Dive Review of Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers/Paradise Villas in
Cayman Islands/Little Cayman

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Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers/Paradise Villas: "Always better but still the same", Jan, 2019, by John C Daly , VA, US ( 2 reports). Report 11380.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Little Cayman is home to Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Reef, and one of Philippe Cousteau's top three worldwide. The wall drops to 600 then 6000 ft. Nurse sharks are common and the bigger black tips occasionally cruise the depths. All the common Caribbean fish are here in numbers and many of the rarer ones can be found on most dives. Turtles abound and eagle rays common. The Caymans have no rivers so the viz is usually excellent, barring a storm and up-welling. 100+ ft. is the usual. Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers, runs a 42' Newton, The Sea-Esta, which was completely overhauled in the 2019 summer. Eight to ten divers is the norm, occasionally more, often fewer. Since it uses the Beach Resort pier it is the first boat out and has the choice of dive sites every day. They offer full instruction, and are the perfect operation for open water referrals. Best to let them know you are coming and what services you wish. [littlecaymandivers.com link] The top side of the wall sites offer areas shallow enough to accommodate all skill levels and macro photographers doing their thing. If the north side is blown out the south side also offers wall diving, although less dramatic, and a host of wonderful shallower sites. A fierce US east coast storm might shut the island down for a day or two in the winter. The Beach Resort runs up to five Newtons, two of which are new 46'. It is a good operation and well run. The clientele is generally dive shop groups and the boats are therefore often full. [littlecayman.com link] Southern Cross is an upscale fishing-diving resort with two 36’ Sea Hawk dive boats, also an excellent operation. If they have room they will accommodate walk-ins. [southerncrossclub.com link] Pirates Point runs one boat the Yellow Rose, a 42’ Newton, which departs mid-morning and returns mid-afternoon. The last I heard is that your dive is limited by your computer and available air. They also accept walk-ins space available. [piratespointresort.com link] Paradise Villas, our choice, is a small resort of six duplex villas on the sea, each with a kitchenette. The Hungry Iguana restaurant is on site as is Little Cayman Divers. The operation became part of the Dart Group three years ago, a major developer on Grand, and since then the pool has been replaced, the restaurant upgraded, the villa kitchens and baths completely renovated and the grounds improved. It is located next to the small airfield and a five minute walk to the small but well stocked grocery, liquor store, car rental and bank. The National Trust Center and Museum are three minute bike rides. [paradisevillas.com link] Note that everything arrives here by plane or barge so there is an added transportation cost. Food can be expensive. Savvy travelers pack a few frozen steaks in insulated bags in their neoprene. Locals day trip, buy on Grand at the airport Fosters or Kirkconnell market and return with their allotted 55 lbs. It is also possible to rent a condo at Conch Club or one of the several private residences now available. It is a small island with a permanent population of a hundred or so with four resorts, Southern Cross, Little Cayman Beach Resort, Pirate's Point, all three all-inclusive, and Paradise Villas which is a-la-carte. Point of Sand offers excellent snorkeling, a short car ride or long bike from the resorts. A half hour bike ride will take you from Southern Cross to Pirates Point, passing the Resort and Villas. About ten years ago we settled on Little and Brac as our go to destinations and spend the winter on these islands as well as a few weeks in July. Not a lot to do for kids or non divers but perfect to chill out in a hammock by the sea and read, with superb diving away from crowds and noise if that's what you want.
Websites	Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Div... Paradise Villas
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Keys, Potomac, Cozumel, Bonaire, Maui, Hawaii, Sharm, Tenerife, St. Thomas, Saba, Dominica, Tobago, St Lucia, Jamaica, Grenada, Montserrat, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac.
Closest Airport	Edward Bodden Airfield	Getting There	From Grand Cayman it is a 40 minute flight on Cayman Air Express on a Dash 6 Otter
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	78-85°F / 26-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-110 Ft/ 18-34 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	You are able to lead your own dive or go with a dive master with max time and depth stipulated
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	All the boats have camera tables and fresh water for a rinse and the Beach Resort has dedicated camera tanks for a good soak while you are rinsing and stowing gear.

Subscriber's Comments

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Dec 30, 2019 20:07 EST

Do Marc and Sabine still run the villas?

By report author: John C Daly in VA, US at Dec 30, 2019 20:21 EST

The Dart Group wise enough to keep them on and the place is going strong. We head there this week.

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Dec 30, 2019 20:41 EST

Dove with them when they were stil Paradise Divers and many more years after that. They are great.

By report author: John C Daly in VA, US at Jan 19, 2020 17:44 EST

Hello Michael, We are at PV now and Marc says hello. Marc Pothier <pvillas@candw.ky>

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Jan 20, 2020 08:16 EST

Thanks John, Glad Marc is still remembers. I keep Sabine and Marc's email addresses. Too many years with them, a lot of good memories. www.redberryphoto.com/Underwater/Ann-Walther/i-sc6xc8q/A How is diving?

By report author: John C Daly in VA, US at Jan 20, 2020 12:52 EST

Thanks for that file. Good to visit with Ann again. We dove Ann's Attic last week and I scrunged the memorial plaque. It has been windy here and we missed as many days as we dove but today everything is back to normal and we dove Randy's and Busch Gardens. Lovely with great critters. I'll post a photo in the UC review of a Reef Diver's boat sampling the cut last week.

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Jan 20, 2020 15:29 EST

Oh yes, I forgot about the “cut”.

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Jan 20, 2020 15:29 EST

Oh yes, I forgot about the “cut”.

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Jan 20, 2020 15:29 EST

Oh yes, I forgot about the “cut”.

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Jan 20, 2020 15:30 EST

Use contact on my site

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Dive Review of Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers/Paradise Villas in Cayman Islands/Little Cayman

Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers/Paradise Villas: "Always better but still the same", Jan, 2019,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Little Cayman Divers, formerly Conch Club Divers/Paradise Villas in
Cayman Islands/Little Cayman