There’s something undeniably magical about encountering wildlife in its natural habitat, and few experiences are as mesmerizing as watching manta rays glide gracefully through the ocean. These gentle giants, with wingspans reaching up to 23 feet, captivate the hearts of divers and snorkelers alike. Whether you’re floating in the warm waters of Hawaii or exploring the rich marine ecosystems of the Maldives, seeing manta rays in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I still vividly remember the awe I felt during a night dive in Kona, Hawaii, where these magnificent creatures swam so close, their immense size and gentle nature left me speechless.
I’ve partnered with fellow travel bloggers to take you through some of the best places to see manta rays around the world, tips for a safe and responsible encounter, and why these creatures are worth every bit of the excitement they inspire.
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Amedee Island, New Caledonia
Located off the coast of New Caledonia, Amedee Island is celebrated for its breathtaking coral reefs and vibrant marine life. The island’s crystal-clear waters offer excellent visibility, making it a prime location for underwater exploration.
One of my most unforgettable experiences was seeing manta rays while diving at Amedee Island. Having just received my PADI Open Water certification, I set out on a dive with my instructor. The water was colder than I was used to, with a bit of current, and I was still adjusting to the conditions. As we descended, my instructor signalled for me to sit on the seabed. Suddenly, two magnificent manta rays appeared, gracefully circling above me before drifting away. This magical encounter remains one of my fondest diving memories.
The Amedee Diving Club, a fantastic group with excellent equipment and knowledgeable staff, organized the dive. They made the experience seamless and enjoyable, ensuring everything was in place for a safe and memorable dive.
Scuba diving is the best way to get up close and personal with these gentle giants on Amedee Island. The best time to visit for manta rays is typically during the cooler months, from May to September, when water conditions are ideal and sightings are more frequent.
Azores, Portugal
Diving with Manta rays has always been a dream I pursued in each trip I made around the globe. What I couldn’t imagine was that dream would come true at home, in Portugal, on the paradisiac island of Santa Maria, one of the nine islands of The Azores.
Although it is common to see small groups of manta rays along the coast on the various islands of the Azores archipielago, the best place to live this experience is far from the coast, where large groups of manta rays can be seen daily during the summer months, from June to September, often numbering more than several dozen. One of the best-known places for diving with manta rays in the Azores is Baixa do Ambrósio where you can also be surprised by large groups of devil rays, Almaco jacks, yellowmouth barracudas, and bluefish.
The dive site of Baixa do Ambrósio is located just 3 miles off the coast of Santa Maria Island (less than 40 minutes from Vila do Porto Marina) and is one of the sought-after diving sites in the Azores since its marine reserve area has an abundance and biodiversity not common unless you dive in remote seamounts tens of miles from the coast.
I was lucky enough to fulfill my dream together with a group of divers from Mantamaria’s (a Dive Center in Santa Maria) in Baixa do Ambrósio, on a warm day in July, when a group of 22 manta rays swam gracefully around us for almost an hour. Since this dive is subject to moderate to strong currents and most of the incredible life in this place is found at a very shallow depth, most divers choose to stay on the anchor cable, between 5 and 15 meters, from where they can observe, safely and calmly, the beautiful and graceful manta rays. If you’re a more experienced or a technical diver, you may explore the bottom, which is made up of a small platform measuring around 50 meters, located at 46 meters, and you may find large schools of pelagics.
Not a diver? No problem, this is an adventure for both divers, apnea divers, and snorkellers since manta rays can often be seen from the boat and swimming on the surface on calm sea days.
Galapagos Island
Brimming with excitement for my first Galápagos snorkelling tour to the volcanic Daphne Islands—comprising Daphne Major and Daphne Minor, located just north of Santa Cruz Island—I was unprepared for the extraordinary wildlife encounters that awaited me.
While swimming amidst the vibrant schools of tropical fish in what felt like a real-life aquarium, a 3-metre-wide giant manta ray suddenly appeared. It glided gracefully towards me in slow motion near the ocean floor, circled around while gently flapping its fins, and then swam back into the blue, only to return shortly for an encore. It was a truly breath-taking moment!
