Queens Monument Snorkeling

On the east end of Grand Cayman, the snorkelling at Queens Monument is known for really nice scattered coral heads that are pretty healthy. Also known as Babylon Reef or Candy Coconut or Connoly’s Cove, this shore accessed snorkeling dive is in water from 5 to 20 feet deep and is best experienced at slack high tide since entry is shallow. Close to shore, there is dense sea grass which isn’t too interesting. About 400-600 feet offshore, there is a wall that drops deeply. The area is slightly protected by a barrier reef from surf and current but it is still best on calm surf days. During Queens Monument snorkeling, you may encounter sergeant majors, trunkfish, bar jacks, Southern Stingrays, yellow stingrays, sea turtles, wrasse, and blue tangs among the sea fans. Since the access point is pretty shallow, the best time of day for snorkeling Queens Monument is about 30 minutes before high tide.

The access point is located 0.25 miles to the west of the actual Queens Monument on the road. There seems to be a gated parking area right at this dive spot which is usually locked. There is roadside parking adjacent to the fence for 2 cars and make sure not to block the gate.

After a long day of snorkeling at Queens Monument, you might want to grab a cool, refreshing drink at the Over The Edge cafe in Old Man Bay.

To reach the snorkeling on Grand Cayman Island by air, you will fly into the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM). There are regular flights from Houston, Dallas and Miami. Once on Grand Cayman Island, the snorkeling dive sites are easily accessed by renting either a scooter or jeep, both of which are common means of transportation on the island. There is also a public bus that covers most regions of the island. When departing the Cayman Islands, there is a departure tax of $37.50USD. This tax may be included in the airline ticket, but you will want to verify in advance.

The Queens Monument snorkeling dive site is located on the East End of the island. It is south of the Rum Point dive site on Old Robin Road about 1.25 miles from Frank Sound Road. It is also located about 4.6 miles to the west of the Reef Resort. This dive site is also west of the nearby the Barefoot Beach dive spot.

Overall, Queens Monument is the 15th most popular snorkel dive spot of all 24 snorkeling dives in Grand Cayman. Several of the better snorkeling spots are nearby Queens Monument including South Channel Garden, Sunrise-Noon-Sunset, Barefoot Beach, Anchor Point and Morritts - Reef Resort.