For me, Stingray City is an absolute must if you go to Grand Cayman. It is a city but instead of people, this city is filled with stingrays! Located a couple of miles off the coast of north Grand Cayman, Stingray City is the number one attraction on the island.
What is a typical experience with Stingray City? Everybody most go to a northern dock on the island and then take a boat that could take anywhere from a 15 to 45 minutes. If you don’t like bobbing up and down in a tiny boat or get motion sickness easily this excursion may bother you but I still think it’s worth it. There is a chance it may rain on the trip for short time and get rough on the water as well but usually comes and goes quick (happened to me once).
At Stingray City
After the boat ride, your boat docks near the stingrays in a shallow bar that feels like it’s in the middle of the ocean. The water is crystal blue and there is no mistaking finding the beautiful coral and sand. And then you can see little grey blobs swimming swiftly in the ocean! These are the Stingrays and they know everyday to come to this place since the boats feed them. It has been said that this started because this is where boats use to dump fish and seafood guts and so the stingrays got use to it and have come back to the shallow sandbar ever since.
So there is no better way to experience the stingrays then by just jumping in. After you get in it’s best to just stand and walk slowly to make sure you don’t step on one of the stingrays. There is no reason to be afraid and to my knowledge nobody has been hurt or killed by one of the stingrays. But they do have large stingers and so it’s best to at least take some precaution.
After you’re in the stingrays will come up to your leg and skim it. For me this was the weirdest part because you don’t always expect them and sometimes they come from behind. Their skin is very slick and slimy, so don’t be surprised if you let out a couple of unexpected screams. The part that freaks people out the most is when the tour guides let out a bucket of food and the stingrays all come rushing to eat. If you’re in the vicinity just stay calm and slowly move away if you’re uncomfortable with it.
Most of the tour guides will let you take a picture with a stingray spitting from its mouth. It’s a great shot and a bit freaky because they will put the stingray wings on your back and then you will get a full view of its mouth. Their faces look like they are smiling and their mouths are quite powerful suckers. So they will make the stingray spit some water and then you get an awesome picture.
After Stingray City there is also the option to snorkel but you must ask your tour group if this is offered because it’s usually more. The tour group should give you fins and snorkel gear and then they will bring you to some of the best parts of Grand Cayman to snorkel which is not far from Stingray City. You usually get a set amount of time. Also look into if your tour guide sets up lunch for you. If they don’t then you should buy some food before because being out in the sun, water and snorkeling does suck energy out of you.
How to get to Stingray City
Most people come by cruise and it’s very easy to get to Stingray City from the docks. Over the years I’ve been to Grand Cayman 4 or 5 times and each time I go it’s always been on a cruise. However, if you’re coming by air, Grand Cayman is very small and the city is very easy to navigate. The only downside is that taxis are expensive on the island but is set by a government price.
What I recommend you do is to hire a package tour that are just outside the dock gates because they are cheaper than what your cruise will set for you. If you’re staying at a hotel than I’m almost positive it will be cheaper to get a tour from just outside the cruise docks. It’s really not that hard because as you leave the gates there are tour guides lining up to offer deals which usually include a boat ride to Stingray City, shuttle services and scuba rentals if you want to do that also.
There is no need to be intimidated by the people offering these tours. Of course there is a potential chance you may get scammed but in my experience it’s never happened to somebody I know and I personally have never been. There is also the potential to haggle prices which is something you wouldn’t get to do with a cruise or a hotel. Look for tours that include snorkeling and food if you want those extras. That way you won’t have to worry about bringing your own food. Also the tours will typically bring you right back to the docks and it will be easy to explore Georgetown or get back on your cruise or go back to your hotel.
Overall
Stingray City is a unique tourist destination that can only be done in Grand Cayman as far as I know. Plus it’s great for everybody including kids and it’s usually not that expensive. If you’re traveling to Grand Cayman for the first time, I would put this destination on the top of my list. I must warn travelers who come by cruises, there is the potential your cruise may not get to dock in Grand Cayman due to weather or rough seas since you have to tender into the dock. That’s why I really don’t recommend booking the Stingray City excursion with the cruise group but rather wait until on land or book on-line before hand. If you do book online make sure you could get a refund if necessary. This is a great half day tour and you should still have time to explore Georgetown afterwards which is really not that big! Have fun with some of the most unusual animals in the world in one of the prettiest islands in the Caribbean.
