Stingray City

Visiting Stingray City is only possible by guided tour and all groups are accompanied by trained professionals to ensure both the safety of participants and the preservation of the natural environment. Tours to Stingray City are often combined with other island attractions such as the Coral Garden and Starfish Beach, or activities like snorkeling, catamaran cruises, glass-bottom boat tours, and jet skiing. Most tours include hotel pickup and round-trip transport.

• Pack your swimsuit, towel, sunscreen (shade is limited), and an underwater camera—snorkeling equipment is provided and photos will be available to purchase.

• Guests can choose to swim, snorkel, scuba dive, or take a glass-bottomed boat tour.

• All interaction with the stingrays takes place under supervision of trained professionals who first safely demonstrate how best to avoid the stingrays’ sharp, coated tail barbs and safely pet their sandpapery skin.

• Tours take place in shallow waters and life jackets are available for non-swimmers.

• Visitors should avoid using tanning oils, which is toxic to the rays.

Stingray City is located on a natural offshore sandbar between Morgan Harbor and Rum Point in the North Sound area of Grand Cayman. Most tours include hotel pickup or transfers from accommodations in the George Town and Seven Mile Beach areas, followed by a 20-minute boat cruise out to the sandbar.

With area waters at 70°F (21­°C) nearly year round, Stingray City is open daily and tours take place several times daily. To avoid the crowds, opt for an early morning time slot before the cruise ships dock or a late afternoon tour after the larger tour groups have left.

The fenceless swimming areas at Stingray City allow wild stingrays to come and go as they please, but the rays are accustomed to human presence and often arrive in large numbers when they hear boats arrive. Tour participants may have the opportunity to feed, touch, and interact with the wild stingrays under supervision, but instruction will be provided to ensure you stay safe and do not disturb the rays’ natural habitat or offer inappropriate foods.

Stingray City is an area in the Cayman Islands where you can swim, feed, and interact with southern stingrays. It includes a shallow sandbar called Stingray Sandbar and a deeper section known as Valley of the Rays. Stingray City is located in North Sound, off Grand Cayman’s north coast.

The only way to visit Stingray City is as part of a guided boat tour. Guided tours typically provide snorkeling and scuba diving equipment and a guide to provide safety instruction and oversight. They often offer hotel pickup and transfers from the major tourist areas of Grand Cayman.

Yes, it is safe to swim with stingrays at Stingray City, as long as you follow the safety instructions provided by your guide. Although the stingrays here are docile, they are still wild animals. Do not startle or harass any stingrays, watch where you step, and treat them with respect.

The best time of the year to visit Stingray City is during the dry season between November and April. The weather will be at its most pleasant, with sunny days, calm waters, and clear visibility. Visit early in the day or later in the evening to avoid the crowds.

No, there are no age or skill level restrictions for visiting Stingray City. The water level at the sandbar is only a few feet, and life jackets are provided for visitors who are not comfortable swimming. Parents should keep an eye on their children and their potential interactions with stingrays.

Upon arriving at Stingray City, the guide will present a safety briefing on how to feed stingrays, pet them, and safely walk around with them in the water. Most tours provide food for the stingrays, and you can swim, snorkel, touch, and even hold the stingrays if you like.