Manta rays are often spotted in the waters around Santa Cruz Island, including the Daphne Islands, Sante Fe and Pinzón Island, and they can even be seen from Puerto Ayora Pier at night. Scuba divers are likely to encounter them at dive sites such as Gordon Rocks, Beagle Rocks, and Darwin & Wolf islands.
Along with other ray species, giant manta rays can be seen in the Galápagos throughout the entire year. However, the best time to observe them is during the ‘Manta Season’ from December to May, when the water is warmer and enhanced visibility. Although I did see a giant manta ray in August, it was during an El Niño year, which causes changes in the archipelago’s ecosystems due to warmer ocean temperatures.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
Komodo National Park in Indonesia hosts some of the most spectacular fauna and flora on earth. Home to more than 4,000 Komodo dragons the national park is located in the Coral Triangle which also contains some of the richest marine biodiversity on the planet. The Park includes three large islands; Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, and also includes many little islands to cover a total area of about 1,800 km2. We saw an incredible variety of game fish, sharks, and manta rays scuba diving around Komodo Island. Manta Point (also known as Makassar Reef) is the best site to dive with manta rays sometimes schooling in the area. We have dived the site several times and have been surrounded by more than 10 mantas hovering at this well-known cleaning station to get their parasites removed. It is a shallow dive with an average depth of only 10m and a maximum depth of 15m. This is great since you can spend a long time diving with the manta rays while still diving safely within your no-decompression limits. This is a flat area in shallow waters with some rocky outcrops.
The best way to access Komodo National Park is from Labuanbajo on the large island of Flores. We were very happy diving with Divers Paradise Komodo, a professional local dive center with friendly, knowledgeable dive leaders. Komodo National Park is very popular for diving from liveaboard boats, but day trips from Labuanbajo offer excellent diving from which you can see manta rays and komodo dragons. You can see mantas all year, but the peak season to see mantas is December to February when you can dive with big schools of manta rays.
Kona, Hawai’i, USA
One of the best places to see manta rays around the world is on the big island of Hawai’i. Scuba diving with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii, is a bucket list experience that draws underwater enthusiasts from around the globe. Known as one of the best places in the world to encounter these majestic creatures, Kona offers an unparalleled opportunity to see manta rays up close in their natural habitat.
The adventure typically begins at sunset, as divers descend into the warm, crystal-clear waters off the Kona coast. As the sun dips below the horizon, powerful lights are set up on the ocean floor to attract plankton, the primary food source for manta rays. This creates a mesmerizing underwater spectacle as the plankton gather, drawing in the manta rays.
These gentle giants, with wingspans that can reach up to 16 feet, glide gracefully through the water, performing loops and barrel rolls as they feed. Their enormous mouths, wide open to filter plankton, add to the awe-inspiring scene. The manta rays’ fluid movements create a dreamlike experience for divers.
What makes Kona special is the consistent presence of manta rays, thanks to the nutrient-rich waters that surround the island. Dive sites like Manta Village and Manta Heaven are famous for their reliable manta ray sightings, with some divers encountering dozens of rays in a single dive.
For those seeking a truly unforgettable underwater adventure, scuba diving with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii, is an experience that should not be missed.
Isla Mujeres, Mexico
If you’re looking to see manta rays whilst you’re snorkeling, then Isla Mujeres is one of the best places in the world to do so. You can do this whilst swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres with Sea Hawk Divers. Not only will you get to see these incredible friendly giants but also see some beautiful large manta rays!
There are plenty of day tours in Isla Mujeres that will take you out on a boat to see the whale sharks and you will usually find manta rays in close proximity so you’ll be able to tick both these magnificent animals off of your bucket list.
To enhance your snorkelling experience, the best time to visit Isla Mujeres to see whale sharks and manta rays is between the middle of May and September. When you’re visiting Mexico, this time of year does tend to coincide with the rainy season so you may need to bear in mind that you may have some short showers whilst you’re visiting Isla Mujeres.
