Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
Blankets in Flight
With fins as wide as wings, manta rays soar along ocean currents like birds in flight, making them one of the most elegant animals of the sea. The name ‘manta’ comes from the Spanish word blanket and with a wingspan of up to nine meters, it’s easy to see how they can look like a blanket floating in the sea. Scuba diving with mantas is one of the most amazing experiences any diver can have underwater.
Giant oceanic manta rays are among the few, unique fish species that can jump completely out of the water. They have been seen jumping up to 2 meters from the water’s surface, most likely to rid parasites from their bodies, as scientists believe. Besides being good jumpers, they are also good communicators, communicating with other manta rays through noises they create with their “wings.” Although they are mostly plankton eaters, these animals have nearly 1,400 tiny teeth. Because they feed on plankton, they are best encountered in nutrient-rich waters which usually have reduced visibility. Experience this extraordinary spectacle by diving with giant manta rays as they feed. Click here to plan your next trip to sites where you can dive with Giant oceanic manta rays.
Popular dive sites
El Secreto
7 Logged dives • 6 Sightings El secreto has a maximum depth of around 18m. The more flat bottom provides the perfect environment for smaller fish species, but its position closer to the open ocean means that sharks and other pelagic species usually show up following the currents.Costa Rica
Manta point
35 Logged dives • 16 Sightings cleaning station for oceanic mantas and reefs ....you will appreciate the beauty of the figures, interlaces, rounds, and other volteys of these magnificent animals....attention reserved for good divers, the descent is made in the blue, at the meeting point of the currents, at the exit of the pass ...New Caledonia
Stammtisch
48 Logged dives • 20 Sightings Large hill of finger and plate corals on the edge of the channel. The coral ridge has several cleaning stations which, along with the currents, attract Manta Rays.Micronesia
Keauhou Bay
118 Logged dives • 37 Sightings This is a nice, clear water dive and not too deep- max. 30 feet. An easy entry beach dive right off the Keauhou Sheraton Hotel. Watch out for boat traffic in the middle of the bay, however.United States
