Few moments on a snorkel tour near Jacó get a bigger reaction than spotting a stingray gliding across the sandy bottom. Calm, graceful, and surprisingly shy, rays are a highlight our guests love — and once you know what to look for, they're easier to find than you'd think.

How to recognize a stingray

Stingrays are flat, disc-shaped relatives of sharks, with broad "wings" they flap or ripple to glide along the bottom. Most of the rays you'll see near Jacó are sandy brown or gray — perfect camouflage against the seafloor — with a long, thin tail trailing behind. Often the first thing you notice isn't the ray itself but a faint diamond outline half-buried in the sand, or a little puff of sand as one lifts off and moves.

Gentle by nature

Despite the dramatic name, stingrays are peaceful animals that want nothing to do with people. They spend their days cruising the shallows looking for small clams, crabs and worms buried in the sand, which they sense and dig up. Their tail barb is purely for defense against predators — a ray will always choose to glide away rather than confront a snorkeler floating calmly above.

Where you'll see them in our cove

Look for rays over the open sandy patches between the rocks, where they rest and hunt — not in the rocks themselves. They can hold very still, so a slow, quiet float gives you the best chance to spot one before it notices you. Your in-water guide knows the sandy stretches where rays tend to settle and will point one out the moment it appears.

Look, don't touch

The golden rule with rays is simple: admire them, don't chase or corner them. Floating quietly and keeping your distance lets the ray relax and often keep feeding right below you — a far better view than you'd ever get by swimming after it. Our guides make sure everyone enjoys rays respectfully so the cove stays healthy and wild.

The stingray is just one of many characters down there. For the full cast, read our guide to the fish and marine life you'll see snorkeling near Jacó, or see real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.