Native Tours Antigua: Stingray City, Laviscount & East Coast Guide
Native Tours Antigua operates from Willikies in St. Philip Parish, running two of the island's most iconic wildlife experiences. Their Stingray City tour puts you in waist-deep water with wild Southern stingrays for around $70 USD. Add the Laviscount Island giant tortoise sanctuary as a combo for $104 USD. Daily departures run at 9am, 11am, and 1pm. Hotel and cruise ship pickup is available islandwide.
Native Tours Antigua: Stingray City, Laviscount & East Coast Guide
TL;DR: Native Tours Antigua operates from Willikies in St. Philip Parish, running two of the island's most iconic wildlife experiences. Their Stingray City tour puts you in waist-deep water with wild Southern stingrays for around $70 USD. Add the Laviscount Island giant tortoise sanctuary as a combo for $104 USD. Daily departures run at 9am, 11am, and 1pm. Hotel and cruise ship pickup is available islandwide.
If you're planning a trip to Antigua and searching for native tours in Willikies, you've already found the island's best-kept secret hiding in plain sight. The east coast of Antigua doesn't get the same marketing budget as English Harbour or Dickenson Bay. But this rugged, reef-sheltered corner of St. Philip Parish is home to two wildlife encounters that routinely top "best day of the trip" lists on every travel review site going.
Native Tours Antigua runs the Stingray City experience and the Laviscount Island tortoise sanctuary from their base near Seatons Village, just outside Willikies. They're the operator behind the headline you've seen on every Antigua cruise excursion board. And yet, despite thousands of visitors searching for them every month, there is no proper guide anywhere explaining exactly what they offer, how much it costs, or how it compares to Adventure Antigua and other east coast operators.
This post fixes that. Whether you're a cruise passenger with four hours to fill or a hotel guest planning a full day out, here's everything you need to book with confidence.
What Is Native Tours Antigua and Where Is It Based?
Native Tours Antigua is the east coast's premier marine and wildlife tour operator, running daily excursions from Willikies in St. Philip Parish. Their two flagship experiences are the Stingray City marine encounter and the Laviscount Island giant tortoise sanctuary, both accessible from the same base near Seatons Village, a short drive from Long Bay Beach.
The business traces its roots to Andrew Moody-Stuart, the Antiguan-Jamaican entrepreneur who pioneered ecotourism on the island's northeast coast. He established both the Stingray City operation and the private Laviscount Island sanctuary, building them into Antigua's most recognisable wildlife brand before his passing in 2021. His legacy runs through every guided briefing and feeding session today.
What makes this operator distinct is the combination. Most tour companies take you to Stingray City as one stop on a longer boat circuit. Native Tours owns the full experience: the speedboat transfer, the stingray sandbank, and the private island. You book directly, you arrive by boat, and the guide-to-guest ratio stays small enough that the experience feels personal rather than conveyor-belt.
You can browse all tours and activities in Antigua on AntiguaSearch to compare options across the island, but for east coast wildlife encounters, this is the anchor you'll keep coming back to.
What Is the Stingray City Antigua Experience Like?
Stingray City Antigua is a guided marine encounter in shallow, calm water off the coast of Seatons Village. A short speedboat ride (five to ten minutes) takes you to a natural sandbank surrounded by coral reef where wild Southern stingrays gather. The water is waist-deep, clear, and warm. You stand, wade, or swim depending on confidence. The guides handle the rest.
The Southern Stingrays at this site are described as some of the most interactive in the Caribbean. They're habituated to humans without being kept in enclosures or tanks. You'll feed them baby squid, feel their leathery skin pass against your legs, and have the option to hold one for a photo. Snorkelling equipment is available so you can duck under and watch them glide beneath you.
The experience runs for about 1.5 hours total, including the boat transfer. When you return to the base, a complimentary rum punch or fruit punch is included. Professional photos taken during the session are available to purchase on-site, and a souvenir shop rounds out the visit.
US News Travel ranks Stingray City Antigua among the top things to do on the island, with reviewers consistently citing friendly and patient guides as a highlight. The British newspaper The Times has included swimming with stingrays at this site among the top three experiences to have in Antigua.
A few things to know before you go. Tours run daily at 9am, 11am, and 1pm. Early morning slots are calmer and less crowded, which matters on days when cruise ships are in port. The sandbank is not wheelchair accessible, as guests need to step off a floating dock into shallow water. The experience suits all swimming levels, ages four and up.
The Stingray City Antigua listing on AntiguaSearch has full contact details, the phone number, and links to the official booking site.
What Is the Laviscount Island Tortoise Sanctuary?
The Laviscount Island tour is a 1.5-hour guided visit to a small, privately owned island just off Antigua's northeast coast, reachable by a five to ten minute boat ride from the Stingray City base. It's one of the most unusual wildlife encounters in the Caribbean, and it's chronically underbooked relative to how good it is.
