Cayman Islands Voted Top Scuba Diving Destination in the Caribbean, the Atlantic

The accolade comes from readers of Scuba Diving magazine who voted the island as their favorite spot in the region.

The Cayman Islands featured heavily in the magazine’s 2014 gold list – a reader compilation of their favorite dive-related spots in the world.

Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall was picked as one of the world’s top wall dives, while Ocean Frontiers in the East End and Sunset House, near George Town, were chosen among the best dive operators and best dive resorts.

The USS Kittiwake was also rated as one of the top wreck dives in the world. The recognition caps a great week for tourism in Cayman.  

Both the Caribbean Club and the Cotton Tree were recognized as being among the region’s top hotels in the Trip Advisor 2014 awards – again based on reader votes.

Steve Broadbelt of Ocean Frontiers said Cayman’s diving was up there with the world’s best. He said the National Conservation Law and moves to expand marine parks would help the islands remain a favorite destination.

“Our reefs can compete on the highest levels, but if our resources are not protected and managed, we will end up like every other destination in the region, relying on only blue skies and sunshine to attract tourists, not exactly a rare commodity in the Caribbean,” he said.

Keith Sahm, general manager of Sunset House, said the accolade was recognition for the hard work of all the staff at the resort.

Rod McDowell, operations manager at Red Sail Sports, added, “I think that the overall quality of our diving in Cayman is hard to beat. It’s not just the variety of Cayman’s diving, but the quality of the reefs, the clarity of the water, the ease of diving here and the comfort level for our guests.”

Cayman’s accolades in Scuba Diving magazine’s gold list include Best Wreck Dive: USS Kittiwake, Grand Cayman; Best Wall Dive: Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman; Best Dive Resort: Sunset House, Grand Cayman; Best Dive Operation: Ocean Frontiers, Grand Cayman; Best Bar: My Bar, Sunset House, Grand Cayman; Best Beach: Seven Mile Beach.