Manta Point

Manta Point, on Nusa Penida's southwest coast in Bali, is one of Southeast Asia's most celebrated manta ray encounter sites — a cluster of shallow cleaning stations and feeding grounds where resident reef mantas and visiting oceanic mantas gather year-round. The site combines an extraordinarily reliable manta population with sheltered shallow diving that makes it accessible to virtually all certified divers. The main dive site centers on a coral-bommie plateau at 8-15 meters, where cleaner wrasse service visiting mantas and divers observe the interaction from a respectful distance on the sand. Mantas typically circle the bommie, perform slow glides, and occasionally pass directly over hovering divers — a moment that ranks among the most memorable in diving. The resident population numbers over 200 identified individuals, and sightings are recorded on more than 90% of dives during peak season. The surrounding reef is richer than most visitors realize. Napoleon wrasse cruise the deeper sandy channels, nudibranchs and pipefish inhabit the coral bommies, and blue-spotted stingrays rest on the sand. Mola mola (ocean sunfish) appear in summer plankton blooms when cold upwellings sweep the Nusa Penida coast, creating the remarkable opportunity to see both mantas and molas on the same trip. Reef sharks, eagle rays, and large groupers occasionally pass through. The site's shallow profile and generally mild conditions make it accessible to Open Water divers, though surface currents between bommies can pick up during tidal changes. Reached by speedboat from Padangbai on Bali (45 minutes) or from Nusa Penida dive centers. Visibility typically 10-20 meters, water temperatures 22-27°C (cold upwellings can drop to 18°C). Peak manta season runs July through October, though resident populations mean encounters are possible any month of the year.