The sanctuary is home to more than 50 Aldabra giant tortoises, native to the Indian Ocean. These animals can grow to over 600 lbs and live for up to 200 years, making them among the planet's longest-lived creatures. On the island, you'll hand-feed them carrots and get genuinely close to creatures that have changed little since the age of dinosaurs.
Laviscount also hosts Lesser Antillean iguanas (a rare and protected native species), tropical birds including a resident macaw, walking trails through red mangrove and dry forest, a secluded beach, a floating dock, a viewing deck, and an ice cream shop. The island feels hushed and cared-for. A carved wooden arch at the entrance serves as a quiet memorial to Andrew Moody-Stuart.
Laviscount Island tours are available daily at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. The standalone tour is priced at around $70 USD per person.
How Much Does It Cost and How Do You Book?
This is the question most visitors can't easily answer online. Here are the confirmed prices:
The standalone Stingray City tour is priced at around $70 USD per person for a 1.5-hour session. The standalone Laviscount Island tour runs at a similar price point. The combination tour, covering both the stingray sandbank and the Laviscount Island sanctuary, runs around $104 USD per person for approximately two hours. Private tours are available on request at a price agreed directly with the operator.
For context, comparable experiences via third-party booking platforms like Viator or GetYourGuide often list at $145 USD and above when round-trip hotel transfers are bundled in. Booking directly via stingraycityantigua.com or by calling +1 (268) 562-7297 gives you the base experience at the lower rate. Transfer costs depend on your hotel's location.
Tours operate rain or shine in most conditions, but very rough weather can lead to rescheduling. You'll be offered an alternative date or full refund if weather cancels the trip. The recommended booking approach is to secure your slot in advance, particularly during the November to April peak season when cruise ships increase competition for spots.
Taxi fares from V.C. Bird International Airport to Stingray City in Willikies run around $25 to $35 USD and take approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Many hotels island-wide offer transfer arrangements, or the operator can coordinate hotel pickup for your group. Cruise passengers meeting at Heritage Quay in St. John's should confirm the exact meeting point with Native Tours when booking, as rendezvous logistics vary by ship.
If you run a tour business on the east coast and aren't yet listed on AntiguaSearch, add your listing for free to reach the thousands of visitors researching Antigua excursions every month.
Getting to Willikies: What to Know About the East Coast
Willikies sits in St. Philip Parish on Antigua's rugged east coast. It's about 25 to 30 minutes from the capital St. John's, and 20 to 30 minutes from the airport. The road passes through the village of Pares and skirts the edge of the Indian Town National Park before arriving on the Atlantic-facing coastline.
This part of the island looks and feels different from the calm Caribbean west coast. The water has more movement, the landscape is drier and more dramatic, and the pace is unmistakably local. Willikies is the base for some of the island's most beloved eco-attractions, and the east coast tour circuit often loops in nearby Devil's Bridge, Long Bay Beach, and the ruins at Betty's Hope.
Visitors staying at The Verandah Resort and Spa, Pineapple Beach Club, Hammock Cove, or Nonsuch Bay Resort are ideally placed for a Native Tours morning. You're under 15 minutes from the Stingray City base. If you're coming from a west coast hotel at Jolly Harbour or Dickenson Bay, budget around 45 minutes each way. The drive is scenic and the roads are good.
The mangrove trails at Belfast Bay, just outside Willikies, are also worth noting. Clear Kayak Mangrove Tours offers transparent kayak eco-tours through the mangrove lagoon, and the two experiences pair naturally as a full-day east coast itinerary.
How Does Native Tours Compare to Adventure Antigua and Other Operators?
This is the comparison question no review site has properly answered. Here's an honest side-by-side.
Native Tours Antigua (Stingray City and Laviscount Island)
The specialist option. Native Tours own the stingray sandbank and the tortoise sanctuary. When you book directly, you're getting the experience at its source, not routed through a third-party catamaran that adds the stingray stop as one item in a longer itinerary. Group sizes are controlled. The focus is entirely on these two encounters. Best for: families with children, anyone who wants an unhurried wildlife interaction, cruise passengers with a focused half-day.
Adventure Antigua
Antigua's most established boat tour operator, founded in 1999 by Eli Fuller. Their signature Xtreme Circumnavigation tour covers the full island coastline by speedboat in around six hours, with stops at Stingray City, Green Island, the Pillars of Hercules, and Nelson's Dockyard. The price is currently from $221 USD per person. They also offer the Adventure Islands tour that includes Laviscount Island, Hells Gate, and a reef snorkel, from around $194 USD per person. Best for: active travellers who want to see more of the island and aren't prioritising time at any single attraction.
NexusTours Antigua
The large-scale operator running Land Rover safari and Stingray City combo tours, primarily serving guests at resort hotels including Royalton. Group sizes can be large (up to 99 passengers on some listings). Reviews are mixed, with some guests reporting booking confusion and crowded conditions. Best for: all-inclusive guests whose resort has pre-arranged an excursion package.
Antigua Nature Tours
A local eco-tour company offering guided outdoor exploration of the island's natural habitats, beaches, and wildlife. A good complement to Stingray City for nature-focused travellers wanting something beyond the standard excursion format. You can find them via Antigua Nature Tours on AntiguaSearch.
