Grand Cayman or Maui?? New Northern California diver

[lthyen]

Thought I'd post and say hi! Am trying to decide whether to go to Grand Cayman or Maui for a week of diving the 3rd week of June. Cayman weather looks so-so, but I am concerned the Maui diving may not be as good. Any suggestions?

 

[cobaltbabe]

Welcome to our little piece of the net. Glad you found us.

 

[rad21]

Thought I'd post and say hi! Am trying to decide whether to go to Grand Cayman or Maui for a week of diving the 3rd week of June. Cayman weather looks so-so, but I am concerned the Maui diving may not be as good. Any suggestions?

I live in SoCal and have been to both destinations for diving. If you don't mind the flights to Houston or Miami or (???) to catch another flight to GC, then I would recommend GC. Hawaii is much easier for us left coasters to get to- it's usually a direct flight. I have had great dives in both places but I love the caribbean for the coral, fish life etc. For me, any warm water dive is a good dive....... Wherever you go, have a great time. With those 2 choices, you can't lose.

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy!

Welcome to SB!! :happywave Put us in your computer's favorites and check in often. This is a great place to learn, compare, argue Look around our various forums - everything from New-To-Scuba to Instructors-Only to Dive Medicine.

You might research both locales in the respective forums...

don

BTW - it would really help in future discussion if you'd complete your Profile. Click "User CP" upper left of this page, then go down to "Edit Profile."

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I love Maui, spent 6 1/2 weeks there last year, plan to spend much more time there next year. Maui won't dissapoint.

 

[charmygirl]

If you make the decision purely on diving, Grand Cayman wins hands down. So much variety of life and of types of dives. That being said, Maui is a wonderful place to dive. I have had great fun with Ed Robinson's (dive charters) and experienced a couple of "Oh, my God, I can die now" moments. Doing a night dive while listening to whales sing is a truly amazing experience.

As for Grand Cayman, I did my first 100' dive there with no problems or worries (or chills-they have no thermoclines.) I also did my first night dive there with no trepidation.

Either way, you win.

K.

 

[Pamdiv]

I've been to both and Grand Cayman is your best bet. The vis is better and the water is warmer. Much, much more to see down there. Topside Maui may have GC beat, but there's still a lot to do in GC.
There's been a lot of talk in these forums about how expensive GC is but it's been my experience that Maui is way more expensive. $75/85 for a 2-tank boat dive in GC compared to $125 average in Maui.
Continental flies to Georgetown from Houston and Delta from Atlanta, they'res not a bad flights, AA from Miami and that flight sucks.
I'm leaving next week for my annual two week GC trip, so wave to me.

 

[Damselfish]

I would say the diving is generally better on Gr Cayman (especially places other than the west end) and when diving in Hawaii I miss the color in the Carribean. On the other hand I tend to really remember individual dives on Maui (also with Ed Robinson's) - the one with just me and my husband and a couple of mantas inside Molokini, drifting the backside of Molokini, the dive with the giant turtles and the surprise shark, mmm. Big Island was a similar experience, sometimes not as much to see as in Carribean, but mixed with very memorable stuff, like the only time I've been in the water with whales.

Heck, do both.

 

[lthyen]

Wow! Thanks so much for all the advice! We are off to Grand Cayman, and have booked into the Cayman Diving Lodge (www.divelodge.com) which looks pretty nice. We'll let you know upon our return how it was, and share any of our photos!
. . . . of course, Maui will be in the future, based on the feedback to . . . !