To read our reviews of popular tours and excursions in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe (coming soon), Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and more… just click HERE
Our adventure began with a Stingray City motorboat picking us up right on the beach next to our hotel. It was a nice scenic boat ride out to a man-made dock floating somewhere off the east coast of the island – This is Stingray City. I suspect that we were in or near Antigua’s North Sound Marine Park. What I know for sure is that we were a fair distance from shore – It seemed like we were more than a mile (>km) from the coast. Yet, it was amazing that the water was only waist deep and very calm. As with our other boating adventures in Antigua, the sea off the coast of the island was crystal clear and beautiful.
As soon as the boat was tied-up to the floating dock, we got out and watched the Caribbean’s Southern Stingrays swooping around under us. I’ll admit that the only reason I wasn’t too nervous was because I have been in the water with stingrays before. I recall the guide at my last encounter saying the stingrays weren’t comfortable around me, because they could sense my fear… This time was going to be different – I planned on relaxing and enjoying my experience at Stingray City in Antigua.
As we approached Stingray City, I was concerned to see a large ring of buoys in the water, however I soon realized that there were no nets attached to them. The buoys were there to mark the area that we were supposed to stay within, so the guides could easily keep track of us. That is, the people are corralled, while the Stingrays are free to come and go as they please. We were the second boat to arrive this morning, so there was only a handful of people there when we started out, however a couple other boats and more people were soon to join us.
Once I was in the water I quickly relaxed. I put on my mask and dropped to my knees in order to get a good look at the pre-historic creatures up-close and personal under the water. Wow – These guys are pretty big! Actually, the females are about 5 feet in diameter while the male of the species are about half the size. The females are very sociable as they slowly swim around and gently brushed up against our legs. I say swim, although watching their large round wing-like bodies rippling along or near the sea bottom, they appear to be flying underwater. Meanwhile the males swiftly dart around and through the crowd of people and female stingrays.
It was wild to touch the gentle giants as they effortlessly glided past us… They felt to me kind of like a mushroom – soft and almost furry, especially their underside. We were told that it’s OK to gently hold them, as long as we kept them in contact with the sea. The friendly Stingray City guides were in the water with us, and one-by one they helped us get face-to-face with a southern stingray. So, I spread out our arms fairly wide and softly held the ray in my hands – What an experience!
To think that these majestic animals, a distant cousin of the shark, have changed very little in the millions of years they’ve been on the planet, is just incredible. As land-based animals, stingrays look so foreign to us, yet they seem well designed to thrive in their equally alien underwater world.
After watching and interacting with the stingrays for a fair amount of time, I started to look around and explore more of the aquatic environment that we were visiting. I noticed several clumps of coral at the edge of buoys, so I snorkeled around in the shallow water and saw a number of different kinds of fish swimming around. I could never get tired of swimming and snorkeling in Antigua’s warm clear waters…
Eventually, our once in a life-time experience had to come to an end. We returned to our motorboat for a nice cruise along Antigua’s east coast. It’s great to get a different perspective of the island, viewing it from sea. The multiple shades of Antigua’s clear blue waters isn’t too hard on the eyes either. This boat ride took us to Stingray City’s land base, where we were to meet their sister company, Antigua Nature Tours, a little later in the day for more off-shore activities.
ACT Staff
Want to see more? Check out our Antigua’s Stingray City video on YouTube!
For more information about Stingray City, including material to help plan your own Antiguan adventure, you can contact the good folks directly by visiting their website (just click on the link) below:
For an overview of the “land of sun and sea”, feel free to check-out our Antigua & Barbuda Vacations page.
If you’re looking for more active things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Antigua Adventures blog for more great ideas!
