Snorkel on our own or Stingray City?????

[Luv06012012]

Hi! This will be my first time going to Grand Cayman so I'm unfamiliar with the port. The water there looks gorgeous and I love, love, love to snorkel. I'm wondering if we should find a snorkeling spot on our own or if we should pay to do the Stingray City excursion?

 

For those that have snorkeled on their own...where did you go, what did you see? The water looks so very clear....

 

Thank you so much for your expertise!!!!!!!!!!

[Bashlin]

I think you need a boat to get out to the best snorkeling locations.. I'd get one of the companies like moby Dick or similar to handle it for me.

 

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[ahecht]

The snorkeling you can easily do on your own is vastly inferior to what you would get on an excursion (unless you were willing to rent a car, drive out to Rum Point, and snorkel a few hundred feet off shore).

 

There are two easy to access snorkel spots near the port: Eden Rock and Paradise Restaurant. Both are walking distance, have free access to the water, and have lockers and gear to rent. The coral there is mostly dead, but you will see a number of fish.

 

We also took an excursion with Nativeway that stopped at Stingray City and a place they called "Coral Gardens", which was spectacular. You can see the videos comparing Eden Rock and Coral Gardens below:

 

Eden Rock

 

Coral Gardens

[thinfool]

If you would like to interact with the stingrays you should go to stingray city. It is a wonderful experience, and some snorkel in that area, too.

 

If you have no interest in that kind of activity, book snorkeling in a different area.

 

Personally, I think for a 'first time', stingray city is a 'to do' item. If you plan on cruising with any kind of regularity...you will be back to GC....to dive, snorkel or whatever, again.