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Dive Review of Divi Dive/Divi Tiara in
Cayman Islands/Cayman Brac

Divi Dive/Divi Tiara, Feb, 2006,

by Peter Grant, Ontario, Canada . Report 2303.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 2 stars Food 2 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments If you're planning a trip to "The Brac" make sure to book your diving with your accommodations. I've dove with both Tiara Divers and Brac Reef Divers. They are both excellent "valet" style diving operators, so you can't go wrong. On our first trip I assumed that I would be able to purchase a dive package upon my arrival. This is not the case at Reef Divers so on our second trip I pre-booked my diving with Tiara Divers and it was considerable less expensive. One difference between the two operations is that Reef Divers boats are equipped with a “head” and Tiara Divers boats are not.

If you get a chance, do go to Little Cayman. It’s rated one of the top 10 wall dives in the world for a good reason. Not all parts of Bloody Bay Wall are created equal however. The first time we went it was simply amazing. The wall is so vertical that it’s disorienting. On the second trip we went to a different area which, although it was still good diving, the visibility was low and the wall was really no better than the walls on Brac. Don’t be discouraged by my comments – it’s still well worth taking the trip. It only adds about an hour to your diving day.

If you want to see turtles, Brac is definitely the place to dive. We saw turtles on at least every other dive. If you’re not having much luck finding eagle rays, southern rays or nurse sharks, the place to find them is in the lagoon in front of the hotel. We snorkeled the shallow lagoon in front of the Divi and saw all of the above plus an octopus. The lagoon is only about 7’ deep in most places. Be sure to snorkel from south to north with the current for an easier time. When we stayed at the Brac Reef, we also saw lots of interesting creatures when we kayaked in front of the hotel.

We stayed in an Ocean View room and the accommodations at the Divi Tiara were alright (nothing fancy but adequate). The breakfasts were good but for the most part the suppers were pretty basic. We ate lunch at the bar every day. The bar menu was good and the bartenders Annie and Jen always had a smile and a cold drink for us.

The food at the Brac Reef was far superior. We ate there the majority of the time. Also, the dining room closes at the Divi when all of the people on the meal plan are fed even though the sign says that they are open until 9:30 pm. We found this out the hard way. The cook refused to feed us when we arrived at 8:50 pm for supper. One of the servers took pity on us and made us a couple of sandwiches.

There’s not a ton of things to do topside on “The Brac”. I would recommend touring the island by rental car or scooter (if you’re brave). The driving is on the left (aka British style) but the traffic is very light so it’s not too hazardous. The caves are interesting but I would recommend skipping the “light house” as it is nothing spectacular (picture a channel marker that is on a cliff).

All-in-all “the Brac” is a fantastic place to go if you’re a diver or you can get into some intense relaxation on a beautiful island.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, Provo, Florida, St. Marten, Aruba, Curacao
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm, noCurrents
Water Temp 79-81°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions The recommended depth was 110'. The enforced depth was 130' but there wasn't much in the way of checking.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 4 stars
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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