Best place to see Mantas?

[xjeslesx]

Where is the best location to dive with Manta Rays? I have heard Kona is a pretty good dive but Hawai is pretty far from Boston. Does anyone know of Manta diving in the Caribbean?

 

[robint]

no, they can occasionally be seen in the Caribbean, but no guarantees anywhere.

best place to see them is Kona Hawaii night manta dive where you kneel down on bottom and they swoop around you feeding on the plankton attracted byt he boat lights and lights placed on bottom.
best place to see them during daytime is either Palau or Yap, where there are lots of them year-round. You see them feeding or getting cleaned at various dive sites. When we were in Palau we saw 7 mantas on 2 different days. It was feakin' awesome!!!

also, the Socorro liveaboards, Aggressor and Solmar V, have a week of diving with mantas if you are up for a liveboard. Fly into Cabo Mexico, get on boat... dive dive dive.

I have heard that people do see mantas in mid-late summer off Holbox Mexico during the whale shark season but you can only snorkel there.

robin

 

[DeputyDan]

The manta ray night dives on Kona are worth the trouble of the long trip!

 

[scubamarketing]

I'll vouch for the kona trip too, I've done it quite a few times and it's my favorite dive I've ever done.

 

[Thalassamania]

Mantas in Kona are pretty much a sure thing, as are Spinner Dolphins. If you come in the winter the chances for Humpbacks are pretty good.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Another option which is no closer than Kona is Hin Daeng/Hin Muang in Thailand. We saw 4 there and the site is a known cleaning station for Mantas and Whalesharks......no whale sharks when we were there though.

 

[diversteve]

Tobago off Speyside is another option. Manta Lodge and Manta Dive Center are there - I'm guessing there's a connection.

More info here: Tobago Dive Experience

June/July look fairly promising - at least over the last several years:

http://www.sportdiver.com/article/Travel-Packages/Mantas-and-Full-Moons--On-Assignment-Tobago
Mantas and Full Moons - "On Assignment" Tobago June 6 - 13, 2009

 

[Damselfish]

Tobago is the only Caribbean location I can think of that's known for somewhat reliable diving with Mantas. I'm not sure if there is a season. Maybe Holbox Mexico at the right time, but I think that's snorkel only. Other places you can get lucky on rare occasion but nothing to count on, just enjoy if it happens.

Other than those Socorro or Kona seem like the closest best bets.

 

[scubafanatic]

if you want pretty much guaranteed Mantas (and LOTS of them!) do the Nautilus Explorer/Socorro Islands liveaboard....I was there for about 9 days and it was a festival of Mantas! Plus, these Mantas are VERY curious and will come right up to you and look at you...MANY close encounters...VERY CLOSE!

 

[Teamcasa]

Kona has Manta's and a whole lot more.
It's definitely worth the flight.