Swim with Stingrays in Antigua: Safety Tips & What to Expect
Swimming with stingrays in Antigua is one of the island’s most popular wildlife experiences.
Imagine standing in crystal-clear Caribbean water, heart thumping as stingrays glide right past you – close enough to brush your legs.
It sounds incredible… but also a little intimidating, if you’ve never done anything like this before.
After swimming with stingrays in Antigua myself, and having one slide across my leg – I can tell you it’s completely safe as long as you follow a few simple rules, the biggest one being not stepping on them.
Here’s how to safely swim with stingrays in Antigua, the best tours, what to expect, helpful tips and mistakes to avoid.
How to safely swim with stingrays:
- Always listen to your guide
- Don’t jump in the water around them to not scare them
- Don’t step on a stingray’s tail and instead shuffle your feet in the water
- Don’t grab a stingray’s tail
- Be respectful of their space
The Southern Stingrays in Antigua are known to be friendly and are used to human interaction, but it’s important to remember that they are still wild animals.
I got excited to see them and started jumping, but quickly calmed myself down so that the stingrays would not be scared and would come closer to me.
What It’s Like Swimming with Stingrays in Antigua
Here’s what it’s like swimming in Antigua with stingrays at Stingray City:
Once you arrive for your tour time, you go over how to safely swim with the stingrays.
Hop on your assigned boat and ride for 5 minutes over to the shallow sandbar where the stingrays will come.
There are docks to enter the water and it gets hot! Luckily the guides pour water on the dock to cool it off to walk on.
Grab your snorkel and get ready to swim with the stingrays! I wasn’t even ready and I felt a stingray touch my leg while it swam past me. It was so smooth and slimy feeling!
Once everyone is in the water, they get everyone to line up for photos holding a stingray. I don’t touch wildlife, so I didn’t hold one and instead spent more time snorkelling around.
I was in awe of how close I was to stingrays! I’ve seen stingrays while snorkelling in Galleon Beach Antigua earlier in the week and while diving at other tropical destinations, but it’s rare to get somewhat close to them in the open ocean, so this was a real treat.
Stingray City Antigua is one of the most popular and adventurous things to do in Antigua and I could see why. It’s incredible to see stingrays almost face to face.
After almost an hour, the food is all gone and the stingrays leave. Depending on which tour you booked, you head back to land or onwards to Laviscount Island to see the tortoise sanctuary.
2 Best Stingray City Tours
If you aren’t renting a car, don’t want to plan the logistics of getting here, or have a limited number of days in Antigua, tours are the way to go:
East Coast Tour of Antigua: Stingray City, Lunch & Beach – a 6-hour tour including a visit to swim with stingrays, Devil’s Bridge, lunch, and round-trip transportation
Stingray City in Antigua – a half-day tour including swimming with stingrays and round-trip transportation to/from your hotel
How to Get to Stingray City Antigua
Stingray City is located in Willikies on the northeast side of the island.
To get to Stingray City Antigua, you can drive, take a taxi, ride a bus, or go as part of a snorkelling tour.
By Taxi: Taxi rides take 25-30 minutes and the cost starts at $25 USD.
By Bus: Take bus #33 to Church, where you will have to walk 10 minutes from the bus stop to reach the parking lot. If you take the bus, go early so you have multiple options to get back to St.John’s.
The easiest and most popular way to get to Stingray City is via a tour, with driving being the next best.
By Driving: Driving directions to Stingray City from St. John’s VC Bird Monument:
- Turn Right onto Valley Road which becomes Market Street
- Turn Right onto South Street
- Turn Right onto Independence Avenue
- Turn Left onto Queen Elizabeth Highway
- Merge onto Factory Road
- Continue onto Sir Sydney Walling Highway
- Turn Left onto Pares Village Main Road
- After here, streets aren’t labelled and you’ll need to look out for signs for Stingray City Antigua
If you are driving in Antigua, be aware that Google Maps isn’t always accurate for locations. Stingray City was one block over from where it was listed on the map. Instead of making that last right down the hill, stay straight, and it’ll be on that road on the right. My GPS took me down the steep hill, and we had to turn around.
Stingray City Facilities
On-site at Stingray City Antigua you will find:
- Washrooms with change rooms and showers
- A snack hut
- Souvenir vendors
- Photo souvenir booth (guides take photos during your visit to the stingrays)
The showers were great for washing off after and heading off to explore more of the island. But bring your own shampoo and body wash as those aren’t supplied.
