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Cayman Islands

Divesites
85
Centers
9
Wildlife
41
© iStock/Romolo-Tavani

Explore The Cayman Islands

Nestled in the heart of the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands are a diver's paradise with their crystal-clear waters and stunning underwater landscapes. Comprising Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, these islands offer a variety of diving experiences that cater to all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned divers. With some of the best visibility in the Caribbean, often ranging from 18–30 meters (60–100 feet), divers can explore vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life, including sea turtles, stingrays, and colorful reef fish. The islands' warm ocean temperatures, between 26–28°C/78–82°F, ensure comfortable diving conditions year-round.

Grand Cayman, the largest of the trio, is renowned for its spectacular wall dives, where dramatic drop-offs plunge into the deep blue, providing thrilling adventures for experienced divers. For those seeking calm and easy dives, the island offers numerous shore diving opportunities, perfect for encountering the resident turtles. Meanwhile, Little Cayman boasts the famous Bloody Bay Wall, considered one of the best wall dives globally, with its steep coral cliffs and abundant marine life. Cayman Brac, with its unique limestone topography, offers exciting wreck dives, including the sunken Russian destroyer, the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts. Whether you prefer the convenience of shore diving or the exploration offered by liveaboards, the Cayman Islands promise unforgettable underwater experiences filled with natural beauty and vibrant aquatic life.

Power Plug Type
A, B
Payment Method
VISA, MC, AMEX, DIS, DC, Cir, Plus
Tipping
10–15% / Service Staff / Tipping is expected in restaurants and for good service; many establishments include a 10–15% service charge.
Currency
KYD
Dial Code
+1-345
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Time
UTC−5

Places to explore

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

Top Wildlife Sightings in the Cayman Islands

In general, the Cayman Islands are well known for their beautiful coral reefs that are seething with hundreds of species of colorful fish, high numbers of turtles, reef sharks and plunging walls covered in corals, sponges and sea fans all in great visibility.

For those wanting to experience eagle ray flybys, head to Eagle Ray Rock off Grand Cayman where they’re regularly spotted swimming by.

Another great spot for rays is Stingray City, a shallow site where large groups of southern stingrays assemble in the shallow sand in Grand Cayman’s North Sound. The rays are very friendly and accustomed to humans and are far from shy.

At Little Cayman, seahorses, octopi and lobsters can be sighted in and among the black coral and impressive sponges that cover the Great Wall West dive site, which is part of the island’s Bloody Bay Wall complex.

Cumber’s Caves off Little Cayman is home to an array of epic topography, including caves and a wall covered in sponges and corals. With usually infinite visibility, you can also enjoy gazing at turtles, rays, snapper, jacks, lobsters and lots of sharks.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

Barracuda

1.3k Sightings
J
99
F
70
M
127
A
113
M
106
J
130
J
158
A
103
S
39
O
102
N
114
D
108

Green Turtle

769 Sightings
J
56
F
41
M
89
A
64
M
59
J
76
J
96
A
61
S
35
O
54
N
67
D
71

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

728 Sightings
J
57
F
58
M
71
A
72
M
50
J
58
J
61
A
67
S
40
O
43
N
76
D
75

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

Eagle Ray

476 Sightings
J
39
F
30
M
72
A
47
M
41
J
28
J
58
A
48
S
18
O
36
N
27
D
32

Hawksbill Turtle

426 Sightings
J
27
F
27
M
52
A
24
M
42
J
60
J
54
A
37
S
9
O
15
N
44
D
35

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

Wrasse

323 Sightings
J
25
F
12
M
21
A
20
M
34
J
42
J
26
A
36
S
14
O
36
N
27
D
30

Loggerhead Turtle

177 Sightings
J
9
F
5
M
16
A
49
M
26
J
24
J
16
A
8
S
2
O
6
N
6
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Octopus

176 Sightings
J
11
F
12
M
15
A
5
M
15
J
18
J
11
A
20
S
17
O
9
N
30
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

1.6k Sightings
J
168
F
82
M
143
A
120
M
109
J
175
J
211
A
132
S
55
O
82
N
153
D
175

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

1.5k Sightings
J
119
F
66
M
122
A
124
M
111
J
130
J
227
A
155
S
62
O
113
N
153
D
124

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Angelfish

1.5k Sightings
J
132
F
85
M
138
A
106
M
115
J
159
J
176
A
130
S
49
O
89
N
142
D
129

