Compare diving Cozumel to Cayman?

[master_diver_UJ]

I would say at most times the clarity can be greater in Coz, but if you hit it right the clarity of the water right, Cayman can top Coz. Both have good looking coral, but I think Cayman will beat Coz with its colorful sponges. On the Brac and Little Cayman there is usually a better chance to see a shark than Coz. The walls at all three Cayman Islands are terrific, the walls in Coz cannot match. Maybe a bit more fish life in Coz. Coz has drift diving, Cayman has little of drift diving.

My wife would say in Cayman you can eat the food and drink the water with no problem while Coz has its problems. The towns are not alike, there is begging going on in Coz., at Cayman there is none that I've ever seen. The Caymanians are quite industrious. There is little poverty in the Caymans, no so in Coz.

The water does tend to be less stirred up in Cozumel netting you better visibility. And there's the fact that most Cozumel diving is drift diving.

But, I believe Grand Cayman offers more options underwater and more to see with her wrecks & walls.

Hands down - Cayman is a better/safer place to stay, eat, drink, & be entertained.

John

 

[Doctorfish]

I do not agree with DiverLS and the "cattleboat" comment. There are a number of west side operators who limit group size on their boats to 8 or less. Wall to Wall, Off the Wall, Living the Dream and Dive and Stuff to name a few; there are others as well but I have no direct personal experience with them. The operators I have listed all provide small group, personalized service and allow long profiles with or without a guide on the dive. ( provided you aren't a turkey diver )They are also owner/operators so they care about their clients and try to devlelop long term relationships.

As far as drift vs. moored diving, I feel much more constrained on a drift because of the need to stay together on the dive and surface together when the worst air hog in the group runs short. I much prefer to go at my own pace with my buddy dive our own individualized profile and come back to the mooring when we wish.

These west side operators also go north, weather permitting. I would not avoid GC because of concerns about cattle boat operators, it's easy to avoid them.

I think Aggiediver summed up GC vs. the sister islands very well. There is good diving to be had on GC going north or east but not comparable to LC.

 

[ronkoplus]

We dove Cozumel a year ago, and five years before that. We've dove GC three times over 6 years.(A week each time.) The previous posts make some good points with comparisons. Staying on Seven Mile Beach, GC, would be like staying in San Miguel in terms of traffic and city surroundings. If you don't need night life and don't mind traveling around to do exploring, I would highly recommend Compass Point Resort/Ocean Frontiers on the East End. I don't think anyone has had an unsatisfactory dive or condo experience with them. Plus, the walls, terrain, swimthroughs, coral and marine life are beautiful.

 

[Insta-Gator]

The water does tend to be less stirred up in Cozumel netting you better visibility. And there's the fact that most Cozumel diving is drift diving.

But, I believe Grand Cayman offers more options underwater and more to see with her wrecks & walls.

Hands down - Cayman is a better/safer place to stay, eat, drink, & be entertained.

John

+1 for the Cayman Islands, especially for a family vacation. I would move there in a NY second.

 

[master_diver_UJ]

+1 for the Cayman Islands, especially for a family vacation. I would move there in a NY second.

Funny you should mention living there. Last weekend, my dive buddy and our families were just discussing buying a condo there. If we could get 12 families together, and each pitched in $400k, we'd have $4.8m to buy a beachfront condo.

My wife and I own a condo in Sarasota on a golf course that we rarely use - it's more of a tax write off than a home. If I had a condo on Grand Cayman - now that I'd use !!! I'm with you - I'd move there in a NY minute !

John

 

[Insta-Gator]

Funny you should mention living there. Last weekend, my dive buddy and our families were just discussing buying a condo there. If we could get 12 families together, and each pitched in $400k, we'd have $4.8m to buy a beachfront condo.

My wife and I own a condo in Sarasota on a golf course that we rarely use - it's more of a tax write off than a home. If I had a condo on Grand Cayman - now that I'd use !!! I'm with you - I'd move there in a NY minute !

John

We purchased a timeshare week (2 bedroom, 2 bath) at 7 Mile Beach & Resort about 15 years ago. I guess you could say I do live there (but only one week a year ) If you know you want to go there repeatedly, the timeshare was cheaper than paying by the day at most of the resorts for similar accommodations.

 

[Wolfie]

OK, just got back last night and ya I'd buy too.... But you were asking about operators. Talk to Jim at Seasports. 6 divers, is fantastic with making sure everyone has a great dive and takes great care of your gear. Stay around SMB and get a car so you can explore above the water as well. There is no reason to be stuck in the hotel. And for an afternoon or night dive go to Turtle Reef off the Cracked Conch (which is a restaurant/bar for after that dive:0)

 

[EastEndDiver]

I have owned a Beachfront condo (Turtle Nest Condos) on island for 4 years now.Only problem is that I don't get down there enough but it is rented out most of the time.

 

[discokat]

The dive shop I used last month or so at Coz didn't make the whole group go up when the first person ran low. Only if you wanted to. Also you can rent a car there for under $60 a week.

How is the marine life in Caymans compared to Cozumel? My wife and I are juggling the idea of going there.

 

[War Eagle Diver]

+1 for Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point. Just went in April and Ocean Frontiers is an absolutely unbeatable operator. Very professional, very fun and safe, and we had the same divers pretty well every day so we really got to know a lot of the people who dove with us for the week which was an added bonus. Compass point as a resort was nice but not overly nice (beds weren't very comfortable at all and were full size). However, I would probably stay there again or somewhere else on the East End. But I would definitely use OF again. Highly, highly recommended operator.

And as for the diving in GC we absolutely loved it. I have not been to Coz, but have been to the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and Turks and Caicos and GC was by far our favorite thus far. The swimthroughs alone make it a worthwhile trip! Good luck choosing!!