Charters

 StingRay Tours

Stingray City & Stingray Sandbar Parks

One of the most famous attractions in Grand Cayman, our Stingray Parks are home to approximately 90 Southern Stingrays. These wild, gentle and graceful creatures roam free in the North Sound, a 35 square mile area of ocean protected by the reef. Even the most seasoned traveler will be enchanted by these beautiful animals a visit with our Stingrays is an absolute “must-do” for any visitor to Cayman and is often described as the experience of a lifetime. There are in fact two separate sites: Stingray City lies in 12 feet of water, so is ideal for snorkelers and is one of the best snorkel sites in the world. Stingray Sandbar is just 2-4 feet deep – with powder-white sand and perfectly clear water, so even non-swimmers can safely stand in the shallow water, surrounded by the friendliest Southern Stingrays you will ever encounter. The sandbar is suitable for all ages and offers great photo opportunities and memories

Some quick tips when interacting with the Stingrays

When you get to Stingray City our crew will explain how to interact with the rays and put you at ease.   The rays love to be petted and you will even get the chance to feed them their favourite meal: squid.   After the rays get a whiff of the squid and swim towards you, it can feel intimidating, but as they vacuum it off your hand (remember to keep your thumbs tucked in) you’ll fall in love with this amazing experience and will not want to leave the water!   You may even be tempted to give your favourite stingray a kiss – they say if you do, you will be rewarded with seven years of good luck!

 Snorkeling Tour

Grand Cayman offers as much entertainment below water as it does above!  There’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the Island’s waters from below. We offer half-day to full-day private charters and can cover a selection of snorkel sites in proximity of each other either in the North Sound or on Seven Mile Beach.  We have listed a few that we feel are some of the best Cayman has to offer. 

Snorkeling in Grand Cayman is a fun and active activity.  We provide snorkel gear to all guests.

North Sound

A magnificent reef shelters the snorkel areas in the North Sound, making it a great place to snorkel in calm, clear water. 

Coral Gardens

Coral Gardens is a famous snorkel spot located near Stingray City in the North Sound.  Coral Gardens has a large variety of tropical fish.  The water is about 10 feet deep, crystal blue and the perfect temperature. Therefore, it is possible to easily view all the different fish species and not be worried about the temperature of the water.

At Coral Gardens you can expect to see large coral heads. The large grouping of different clusters of coral, attracts large populations of tropical fish. There are many different species of parrot fish, jacks, snappers and other fish.  Occasionally, you may be able to spot a large turtle, eagle ray, an eel or barracuda. However, these fish are not as common compared to the other tropical fish you may see there. Southern stingrays frequently swim through Coral Gardens because it is located near the Sand Bar where all the stingrays live.

Seeing stingrays gracefully glide through Coral Gardens is spectacular and they very often bury themselves under the sand to rest and sleep.

Barrier Reef

Barrier Reef is a snorkel spot near Stingray City in Grand Cayman.  Barrier Reef has a large variety of tropical fish.  The water is crystal blue and the perfect temperature.   Therefore, it is possible to easily view all the different fish species and not be worried about the temperature of the water.

Explore some of Cayman’s magnificent underwater marine life such as cool coral formations, sea-fans and sponges surrounded by colorful teaming tropical fish.  There are many different species of parrot fish, jacks, snappers and other fish.  Occasionally, you may be able to spot a large turtle, eagle ray, an eel or barracuda. However, these fish are not as common compared to the other tropical fish you may see there. Southern stingrays frequently swim through Barrier Reef because it is located near the Sand Bar where all the stingrays live.

Starfish Point

This beautiful beach is truly paradise and truly an amazing natural wonder.   Starfish Point is a protected beach and is speckled with starfish.   The shallow crystal-clear water and position of the beach are primary reasons for the high amount of starfish found here. The water is only about knee-deep so you can see the starfish from the surface. Starfish are found all over the Cayman Islands, but Starfish Point has an abnormally high concentration of them. Starfish Point Beach is located on Water Cay Road, Grand Cayman. It is located near Rum Point and Kaibo Beach on the northern side of Grand Cayman. The location guarantees you an amazing time.