For popular Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Antigua and Barbuda blog
Always on the lookout for fun and active “things to do” while on our Caribbean vacations, one constant theme kept popping up throughout my research on Barbados – swimming with turtles and snorkeling over shipwrecks. With all those white sand beaches and close-to-shore reefs along the south-west and west coast, I was really looking forward to getting into the water and exploring the marine seascapes! So, here’s what we did…
Carlisle Bay is about a mile (2km) south of Bridgetown, and about 4 miles (7km) north of where we were staying. We donned our bathing suits and reef-friendly sunscreen, grabbed our snorkel masks and hopped on a local bus for the 15-minute ride. Carlisle Bay has some of the most famous beaches in the Caribbean, and I must say, it is a beautiful sight. Like all beaches in Barbados, Brownes Beach, Pebbles Beach and Bayshore Beach are “public” beaches. This means that anyone can just lay down a towel and stake a claim to a piece of sand, regardless of the hotel or bar/restaurant you happen to be in front of (or is it behind?). Anyways, the gorgeous white sand beaches of Carlisle Bay stretch for about a mile (2km) along the shimmering blue sea that beckoned us in for a swim and snorkel. The beaches are just about perfect – with no stones or pebbles and there’s no sea-weed in the water. The only potential downside is that it was fairly busy by Caribbean island standards. But… understandable considering what the area offers.
Beach chair and umbrella rentals are available all along the beach. There’s even a couple of facilities that feature a bar, restaurant and bathrooms – Harbour Lights and the Boatyard Club also conveniently turn into nightclubs for continuing the party when the sun goes down. We ended up near Bayshore Beach which has public washrooms (Lockers are available – just bring your own lock). Vendors in the parking lot offer everything from water to large home-cooked meals. Later in the day, I had what I think was the largest, tastiest meat patty I’ve ever had, outside of Jamaica.
Enough of the logistics – It’s time we got in the water!
We started at an area that at first seemed devoid of life. No coral, just a sand bottom 15-20 feet below… then, I saw something moving down there… There were several stingrays cruising along the seafloor. Apparently, these creatures are fairly new to this spot, although it’s easy to understand why they’re here. Like other marine animals in the area, they’re here for the food. Local boat/tour operators drop fish scraps into the water to attract turtles – The Crowd Favourite. There were several boatloads of people occupying the same space, so when a turtle was spotted, everyone converged on the area. Even with several legs thrashing around, we managed to see a couple of the fascinating reptiles. It was really fun to watch a turtle, enveloped in a swarm of “entourage” fish, swim up for an easy meal. After surfacing for some air, it gracefully descended, mysteriously disappearing into the depths.
Next stop – The shipwreck. Strong swimmers can access this spot right from the beach. Fortunately, there were fewer people here and were more spread out. Snorkeling over the shipwreck was incredible – It absolutely blew me away as I’ve never seen so many fish congregating in one area like that. The top of the ship is less than 15 feet (4.5m) from the surface, so clearly visible by snorkelers. The top and sides of the wreck were covered in corals, sponges and sea fans, however I was really fascinated by the large variety of tropical fish. I viewed the ship from stern to bow and back again – I just couldn’t get enough. Along with schools of sergeant-majors, the trumpetfish, blue-tang and angelfish really stood out to me. I watched as a snorkeler dived down to the surface of the ship and even into one of the openings – Hhmnn… I’ll need to try that next time! This may be as close to a scuba diving experience as I’ll ever get.
Now that I know where the hotspots are, the next time I’m in Barbados I’ll try to get to Carlisle Bay before 9am, rent a kayak and check out these locations before the crowds arrive.
Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling with Turtles and Rays, and Barbados Snorkeling over Shipwrecks videos on YouTube!
A couple of days later we got on another bus and ventured further up the west coast to check out Folkstone Marine Park. Snorkelers can explore a large area of shallow sea here, protected by buoys and rope fence. From the beach, we could see several scattered rows of reefs close to shore – So exciting! Unfortunately, the water was rough that day, with waves breaking right over the reefs, so the beach was closed to snorkelers. We were there on a Sunday, so the Information Centre / Museum (lockers available) was also closed. Disappointed but not defeated, we wandered south along the beach looking for somewhere else to get into the water…
Just north of Holetown, I could see a dark shape in the water really close to shore, so I assumed it was a reef and a potential place to snorkel. The warm salty water was easy to float in, even with the small waves that day. Here’s where things got a little interesting… As I neared the “reef”, I was surprised to see that it was actually a meticulously stacked/assembled rock-pile. It was as if a Giant played a game of Granite Tetris undersea… I assume that all the reefs along Barbados’ west coast are like this. Unlike most of its neighbouring islands, Barbados is a coral island, so I was expecting lots of natural coral at the bottom of the sea – Well, this was a learning experience.
