Why Some Tourists May Not Enjoy This Iconic Grand Cayman Activity, According To Reviews

Anyone who's ever experienced the swirling onset of motion sickness, the churning waves of queasiness that can turn an otherwise lovely day into a dizzying cycle of nausea and vomiting, is fully cognizant of how quickly the symptoms take hold and how slowly they dissipate. It's enough to make even the most adventurous traveler think twice about risking a repeat. That's why some visitors to Grand Cayman steer clear of Stingray City. Located almost 4.5 miles off Grand Cayman's stunning Seven Mile Beach, a visit to Stingray City is among the most popular attractions in the Cayman Islands. In fact, as one of 18 must-do things in the Cayman Islands, it's a highlight for many visitors.

Such was the case for Erin W, who wrote on TripAdvisor, "Stingray City is the highlight of my trip, not only because the stingrays here are just so darn cute and friendly, but also because I experienced the worst seasickness of my life ... please do yourselves a favor and take motion sickness medicine and wear sea bands!" You could also try this natural remedy for seasickness. Jen Nifer, who posted a request for information about Stingray City on the I love Cayman Islands Facebook page, received a few similar warnings, but by and large, veteran Stingray City visitors advised pre-emptive measures including taking anti-nausea medication well before the tour boat leaves the dock, in addition to wearing sea bands, acupressure-based wrist bands believed to alleviate symptoms of motion-based nausea. Additionally, a few people who commented on Nifer's post suggested choosing a tour operator that runs excursions using catamarans, instead of mono-hulls. Catamarans offer a more stable at-sea experience, and it's the rocking motion of a boat that usually causes seasickness.

You've taken precautionary measures to hold motion sickness at bay, and you're on the boat headed to Stingray City. So far, so good. But what exactly is Stingray City? It's a sandbar where fishermen once stopped on their way back to shore to clean their catch. The fishy entrails may have been junk to the fishermen, but they presented the equivalent of a gourmet dinner for stingrays swimming in the area. Before long, pods of the gentle giants were arriving at the sandbar daily to greet the incoming fleet. Word spread, and island visitors started navigating to the sandbar with food to attract stingrays. By the 1980s, local tour operators began running scheduled excursions. Fast forward to today and, during high season, up to 1,500 people a day venture to Stingray City.

Located off the north coast of Grand Cayman, in the northwest corner of the North Sound, Stingray City is a 76-square-mile aquatic landscape comprising two distinct sections — Valley of the Rays and Stingray Sandbar. Snorkelers may want to focus their visit on the Valley of the Rays, where the water can reach depths of up to 12 feet. Stingray Sandbar is, just as its name suggests, a sandbar. Natural elements combine to create a stable environment that maintains the shallow-water oasis regardless of the tide. It's a family-friendly wading experience appropriate for people who may be less confident in their swimming skills.

We mentioned that up to 1,500 people visit Stingray City daily during the high season. If that's a turn-off, we can suggest a few workarounds. Schedule an early-morning tour. Aim for the first departure of the day. Alternatively, consider a sunset tour. Grand Cayman is a popular cruise ship port — and cruise ships offer excursions while they're in port. It's a pretty safe bet to assume Stingray City is going to be busy when ships are docked in Grand Cayman. With that in mind, take a look at the cruise ship schedule — it's posted on the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands website — and plan accordingly. And be sure to consider visiting in the low season. Grand Cayman is a year-round destination with a temperate climate, averaging between 74 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the low season coincides with the rainy season, actual daily rainfall is usually limited to a late-afternoon shower. Plus, it's a warm rain that some people consider a welcome respite from the heat.

In addition to taking preemptive measures to avoid motion sickness on the boat ride to and from Stingray City, consider a few tips to ensure your experience is a highlight of your visit. Keep in mind that although the stingrays you'll encounter are docile creatures accustomed to interacting with humans, they are still wild animals. Be gentle and respect their environment. To avoid startling a stingray, always approach from the front, never from the side or rear. Avoid touching their tails, eyes, or gills, and take a moment before entering the water to learn the stingray shuffle, a strange but (mostly) effective method to avoid startling stingrays that involves shuffling, not walking, across the sandy bottom of shallow water.