is also possible while staying on Little Cayman to cross the channel to explore the reefs of Cayman Brac, the neighboring ‘Sister Island’.
Your scuba diving in the Caymans Islands adventure would not be complete without a visit to Little Cayman. Set sail on any of the private luxurious dive yacht charters and discover the island’s unspoiled natural surroundings of mystery hidden in the world's deepest waters.
