Excellent conditions and unique terrain have made the seas around the Cayman Islands the domain of scuba divers . The underwater landscape is unique in the Caribbean region because of a massive trench (Cayman Trench) which plunges down some 25,000 feet. To scuba divers, diving this trench is akin to exploring the Grand Canyon. The walls of the trench explode with life - sea fans, barrel sponges and sea whips abound as does a plethora of marine creatures that crawl, hover and dart around the reefs. Given the popularity of the sport, dive operators and dive packages are abundant. If diving is your only quest, go directly to Little Cayman as conditions are more pristine.

There's a wide variety of dive shops on the islands. The following are just a few of the best.

GRAND CAYMAN

Don Foster's Seven Mile Beach tel 345/945-5132 or 1-800/83-DIVER.

Eden Rock South Church Street tel 345/949-7243.

Red Sail Sports Seven Mile Beach tel 345/945-5965 or 1-877/RED-SAIL.

Sunset Divers tel 345/949-7111 or 1-800/854-4767.

CAYMAN BRAC

Brac Aquatics South Side tel 345/948-1429 or 1-800/544-2722.

Reef Divers South Side tel 345/948-1642 or 1-800/327-3835.

LITTLE CAYMAN

Conch Club Divers Blossom Village tel 345/948-1026 or 1-800/327-3835.

Reef Divers Blossom Village tel 948-1033 or 1-800/328-3735.