Regardless of their composition, these rock barriers provide a sanctuary for sea-life. This little reef had several different fish swimming around it, so I was motivated to check-out the larger reef at the north end of Holetown – Wow, I’m sure glad I did! Just a few feet from shore I disturbed a flounder and then I found the rock-pile area full of life. I saw a variety of fish species on the east side of the reef so I rounded the south end to see what was on the other side. Well, I was in for a treat – I almost immediately encountered a large school of Blue Chromis (I think). So cool!
I was told that further offshore from Holetown beach there’s a sunken barge resting in 20 feet (6m) of water that is home to plenty of colourful fish and other marine life including turtles. Locals offered boat rides to get to the spot.
Based on my experience with the beach at Holetown, I suspect that snorkeling up at Folkestone would be outstanding. I imagine that I could have spent hours just floating around examining the reefs and their marine life in their entirety. Unfinished business – Well, now I have an excuse for coming back to Barbados 😊
Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling – From Holetown video on YouTube!
There are more than a dozen beaches along the west coast of the island and several of them are good for a little snorkeling… I understand that the beaches at Alleynes Bay, Paynes Bay and Batts Rock are good spots.
On our last day in Barbados, we went for a walk along the Richard Haynes Boardwalk and came across a couple of spots that looked like they might be good for snorkeling. This half-mile (1km) long wooden walkway straddles the beachfront between Hasting’s Coconut Court Beach Hotel and Rockley Beach. Even if there’s no snorkeling, you can always relax in the tidal pools that are created on calm sea days!
ACT Staff
For more information on snorkeling in Barbados, including a list of tour operators who will get you to the hot spots, check out our Barbados Snorkeling page
If you’re looking for other ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Barbados Adventures blog for some great ideas!
For an overview of beautiful Barbados, take a look at our Barbados Vacations page
For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the island, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in Barbados page
A British Territory in the Western Caribbean, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are peaks of the massive underwater Cayman Ridge. The Cayman Islands are located south of Cuba, between Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Jamaica.
If you’re looking for adventure in the Caribbean, look no further than the Cayman Islands. Surrounded by protective reefs and deep plunging walls, the Cayman Islands deep blue sea offers some of the best Caribbean diving, snorkeling, fishing and water sports imaginable. You’ll also be pleasantly surprised to know that there’s plenty of action on the island itself as well! We think you’ll enjoy our recommended Grand Cayman adventures below…
It’s more than just a cliché – The Cayman Islands are truly a Diver’s Paradise! The islands are nicely positioned out on their own in the Caribbean Sea and that translates into a relatively clean ocean with amazing visibility as well as healthy coral reefs alive with marine life. With the Cayman Islands’ 365 named dive sites, there are places for the beginner diver, advanced diver and everything in between! You can experience shore dives, boat dives as well as night dives. Grand Cayman diving offers scuba enthusiasts opportunities for epic wall dives, as well as shallow and mid-depth wreck and reef dives. Aquatic life around the island is vibrant, with fascinating corals, sponges and tubes along with colourful tropical fish of all sizes. Grand Cayman is also home to turtles, rays, sharks, eels along with lobsters, crabs, shrimp and more.
The ‘West Coast’ of Grand Cayman has over 50 dive sites, including spectacular walls, canyons and swim-through arches and tunnels. There’s also shallow reefs with plenty of coral and marine life. Of course there’s the famous 251 foot, 5 deck USS Kittiwake wreck to explore as well!
