Turtle Reef / Macabuca - Grand Cayman

★★★★★ (452)

Shore entry by ladder from the Macabuca Tiki Bar. A short swim at 3-7m (15-20ft) depth brings you to the mini wall directly west of the entry. Depth around 14m (50ft). Swim another 100m farther west to the Main Wall. Accessible for night diving.

Many stingrays, barracuda and smaller fish but logger head turtles and the occasional reef or nurse sharke visit the area.

Dive Activity

Potential Wildlife Sightings

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

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
85 Sightings
J
4
F
4
M
6
A
5
M
13
J
7
J
12
A
6
S
7
O
5
N
0
D
16

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

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
77 Sightings
J
7
F
6
M
6
A
3
M
6
J
9
J
10
A
5
S
2
O
4
N
5
D
14

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

Total number of species: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
56 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
6
A
2
M
7
J
10
J
4
A
8
S
4
O
4
N
5
D
3

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

Total number of species: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
53 Sightings
J
13
F
5
M
8
A
4
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
7
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
11
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
41 Sightings
J
4
F
4
M
10
A
4
M
0
J
6
J
4
A
3
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
4
Shutterstock-Ed Jenkins

Hawksbill Turtle
22 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
5
J
6
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
4
D
5

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

Total number of species: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
9 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0
iStock-ShaneGross

Loggerhead Turtle
7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
5
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

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

Total number of species: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
133 Sightings
J
10
F
8
M
8
A
3
M
17
J
18
J
27
A
11
S
5
O
6
N
8
D
12

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

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
89 Sightings
J
9
F
6
M
4
A
4
M
8
J
6
J
17
A
7
S
6
O
5
N
0
D
17
Show More

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

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
74 Sightings
J
8
F
4
M
9
A
7
M
8
J
5
J
16
A
0
S
3
O
2
N
2
D
10

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

Total number of species: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
62 Sightings
J
5
F
4
M
3
A
4
M
6
J
5
J
13
A
5
S
4
O
3
N
0
D
10

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

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
60 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
5
A
2
M
5
J
7
J
9
A
6
S
3
O
6
N
3
D
11

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

Total number of species: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
59 Sightings
J
2
F
5
M
5
A
4
M
5
J
7
J
10
A
0
S
4
O
2
N
2
D
13

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

Total number of species: 2

iStock-stock_colors

Tarpon
53 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
4
A
5
M
11
J
10
J
8
A
0
S
4
O
0
N
0
D
8

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

Total number of species: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Crab
49 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
5
A
0
M
9
J
7
J
5
A
0
S
3
O
5
N
2
D
10

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

Total number of species: 120

AdobeStock-Composer.

Flounder
48 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
4
A
5
M
4
J
5
J
12
A
3
S
4
O
0
N
2
D
4

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

Total number of species: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
47 Sightings
J
4
F
3
M
4
A
2
M
5
J
5
J
15
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
9

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

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
42 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
6
A
4
M
5
J
0
J
4
A
3
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
15

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

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
36 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
4
J
3
J
14
A
0
S
3
O
0
N
2
D
3

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

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Squirrelfish
36 Sightings
J
7
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
3
J
13
A
0
S
4
O
0
N
0
D
7

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

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
35 Sightings
J
2
F
5
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
12
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
11

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

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
30 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
8
A
0
S
5
O
0
N
0
D
12

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

Total number of species: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
27 Sightings
J
1
F
5
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
6
A
0
S
3
O
0
N
0
D
6

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

Total number of species: 300

Shutterstock_DiveIvanov

Squid
27 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
5
J
9
J
5
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
4

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

Total number of species: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
26 Sightings
J
1
F
3
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
9
A
0
S
3
O
3
N
0
D
0

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

Total number of species: 30

Shutterstock-s_a_j

Sand Eel
25 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
8
A
3
S
3
O
0
N
0
D
6

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

Total number of species: 55

k

Lobster
24 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
3
M
0
J
5
J
8
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
3

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

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
23 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
0
A
0
M
4
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
3
O
0
N
0
D
6

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

Total number of species: 2

AdobeStock-hakbak

Nurse Shark
22 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
5
J
5
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
4
N
2
D
0

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

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
20 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
7

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

Total number of species: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
17 Sightings
J
4
F
4
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
6

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

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
17 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
4
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
5

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

Total number of species: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
16 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
8

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

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
14 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
8

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

Total number of species: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross

Shrimp
13 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
0
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
7

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

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
11 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
3

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

Total number of species: 250

iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.

Scorpionfish
10 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
3
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
5

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

Total number of species: 15

Shutterstock-Hans Gert Broeder

Garfish
8 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
8

Dive Sites Nearby

Mares

Rainbow Reef (★4.2)

In the Somosomo straight, the first day we went to the “Fish Factory” site. A short boat ride from the Taveuni Ocean Sports Nakia Dive Shop, weather dependent will throw you into the most colorful coral dives you e ever seen, along with marine life that calls this space home.
Aqualung

Cobalt Ridge (★4.2)

This dive site description is under construction and a brief description with all the dive details will be added soon, stay tuned for more info soon.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Turtle Farm Wall (★4.3)

Along the northwest shore of the island sits a mini wall just offshore from the famous Cayman Turtle Center, hence the name. This is an easy entry shore dive with little to no current and great visibility. Great for snorkeling and diving.