Snorkeling in Grand Cayman
Snorkeling at Grand Cayman mostly means boat trips into the North Sound. The big draw is Stingray City, a shallow sandbar where you stand in waist-deep water and feed and touch southern stingrays. Boats also run to Starfish Point and the Kittiwake wreck, and Cemetery Beach on Seven Mile Beach offers a shore snorkel with reef and turtles.
Places to go
Starfish Point
Starfish Point is a shallow snorkel stop on a reef in the North Sound of Grand Cayman. Stingrays and starfish live in the calm water here.
Coral Gardens
Coral Gardens is a reef snorkel site off Grand Cayman where visitors swim over coral formations and watch for turtles and stingrays. Most people reach it by boat as part of a tour.
Stingray City
Stingray City is a set of shallow sandbars in the North Sound of Grand Cayman, where southern stingrays gather around visiting boats. Most people reach it on a boat tour from George Town.
Cemetery Beach
Cemetery Beach is a quiet public beach at the north end of Seven Mile Beach, with a reef for snorkeling just offshore. It is one of the calmer spots on the island's west side.
Boatswain's Beach
Boatswain's Beach is a fee-paying marine park in West Bay, with a saltwater snorkel lagoon, a commercial green sea turtle farm and a Caymanian Heritage Street. Visitors swim with turtles, walk the trails and browse the artisans.
Kittiwake
The Kittiwake is a sunken American warship that now serves as an artificial reef off Seven Mile Beach. Divers and snorkelers reach it by hired boat.
Tours to book
Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
What to expect
Most visitors go out on a half-day motor boat trip into the North Sound. The first stop is usually the Stingray City sandbar, where you wade or float in waist-deep water among southern stingrays and can feed and touch them. The rays are used to people, so the stop is easy for beginners, though the guides usually ask you not to lift them. The second part of the trip is one or two reef stops. Starfish Point has a shallow area where you can snorkel among stingrays and starfish, and Coral Gardens has a reef of coral and fish. Some trips include the Kittiwake wreck, a ship sunk as an artificial reef and home to hundreds of fish. The whole outing takes about 3 to 4 hours, and it suits families, first-timers and couples.
If you would rather stay near shore, Cemetery Beach at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach has a snorkel reef offshore with colorful fish, coral and sometimes sea turtles. The current can be strong here, so it is best for proficient swimmers who take care going out to the reef. For a turtle lagoon instead, Boatswain's Beach has a saltwater snorkel lagoon and a predator tank that snorkelers can see into.
Where to go
- Starfish Point. A shallow snorkel area in the North Sound with stingrays and starfish, usually visited on the same boat trip. By boat. A trip that goes here: Private Half Day Grand Cayman Catamaran with Snorkel Stops, 4 Hours
- Kittiwake wreck. The sunken former USS Kittiwake, an artificial reef full of fish that you snorkel from the surface. Off Seven Mile Beach, by boat.
- Cemetery Beach. The northern end of Seven Mile Beach, with a reef just offshore for snorkeling, where you may see sea turtles. By taxi or rental car, then a short path from the road.
Getting there
The snorkel sites are not within walking distance of downtown George Town. Cemetery Beach is reached by taxi, not on foot.
When to go
Snorkeling runs year-round here, so the season does not change much. Calm water in the North Sound makes the boat trips comfortable.
Good to know
- Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen, and plan for the sun on the boat and the sandbar.
- Stingray stops are very busy on some days, so expect crowds on the sandbar.
- Do not feed or lift the rays, since researchers have raised concerns about the effect on them.
Questions
Is Stingray City good for beginner snorkelers?
Yes. The sandbar is shallow, about waist-deep, so you can stand while the southern stingrays come close. It is one of the easiest snorkel stops on the island and suits families and first-timers.
How long does a snorkel trip from Grand Cayman take?
Most boat trips to Stingray City and the reef stops take about 3 to 4 hours.
Can I snorkel at Seven Mile Beach without a boat?
Yes, at Cemetery Beach on the northern end of Seven Mile Beach, where a reef lies offshore. The current can be strong, so it suits proficient swimmers. Reach it by taxi, since it is not within walking distance of downtown George Town.