In Grand Cayman’s North Sound area there are over 40 dive sites including the Cayman Barrier Reef with its gorgeous aquatic gardens, a deeper version of Stingray City as well as the epic North Wall – plunging steeply thousands of feet into the deep blue abyss! You’ll enjoy the wide variety of marine life off this side of the island.
Amazingly, Grand Cayman’s more remote and less visited ‘East End’ is home to over 50 dive sites – That means un-populated dives along the east wall in pristine coral canyons and valleys in the company of plenty of large tarpon! Then there’s Grand Cayman’s ‘South Side’ – Over 30 dive sites can be found on the oft-forgotten end of the island. Explore colourful coral mini walls full of fingers, tunnels and arches along with plenty of juvenile fish.
For more information on Grand Cayman’s dive sites, plus a listing of dive centres and boat operators, click on our Grand Cayman Diving page
With several vibrant coral reefs all around Grand Cayman, it’s a great place to explore an underwater world in calm seas with amazing visibility. You can slip into the warm Caribbean Sea from a local beach, or take a short boat ride to some of the best Grand Cayman snorkeling spots a little further from shore. There are sunken ships and wrecks that sit in as little as 20 feet of clear blue water.
Of course, no trip to Grand Cayman is complete without visiting Stingray City. While it’s not exactly snorkeling, it’s a unique experience to swim with and even hold a gentle stingray! Want to see what it’s really like? Check out our Grand Cayman Stingray City video on YouTube!
Grand Cayman’s ‘North Sound Marine Park’ is home to some incredible snorkeling sites, including a large barrier reef and a number of lush gardens. You’ll be able to see fascinating corals, sponges and sea fans as well as tropical fish, rays, eels and even conch and lobster. Besides Stingray City, there’s also Starfish Point, a beach area where the sandy bottom, in just a few feet of water, is home to… you guessed it, Red Cushion Starfish!
The popular West Coast of Grand Cayman also has a number of awesome snorkeling sites, including the Kittiwake Shipwreck, a former US Navy vessel. The depth of the ship ranges from 15 feet (5m) to 60 feet (18m), so you’ll be able to see the deck topography and partway down the smokestack.
Grand Cayman offers a fantastic opportunity to explore an underwater world full of diverse tropical fish and marine life that you just can’t experience on land.
For more information on Grand Cayman’s snorkeling sites, plus a listing of tour/boat operators to get you out there, click on our Grand Cayman Snorkeling page
Grand Cayman is blessed with one shoreline having a long beautiful beach with calm waters, one with a magical bio-luminescence bay and mangrove forest, and yet another coastline with a significant source of wind. So it’s easy to see why Grand Cayman is considered one of the best places to enjoy Caribbean water-sports. Whether you want to stand-up paddleboard in the calm waters off Seven Mile Beach or in the protected waters of North Sound, or you want to windsurf in the stronger winds along the East end of the island, there’s something for everyone.
Great kayaking can be found all around the island and when the sun drops, you’re in for a real treat! Picture yourself gliding gently through the waters of the bio-luminescence bay near Rum Point, with your boat’s motion making the sea all around you glow an eerie blue – It’s a once in a lifetime experience for sure. Of course, if you have more of a need for speed, there’s kite-surfing, wakeboarding or parasailing – It’s an unbelievable feeling to fly hundreds of feet in the air enjoying birds-eye views of 7 Mile Beach, Georgetown and across to the North Sound. Grand Cayman also has jet skiing and even a unique floating water-park for kids of all ages to enjoy.
For more information on Grand Cayman’s water-sports options, including a list of tours and equipment rentals, check out our Grand Cayman Water Sports page
If you like to spend some time at sea, you’re in for a real treat at Grand Cayman! Thanks to miles of coral reefs located just a few hundred feet from the Island, there’s great opportunities for reef fishing and bottom fishing with plenty of Grouper, Snapper and Jacks to catch. You can also try Cayman Island fly-fishing, bone fishing and even tarpon fishing in Grand Cayman’s protected North Sound. If you’re looking for some of the best deep-sea fishing in the Caribbean, look no further than the Cayman Trench – Located roughly 10 miles (18km) from the shores of Grand Cayman, this abyss reaches depths of 20,000 feet (6,000m)! If it’s big game fish you’re after, there’s plenty of Blue Marlin, Wahoo (kingfish), Mahi-Mahi (dolphin), Tuna and Barracuda to challenge your skills.
