Explore Stingray City
Decades ago, Grand Cayman fishermen started using the North Sound as a refuge from mosquitoes while they cleaned their fish. Soon after, the cleaning resulted in a frenzy of stingrays searching for some easy catch. Today, Stingray City is one of the Cayman Island’s most famous dive sites, offering a chance for divers and snorkelers to get up close and personal with the amazing southern stingray.
Stingray City is a group of sandbars located 25 miles off the shore of Grand Cayman. The two ‘districts’ of Stingray City consist of a shallow sandbar and a deeper 5-metre area for divers and snorkelers who want to really immerse themselves in the stingray's habitat. Scuba diving at Stingray City is possible from a number of dive resorts and dive centres in the area while liveaboards always make sure their guests partake in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Dive Activity
Dicing at Stingray City
Decades ago, Grand Cayman fishermen started using the North Sound as a refuge from mosquitoes while they cleaned their fish. Soon after, the cleaning resulted in a frenzy of stingrays searching for some easy catch. Today, Stingray City is one of the Cayman Island’s most famous dive sites, offering a chance for divers and snorkelers to get up close and personal with the amazing southern stingray.
Stingray City is a group of sandbars located 25 miles off the shore of Grand Cayman. The two ‘districts’ of Stingray City consist of a shallow sandbar and a deeper 5-metre area for divers and snorkelers who want to really immerse themselves in the stingray's habitat. Scuba diving at Stingray City is possible from a number of dive resorts and dive centres in the area while liveaboards always make sure their guests partake in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Top Wildlife Sightings at Stingray City
The highlight of scuba diving at Stingray City is the huge southern stingrays that are drawn to the North Sound. While visiting Stingray City, divers and snorkelers are able to interact, swim, feed and take pictures with the friendly rays that they will remember forever. Aside from the stingrays, there is a lot of tropical fish who come to the North Sound for some easy food while flitting around the shallow coral heads. Schools of snapper, jacks, sergeant majors, tangs, and fusilier all congregate, making divers feel as though they are sitting in an aquarium.
As you draw your eyes away from the swimming fish, focus on the sand where invertebrates and ‘sand-dwellers’ may be seen camouflaging themselves against the seafloor.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
iStock/Juliosanjuan
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
2
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
0
D
0
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
0
iStock-ShaneGross
Loggerhead Turtle
1 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
1 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 2
AdobeStock-hakbak
Nurse Shark
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 12
iStock/cinoby
Lionfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 55
Shutterstock-RLS Photo
Lobster
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 7000
iStock-Michael Zeigler
Crab
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
0
D
0
The best Months to dive at Stingray City
Stingray City diving is possible all-year-round as the dive spots are sheltered by the barrier reef, creating calm conditions throughout. However, it is worth noting that hurricane season is from June through to October and those preparing to dive Caymans during this period should remember the conditions can be variable. Yet, due to the depth and location of the Stingray City sites, it is unlikely that dive operations will cancel their trips unless the absolute worst conditions are expected.