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

975 Sightings
J
70
F
56
M
82
A
95
M
56
J
89
J
134
A
95
S
48
O
72
N
94
D
84

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

876 Sightings
J
68
F
27
M
58
A
62
M
73
J
118
J
143
A
73
S
27
O
75
N
81
D
71

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

870 Sightings
J
87
F
58
M
69
A
48
M
77
J
125
J
105
A
68
S
23
O
58
N
75
D
77

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Pufferfish

732 Sightings
J
72
F
50
M
74
A
56
M
38
J
47
J
88
A
63
S
32
O
52
N
87
D
73

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

552 Sightings
J
57
F
45
M
39
A
41
M
35
J
56
J
59
A
48
S
7
O
48
N
67
D
50

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

529 Sightings
J
47
F
27
M
52
A
38
M
55
J
60
J
50
A
59
S
16
O
41
N
33
D
51

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

Nurse Shark

510 Sightings
J
25
F
32
M
52
A
34
M
49
J
59
J
60
A
36
S
16
O
55
N
58
D
34

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

500 Sightings
J
49
F
40
M
37
A
25
M
37
J
55
J
49
A
53
S
12
O
28
N
53
D
62

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

463 Sightings
J
31
F
24
M
54
A
42
M
39
J
53
J
48
A
44
S
13
O
20
N
36
D
59

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Spiny Lobster

450 Sightings
J
31
F
30
M
32
A
41
M
34
J
31
J
53
A
44
S
17
O
41
N
55
D
41

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

447 Sightings
J
45
F
19
M
52
A
20
M
28
J
48
J
56
A
44
S
9
O
25
N
54
D
47

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

404 Sightings
J
46
F
28
M
21
A
28
M
31
J
40
J
38
A
53
S
8
O
33
N
35
D
43

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

399 Sightings
J
29
F
17
M
30
A
22
M
33
J
47
J
40
A
58
S
10
O
38
N
48
D
27

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

Crab

380 Sightings
J
35
F
35
M
43
A
34
M
37
J
21
J
38
A
20
S
17
O
24
N
41
D
35

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

340 Sightings
J
29
F
13
M
27
A
7
M
24
J
30
J
43
A
39
S
5
O
31
N
40
D
52

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Trumpetfish

340 Sightings
J
33
F
18
M
21
A
34
M
32
J
29
J
49
A
29
S
8
O
22
N
27
D
38

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

Lobster

321 Sightings
J
23
F
30
M
37
A
32
M
31
J
21
J
46
A
22
S
9
O
9
N
31
D
30

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

Tarpon

313 Sightings
J
12
F
17
M
42
A
16
M
18
J
40
J
44
A
31
S
22
O
22
N
32
D
17

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Soldierfish

263 Sightings
J
10
F
24
M
15
A
17
M
17
J
30
J
36
A
35
S
3
O
17
N
34
D
25

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Clownfish

224 Sightings
J
10
F
7
M
26
A
21
M
13
J
26
J
20
A
26
S
14
O
22
N
28
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

209 Sightings
J
21
F
7
M
22
A
8
M
11
J
27
J
26
A
9
S
12
O
13
N
24
D
29

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Bannerfish

193 Sightings
J
21
F
10
M
10
A
17
M
11
J
31
J
18
A
16
S
10
O
13
N
21
D
15

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

Sand Eel

191 Sightings
J
22
F
11
M
12
A
13
M
10
J
8
J
31
A
17
S
20
O
5
N
14
D
28

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shrimp

180 Sightings
J
17
F
8
M
20
A
12
M
23
J
12
J
18
A
12
S
10
O
10
N
13
D
25

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 120

Flounder

165 Sightings
J
7
F
7
M
16
A
31
M
17
J
16
J
20
A
10
S
8
O
7
N
15
D
11

Blacktip Reef Shark

145 Sightings
J
7
F
6
M
13
A
23
M
15
J
5
J
18
A
12
S
8
O
11
N
16
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

Porcupinefish

125 Sightings
J
16
F
7
M
10
A
13
M
9
J
4
J
18
A
12
S
1
O
5
N
18
D
12

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Squid

121 Sightings
J
8
F
5
M
17
A
7
M
6
J
18
J
30
A
13
S
8
O
2
N
0
D
7

Caribbean Reef Shark

103 Sightings
J
11
F
2
M
11
A
6
M
5
J
4
J
12
A
12
S
5
O
7
N
18
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Scorpionfish

95 Sightings
J
3
F
9
M
2
A
13
M
4
J
12
J
2
A
12
S
4
O
12
N
13
D
9