Lakshadweep · India · Reef
Manta Point
Cleaning station visited by migrating mantas, December to March
Area photo: Rohan Arthur · CC BY 4.0
Manta Point off Bangaram is the cleaning station where migrating manta rays visit between December and March to be cleaned by other fish. The gently sloping reef below is covered in mushroom coral and lobed-pore coral, with anemones and the occasional moray eel among the reef fish.
Also known as Manta Point, Bangaram.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Lakshadweep and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The reef begins in shallow water and slopes gently down. Mushroom coral and lobed-pore coral cover the slope, filled with brightly hued fish, colourful swaying anemones and the occasional reclusive moray eel. Migrating manta rays visit the site between December and March, when other fish clean them.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Lakshadweep: The season runs Oct–May; the south-west monsoon from June to September shuts the islands to visitors entirely.
Sources
- Lakshadweep: India's best kept secret — PADI Blog
- Dive sites in India — Outlook Traveller
More dive sites in Lakshadweep
Wall
Two sloping 30 m walls draped in fan corals
Similar dives elsewhere
Coral reef below the Indian subcontinent's only active volcano
Two manta cleaning stations, at 13 m and 20 m, active December to April
Manta cleaning station worked from April into November
Giant mantas over two small reefs, March to October