Red Cushion Sea Stars

You will see primarily Red Cushion Sea Stars at Starfish Point. The Red Cushion Sea Star is found in calm, shallow, subtropical and tropical water and is most common in the shallow waters in the Caribbean. This sea star is normally located in soft sand, shallow reefs, mangroves or lagoons. The Red Cushion Sea Star is the largest sea star found within its range. It usually has five thick arms which radiate, but some specimens have four, six or seven. The sea stars body is covered by a hard-outer shell.  The color of adult sea stars is some shade of red, orange or yellow. The juveniles are greenish-brown.

Please keep in mind if starfish are out of the water, even for a short time, it can cause them injury or result in their death.  The water is shallow at Starfish Point.   You don’t have to lift the starfish out of the water to take photographs of them.  Please do not take starfish out of the water. There is even a fine if you do so, lifting starfish out of the water is illegal. There is a law to protect starfish in their natural environment.  We must protect nature and preserve ocean life for us all to enjoy.

Bioluminescent Bay

This is by far the most unique snorkeling experience in the Cayman Islands, if not the world.   Observe thousands of bright sparkles while watching from the comfort of the tender or if you are brave enough, in the water where you can see thousands of bright sparkles underwater.   Bioluminescence is caused by millions of single-celled plankton called dinoflagellates that give off light when disturbed in the water at night.  The bay is approximately 4 feet deep and is calm with no currents or waves.  The best time to do this tour is after sunset.  It operates year-round, but only for about 2 weeks each month, due to the moon cycle. The vessel used for this trip is Mojito Magic which has a max capacity of 10 people.

The Bio Bay (Bioluminescent Bay) is a man-made bay which was dredged out over 30 years ago as part of a development.  The physical structure of the Bio Bay traps the dinoflagellate plankton, which is why there is such a high concentration of these plankton in the bay.  The visibility of the bioluminescence is always fluctuating which is affected by the tide levels and weather.

Seven Mile Beach / George Town

Kittiwake (approved licence CITA)

Sitting in just 60ft of water, the Kittiwake shipwreck is one of Cayman’s most impressive snorkel sites as it is so near to the surface.   It was sunk in 2011 and is now home to an large quantity of marine life which makes this a unique snorkel experience.

The Kittiwake Grand Cayman is 251 feet long and has a beam of 42 feet. It is rare to be able to see such a large shipwreck, let alone one in is such crystal-clear water, the visibility is truly amazing.

There is a large assortment of fish that inhabit this wreck.   Schools of jacks patrol the perimeter. Eels hide in the interior sections and sometime you maybe lucky enough to see a nurse shark.

A bit of history about The Kittiwake ~ it was originally designed as a US Navy supply ship. It was built in Georgia on the 10th July 1945. She was stationed in the Atlantic during the 1950s to serve “silent ships”. She was decommissioned in 1994 after it had mechanical issues and collided with the submarine USS Bergall in 1984.  It was purchased and brought to Grand Cayman where it was successfully sunk to make a man-made reef and create a magnificent dive/snorkel site.

This is a full-day charter only.

Cemetery Beach

The reef at Cemetery Beach is stunning and one of the most beautiful in Grand Cayman.   It is full of bright beautiful colourful coral and fish.  Cemetery Reef is one of the top picks and a lot of people’s favorite because of its incredible beauty and is one of the most famous on the island. There are many different species of brightly colored tropical fish and coral.   You can see large Snappers, Sergent Majors, Jacks, Moray Eels (if you are lucky), turtles, and sometimes stingrays!   There are no shortages of fish here. There truly are not many reefs this spectacular in Grand Cayman, so it is not one to be missed!

The Wreck of the Gamma

The wreck of the Gamma is one of the most fantastic snorkel locations in Grand Cayman.  It is a hidden treasure of the Cayman Islands and very easy to access. It is located near George Town on the very southern end of Seven Mile Beach.  The shipwreck is right off the beach and you can see it because it is half submerged and the other half sticking out of the water about 12 feet away from the shore in very shallow water, no deeper than 10 feet. 

