 | Cayman Islands Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 168 |  | Popular Things To Do | Miscellaneous Things To Do Tips | All Tips (168)  | |  |  | "Stingray City" Truly a Unique Experience | Tip Rating:      |  |  | |  |
If you only do one thing on this island, it has to be to go to Stingray City! Many tour operators run boats out to the North Sound Sandbar where you will be able to stand waist-high in the cleareast aquamarine waters to feed and swim with stingrays! While difficult to comprehend, these rays (some as large as 4ft. or larger in wing span) are exceptionally tame and used to humans due to being fed and not abused. It is a little scary at first and no one is allowed to wear aqua shoes which makes you even a little more nervous; this rule is enforced for the safety of the rays. The tour operators will sell you food to feed the rays and loan you snorkel gear and off you go. When we were there, we were the first boat in the area and saw no stingrays. But in a matter of moments, there were scores of stingrays waiting for their daily meal!! (They are very NON-AGGRESSIVE, so don't mistreat them and they will stay that way!) Later after this experience, I wondered why sharks didn't make their own appearance considering the abundance of food being offered by the tourists! We purchased this trip as a shore excursion from our ship which, at the time, was less than $50 each. Check on shore near the tender pier for companies selling these excursions, or book ahead online which maybe less expensive. NOTE: It is a good idea to bring some cash to purchase food to feed the stingrays, and also if you wish to purchase a photo that the captain will take. (I believe the photo will be on a disk.) Although the picture was a little expensive, I feel that ours was one of the best pictures ever taken of our family on vacation and certain in a unique setting. If you feel that the crew has done a good job and given you a great experience with the stingrays, you may wish to tip them. Leave a Comment Address: North Sound Sandbar - Georgetown, Grand CaymanDirections: A number of excursions, including one for StingRay City, can be purchased from hawkers on Harbour Drive at the waterfront, or North Terminal around Hog Sty Bay.Website: captlen@candw.ky
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 | |  |  | Dive Tech at Cobalt Coast Resort | Tip Rating:      |  |  | |  |
Another very pretty shore dive is the second Dive Tech location at Cobalt Coast Resort - diving open to the public. You get the same great amenities as the Lighthouse Point location (high benches for set-up, outdoor shower, fresh water dip tank for cameras, regs, etc), plus a pool and a restaurant & bar. The entry/exit is from a long, skinny wooden dock that could have used some maintenance when we were there. If the surf is up at all, it's a little difficult to exit on their ladder as you have to take your fins off and time the surge so that you get onto the ladder without getting smashed into it. But when the water is calm, this site is a pleasure! The deep wall isn't far once you drop below the surface by the marker buoys. However, the surface swim to get to the buoys is a little long. Bring a snorkel! I suggest swimming to the right if the current allows, and follow the reef fingers to the North Wall. Navigating back is easy: Follow the reef fingers back to the mini-wall and then follow the mini-wall to the marker buoys. You can sign one waiver and run one tab for both the Lighthouse Point and Cobalt Coast Dive Tech locations. They just call the other location to confirm information. Also, when we were there, they had a special going, $20 for shore diving and lunch, which is a great deal! Especially considering that rental for tanks & weights is $15 and you can't even buy groceries to make your own lunch for $5 on Grand Cayman! Leave a Comment Address: Cobalt Coast Resort, 18 Sea Fan Drive, West BayPhone: (345) 946-5658Directions: Your best bet is to stop in at the kiosk at Lighthouse Point and ask for directions and a map to Cobalt Coast. It is north of Lighthouse Point and Turtle Reef, and small signs point the way.Website: http://www.divetech.com/ Other Contact: (345) 946-5659 fax
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I've made three dive trips to Grand Cayman, and in my opinion, there is little reason to get on a boat to dive there. The shore diving is that fabulous! There are many dive shops on the water with their own cement docks for easy giant-stride entry, and ladders for easy exit. That's enough to spoil this New England diver! Rental for tanks & weights was around $15 Cayman. These are the shore sites that we have done: Lighthouse Point (Dive Tech): http://www.divetech.com/what1.htm Cobalt Coast (Dive Tech): http://www.divetech.com/index.htm Sunset House: http://sunsethouse.com/ Eden Rock/Devil's Grotto: http://www.edenrockdive.com Sun Divers at the Turtle Reef Coconut Harbor Spanish Bay Reef See more info about these spots at: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/31411/ab2/4/ Just about all of the dive shops around George Town and West Bay have 2 reefs: one shallow and one deep wall. The shallows are from 30-60 feet deep. Then 50-100 yards further from shore, across sandy flats, you'll hit the deep wall at around 70 feet and you will never see the bottom. Leave a Comment Directions: All of the shore dive locations were in George Town and West Bay. Just stick to the road along the shore and you'll run into all the great spots.
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 | |  |  | Diving at Turtle Reef | Tip Rating:      |  |  | |  |
It's hard to beat this shore-diving location. If you're a diver, don't miss it. Like most shore-dive sites, Sun Divers offers equipment rentals, a rinse tank, drip-dry area, an outdoor shower and easy entry & exit ladders. And the reef there is one of the prettiest around. Looking out to sea, there is shallow diving (30-60 feet) just to the left of the marker buoys outside the protected entry cove. A deeper and prettier mini-wall dive (50-80 feet) is to the right. Straight out (and a rather long swim) is the deep wall. Note that this location used to be run by Dive Tech but they have moved down the street to a new location they are calling Lighthouse Point - and Dive Tech still has their second location at Cobalt Coast Resort. I had no complaint with Sun Divers, except that they didn't have a map of the dive site like most other dive shops. But they were quite accommodating for us since we were staying in the condos next door, they let us take their tanks off site so that we could do a night dive at our condo at Coconut Bay. Most dives shops don't let you take tanks away. We decided to enter the water at the condo and we swam south, exiting at Sun Divers. Very convenient, and we saw a good sized octopus! Great dive! There's also a nice little bar outside right by the ladder into the water where you can watch the divers go in and out of the water day and night. Also convenient for warming your bones if you're getting out of the water yourself! Leave a Comment Address: Sun Divers at Turtle Reef, 857 NW Point RoadDirections: Sun Divers at Turtle Reef is next to the Tortuga Rum shop in West Bay, and just downstairs from the Cracked Conch by the Sea restaurant. Unfortunately it appears they don't have a web site yet!
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