Cayman Snorkeling Suits Every Taste

Cayman Islands: Perfect Year-Round

The Cayman Islands are an independent nation consisting of three islands, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman, and the biggest, Grand Cayman. Most travelers from the US arrive there via Miami or Jamaica, as the closest other nation is Cuba, where diplomatic relations are a little strained. Still, the trip is worth the trouble, as snorkeling in Cayman is nearly impossible to beat.

Part of this is due to the islands' particular geologic qualities. The three islands are actually the tops of mountain ridges whose main component of limestone. The porousness of limestone means that the islands actually lack rivers and streams. This is great news for Cayman's snorkelers, however, as the lack of run-off often means visibility well over 120 feet.

Cayman's underwater geography is as striking as it is above ground. In between Cayman and Jamaica lies the Cayman Trough, a bit much for most snorkelers at over four miles deep! Still, there are many thriving coral reefs near shore with striking walls and drop-offs, providing ample opportunity to spot fish.

Stingray City

Cayman snorkeling's crème de la crème is definitely Stingray City, recognized around the world as one of the top snorkeling sites. While you can swim with dolphins in pools in places like Puerto Vallarta, you can chill out underwater with actual stingrays in Cayman's Stingray City, located at a sandbar off the nations biggest island of Grand cayman.

Concerned about what you've heard about stingrays? Well, a little caution is always a good thing, but you'll breathe easier knowing that the majority of rays that requent the sandbar are tame, brushing by you or even bumping into you gently in order to be fed by hand. That's right, your very own hand-fed stingray.

When you're snorkeling, the Cayman rays will suck up the pieces of fish you offer them. In the spirit of keeping these friendly animals as safe as possible, please bring only items which are part of their natural diet! Squid works great, for example. This area is a vital part of the local Cayman economy, and with the creatures free to come and go as they please, you'll marvel at the perfect match between snorkeler and marine life.

Roughin' It Easy

There are a number of ways to snorkel. You can bring your own equipment (a wetsuit isn't necessary, but you may prefer to wear one anyway), or rent some from a company. These can usually be found in Cayman snorkeling tour packages, most of which you can reserve ahead of time on the Internet. With the warm waters, friendly rays, and miles of coral reef, Cayman snorkeling is where the action is.