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Friendly stingrays in Grand Cayman started attracting tourists in 1987, and now, these flat, shiny sea predators with whip-like tails are the island’s top tourist attraction. Several businesses and tours were eventually established around the area to accommodate the growing number of tourists curious about the tame but weird marine life forms. Since Skin Diver magazine named the spot Stingray City, trips to the spot has never stopped.
What to Expect in Stingray City
As soon as your boat glides into the site, you will probably see other boats anchored on the sandbank. You get off your boat and join about a hundred tourists wading in the clear blue water, feeding the rays with squid. In a matter of a few seconds, you will see black shadows on the sand. These are shadows of the hungry rays excited to gobble up the squid. They will swim around you, caress you with their tails and kiss you with their mouth and body.
As expected, guests who visit Stingray City for the first time are curious about why these stingrays are so sociable and warm. You can ask anyone any resident in Grand Cayman and they will all tell you that it’s accidental. Old fishermen used to clean their catch and throw fish entrails overboard, attracting swarms of stingrays to the area. Today, around 70 tame rays play around Stingray City, attracting marine zoologists, local divers and vacationers alike.
How to Have Fun in Stingray City
Everyone can enjoy Stingray City, even children and those that do not know how to swim. Divers can go underwater and get a close-up look at the tame sea creatures while snorkelers can have the perfect view from the surface because the water is just three to five feet in depth. For those who are not comfortable with either diving or snorkeling, you can always ride a glassbottom boat.
The best thing about going on a glassbottom boat ride to watch the famous stingrays of Grand Cayman is that you’ll never get wet and you can chat with your friends and family while witnessing these fascinating sea creatures. You can clearly sea the rays by looking through the boat’s clear glass port. Glassbottom boat rides are recommended for tourists who are traveling with children. If you have kids below 3 years of age, they will not be charged with admission fees. The ride costs $30 if you are not going to rent snorkeling gear and $40 if you are planning to feed the rays with your own hands.
A Quick Guide to Stingray City Trips
A lot of hotels and dive operators bundle in visits to Stingray City in their packages. Trip operators include Abanks Diving, Ambassador Divers, Aqua Adventures, Aquanauts Diving, Divers Down, Dive Tech, Ocean Frontiers and Peter Milburn’s Dive Cayman. You also have the option to charter private trips to Stingray City. There are a number of Stingray City private charter tour operators to choose from, some of which we highly recommend.
Captain Marvin's – Captain Marvin’s is the original operator of snorkel trips to Stingray City. You can book a short, a half-day or a full-day excursion. Short excursion includes a trip to Stingray City and Coral Gardens or Barrier Reef. If you want all three, you can book a half-day excursion. If you want food to be included in the package, you should avail that full-day trip. Captain Marvin’s offers discounts to guests who book early so reserve a slot now and save more on your Caribbean vacation.
Captain Charles Watersports – You are getting only the best deal if you book with Captain Chales Watersports. You can reserve a small group tour to Stingray City for only USD $39.99/person, inclusive of fruit punch, water, equipment, free transportation and trips to three snorkeling sites: Stingray City, Barrier Reef and Coral Gardens. At Captain Charles Watersports, you get this affordable package, plus the service of professional and accommodating staff.
Moby Dick Tours – You can read reviews and hear stories of friends who had been to the Cayman Islands and you will discover that the best Stingray City trip has to be booked with Moby Dick Tours.
You will be greeted by a member of the Moby Dick staff at the terminal before taking you to a 25-minute boat ride to Stingray City. The boat has a toilet and a changing room for your convenience. For a morning through afternoon cruise, adults are charged USD $40 per person, and USD $35 per child.
Stingray Sailing – Your Stingray City trip with Stingray City will be done on Far Tortuga, a 20-feet wide and 43-feet long catamaran. With Stingray Sailing, you will not have problems sharing the boat with too many people because Far Tortuga is incredibly spacious, and the management allows only a maximum of 25 people in the catamaran. For only USD $45.00/person 13 years and older and USD $35.00/person 12 and younger, you get a snorkeling gear, a trip to Stingray City and the Barrier Reef and a roundtrip transportation from Seven Mile Beach or George Town.
Trips to Stingray City are popular all over the Caribbean because this is the only place in the world where you can feed and play with stingrays. It’s natural to think twice about going to Stingray City. After all, these sea creatures look dangerous. But try booking a Stingray City tour with our recommended operators and let these tame stingrays prove you wrong. Stingray City, which promotes a unique kind of human-animal interaction, is guaranteed to take your breath away.
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