For more Cayman Islands fishing information, including our list of boat operators to get you out there, click on our Grand Cayman Fishing page
That’s all great fun in and on the Caribbean Sea… Now, there’s also a couple of great opportunities for Caribbean adventure with your feet on/near dry land…
Cayman Island cycling is a great way to see Grand Cayman and the magnificent Caribbean Sea. There is a variety of cycling route options to choose from, including coastal loops and inland routes that both offer picturesque views of the surrounding areas. There’s a mixed-trail coastal loop just north of Seven Mile Beach, where you can visit attractions such as Hell, Barkers National Park and the Cayman Turtle Farm. There’s also Grand Cayman’s quieter East End – Where there is little traffic, making it an ideal location to enjoy relaxing scenic coastal road routes. Attractions in the area include Nature / Wilderness Reserves, the Wreck of the Ten Sails, a lighthouse as well as rocky blowholes and Lovers Wall. If you’re really looking for a more strenuous route, there’s also a challenging 50 mile (80km) route in the area as well.
For more Cayman Islands cycling information, including a list of cycling tours and bike rentals, check out our Grand Cayman Cycling page
Grand Cayman’s Mastic Reserve Trail makes for a fun half-day adventure as you journey on a rustic path through a variety of natural habitats including old-growth dry forest, black mangrove wetland, stands of Royal Palms and Silver Thatch Palms as well as abandoned agricultural land. Take it all in and you’re sure to appreciate the flowers, butterflies and birds, including parrots, west Indian woodpeckers as well as Caribbean doves, that you may encounter. You’ll likely also see lizards, frogs and large hermit crabs during the hike.
For more Cayman Islands hiking information, including a list of tours and guides to get you on the trail, click on our Grand Cayman Hiking page
Have Fun Out There!
ACT Staff
Once you’ve had your fill of action and want to slow-it-down a bit, check out our recommended Things To Do in the Cayman Islands blog
For an overview of the beautiful and diverse islands that make up the Caymans, click on our Cayman Islands Vacations page
Barbados is a unique coral island in the Caribbean famous for its white-sand beaches, consistently warm weather and excellent rum. A great way to tour the island and partake in some of the best of what Barbados has to offer is to sail and snorkel along the west coast. Sailing has a rich history in Barbados and with near constant trade-winds and calm Caribbean seas, a sailing excursion is a “must-do” tour when visiting the island. This may also be the best way for first-timers to reach the snorkeling hotspots in Carlisle Bay. It’s what we did!
After the Tour Operator collected us from our hotel, it was just a short mini-van ride to the marina at the north end of Carlisle Bay. After a short walk in the drizzling rain, we boarded a catamaran for a snorkel, sail and lunch tour. We were joined by a couple of dozen people or so, although it never really felt crowded. The spacious vessel had a large covered cabin downstairs with a huge bar and bathrooms located off in both of the hulls. There was plenty of room on deck, at the front half of the boat on and around the catamaran webbing, over the main cabin, as well as an area at the back of the boat. After a brief introduction from the crew, we were on our way.
The tour started with a quick motor over to Carlisle Bay’s choicest spots – One known for swimming with turtles and the other over a shallow shipwreck. A friendly member of the crew handed out some masks, fins and floatation vests and we entered the warm Caribbean Sea. FYI – we have our own masks now – no more wondering where that mouthpiece had been last 😉.
