Plan Your Adventure

Starfish Point

Around the corner from Rum Point and a few minutes from Stingray City in Grand Cayman, you will find a secluded beach paradise that is home to one of the most exotic sea creatures: the starfish. This quiet, relaxing stop is a perfect time to crack open the cooler, grab a few beers and get the private BBQ going! With a little help from our brightly colored friends, the calm waters here also make it an ideal spot for our photographer to capture those perfect holiday portrait shots for you to share back home. Since the starfish hang out in shallow water this is a perfect spot for both non-swimmers and children to enjoy wading through the waters.

About the Starfish at Starfish Point

The Red Cushion Starfish (oleaster reticulates) is the most common sea star you will find along the white sand beaches at Starfish Point. Their colors vary from intense shades of red, orange and yellow to warm hues of brown and green. The sea star can grow up to 20 inches in diameter, making it one of the largest starfish found in the Caribbean!

A Red Cushion Starfish eats by regurgitating its entire stomach to engulf the sediment mix of food. This all happens in slow motion but eventually obliterating gardens of sea grass and even small muscles! They help improve environmental balance in the ocean as their refuse makes great fertilizer for sea grass, plankton and other plant based life forms.

Typically, they have five arms, but occasionally you will see some that have four, six or even seven arms if you?re lucky! At the end of each arm they have tiny light sensors to help them navigate around the ocean floor. These magical creatures are able to regrow lost arms and in some cases the lost arm can even grow into a whole new starfish!

How to Handle Starfish

Before visiting Starfish Point our guides will teach you how to properly handle these truly remarkable creatures. The number one thing to know when visiting Starfish Point is: do NOT take the starfish out of the water! Starfish need water to breathe and eat, so taking them out of the water can be devastating to their metabolic systems. You can easily admire and take pictures of the starfish through the crystal clear, shallow waters. Also, it?s worth knowing that removing starfish from the water is illegal and can result in a hefty fine.

Unfortunately, over the years, the starfish population has been declining due to souvenir hunting. It is the responsibility of Cayman?s tour operators to protect and conserve these marvelous sea stars. When entering the natural habitat of any wild animal it is our obligation to be mindful and treat them with respect.