South Malé Atoll · Maldives · Reef
Manta Point (Guraidhoo)
Manta cleaning station worked from April into November
Area photo: Saaremees · CC BY-SA 4.0
A manta ray cleaning and feeding zone on a low-current reef, and one of the best places in this part of the atoll to dive with the giant rays. Mantas work the station from April to the beginning of November, some years into mid-December, with the classic peak between May and August. The reef averages 10 m, maxes out at 18 m, and is rated for Open Water divers.
Also known as Banana Reef.
Where it is and how deep
3.8968° N, 73.4598° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
This is a wait-and-watch dive rather than a route. The reef averages 10 m with an 18 m maximum, and the current runs low, under a knot, so groups settle near the cleaning station and let the mantas come to them. In season it works as both a cleaning and a feeding zone, and it is listed as one of the best places to dive with these giant rays within this part of the atoll.
Timing is the whole game. The station is active from April to the beginning of November, sometimes into mid-December, and wannadive puts the classic window between May and August. The shallow profile and low current also make it the counterweight to the atoll's channel drifts: it carries a CMAS * / Open Water rating, so the least experienced diver in a group can do it properly.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows South Malé Atoll: The dry northeast monsoon, late December to May, is the main season; mantas clean May to August and whale sharks are reported in August on the outer reef.
Questions divers ask
When are mantas at Manta Point Guraidhoo?+
The cleaning and feeding zone is active from April to the beginning of November, some years into mid-December; May to August is the classic peak window.
Is this the Banana Reef in North Malé?+
No. Some catalogues list this South Malé site as Banana Reef / Manta Point, but it is a separate reef, distinct from the well-known Banana Reef in North Malé Atoll.
What certification do I need for Manta Point?+
CMAS * / Open Water is sufficient: the reef averages 10 m, reaches 18 m at most, and the current is rated low, under one knot.
Sources
- Banana Reef / Manta Point — Scubago
- wannadive.net — Manta Point — wannadive.net
More dive sites in South Malé Atoll
Drift
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Channel & pass
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Pinnacle
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Wreck
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Reef
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Reef
A one-way drift along the atoll's southeast outer reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Coral reef below the Indian subcontinent's only active volcano
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Giant mantas over two small reefs, March to October
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