Luckily the drizzle had subsided by the time we got to the snorkel spots. That said, the water seemed a little cloudy – I suspect more sunlight would have helped with visibility. At first, I didn’t see anything, however as my eyes adjusted to my new underwater environment, I saw something move… There were several stingrays cruising along the seafloor looking for food scraps. Unfortunately, there were several boatloads of people here at the same time as us, so when a turtle was eventually spotted, everyone converged on the area. Regardless of the thrashing humans all around, we managed to see a couple of the fascinating reptiles. I think they were green turtles and not hawksbills, but I’m not sure. It was really fun to watch a turtle, enveloped in a swarm of “entourage” fish, swim-up for an easy meal. After surfacing for some air, they gracefully descended back into the mysterious blue depths. Wow – That was pretty cool!
We re-boarded the boat and motored a couple of hundred feet away, a little closer to shore this time, near the location of a sunken tugboat. Our guide led us to where the shipwreck was resting in about 15 feet of water. Once I looked below the surface it was easy to spot. Snorkeling over the shipwreck was a lot of fun! It was amazing to see so many fish congregating in one area like that. The top and sides of the wreck were covered in a variety of corals as well as sponges and sea fans, although it was the large variety of tropical fish that really got me excited. I viewed the ship from stern to bow and back again – I just couldn’t get enough. Along with schools of sergeant-majors, the trumpetfish, blue-tang and angelfish really stood out to me.
Somewhat reluctantly, I got back on the boat and dried off in the sun while the crew steered us out of the bay. They hoisted the sails and we were off for the sailing portion of the tour. We were really fortunate to be out on a windy day, as it’s just no fun having to motor around on a gorgeous sailboat. With both the mainsail and jib up harnessing the wind, we skimmed quickly across the beautiful Caribbean Sea. It was exhilarating sitting at the front of the boat, enjoying some decent speeds – I even lied down on the catamaran webbing, reveling in the water rushing below. We sailed north along the west coast to the energetic yet relaxing sounds of beautiful reggae music – It doesn’t really get much better than this! I was thinking to myself, how do I make this moment last forever? Oh well, back to reality… Eventually, we came to a stop near Sandy Lane and maneuvered into position to anchor for lunch.
Did I mention that the boat had an open bar downstairs? Well, it did and the friendly crew was doing their best to create a party atmosphere and ensure everyone was having fun. Personally, I thought the rum sour and rum punch I sampled were delicious! While sitting out in the warm sun viewing the beach-filled shoreline with a rum beverage in my hand I was thinking, This is a pretty great way to spend a day!
Before long, the crew let us know that the buffet lunch was there for the taking. Having worked up an appetite after our swim and snorkeling, it was great to sample their offering of barbeque chicken, fish, baked potatoes, rice & peas (beans) and vegetables along with an assortment of salads. What a nice spread. We were moored there for a while, so after lunch we had time to just chill… While some people went for a swim, others dived or flipped off the side of the catamaran. We just relaxed at the back of the boat making new friends. I think the best place to be was at the back of the boat dangling our feet in the water enjoying the beautiful and calming blue sea…
Well, eventually we had to head back. We motored/sailed south to the sound of contemporary / pop hits, which some would say is the easiest to dance to. This particular crowd did not erupt into a congo line of dancers that we’ve seen on other party boats – That was fine with me. The crew came around with one last treat of carrot cake – perhaps intended to help sober us up a bit.
Over-all this was a great sailing tour. Even though it sprinkled rain a couple of times it didn’t dampen our spirit. We enjoyed seeing the turtles and snorkeling over the wreck, chatting with folks and having a good time! We were driven back to our hotel, where we still had a few hours of daylight left to enjoy
FYI – There are several catamaran tour operators in Barbados to choose from, even a monohull tour operator is available. Most seem to do some variation of this west coast cruise. You can check out a number of them to find the one best suited for your needs. Some other sailing excursions feature sunsets or dinner.
ACT Staff
For more information on sailing in Barbados, including a list of boat / tour operators, check out our Barbados Sailing page
For an overview of beautiful Barbados, take a look at our Barbados Vacations page
For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the island, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in Barbados page
For more underwater adventures, maybe you’ll enjoy our Barbados Snorkeling blog
If you’re looking for more ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Barbados Adventures blog post for some great ideas!