For anyone who is trained for scuba diving, you will also be able to arrange some scuba diving trips in Isla Mujeres to see the manta rays too at Manta Valley. This is just three hours from Isla Mujeres itself and is well worth the visit if you’re a manta-fanatic! The best time to see the manta rays at Manta Valley does really vary but generally speaking, you can expect to see them from mid-may until November.
Manta Point, Nusa Penida/Lembongan, Bali
One thing on my bucket list during my trip around Bali was getting to see a manta ray.
Manta Point is just off the southern coast of Bali. There are three islands clustered together called Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Manta Point is closest to Nusa Penida, but you can do a trip to Manta Point from any of the islands, or mainland Bali.
It’s one of th best best places to see manta rays in Bali because large groups of mantas come here to feed as well as use the cleaning stations. You can see them by either snorkelling or scuba diving – I’m a qualified diver, so I opted to scuba with them.
I booked a whole package of dives with Lembongan Dive Center. We did 2 different dives around Manta Point.
It was one of the laziest dives I’ve ever done. We just had to position ourselves on a rock at the bottom and then sit and wait for the mantas to glide over us – they particularly like the bubbles coming from our tanks – it’s like when we use a jacuzzi! It was amazing to watch them so close up.
The best time to visit Manta Point for manta ray sightings is between March and June, although they can be spotted here year-round. During the peak season, you might see groups of 15 or more manta rays circling the area.
Ningaloo Reef, Australia
One of the best places to see manta rays in Australia is Ningaloo Reef. The longest fringing reef in the world, Ningaloo runs for 300km down the coast of Western Australia. The best bases for exploring the reef are Coral Bay and Exmouth. While Exmouth is the go to spot for whale sharks, head to Coral Bay to swim with Manta Rays.
We had turned up at Ningaloo to swim with whale sharks however it was early in the season and sightings were inconsistent. So instead, we joined the team from Coral Bay Eco Tours in search of the area’s resident manta rays.
As with most manta tours from Coral Bay, our first stop was at a bommie visited by reef sharks. It was a chance to test our snorkelling gear while the spotter plane looked for the rays.
Once located, we were off to swim with them. We were soon jumping off the boat and being led towards a feeding manta ray. It was doing barrel rolls below us in about 5m of water. It was an incredible sight, but soon got even better when two more joined in the feeding. It was one of the most amazing things we have seen snorkeling.
Coral Bay is 1200km north of Perth and is just a small holiday town. Booking accommodation and tours is highly advisable before going. This is especially the case in peak season from April to September.
Rangali Island, Maldives
If you find yourself in the Maldives between June and November, you have to add swimming with manta rays to your bucket list! The Maldives is home to the largest feeding area of manta rays, so it’s likely that you’ll see them during this time of year on an excursion on the water.
One location within the Maldives to consider is off the coast of Rangali Island, which is where the popular Conrad resort is. Many hotels on standalone islands offer their own experiences through their own dive shop.
I had a blast snorkeling with manta rays off Rangali Island. Before my experience, the dive shop shared an educational presentation to learn more about these incredible creatures including what to expect on our snorkeling trip and how to be respectful of the wildlife. We then took a boat out where our guide worked to spot the manta rays.
We saw manta rays feeding in which they would circle under us scooping up the plankton into their mouths. Not only was it amazing, but it was extremely low effort on our part, because we could just hover above them!
One tip is that because you’re likely closer to the equator than you’re used to, you’ll want to come well-prepared for intense sunlight. Instead of relying on sunscreen only, invest in a set of UV-protected long-sleeved swim top and pants.
Six Senses Laamu, Maldives
When it comes to unforgettable wildlife encounters, few experiences can rival swimming with manta rays in the Maldives. During our stay at Six Senses Laamu, nestled in the remote Laamu Atoll, we were fortunate enough to witness these majestic creatures up close. This luxurious resort not only offers an incredible experience but also fosters a deep connection with the environment through its Sea Hub of Environmental Learning (SHELL) program. This innovative initiative not only educates guests about the local marine ecosystem but also actively contributes to manta ray research and protection.
