Holding the stingrays at Stingray City, Antigua
We arrived in style – James Bond style. Our boat was greeted by our friendly guides who escorted us into the stingray reserve. Many in our group were nervous about stepping into the water full of rays. Fears that were definitely unfounded as we learned that the Southern Rays are actually known as the puppy dogs of the sea! They are super friendly and silky soft. At the reserve, they rub up against your legs and crowd around you looking for food. We were all able to hold and feed the rays as we posed for pictures. The anticipation for holding one of the rays was immense – while I knew there was nothing to worry about – it was still a little unnerving to have so many of the rays bumping into me as I joined the others gathered round the fish pail.
Catching a ride to Stingray City, Antigua
Stingrays do not aggressively attack people – stings are more likely to happen when accidentally stepped on. Shuffling through the water will warm the stingrays of your presence and they will naturally swim away. The guides were excellent at putting all of our concerns to rest, explaining how to hold the stingray and helping to feed them. They were excellent and patient as our group peppered them with questions. One of the other great things about Stingray City is that they have a photographer to take your pictures which you can buy, but they also let you take as many photos as you like yourself.
Up close and personal with a stingray
Arriving at Stingray City’s land base after our swim and snorkel, we were greeted with rum and fruit punch. We had a chance to look at the monkeys and exotic birds at the mini zoo. For me, the highlight remains swimming with the stingrays. I am not alone the belief that Stingray City is worth the trip – they won Trip Advisors “Certificate of Excellence” in May 2011.
Stingray City, Antigua
Travel Destination Bucket List 
Sounds like a wonderful trip, nice to see one of my favourite ocean animals getting some good press!
Posted by Jessica @ Shhh Mommy's Blogging | September 16, 2011, 4:08 pmIt was so much fun! Really cool to feed and hold them! They really were like puppy dogs!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 4:13 pmStingray is one of my favorites, too. I like them best in pressed coconut milk sauce. oops.. am I in the right room? 🙂
Posted by Rod | September 17, 2011, 9:37 amBe careful with those stingrays. Thanks for sharing your experience. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
Posted by conniewalden | September 16, 2011, 4:11 pmWas only nervous for a moment! The guides were great at explaining to us about how the stingrays hide and rest in the sand. If you shuffle your feet, you will alert them to your presence. It was really cool to see them glide along the water. The reserve is such a great protection area for them too – they were very used to people. Looking forward to going again if I can.
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 4:17 pmAll I could say is that I envy you soooo much right now! I love Stingrays and I love going to the zoo and being able to pet them in the aquarium part of the zoo. Lucky you.
Congrats on being freshly pressed
Posted by Mariajose | September 16, 2011, 4:20 pmThanks – very excited to be freshly pressed! Also glad it was about a tour I did that I enjoyed so much! Hope you make it out there some day – loads of fun!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 4:37 pmWell, I don’t know how to swim lol so it’ll be rare and pretty scary for me to head out there lol but if I ever learn, this is on my bucket list(:
Posted by Mariajose | September 18, 2011, 5:53 amNo worries Mariajose – the reserve is not so deep that you have to swim – you are able to stand at all times!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 18, 2011, 7:19 amThat does sound sweet!
Posted by Mariajose | September 18, 2011, 6:42 pmI’ve done this before, too!! Such a great experience!!
Posted by justalittlebrit | September 16, 2011, 4:46 pmIt was – one of the girls I was travelling with tried to change her plans for the next day to go back! I think I will just have to go back to Antigua to do it again!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 5:02 pmWow — after the whole Steve Irwin incident, I’d be far less brave than you…I’m WAY impressed!
🙂
Posted by Mikalee Byerman | September 16, 2011, 4:56 pmThey spoke about that – a few people were nervous, and the guides put everyone’s mind at ease! After playing with the rays, and learning how to handle them properly – totally not scary!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 5:00 pmReally cool! I don’t think I could hold one, but that’s pretty awesome 🙂
Posted by Lakia Gordon | September 16, 2011, 5:21 pmYou totally could – I just know it!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 16, 2011, 5:28 pmOhh!! My mother-in-law had a stringray brush up against her while they were relaxing in Magen’s Bay on St. Thomas… ahhh! That sounds like you experienced and absolute adventure. 🙂 Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by ladyladylike | September 16, 2011, 7:13 pmgorgeous animals and good post sounds like an awesome time
Posted by northerntees | September 16, 2011, 9:06 pmwow..you rock. you hold it 😀
Posted by timawa1904 | September 16, 2011, 11:47 pmHi Anita,
Looks like you had lots of fun in Antigua.
