Caribbean
Best Time to Dive in the Cayman Islands
2 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks January–May at Grand Cayman, and March–July at Little Cayman. You can dive from the shore at Grand Cayman; at Little Cayman it is boat only.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Cayman | January: Good | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Moderate | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Good |
| Little Cayman | January: Moderate | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Moderate | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
Good Off season Moderate
The Cayman Islands compared
| Dive area | Best time | Water | Visibility | Dived from | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Cayman | Jan–May | 27–30 °C | 5–20 m | day boat and shore diving | Open Water |
| Little Cayman | Mar–Jul | 27–30 °C | 25–35 m | day boat | Advanced Open Water |
Water and visibility are the whole year's range at each area, coldest month to warmest. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Which area to pick
- Grand Cayman
- Best from January to May. It has the lowest visibility, 5–20 m, suits Open Water divers, is dived only from day boats and the shore and is the one for great hammerheads.
- Little Cayman
- Best from March to July. It has the clearest water, up to 35 m and is dived only from day boats.
The Cayman Islands month by month
Two or more areas are good at once in February to July: the time to combine them in one trip.
- Jan
- Good at Grand Cayman.
- Feb–Jul
- Every area is good.
- Aug
- Nowhere at its best; Little Cayman is workable.
- Sep
- Good at Little Cayman.
- Oct
- Nowhere at its best; Little Cayman is workable.
- Nov
- Nowhere at its best.
- Dec
- Good at Grand Cayman.
Grand Cayman
The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go January to May. The full season runs December to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Good | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Off season | September: Moderate | October: Off season | November: Off season | December: Good |
Good Off season Moderate
- Water
- 27–30 °C
- Wear
- 3 mm full suit
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Great hammerhead
Grand Cayman month by month →Little Cayman
The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so go when the weather is best: March to July. The wider season runs February to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Moderate | February: Good | March: Good | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Good | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Moderate | November: Off season | December: Moderate |
Moderate Good Off season
- Water
- 27–30 °C
- Wear
- 3 mm full suit
- Dived from
- day boat
- Suits
- Advanced Open Water
Diving in the Cayman Islands: common questions
- When is the best time to dive the Cayman Islands?
- It depends which area. The season peaks January–May at Grand Cayman, and March–July at Little Cayman.
- Can you dive the Cayman Islands all year?
- Not everywhere at once. Counting both areas, 7 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
- How warm is the water in the Cayman Islands?
- 27 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.
- Can you dive the Cayman Islands from the shore?
- Yes, at Grand Cayman. At Little Cayman it is boat only.
- What can you see diving in the Cayman Islands?
- The headline animals are great hammerhead. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.