Komodo · Indonesia · Reef · Drift
Manta Point
Reef mantas on a 12-metre drift inside the national park
Area photo: Siharaditia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Manta Point is a shallow drift dive inside Komodo National Park, entered from the boat over reef that bottoms out at about 12 metres. Reef mantas are the reason divers come, and blacktip reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles are logged here as well. The depth is modest, but the water moves, so the profile is set by the tide rather than by your gauge.
Where it is and how deep
8.5634° S, 119.5779° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Entry is from the boat and the drop is short: the reef here is given a maximum depth of 12 metres, so the whole dive sits in the shallow, well-lit band above it. It is run as a drift, which means the tide does most of the moving and you pick a line along the reef rather than swim a circuit. Operators plan the slot around the tidal state, so the same site can be an easy glide or a fast ride depending on the day and the hour you splash in.
Manta rays are the draw, and the wider Labuan Bajo area is the best known place in the region to see them; blacktip reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles are the other regulars logged on this site. With so little water above you, air lasts and the dive tends to end when the drift runs out rather than when the gauge does. Stay low and still when mantas come through, and let them set the distance rather than finning after them.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Reef sharks
- Eagle rays
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Komodo: Liveaboards run all year: April is often rated the best month, July to September is the big-fish peak, and the rainy months bring the best visibility and the mantas.
Dive videos
Manta Point [Komodo National park] · Zeneise Diver on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Manta Point in Komodo?+
Shallow by Komodo standards: the site is listed with a maximum depth of 12 metres, so the dive is spent in the bright water above the reef rather than down a wall.
What will I see at Manta Point?+
Reef manta rays are the reason the site is dived. Blacktip reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles are also recorded here.
Sources
- Manta Point Komodo dive site — PADI Travel
- Manta ray — Wikipedia
In The Logbook
- Where to dive with manta rays, month by monthBig animals · 8 min read
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