You should come here to Barbados and swim with the turtles!! 🙂
Posted by Kai Lillia | September 16, 2011, 11:47 pmOh wow – I would LOVE to swim with the turtles! Will look into it!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 17, 2011, 7:16 amVery interesting. Must plan to go…
Posted by Darlene | September 17, 2011, 12:15 amInteresting blog!
Posted by rakhikankane | September 17, 2011, 1:33 amamazing fishing and beutiful..
visit on http://anar373ct.wordpress.com/
thx before brother..
Posted by ANAR373CT | September 17, 2011, 1:49 amvery beautiful! thanks a lot!
http://www.JavidSuleymanli.com/
Posted by javidsuleymanli | September 17, 2011, 2:07 amit is really perfect!
Posted by helpseller | September 17, 2011, 2:17 amI have always wanted to swim with stingrays… just don’t know where. Now I do… Antigua, here I come. Thanks for the tip Anita!
Posted by Funner Montag | September 17, 2011, 2:36 amMy pleasure! They really a great outfit! Really helpful and can tell you a lot about the rays.
Posted by Anita Mac | September 17, 2011, 7:19 amI always see stingrays at the market and have always wanted to have a “swim” with them.
Posted by Judith | September 17, 2011, 2:50 ambeautiful!! i could still remember when i got the chance to touch them at Underwater World of Sentosa in Singapore!!! c:
http://travellersdiningdepot.wordpress.com/
Posted by Travelling Writer | September 17, 2011, 9:41 amGreat post! I’ve been pretty terrified of stingrays, until reading your article! Looks like you had an amazing time, I hope one day I will be lucky enough to travel there!
Posted by caateryna | September 17, 2011, 12:29 pmStingray City was one of the best memories I’ll ever have, which is amazing because the weather was cold and rainy. We were freezing and grumpy when we got out there, and the water was choppier than normal. My wife and two oldest kids and I got in with no problem, but my little girl, then 10, was shorter than the rest of us and had a panic attack.
I got to hold her and calm her down enough to enjoy the experience. Funny, she thought she’d ruined it for us, but for just a little while, I got to be my baby’s Daddy again. It’s nice to be needed. 🙂
The rays were cool, too.
Posted by swanstuff | September 17, 2011, 7:54 pmWhat a great story! Glad you and your little girl got to share that special moment!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 17, 2011, 9:04 pmCongrats on being Freshly Pressed! Brought back memories. I lived in Antigua for much of my childhood, and still have quite a bit of family there, including my dad. Beautiful place! Even got married there on the beach, sans the stingrays.
Posted by SomerEmpress | September 17, 2011, 9:08 pmThanks! I am still very excited about it! Sounds wonderful to have been married on the beach!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 17, 2011, 9:34 pmI’ve never swum with stingrays, but I’ve touched them and petted them (at MOTE Marine Aquarium in FL). They are so soft and very personable (or at least the small ones I met and socialized with were).
Posted by Sophia Morgan (griffinspen) | September 17, 2011, 9:14 pmWe took the Stingray City excursion in Antigua while on a cruise some years ago. That experience is still one of my all-time favorite vacation memories. Thanks for bringing back that memory with your post!
Posted by Mark S. | September 17, 2011, 11:02 pmI think it’s a good trip that I wanna be there.
Posted by exterhardd | September 17, 2011, 11:14 pmSwimming with the stingrays and dolphins is somthing that everyone should experince if they have the chance, they are smart gracefull and loveing, if more people would conect with our aquit frends and see and feel the love that can be shared between land and sea…. I truly belive would make the awarness of how important it is to keep our waters, land , and air cleaner. …Plus you will always leave with a smile on your face and cheer in your hart. : )
Posted by David Belote | September 18, 2011, 12:08 amits a great experience to have…
Posted by BettyYaw | September 18, 2011, 1:48 amits a great experience to have
Posted by BettyYaw | September 18, 2011, 1:49 amWow what an amazing post! How did you avoid it’s dangerous aspects?
Love the photos!
(:
Posted by thebigbookofdating | September 18, 2011, 2:53 amLots of fun…strange creatures, aren’t they?
Posted by natbeau123 | September 18, 2011, 3:15 amI used to be the kid that would cry because I couldn’t reach the stingrays at the exhibit at Seaworld. I went back as an adult and had the best time! Looks like fun…Congrats on freshly pressed!
Posted by Shai | September 18, 2011, 3:35 amدليل القاهرة
Dalil Cairo
http://dalil.mycairo.net/
راااائع فعلا
Posted by Dalil Cairo | September 18, 2011, 7:10 amI love stingrays! They’re adorable.
I didn’t realize that there was a reserve in Antingua, though, so now this is a must-see destination to add to my list. 🙂
Posted by Megan | September 18, 2011, 9:07 amOMG You know one of those things killed our Steve Irwin don’t you?