The honest summary: if the stingray and tortoise encounters are the reason you're heading east, book directly with Native Tours. If you want a full day on the water covering multiple sites, Adventure Antigua's Xtreme or Islands tours are worth the premium. The two operators target different visitors and aren't really in competition with each other.
What Else Is There to Do Near Willikies in St. Philip Parish?
An east coast day doesn't have to begin and end with the boat. The St. Philip Parish coast rewards exploration before or after your tour.
Devil's Bridge is a natural limestone arch carved by Atlantic wave action over centuries, roughly 10 minutes from the Stingray City base. Entry is free. The blowhole effect on a rough-surf day is dramatic, and the clifftop views are some of the best on the island. It sits inside the Indian Town National Park.
Long Bay Beach is one of Antigua's most sheltered east coast beaches. The bay is protected by a reef, making the water calm and clear for swimming. It's a natural second stop after any morning excursion and won't be crowded compared to the west coast strands.
Half Moon Bay is a short drive further south and is widely considered one of the finest beaches in Antigua. The bay curves in a perfect crescent and is backed by national park land. On the east side, the Atlantic swell rolls in steadily. On the west, the water is calm. It suits swimmers and bodysurfers alike.
Betty's Hope is a well-preserved 17th-century sugar plantation site, accessible via the back roads of St. Philip. The restored windmills and interpretive signage give real context to Antigua's colonial history. A good stop if you're on a longer half-day loop.
The east coast of Antigua is genuinely one of the island's most rewarding corners for travellers prepared to leave the beach bar for a morning. Antigua has 365 beaches, one for every day of the year, but this particular parish packs more marine and historical variety into one small area than anywhere else on the island.
Conclusion
The Native Tours Antigua operation in Willikies is the island's most underappreciated tourism asset. Two world-class wildlife encounters, controlled group sizes, a private island setting, direct booking at fair prices, and a location that pairs naturally with the best of Antigua's east coast. The stingray experience alone delivers the kind of "highlight of the trip" moment that guests are still talking about on the flight home.
Three things to take away:
- Book the combination tour if your schedule allows. Two hours covering both the stingray sandbank and the Laviscount tortoise sanctuary is better value than either experience alone.
- Go early in the day. The 9am or 11am departure gives you calmer water and smaller crowds, especially during cruise season between November and April.
- Combine the tour with a stop at Devil's Bridge and Long Bay Beach to make a proper east coast day of it.
Ready to explore? Browse all tours and activities in Antigua on AntiguaSearch, or head straight to St. Philip Parish to discover more businesses and experiences on the east coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Native Tours Antigua and what do they offer?
Native Tours Antigua is an east coast tour operator based near Seatons Village in Willikies, St. Philip Parish. They run two core experiences: the Stingray City marine encounter, where guests wade and snorkel with wild Southern stingrays in shallow, natural water, and the Laviscount Island tour, a guided visit to a private island sanctuary home to over 50 Aldabra giant tortoises, iguanas, and tropical birds. A combination tour covering both is available.
How much does Stingray City Antigua cost?
The standalone Stingray City tour is priced at around $70 USD per person for a 1.5-hour session, according to Exploring Antigua. The combination tour including Laviscount Island runs around $104 USD per person. Third-party booking platforms list higher prices when hotel transfers are bundled in. Booking directly via stingraycityantigua.com or by phone on +1 (268) 562-7297 gives you the base rate. US News Travel notes that prices start at $60 per person, with combo tours from around $90.
How do I get to Stingray City in Willikies from St. John's or the cruise port?
From V.C. Bird International Airport, a taxi to Stingray City takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes and costs around $25 to $35 USD. From St. John's cruise terminal, the drive is similar in length. Native Tours offers hotel and cruise pickup across Antigua. Cruise passengers should confirm the exact meeting point when booking, as it varies by docking arrangement. East coast hotels like The Verandah Resort and Pineapple Beach Club are under 15 minutes from the Stingray City base.
What is the Laviscount Island tortoise sanctuary?
Laviscount Island is a small, privately owned island a short boat ride from Seatons Village. The sanctuary is home to over 50 Aldabra giant tortoises, originally native to the Indian Ocean. These animals can weigh more than 600 lbs and live up to 200 years, making them some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. Visitors hand-feed the tortoises, walk nature trails, encounter resident iguanas and a macaw parrot, and explore a secluded beach. The GetYourGuide listing for the Laviscount tour consistently earns five-star reviews for guide quality and animal interaction.
What is the best time of year to visit Stingray City Antigua?
The best time to visit is during Antigua's dry season from November to April. Conditions are calmer, seas are clearer, and the weather is reliably warm and sunny. This period also coincides with the peak cruise ship season, which means early morning tour slots fill quickly. Book ahead if you're travelling between December and March. The experience operates year-round, but May to October can bring more rain and occasionally rougher water. If weather causes a cancellation, you'll be offered an alternative date or a full refund.