Feb 20, 2025
The Experience of a Lifetime! - We were hesitant to book this tourist attractions as we usually tend to stay more off the beaten path and don't like organized touristy activities especially when they involve captive animals. However, upon reading up on Stingray City we discovered that the stingrays are not captive at all, they come and go as they wish attracted by the food provided, we decided to take a chance on it... so glad we did as it turned out to be a once in a life experience!
We did not go through a tour company but booked directly with Stingray City and hired a taxi to get us there and back through the concierge at out hotel. Once there, our driver dropped us off right at the check-in spot and then waited for us in the assigned parking lot during the duration of our tour.
Once checked in, there was a brief wait in a designated shaded area with the opportunity to shop at a few vendor tents, as well as refreshments at a concession stand. At our tour time, we then were given a short brief with what to expect and the necessary rules and asked to sign a waiver before boarding the boat. We then took a short scenic ride to the floating dock in the stingray area, where we unloaded and got into the water. The water is about chest high in most areas and bordered by a reef for additional snorkeling if wanted.
And that's when the fun started, stingrays arrived almost immediately and took my breath away. It's quite an experience having a 3 to 4 ft stingray swim up to you with more arriving and surrounding you! They are very friendly, swim up to you gently and you can pet them. Guides set up picture opportunities and take your photo that you then can purchase if you like. In addition, other guides set up in spots with buckets of squid that participants can then handfeed to the stingrays... what an exhilarating experience... I loved this so much, couldn't stop giggling!
There was plenty of time in the water with the stingrays before getting back on the boat to head to shore. Once there, rum punch was served while photos were downloaded into their system, after which you were given the choice to buy the photos taken of you. In addition, there was a small gift shop with commemorative T-shirts and other things for purchase, but no one was pushy or tried to talk you into buying anything.
Highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 10, 2024
Stingray city - An amazing and excellent experience. Amillia and Shana was extremely helpful in setting us up for the tour and also very knowledgeable in their respective roles, excellent customer service. Thank you team @ Royalton Antigua and the stingray city team for an unforgettable experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 24, 2024
A fabulous experience and an absolute privilege - This was a truly amazing experience. It was an absolute privilege to interact with the rays. Every member of staff that we met from arrival to departure made sure that everyone had the best possible experience and before leaving the rays made absolutely sure that everyone had the opportunity to hold and have a photograph taken and to feed them. We were made to feel welcome and were looked after the whole time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 2, 2024
Wonderful experience - highly recommend! - Fabulous opportunity to engage with stingrays that are not contained in any way. We got to feed them, touch them, learn about them, and wholly enjoy them.
Thank you, Stingray City. I will be back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 11, 2024
wonderful experience, guides were so fun and amazing. This is a must do - This was a once in a lifetime experience. I was so delighted to see these beautiful animals are not contained in any way. Amazing
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 23, 2024
Stingrays are amazing - Fabulous trip - thoroughly recommend. The rays get really close and you can feed them! Be prepared for a lot of people though as lots of boats go out at the same time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 25, 2023
Great combo trip to Stingray City and Laviscount Island - We had a great time visiting Stingray City with our family of 5. Although some of us were a little hesitant at first, the rangers did a great job of keeping everyone reassured that we were safe and the Stingrays wouldn’t hurt us! They are amazing gentle creatures and we now have a much better understanding of them thanks to this trip. We weren’t going to do the combo trip to Laviscount Island initially but we were so pleased that we did. We LOVED meeting the giant tortoises and birds and the rum punch was amazing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 11, 2025
Up close and personal with stingrays! - An amazing experience with the stingrays. The tour guides were very great with them, the feeding and getting everyone comfortable holding them. The reason I gave a four instead of a five was there was just too many people to really enjoy the experience. The ad said 14 people but at least 80 were on the tour with us which made it very crowded a little chaotic and took away from the all around experience. Being that so many people shared the tour it should have definitely been cheaper. I’ve been on much more private tours and have paid less.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 2, 2025
An amazing tour but we had a sting in the tail - The swimming with sting rays was absolutely amazing. But did have a sting in the tail.
MAKE SURE THE 3rd PARTY THAT BOOKS YOUR TICKETS HAS ACTUALLY PURCHASED YOUR ENTRY TICKETS FROM STING RAY CITY. They are the only ones to issue entry tickets. We arrived no Nexus rep so went to kiosk and told that Nexus hadn’t prebooked and the tour times were now full so no admission!!! The tickets Nexus sent out means nothing it HAS to be a Sting Ray city ticket. Nexus turned off their phones so no one to contact. Viatour offered a full refund but it was $80 in a taxi and that would have been the only day to do this as I was on a cruise. 8 people had the same problem that had booked through viatour. Fortunately Sting Ray city managed to squeeze us all in due to no shows.BIG THANK YOU TO THEM. My advice If you are booking tickets book direct.
Review provided by Viator
Jan 1, 2025
Trip is Great but Don't Book Through Nexus - My review includes two parts: Nexus Tours and Stingray City.
Stingray City is great. It has become pricier than before (may be due to Christmas season, or may be permanent). However it is still worth the trip. The Guide will help you hold the stingray to take a perfect shot. It is your choice to buy the photo for at least US$18.
Nexus Tours: next book through Nexus Tours. My booking did not show up in the operator's list. Phone calls by the operator and by myself did not yield any result. Thankfully the operator still allowed me to take the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor