What To Expect On A Babylon Liveaboard

Cayman Islands liveaboards to the iconic North Wall, where you will find a macro-lovers paradise and one of the most requested liveaboard dive sites in the Caribbean - Babylon Wall. This is one of Grand Cayman's more remote dive sites, located on the north wall between East End and Rum Point. This is an extremely photogenic site, with a breath-taking diversity of soft corals and sea fans that drape down from the walls like the exotic hanging garden of which the dive site is named. A dive here begins at 45 ft on a stunning open sand flat (keep an eye out for peacock flounders) before reaching the lip of the main wall. A sheer vertical drop-off slowly eases into a gentle cascade of plate coral before meeting the top of a stunning coral-carpeted pinnacle 100ft down. The huge pinnacle, bursting with marine life, measures more than 70ft across. Black corals spiral out from the dense brushes of deep water gorgonians, and a blanket of Giant Pink tip anemones sway to the gentle current. Large pelagic life is often encountered here, including bull sharks, hammerheads and eagle rays. Keep your eyes peeled for wonderfully-exquisite macro life for which this dive site is famed, including the wire coral shrimps, nimble spray crabs and diamond blennies to name just a few.

What You Can See

Without a doubt, a liveaboard to Babylon will provide one of the most photogenic dive sites in the Caribbean.  So named for its resemblance to the ancient hanging gardens of Babylon, soft corals and sea fans occur in a staggering diversity of species and colour that is just simply breath-taking. It is not only the corals that make this dive site so popular, but also the diversity of other marine life that can be encountered here. This is truly a dive site for the macro-lover, with tiny red clingfish, secretary and diamond blennies, wire coral shrimp and nimble spray crabs representing just a handful of the tiny wonders that a keen-eyed diver can encounter here. Hawksbill turtles, trumpet fish and shy puffers are also easily seen at this beautifully adorned site. However Babylon is not just exclusively for the macro beauties, oh no, large impressive pelagics such as Great Hammerhead and Bull Shark, are frequently seen cruising the deep nearby. While sand patches may seem bland to some, for the keen-eyed diver, the sandy plane before the wall offers the chance to uncover such exquisite macro finds as the peacock flounder and tiny garden eels. Whether a fan of walls, sandy planes or deep pinnacles, this diverse and glorious dive site offers something for every diver. As always, keep a good profile and be sure to watch your depth when exploring the pinnacle. Be mindful of where you place your fins so as not to impact any of the fragile corals that protrude far from the wall surface. It's always a good idea to pack a strobe or flashlight to take with you when exploring this site, so that you can fully appreciate the stunning array of colours in their full glory.

Getting to Babylon Wall

As one of the Cayman Islands' more remote and weather-dependant dive sites, Babylon Wall is best reached via a Cayman Islands liveaboard dive cruise. By joining a multi-day itinerary, you will have the chance to explore the most iconic and more remote dive areas that are otherwise inaccessible. Departing from the capital city George Town, you will sail the beautiful turquoise waters to visit all three of the Cayman Islands, and with weather permitting, indulge in unlimited diving at some of the most sought-after liveaboard dive sites found anywhere in the Caribbean.

George Town is the main airport city of the Cayman Islands and also the point of departure for liveaboards. There are daily international flights into the Owen Roberts International Airport which is served by several airlines. Taxis are available for transport to and from the airport.