Manta Point is the best place in Bali to swim with manta rays — and you don’t need to be a diver. These gentle giants gather almost every day of the year around shallow cleaning stations off the coast of Nusa Penida, so whether you snorkel at the surface or scuba dive below, you have an excellent chance of meeting them up close.
This page covers everything you need to plan and book your trip: snorkeling vs diving, what to expect, prices, the best time to go, and how to get there. It’s beginner-friendly and suitable for families.
📖 Diving and want the technical detail? For conditions, depth, currents, the cleaning station and the three dive areas, read our in-depth guide to diving Manta Point in Nusa Penida.
Most snorkeling tours in Bali go to Manta Bay, near Broken Beach, because it’s closer and cheaper. Sightings happen (around a 60% chance), but it can get crowded, with several boats and snorkelers chasing the same manta at once — not always the best experience.
Manta Point is a little farther but, in our experience, the better choice. The mantas gather around the cleaning station, so the boats don’t have to run after them, briefings are calmer, and the whole encounter feels more respectful and relaxed. It’s also the more reliable spot to actually see a manta (around 90% of trips).
Snorkeling is the easiest way to meet the mantas and needs no experience — just a mask, snorkel, fins and a life vest, with a guide for safety. You stay at the surface while the manta rays glide slowly below you around the cleaning station, sometimes rising just a few metres away.
Because the site is more exposed to ocean swell, always go with an experienced guide and follow the briefing — it makes the experience both safer and better.
If you’d rather go underwater, you don’t need a certification to start: a discovery dive lets beginners (age 10+) dive with an instructor at the shallow cleaning station — exactly where the mantas are. Certified divers can join a fun dive for longer, closer encounters.
👉 For the full dive-site detail — the three dive areas, depth, currents and how the dive works — see our diving Manta Point guide.
👉 In short: snorkeling is impressive — but diving is unforgettable.
Ready to swim with manta rays? Message Roy on WhatsApp to check availability and choose the best snorkeling or diving option for your date.
Prices depend on the type of trip you choose:
Dive prices typically include gear rental, guide and transport to the dive sites.
Not sure which option fits your group? Message Roy on WhatsApp for a quick recommendation and to lock in your date.
Manta Point sits on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida, beneath dramatic cliffs near the Peguyangan Waterfalls. There’s no land access — the only way in is by boat. From Toyapakeh the ride is about 45 minutes along a scenic coastline past Gamat Bay, Crystal Bay, Kelingking Beach and Broken Beach. Coming from Bali, fast boats leave Sanur (around 45 minutes) before a second boat to the site.
Need help choosing between snorkeling and diving? Message Roy directly on WhatsApp. He can recommend the best option based on your experience, travel dates and sea conditions, and help you book your Manta Point tour.
To keep the encounter safe and respectful: don’t swim directly above the cleaning station (it can scare the mantas away), never chase them — they’re far faster than you and pursuing them only stresses them — and never touch them, as their protective mucus layer keeps them healthy. Follow these simple rules and you’ll enjoy a sustainable, unforgettable encounter.
Manta rays are intelligent and often curious. If you stay calm and still, a manta will sometimes come right up to you and, at the last second, glide gracefully overhead or turn alongside. You can recognise each individual by the unique pattern on its belly — like a fingerprint — and some, like the all-black melanistic manta we nicknamed “Batman” (named for the bat-shaped marking on its underside), are local favourites.
Mantas are the stars, but the site is full of life: bamboo sharks, blue-spotted stingrays, marble and eagle rays, turtles, nudibranchs and plenty of macro life. In season (roughly July–October) lucky divers even spot a Mola Mola, and — very rarely — a whale shark.
Manta rays are present year-round, so there’s no bad season to visit. Sea conditions vary with swell and weather, and the site can be busy at peak hours, so early morning or late afternoon trips are usually calmer. If conditions aren’t safe, operators will let you know and adjust.
Picked your dates? Message Roy on WhatsApp to check the sea conditions and secure your spot.
Nusa Penida, Bali’s hidden gem, offers breathtaking cliffs, pristine beaches, vibrant marine life, and thrilling adventures.
Discover fascinating facts about manta rays, their habitat, behavior, cleaning stations, and the best places to swim or dive with them.
Get the full diving Manta Point guide: the three dive areas, conditions, depth and what to expect underwater.
Yes — Manta Point is one of the best places in Bali to snorkel with manta rays, and it’s beginner-friendly. Go with a guide, as the site is exposed to swell.
No. You can snorkel at the surface, or try a discovery dive with an instructor (no certification needed, age 10+). Certified divers can join a fun dive.
Yes. Snorkeling with life vests suits families and non-divers, and discovery dives let beginners go underwater safely with an instructor.
Shared snorkeling boats are around 500,000 IDR per person to Manta Point; private tours start at 3 million IDR for four. Discovery dives are 2.6 million IDR (two dives + pool); fun dives 1.9 million IDR for two dives.
Manta rays are seen year-round at Manta Point. For Mola Mola too, the best window is roughly July to October.
Yes — manta rays are gentle and harmless. The main thing to watch is the ocean swell, so always go with an experienced guide and follow the rules: don’t touch, don’t chase, and stay clear of the cleaning station.
The easiest way is to message Roy directly on WhatsApp. He can confirm availability, prices and the best option for your group, whether you want snorkeling, a discovery dive or a certified fun dive.