Is it on your bucket list to dive with Manta Rays? If so, there is no better place than in Bali Indonesia where our offshore islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida are home to a resident population of manta rays (Manta alfredi). At our manta ray dive sites, sightings of these incredible rays are relatively reliable all year round. Sightings often involve seeing the manta rays in large groups and some incredible up-close-encounters.
Manta Ray Dive Sites on Nusa Penida
We most commonly spot manta rays at the famous ‘Manta Point’ dive site on the south coast of Nusa Penida. Seasonally, we also often spot juveniles at another site known as Manta Bay, which we believe to be a nursery site.
Manta Point, Nusa Penida:
Manta Point is home to a cleaning station where the manta rays aggregate in numbers. The cleaning station is a huge coral encrusted boulder that at some point in history most likely fell from the staggering cliffs that are typical of Nusa Penida’s south coast. It is this cleaning station that attracts some of the larger individuals that frequent this site.
The corals attract smaller reef fish in hoards – reef fish that love to clean manta rays! These small reef fish work in symbiosis with the manta rays and as the mantas hover over the cleaning station the small fish go to work on cleaning parasites from their skin, around their eyes and even inside their cavernous mouths. Look out for the bright yellow butterflyfish that seem to be one of the busiest types of cleaner fish on the station.
Manta Bay, Nusa Penida:
Manta Bay (nursery site) is a shallow dive site where we seasonally see juvenile manta rays. At birth, manta rays measure ‘just’ 1.2 meters from fin tip to fin tip and they stay in shallow bays until they mature and venture out to deeper waters. Manta Bay gives us a wonderful opportunity to dive alongside these juveniles as they feed on the plankton that accumulates in the bay. Due to the shallow nature of the site, the waves are often rolling in and out creating white surface surf that looks stunning from below. On sunny days here, the sun rays filter through the water and create incredible effects for underwater photographers.
World Diving Lembongan’s team of PADI Dive Masters and Instructors are experts around these sites. They know where the cleaning stations are located and the best spots at each site for encounters with these graceful giants. They also know where they are likely to find the smaller Kuhl’s Masked Stingray which can often be found in large numbers – and from time to time, piled up on top of each other!
Are Manta Rays Dangerous?
No, manta rays are completely harmless. Through the process of evolution, they have lost their stinging spines and they have tiny flat teeth that are blunt and not used during feeding. The males only use their teeth during mating, to attach themselves to their female partner.
Don’t be alarmed if the manta rays come close to you - they are often curious about strange divers and their even stranger bubbles!
Manta Ray Physiology
There are two types of manta ray: reef mantas (Manta alfredi), and oceanic manta rays (Manta birostris). Adult reef manta rays have a ‘wingspan’ of up to 5.5meters, whereas the larger oceanic manta rays can grow up to 7.5meters across.
Both species of manta are plankton feeders and they are equipped with cephalic fins (two fins that spiral down in front of the manta rays mouth). It is these cephalic fins that make manta rays very efficient feeders. Manta rays can move their cephalic fins independently, and they use them to direct the maximum amount of plankton into their cavernous mouths.
Manta rays’ body size, shape and method of propulsion make them unique to other species of rays. Manta rays use their pectoral fins, that resemble wings, to swim in a flying-like manner through the water. Their swimming method also makes them exceptionally fast and agile underwater.
Manta rays have long slender tails that no longer support a stinging spine - making them harmless (see above).
The gender of a manta ray can be established from underneath. Manta rays have short anal fins, and the males have 2 ‘claspers’ which are their genital organs (yes, they have a spare!). In mature male manta rays, the claspers can be spotted between and beneath the anal fins.
Individual Manta Ray Identification
Manta rays have ‘spot patterns’ on their ventral sides (underside) which can include spots but also smudges, lines, and shadows. These patterns are unique to each individual manta ray – much like a human fingerprint.
Through identification projects it has been possible to establish that some of our ‘resident’ manta rays have travelled as far as the Gili Islands off Lombok, where they have been identified and matched with data held about our mantas here in Nusa Penida.
Manta Ray Intelligence
Manta rays are not only impressive in appearance – they also have the largest brain to body ratio of any fish. In fact, the brain of a manta ray is considerably larger than that of a great white shark.
It is believed that manta rays are capable of communicating with each other and their intelligence is part of the reason for their curiosity around divers. Whether this is eventually proven or not, it makes for some behavioural habits that are fascinating to observe.
DIVE WITH MANTA RAYS IN BALI
Are you planning your next diving vacation in Bali? Nusa Lembongan offers excellent access to both Manta Point and Manta Bay. These sites are best dived when the swell and waves are low – meaning more comfortable boat travel and least surge underwater. Fun diving (two dive trips) departure times vary according to the tides to ensure that our divers enjoy the best possible conditions for diving with the manta rays.
Dive Bali’s Best Dive Sites from Nusa Lembongan
If you’d like to make a booking or for more information about diving with us, please fill in our contact form or email us directly at info@world-diving.com
If you would like to dive one of our manta ray dive sites during your stay on the island, please let us know so that we can check the conditions and tide forecasts.
We look forward to diving with you soon!
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