Top Ten Places to Dive with Manta Rays

1. Mexico

One for the advanced divers, the volcanic island of Socorro is located a mere 26-hour-sail (via liveaboard) from the Pacific coast of Mexico. This is the realm of the giant oceanic manta, and divers travelling between November and May are more or less guaranteed sightings on every dive. While mantas aren't few and far between in Socorro, we believe that the best site for playful interactions is El Boiler at San Benedicto Island. Here, these gentle giants swoop inches above divers to feel their bubbles tickle their belly.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Mexico: November - May

2. The Maldives

The Maldives is a reef manta haven, with sightings possible year-round. The archipelago is made up of 26 stunning atolls, so you're spoilt for choice when it comes to diving. Head to the South Ari Atoll between December and April for calm seas, blue skies and plenty of manta action. If you're travelling 'off-season', make your way north to Hanifaru Bay in the Baa Atoll, where snorkellers can observe a feeding frenzy of up to 200 mantas at a time from June to November. Want to go a step further and protect these majestic creatures? You're in luck, because guests of the Six Senses Laamu can become budding marine biologists on research trips with the Manta Trust.

Best time to dive with manta rays in the Maldives: year-round

3. