Stingray City is a natural attraction off the North coast of Grand Cayman. It provides an unparalleled opportunity to swim with, and even touch stingrays in their natural habitat. Stingray City is also reputed to be the world’s best 12 foot diving spot.
Stingray City is not an artificial, enclosed sea experience - it’s natural and wild! The stingrays choose to be there and to be fed by humans.
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Stingray City is located in a shallow channel running through the coral reef at the mouth of North Sound. Southern Atlantic Stingrays congregate in this spot. Although in their natural habitat, and not penned in or behind glass, they are not afraid of humans. Over the years the Stingrays have grown used to human contact. Swimmers, snorkellers and scuba divers have the exciting prospect of feeding and interacting with them.
What’s more, on a trip to Stingray City, you can snorkel and dive among the coral reefs and colorful tropical fish.
And if you don’t want to dive, you don’t have to miss out. At the Sandbar site, stand in as little as 3 feet of water surrounded by dozens of Stingrays.
Stingray City is situated in the North Sound between West Bay and Rum Point. Most visitors use a water sports or dive operator to get there as the site is quite a way offshore. Organized tours are available, or you can charter a boat to sail or motor out to the site. Free dive for Conch and your boat captain may prepare delicious marinated conch while you sit and watch the rays.
The Stingray is a broad, flat fish with a slender tail which lives on the ocean bed. Its preferred habitat is a shallow bay with a sandy floor. Generally, the Stingray found in Cayman is the Southern Atlantic Ray. Other rays, such as the Eagle Ray and Manta Ray, are less common.
The stingray has a white underbelly and grey, brown or black upper. It has no distinct head; the eyes are on top of the body and the gills underneath. The wingspan of a large female can reach 6ft.
Stingrays take their name from the barbed spine at the base of their long, whip-like tail. They are not aggressive, and will flee from danger. When swimming they are not even able to aim their tails.
The area used to be a spot where fishermen cleaned their catch. In the calm area behind the reef they would clean and fillet the fish, flinging the waste into the sea. The site became a kind of gourmet heaven for the bottom-feeding stingrays attracted by the food. Over time they have become used to people. This has made them tame and unafraid of human contact.
Place a piece of bait - a piece of cut-up squid, for example - on the centre of your upturned palm. Extend your fingers forward, or even down, to flatten your palm, as you might when feeding a horse. The Stingray will ‘vacuum up’ the food.
