Antigua: Swimming With Stingrays And A Trip To Beautiful Long Bay Beach

Updated September 7th, 2025, Posted by travelwith2ofus

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I visited Antigua and Barbuda many, many years ago. However, this was the first time for Nikks. Antigua is known for having more beaches than days in a year. Imagine that, it truly is a fantastic island to visit. A different beach for every day of the year, now that is simply amazing.

We touched down in Antigua on December 21st, and it was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, and the sky was blue with a few white clouds fluttering around.

Nikks was anxious to see what Antigua had to offer, and I was eager to see what had changed. To be honest, I was here so long ago I can't really remember much about the place.

The other islands we visted before arriving in Antigua and Barbuda were Guadeloupe, Santo Domingo, Calalina Island and St Maarten. After Antigua we headed to Fort De France Martinique.

The cruise ship in the background in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda.

Cruise ship port St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda

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Planning Our Itinerary: Stingrays and Beaches

Our plan for things to do in Antigua was taking shape. While researching our trip, we found that the tours and other activities were a bit more costly than on other Caribbean islands.

However, one activity that immediately caught our attention was a visit to Stingray City. At about $50 US per person, the cost was quite reasonable. Since this was only going to take up part of our day and was scheduled for the afternoon, we had to find another activity to keep us occupied during the morning.

After some deliberation and speaking with local tour and taxi operators, we decided to spend the morning at Long Bay Beach, then head to Stingray City in the afternoon. Conveniently, both locations were situated in the same general area.

Important Travel Tip: What We Learned at the Port

Before I tell you about the amazing experience we had in Antigua, I'd like to share something we noticed. After we disembarked from the ship and headed to the tourist information section to get details on available tours and rates from the taxi dispatchers, we realized that none of them were paying us any attention.

We stood close to them, trying to get their attention, but they just kept ignoring us. They were all rushing to attend to the European visitors from the same cruise ship.

We could not believe we were experiencing this kind of treatment from our own Caribbean people. We also experienced the same thing in St. Maarten. With that being said, let us tell you about our time in Antigua and Barbuda.

Taxi dispatchers and tourist at the cruise ship complex in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda.

Getting to Long Bay Beach & Experiencing the Local Vibe

After finally getting a taxi organized, we headed to Long Bay Beach. The taxis have a good system where we shared the ride with six other people and split the cost, which worked out very well for us.

We each paid $8 US to get to Long Bay Beach. It would later cost us $15 for both of us to get to Stingray City, and a further $28 for the return trip to the cruise port.

As I mentioned before, Antigua has an abundance of beaches, and when we arrived at Long Bay Beach we were not disappointed. It’s a beautiful spot located on the East Coast of Antigua, about a five-minute drive from the village of Willikies. The white sand and the crystal-clear, turquoise-blue water invited us to come in, and that is exactly what we did. We jumped, swum, and splashed all over the beach.

We rented a beach chair and umbrella from one of the small shop owners on the beach, kicked back, and relaxed. All that was missing was a beer, rum and coke, or a glass of wine. Unfortunately, the bar and restaurant on the beach were not open yet. This was surprising to us.

The beach had a reasonable amount of visitors, so we wondered why the bar wasn't open. Was it too early? I guess in Antigua, it is. The island seems to be very laid-back, as most Caribbean countries are. Things move at their own easy pace.

After enjoying Long Bay Beach for several hours and eventually getting a few drinks—including a Wadadli, the local beer, and a couple of rum and cokes with Cavalier, a local rum, we realized it was time to head to Stingray City.

View of Long Bay Beach from the shade.

Below: Nikks enjoying a local beer at the beach bar. Top right: A view of Long Bay Beach. Bottom right: Small shops on the beach.

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Facing Fears: What It's Like to Meet the Stingrays

About twenty minutes after leaving Long Bay Beach, we arrived at Stingray City with much anticipation. Nikks wanted to do this so badly that she didn't care about the cost. Even during the planning of our trip, she kept insisting we go. When we left the taxi and headed to check in for our package, her eyes lit up with excitement.

After we registered and signed a waiver, we took a stroll around the compound. There were a couple of cages with parrots and other animals. A few of the parrots were beautiful and seemed to be saying "hello" and "honestly" as they posed for our selfies.

We were then called for a briefing, where we were informed about our destination and how to safely interact with the stingrays. We learned that the rays are not dangerous and the only way to get poked by their tail is to accidentally step on them. We were also instructed on how to properly feed them. It was a relief to know that the stingrays are not penned or caged; they are out in the open sea in a shallow spot that also contains a reef.

Next, we boarded a boat in groups and headed out to meet the rays. I hate boat rides and could tell Nikks was watching me squirm, but it wasn't too bad. We approached the spot and were handed snorkel equipment and given some final instructions.

We observed that there were numerous stingrays in the water. Some were quite large, and some were small. I could see the excitement building on Nikks' face; she was beaming, and I could tell she was enjoying the stingray encounter immensely.

It was one of the most amazing experiences we have had on our travels.

Nikks smiling as she encounters a stingray, but is she secretly scared?

Nikks and I interact with a stingray assisted by one of the guys from Stringray City Antigua.

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A Toast to Adventure: The Stingray City Conclusion

After spending over an hour with these lovely marine creatures, we came back to shore energized and with a greater appreciation for the marine life of Antigua.

No tour or trip in the Caribbean is complete without a complimentary rum punch. There was also fruit punch available for kids and for those who don't drink alcohol.

It's important to bear in mind that there is a difference between stingrays and manta rays. Manta rays are much larger than stingrays and have a wide, gaping mouth, while a stingray's mouth is located on its underside.
More on the difference between stingrays and manta rays here.