Our manta adventure began with a short boat ride to the nearby Hithadhoo Corner, one of the best spots in the region for manta sightings. With our snorkels ready, we plunged into the warm, crystal-clear waters, eagerly anticipating our first glimpse of the mantas. And there they were—graceful giants gliding effortlessly through the water, their wings spanning up to 20 feet across.
When to visit
The mantas are year-round visible at the Laamu Atoll, though numbers are highest during the two mating seasons from October to November and from April to May. This is when plankton-rich waters attract large numbers of mantas, making it the perfect time for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. Since Six Senses Laamu is the only resort in the Laamu Atoll it is guaranteed that you have the site for yourself and that there is a chance to see mantas all year round.
Our experience at Six Senses Laamu was nothing short of magical. Swimming with manta rays in such a stunning and eco-conscious setting was a dream come true. If you’re looking for one of the best places in the world to see mantas, Laamu Atoll should be at the top of your list.
Read More about Ethical Animal Tourism
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Save “Best Places to See Manta Rays” for Later
Been dreaming of seeing mantas for years, but sadly I’ve never been lucky despite having been to several of these places – I will give Nusa a try next!
This seems like a fun travel goal, to see manta rays around the world 😀
Uau! You visited so many interesting places to swim with the Mantas. Amazing!
Of these locations, the Azores are next on our list. Definitely want to see Manta Rays when we’re there.
Some beautiful photos you have of the manta rays! And given, the differences in seasons between both hemispheres, you can see it any time of the year. I’m not much of a diver or snorkeler but I enjoy seeing the manta rays in the various aquariums, but nothing like seeing them up close.
What an incredible immersive experience! Bookmarked this post in case I ever get the chance to see these beautiful creatures.
Wow! What an amazing experience to see manta rays like this! I’ve only seen them in aquariums. This is a fantastic list!
It’s good to know there are so many places to see these beautiful creatures doing what manta rays do. What a marvellous experience for people! Knowing your stance on ethical animal tourism, I can be confident that the animals are being protected at the same time.
As a non-diver, it was exciting for me to learn that I could also have this incredible opportunity through snorkelling, swimming, or viewing from a boat. It is something I would love to do.
Lyn | http://www.ramblynjazz.com
Fantastic pictures and such a sight to see. What a unique experience to dive at night like in Hawaii or to have these beautiful creatures glide over you as you sit watching. I’m not a big water fan so I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be snorkeling again, or getting to the point where I dive. But if there’s a reason to pluck up the courage this might be it
What a great post with such unique information! I’m saving this to add to my bucket-list!! Great to keep in mind for the future too as I travel around.
Glad to see Kona on the list! Brought back memories of when my husband and I saw manta rays at night outside of Manta restaurant and they were so huge! I need to visit the other locations in this post.
I had no idea that we could see manta rays in the Azores, let alone on the island of Santa Maria. I know that São Miguel is very popular for whale watching, but I had no idea that there would be this species there.
I think it’s a phenomenal experience to observe these creatures in their natural habitat. I’d love to try it, either in the Azores or in one of the other locations proposed here!
Thanks for sharing your list and such great places to see and experience manta rays up-close. I’m drawn to the Azores and Kona. I guess I have to work on my diving skills and get a diving certificate to greatly enjoy life underwater #flyingbaguette
Jan – https://flyingbaguette.com/
How lovely to be able to see these beautiful rays all over the world. I didn’t realise how large they can be – 23 ft wingspans is amazing! We don’t know how to dive but love snorkelling so it’s good to know that you can still see these elegant creatures without SCUBA training. And glad to hear that it would be an ethical experience.
I will have to check to see if I can see manta rays when I’m in Hawaii! That would be cool to add to my scheduled
It was an awesome experience. I know I talk about scuba diving, but my husband did the snorkel option with the same company so even if you’re not scuba certified!
I always enjoy your ethical animal encounter posts as I very much love to see and experience wildlife in its natural habitat. I’ve not seen manta rays in the wild before and can imagine this to be a magical experience for the next outdoor trip. Good to read that one can see them also in the Azores which are fairly close (I am Europe-based) as opposed to the other destinations which require travelling across the globe.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story