Backpacking In Antigua: Touring Stingray City

Oxymorons on the brain, fast-paced whackpacking through Caribbean islands and a complete skippal of Barbuda led me to…the delights and calm waters of Stingray City! This was one of many mini-adventures when backpacking in Antigua, I toured Stingray City as well as visiting English Harbour, the National Cricket Stadium, Willikies, Long Beach and Devil’s Bridge. Which was whackpacking to the core in my humble opinion as it was neither a city, nor did I see any stingrays there (this was my fault of course – I’ll explain later). It was almost textbook whackpacking and the very reason I coined such a phrase when whackpacking in Hippy Goa in India in March 2016…

I was staying at Ellen Bay Cottages but it was one of those crazy trips where everything tried to stop me seeing this place, but I did it! A boat cancellation combined with a late PCR test result meant my scheduled ferry from Saint Lucia to Martinique had to be omitted. Instead, I managed a day and night in Sint-Maarten (and Saint Martin), a night in Guadeloupe before arrival into Antigua, where Barbuda had to be by-balled…

From Ellen Bay Cottages, I headed along the seafront to Stingray City. It’s not a city of course – these are all small settlements or villages. Stingray City is a harbour from where boats can take you on a cruise and you can sightseeing for sea creatures and animals including stingrays (of course).

I grabbed a Wadadli (local beer) and enjoyed the relaxation here.

There’s a hut to buy some t-shirts and other souvenirs from Stingray City.

Here are some of the actual creatures you can really see if you go backpacking and touring properly in Stingray City, rather than my lazy soul who preferred a beer and watching the waves and sun splash and shine…

Here is a video I made a Stingray City: