Swim-through Dive Site Recommendations

[scoobajay]

My husband and I are fairly new divers as we have only been certified for about 4 years. We each have about 50 dives under our belts but of course we think we are pretty skilled . We've been diving mostly in Cozumel and recently fell in love with the dramatic swim-throughs at the Palancar Caves. We love the underwater world, big fish and small, but large coral reef structures are what really Wow us.

My question is, where are some other dive sites around the world that offer something similar to the Palancar Caves (I should mention we prefer tropical climates and warm waters)

Any input would be great!

 

[scuberd]

I admit that I have never been to the Palancar Caves, but here in Hawaii we have lots of swim throughs and lava tubes. Makaha caverns here on Oahu is a great one.

Cheers

 

[diversteve]

I haven't been to Palancar Caves either but I just watched a video...

Big Tunnels On Grand Cayman and Devils Grotto downtown. While parts of Big Tunnel are open, there's several areas where you are totally enclosed in coral for some distance. Big Tunnels Grand Cayman - YouTube
Nice thing about the Grotto is there's both open and closed sections. And it's 40' deep. Early summer months there's tens of thousands of silversides in there also. And tarpon feeding on them. Devil's Grotto, Grand Cayman - YouTube
They're also seen at Grouper Grotto on the East End. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCEXSKxpNBg
If you go, Ghost Mountain is worth a trip - more of a hole thru the wall than a swim-thru. Scuba Diving Grand Cayman Island: Ghost Mountain - YouTube
I think one of the Japanese Gardens sites on the south side is similar to Palancar Caves also - lots of overhang. But I've never been there. Also there's a site called the Maze nearby.

Pinnacles off Utila's north side also. You enter at 40' and come out at 125' on the wall. The Pinnacle Swim through - YouTube
Labrynth on the south side off the AI resorts also. Really good at night, lots of twisty passages.

Semi open swim-thru's (but still too narrow to access the surface in places) on Roatan are Spooky Channel and Mary's Place.
MSD Dive Roatan 2014 - Spooky Channel - YouTube
mary's place, roatan - YouTube

Also Bear's Den - starts about 8:30 on this video: Half Moon Bay Wall & Bear's Den SCUBA Diving - Roatan, Honduras - GoPro HD - YouTube

Sheraton Caverns off Kauai's south side also. Maybe the Cathedrals off Lanai as well, they're just not as lush. Usually accessed from Maui.

 

[scoobajay]

Thanks Scuberd! Oahu was one of the very first places we dove, but I was a chicken back then and would barely go to 40'

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2014 at 09:51 AM ----------

Thanks diversteve! The videos are beautiful...exactly what I'm talking about! It's amazing how many fish are out and about in the tunnels. At Palancar in Cozumel we were the only species swimming through them

Devil's Grotto looks amazing--Cayman has always been on our list so maybe that's the next spot to try!

 

[diversteve]

Devil's Grotto looks amazing--Cayman has always been on our list so maybe that's the next spot to try!

It's very seasonal - summer. (Late June? to August) And a somewhat shallow boring dive (Devil's Grotto) if they're not there.

Also try to work around the Cruiseship schedule if possible - the port is about 100 yds. away. Later afternoon is better as they're all heading back to their tenders. http://www.caymanport.com/shipschedules.php

 

[Scared Silly]

Nearly every dive site on Little Cayman's Bloody Bay Wall has a swim through of one type to another.

<rant>Most divers can not fin worth a damn going through swim throughs. As such, unless you are one of the first 3-4 divers through the water will be mucked up. In such cases when there are many opportunities over the course of a week of diving be nice and rotate who gets to be first.</rant>

 

[BDSC]

Another vote for Little Cayman. Nice swim throughs on almost every site.

 

[Okie Mike]

Palancar Bricks, Palancar Horseshoe, Palancar Gardens, Santa Rosa Wall, Devil's Throat, Paso Del Cedral. You were very unlucky to not see fish on Palancar. My favorite fish is the black-capped basslet that swims upside down oriented to the roof of the caves.