READ MORE: SEARCHING FOR SUNFISH? 3 TOP PLACES TO DIVE WITH MOLA MOLA. Reef sharks can also be spotted around the dive sites of Nusa Penida, as well as blue-spotted stingrays, rare nudibranchs, and stunning corals.įor the best chance of seeing mola mola, go diving in Bali from July to October. The mantas can be spotted in deep waters and up near the shallows, relieving themselves of parasites with the help of small cleaner fish. Large groups of reef manta rays flock to the cleaning stations of Manta Point at Nusa Penida and sightings are guaranteed almost every day of the year. Nusa Penida is an island southeast of Bali in Indonesia and is famous in the diving world for two things: manta rays and mola mola. You can encounter manta rays year-round in Kona, but the sea conditions are best between May and September. Snorkelers can also watch from the surface and point their flashlights down. Kona’s reef mantas feed on plankton, and divers discovered that the plankton is attracted to light.īy gathering around and shining their flashlights, scuba divers attract the plankton and watch as the manta rays come to feed in the beams of light. Home to the famous manta ray night dive, Kona offers the chance to swim with manta rays by torchlight. Sunny Kona sits on the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii and boasts great coffee, clear blue waters, and around a 70% chance of spotting manta rays. READ MORE: MEXICO’S BEST DIVING PART 1 – THE SOCORRO ISLANDS. They are present all year, but bait ball season (May to July) attracts more mantas than any other time of year. The manta rays of Socorro are not shy and often swim as close as 1 meter (3 feet) away from divers. Socorro Island is the largest of the four islands that make up the Revillagigedo Archipelago and hosts an array of big marine life, including whale sharks, dolphins, numerous shark species, and even humpback whales. It is one of the best places in the world to spot giant pacific manta rays, which can grow up to 7 meters (23 feet) wide! The small volcanic island of Socorro sits around 600 kilometers (375 miles) off the west coast of Mexico’s Baja peninsula in the remote Revillagigedo Archipelago. To protect the animals, diving is not permitted at Hanifaru Bay, but snorkelers can swim with manta rays in the calm, tranquil waters of the bay. Between May and November plankton gather in the funnel-shaped reef and manta rays and whale sharks come to feast. This idyllic bay is a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Baa Atoll and hosts some of the largest gatherings of manta rays in the world. If you want to see reef manta rays and lots of them, Hanifaru Bay is the destination for you. But where in the world can you snorkel and dive with manta rays? Find out in our round-up of the top six places to swim with manta rays in 2022. There is nothing quite like watching these graceful creatures move through the water. Best places to swim with manta rays in 2022 June 14, 2022īeing in the water with manta rays is an incredible experience that most ocean-lovers dream of.

Giant manta ray location