I was going to buy a stingray plushy from the souvenir shop, but I forgot and guess I’ll need to plan another week in Antigua to get one.
Tips for Swimming with Stingrays in Antigua
- Always listen to your tour guide, as they will keep you safe during your visit to Stingray City
- Don’t feed the stingrays unless you are instructed to do so by the guide. Improper feeding can harm these beautiful creatures
- Don’t touch the stingrays, as our germs are hurtful to the immune system of the stingrays
- Use environmentally friendly sunscreen and avoid using tanning lotion, which harms marine life, including stingrays
- Visit in the early morning or late afternoon for fewer crowds, especially in the busy winter season
What to Pack
- Swimsuit – you can wear it under your clothes or change on-site
- Towel – to dry off and protect you from the sun on the boat
- Reef Safe Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Waterproof phone case or waterproof camera – you won’t want to miss capturing memories with the stingrays
- Shampoo/conditioner/body wash – if you plan to use the showers
Things to Do Nearby
- Betty’s Hope – a historic sugar plantation, offering visitors a glimpse into the island’s colonial past
- Antigua Donkey Sanctuary – a refuge dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and care of Antigua’s donkey population
- Devil’s Bridge National Park – a beautiful natural limestone arch in Antigua, surrounded by rugged coastline and crashing waves. Just don’t get too close to the edge!
Swimming with Stingrays Antigua FAQs
Are There Stingrays in Antigua?
Yes, there are stingrays in Antigua. Stingray City offers visitors the unique opportunity to swim with, feed, and interact with Southern Stingrays in shallow waters. The stingrays are free to come and go as they please, but they often come to interact with humans due to regular feeding.
Where in Antigua Can You Swim with Stingrays?
You can swim with stingrays in Antigua at Stingray City, situated on the northeastern coast of the island. You can meet, feed, and even touch these incredible creatures while in crystal-clear, knee-deep waters. Prefer not to touch or feed them, like me? You can snorkel with them.
Are Stingrays in Antigua Dangerous?
No, stingrays in Antigua are not inherently dangerous. But you do need to treat them with respect and caution. While at Stingray City, don’t step on their tails or you might step on their barb. In the ocean, respect their space and don’t chase them or get near them while snorkelling or scuba diving.
Is Stingray City Antigua Ethical?
No, Stingray City Antigua is not considered ethical. Human contact spreads germs and weakens the stingray’s immune system. Feeding them makes them more reliable on humans and less independent. While it is incredible to see them up close, the best option for visiting Stingray City is to just snorkel with them and observe them like I did.
What Animals Can You Swim with in Antigua?
In Antigua, you can swim with stingrays, pigs, turtles, and a variety of marine animals. You’ll find stingrays at Stingray City, pigs at Pig Beach, and turtles at beaches like Galleon Beach and elsewhere on the island.
Where Can You Swim with Stingrays in the Caribbean?
The best place to swim with stingrays in the Caribbean is the Grand Cayman Islands, with the other most popular spots being Antigua, Turks & Caicos, and the Bahamas.
So, Is Swimming with Stingrays in Antigua Worth It?
Swimming with stingrays in Antigua is one of those experiences that feels a little surreal.
Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, there are ethical concerns.
But being in the water, surrounded by stingrays gliding past you is something you don’t forget.
While it’s best not to touch or feed the stingrays, if you choose to do so, please wash your hands before and after. And remember not to step on their tails to stay safe.
The best tour to Stingray City is the Island Safari & Stingray Fantasy Antigua, which features both a jeep tour and a visit to swim with stingrays.
Have fun, and when looking for other fun things to do in Antigua, don’t miss seeing truly wild stingrays by snorkelling or scuba diving in English Harbour.
Travelling to Antigua? Read More:
- 7 Days in Antigua Itinerary
- Adventurous Things to Do in Antigua and Barbuda
- How to Safely Swim with Stingrays in Antigua
- Best Antigua Snorkelling Tours
- Where to Stay in Antigua
- How Many Days in Antigua and Barbuda Do You Need
- Getting Around Antigua
- Things to Know Before Driving in Antigua
- Scuba Diving in Antigua (Beginner’s Guide)
- Antigua Snorkelling Review: Bernie’s Snorkeling Antigua
- Antigua vs Barbados: Which is Better?
- Antigua vs Aruba: Which is Better?