Posted by gaycarboys | September 18, 2011, 12:10 pmYeah – but those were extenuating circumstances!!! The Stingray reserve is totally safe – I am never once felt threatened!!
Posted by Anita Mac | September 18, 2011, 1:09 pmSo jealous! This sounds like an amazing experience.
Posted by Current Instincts | September 18, 2011, 3:21 pmI have swam with dolphins but don’t know if I would have the courage to swim with stingrays. Great photos.
Posted by newsy1 | September 18, 2011, 3:43 pmWow, that’s amazing! Stingrays have been a favorite of mine since childhood. I used to spend hours petting them at Sea World and local zoos. They are so beautiful and alien and I’m lucky enough to be from Florida– we get to see stingrays a lot here! That’s why it’s so amusing when people are afraid of them!
Posted by Chelsea McDonald | September 18, 2011, 6:40 pmA most memorable experience I’m sure. Thanks for this very informative post….. I want to swim with the stingrays now!
Posted by Gail | September 18, 2011, 9:24 pmStingrays are pretty cool. I’ve only seen them in zoos and aquariums, but never out in the wild. Pretty neat to see and experience. 🙂
http://lifeslittletreasures.wordpress.com/
http://thebluemorpho.wordpress.com/
http://zazzle.com/thebluemorpho
Posted by TheBlueMorpho | September 18, 2011, 11:21 pmI love the pictures and I think that it sounds like checking out the stingrays was an awesome experience, I’d love to do it myself. Looks like you had yourself a wonderful time, it’s so neat watching stingrays swim in the water and they move so majestically too.
Posted by sarahnsh | September 19, 2011, 12:00 amhey nice pics …
it seems to b a awsome trip ….
Posted by narinder | September 19, 2011, 12:52 amThis looks like a wonderful time. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome.
🙂
Posted by Zoe | September 19, 2011, 5:24 amNice snorkling experience, just make me remember when visit gili trawangan island..
Posted by luxury rental bali | September 19, 2011, 6:22 amLove seeing your pictures of your expedition! We will be going on our own adventures next summer while studying abroad and seeing this makes us more excited!
We just started a new blog and would love for you to help us out and follow us as well, our blog website is adventuresofbrittania.wordpress.com! Thanks, we hope you enjoy!
Posted by adventuresofbrittania | September 19, 2011, 12:11 pmlooks like you had a great time!! 🙂
-grace
Posted by GraceLynneFleming | September 19, 2011, 12:36 pmIt was great! Love playing with the animals. I am lucky enough to have done a few – dolphins in Cuba, elephants in Thailand, camels in Australia….really a thrill.
Posted by Anita Mac | September 19, 2011, 2:08 pmKudos for the great piece of writing. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.
Posted by Entrevistas Laborales | September 21, 2011, 6:38 amWe had a similar, wonderful encounter with rays in Bora Bora. They were really gentle.
Posted by Jeff | September 22, 2011, 3:51 pmWow – I would love to go to Bora Bora. Oh – so many places to go, so little time!!! Thanks for reading – hope it brought back good memories of your time with the rays.
Posted by Anita Mac | September 22, 2011, 4:14 pmSounds like a wonderful destination and exciting thing to experience. I once slept in a sleeping bag beneath the shark tank at the Minnesota Zoo. That’s about as exciting as it gets for this old elementary teacher.
Posted by flyinggma | October 5, 2011, 8:38 amOh my – there must be a good story behind the shark tank!
Posted by Anita Mac | October 5, 2011, 8:41 amNo story just a bunch of elementary teachers sleeping overnight at the zoo learning about sharks so we could teach about them in our classrooms. It was a class that the zoo offered after it regular business hours. A behind the scenes view.
Posted by flyinggma | October 5, 2011, 8:54 amWow it looks amazing! You have a beautiful blog Anita!
Posted by erikahesselroth | October 10, 2011, 9:05 amThank you! It is a work in process but I love doing it!
Posted by Anita Mac | October 10, 2011, 3:52 pmAwesome experience!
Posted by PC PHOTO | October 10, 2011, 7:14 pmI would have loved to be so close to a stingray 😀
Posted by wolke205 | January 31, 2012, 2:15 pmThe kids would love doing that!
Posted by Smith | June 15, 2012, 8:40 amWe just got back from an amazing Cruise and our stop to Antigua was amazing!!!! Nothing gets your heart pumping like swimming around with giant Stingrays ~ http://bit.ly/14NnNaE Stingray City Baby!
Posted by Sandra Bouchard Dugas | April 4, 2013, 6:56 pm