The world’s oceans are home to a wide variety of rays; over 500 different species spanning 13 families to be exact. With their cartilaginous bodies, rays are close cousins of the shark. They do differ, however, in their body shape, number of gill slits, and ways in which they swim and breathe. A ray’s tail is generally very long and skinny, and in many species equipped with a sharp, venomous barb which they use as their main line of defense. This makes it very important for divers who may be shore diving in areas containing stingrays to do the “stingray shuffle” when entering the water: they simply shuffle their feet along the bottom so as to gently push a stingray out of the way instead of stepping right on top of it.

Rays are easily considered one of the most gracefully moving creatures in the sea. With their flat, disk-like bodies, it is hard to distinguish a ray’s body from its fins. Seeing a ray swim with its wing-like pectoral fins is reminiscent of watching a bird fly in the sky. Witnessing these magnificent animals “fly by” underwater is always a highlight for every diver. With over 500 species to choose from, you can dive with rays all over the world from giant manta rays in Indonesia, to peaceful spotted eagle rays in Tahiti, and huge southern stingrays on Grand Cayman Island, just to name a few! Read the map to find out where you can scuba dive with the most popular types of rays.