The clarity of our water makes it so easy to see all the marine life.  There are so many fish here to be seen that it is very surprising, considering how close the wreck is to the shore. If you snorkel here at any time of the day you are guaranteed to see a huge variety of different kinds of tropical fish, mainly jacks, snappers, parrot fish and butterfly fish, turtles and rays.  Sometimes you may even see a Caribbean Lobster.

Soto’s Reef

Soto’s reef is in George Town, Grand Cayman and is all-time classic.  It is one of the oldest and most popular reefs in the Grand Cayman. Snorkeling this site evokes the feeling you are being given the opportunity to take a glimpse into the island’s history/past.

The reef itself if truly stunning. The reef formations are enormous due to the slightly deeper water in the area. You can see the coral heads, which are within 10 feet of the surface. There is a huge variety of fish found at this reef.  If you really want to see large snappers, then this is the reef to snorkel at.   The fish here are brightly colored and extraordinary to watch.   It is a very calming experience to watch the tropical fish swimming through the coral heads, some say therapeutic.

You can try to spot the butterfly fish, which is well-known for its brightly colored body and elaborate markings and is one of the cutest little fish around, which makes them easier to spot hiding under the spectacular coral heads. It is also possible to see sand dollars and shells at this site because of the sand surrounding the reef, which makes it easier to spot.  Sometimes you may spot a nurse shark, sleeping under a coral head, but they are harmless and have no interest in getting close to people.

The Wreck of the Cali

The wreck of the Cali is in the George Town Harbor.  The water at this site is only 15 to 20 feet deep, therefore you can easily see the wreckage while snorkeling.

It is one of Grand Cayman’s hidden gems. It is not every day where you can say you snorkeled a real-life shipwreck. The sensation of snorkeling at a shipwreck is so surreal and something some people only get to read about, let alone actually do!   Around the shipwreck, you can see parts of the wreckage and coral heads in the sand scattered across the ocean floor.   The sand in Grand Cayman is predominantly very white with bits of pink shells, making it very beautiful and the sunlight is reflected from the clear crystal blue water.  It is great having a look out for the flounders and the stingrays because you can sometimes see their cute little eyes peeping out from beneath the sand.  Flounders are flat fish, which try blend into the white sand and hide like the Stingrays while they sleep, it’s a protection mechanism to camouflage themselves in the sand.   

The Cali is a real shipwreck and was not artificially sunk.   The wreck has been well preserved, and it is possible to see parts of the diesel engine, which is also interesting to see from a historical perspective.  This makes this snorkel site truly a unique experience.

One of the most amazing things to see is how the tropical fish have made this wreck their home. The coral has begun to grow on top of the wreckage and many fish live within the wreck.   If you look carefully, you can see them hidden within the holes and crevices of the ship.   The bright red squirrel fish and snappers can be seen here and sometimes you may spot a turtle. This is also one of the snorkel sites not to be missed.

A bit of History about The Cali ~ The Cali was a large freighter built in 1900 and in the 1920s a diesel engine was installed on the ship, to make it more powerful. In the 1940s the ship was carrying a large load of around 30,000 bags of rice. However, suddenly the hull of the Cali sprung a leak, which caused all the rice to expand when it absorbed the water, and this resulted in the hull fracturing because it could not withstand the pressure created from the expanded rice. The Cali eventually sunk off George Town Harbor and now the wreckage is what you can see left of the ship today.

Eden Rock

The clarity and color blues of the water is breathtaking making this wonderful underwater maze one of the island’s greatest and most varied snorkel sites.  The water is deep- about 46 feet – but you can see a lot from the surface.   The coral formations here are enormous because they are very old and have the depth of the water to grown in.

At Eden Rock you are bound to see masses of sergeant majors, tarpon, silversides, parrotfish, barracuda, angelfish and yellow tail snappers, just to name a few.  The many brightly colored fish found at this famous location make it one of the most popular places to snorkel in the Cayman Islands. There is so much to see here that you can easily spend hours swimming around and enjoying spotting all the different kinds of fish.   Sometimes you can spot a nurse shark at Eden Rock, which are a harmless shark species, and shy away from humans.   The tarpon at this site are very large and can also be intimidating, reaching up to six feet long, but like the nurse shark, are harmless and shy.