Advice for diving Stingray City in Cayman Islands

When people talk about Stingray City, it's not always clear which site they visit as there are two places with natural interactions between humans and the famous conditioned stingrays of Grand Cayman.

First there is Stingray City, accessible for divers. You can be brought here by several dive operators on different days. You enter the water with dive gear (tanks, masks, fins, regulator, BCD) and some guides. They will put on a spectacle for you feeding the rays while your group will sit by and watch in a circle.

The stingrays are fed with squid and if you want to try this, you can. Hold the squid firm in the middle when you make a fist, thumb in. The stingrays will swirl around you trying to suck the squid out of your hand, so don't be surprised if you end up with a hickey.

Most of the dive groups also get a visit from 'Psycho' the green moray eel. If you rather keep him at a distance: don't handle squid.

The second place for interaction is more shallow and is perfect for a family trip: young and old can enjoy the rays at the Sandbar. Catamaran cruises (holding up to 50 people), luxury yachts, private more intimate boats, dawn, breakfast, noon, afternoon, there's a specific trip for every wish and you can find all information online. At the Sandbar you're free to shuffle around wherever the action is. Since the stingrays are everywhere you have to watch your step, that's why you have to practice the 'Stingray shuffle'. No need to sit down and watch, just enjoy the freedom of swimming between and next to these beautiful and elegant animals.

Stingray City and the Sandbar are located in the North Sound and are a play ball to the weather conditions. Flat calm seas are rare in the Cayman Islands, except on hot summer days so you better be prepared and take some sea sickness medication if you are prone to it. That way you can fully enjoy one of my favorite dive/snorkel sites in paradise!

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