Stingray Sandbar, The Cayman Islands

Ah, the stingray. Fear of these little guys shot up about 1000% after Steve Irwin’s unfortunate death. Alas, the most popular thing to do in The Cayman Islands is the stingray sandbar tour. The boat ride out to the sandbar was nice but felt like it took forever- even on the “speed boat” we were on.

When we finally arrived, we peeked over the edge of the boat, watching these marvelous creatures seem to anticipate our arrival.

I have to admit I was quite fearless upon getting into the water. The crew will stay with you while you are in the water. You have the opportunity to feed the stingrays, pet them and hold them. We even got snorkel equipment. No one was stung on this tour. I have to admit, my fearlessness diminished when these majestic creatures started sliding under my feet and around my legs. It kind of gives you that creepy feeling when their velvety skin touches yours. After all, you are in their habitat. Their territory.

Nonetheless, this was a great experience- one I will never forget! I highly recommend the stingray sandbar for adults and kids who are not fearful of stingrays or swimming with ocean life. My 4-year-old daughter and I are stopping in The Caymans next month on a cruise itinerary and are opting to swim with the dolphins instead. She would be quite freaked out by the stingrays. However, there are life jackets provided for everyone and I saw kids younger than my daughter on this tour, so only YOU know your children and what they will tolerate.

Cruise line excursion rates can be high. I can get you this tour PLUS an additional snorkel stop for only $49 per person. E-mail me at bluegrottotravel@outlook.com and ask me how!

Do This: Cave Tubing in Belize

A woman recently stopped me after she saw my ‘Blue Grotto Travel’ car magnet. She had booked a Spring Break family trip to Belize and was wondering what to do while there. My reply was simple- Cave Tubing! It is a popular shore excursion among cruisers- and it’s no wonder why!

My party and I booked through Cave-Tubing.com and could not have had a better time. While other cave tour groups were over-crowded (we saw over 20 people linked together by their tubes at one point), we were a nice small group of about 8. Smaller tour groups mean easier management and more time for FUN! Plus, afterwards you get to try a Belizean tamale and purchase a nice “Butt’s Up” souvenir tee. During my extensive research I also discovered that they had the best price for the tour as well. Our guides were really nice and we even got a chance to “cliff jump” afterwards, They really knew all of the ends and outs of the cave and the area. Don’t worry- they will always remind you to keep your “butt’s up” during cave tubing.

The pictures I took during cave tubing didn’t come out so great (my underwater/waterproof camera was an epic fail on this trip, plus the caves are dark!).