Stingray City snorkeling: Private 34ft boat charter, Grand Cayman

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration4h–8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Feed stingrays by name, then snorkel a living reef with a guide in the water.

A private charter on a 34-foot cruiser takes up to 12 guests to three snorkeling sites around Grand Cayman: Stingray City, a sandbar 5.5 miles offshore where southern stingrays gather to be fed; a coral reef where the first mate guides you through the marine life; and Starfish Point, a secluded beach lined with red cushion sea stars. The captain has 10 years of professional experience with the stingrays and introduces them by name. Snorkeling equipment, water and soda are included; lunch stops at Rum Point or Kaibo are available on the 6 and 8 hour charters at your own expense.

4h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Private charter snorkeling and beach visit

Visit Stingray City sandbar
Snorkel at coral reef
Explore Starfish Point beach

The Experience

The boat leaves from a dock in Grand Cayman and heads 5.5 miles offshore to Stingray City, a natural sandbar in waist-deep water where southern stingrays congregate. Your captain, trained as a "Stingray Whisperer," feeds the rays and introduces you to individuals who have earned names—Darth Vader, Big Mama, Freckles—over years of encounters. You wade into the water and interact with them directly, handling the rays' smooth bodies as they glide past. This is not a distant viewing; the stingrays are accustomed to human contact and approach without hesitation.

From there, the boat moves to a coral reef for snorkeling. The first mate enters the water with you, pointing out the reef structure and the fish and invertebrates living inside it, keeping watch over the group. Snorkeling gear is provided and fitted before you go in. The reef stop is the core of the day—time in the water, not a quick pass.

Starfish Point comes last: a secluded beach where red cushion sea stars cover the sand and shallow water. You can walk the beach and handle the starfish in their natural habitat. On the longer charter options (6 and 8 hours), the boat stops for lunch at Rum Point or Kaibo, where you can eat at a beachside restaurant at your own cost, then return to the water for additional snorkeling before heading back. The boat has a restroom on board and supplies bottled water and soda throughout the day.

What’s included

Snorkeling equipment.
bottled water and soda.
food to feed the stingrays at Stingray City.
a first mate in the water with you at the coral reef.
restroom on board.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Cayman Snorkel Co.

Is this one for you?Book a 4-hour charter if you want the three main stops without a meal break, or a 6 or 8 hour charter if you'd rather add a lunch stop at a beachside restaurant and more time in the water. The private boat means your group sets the pace at each site, and your captain's 10 years with the stingrays means you'll encounter them by name, not as a crowd experience.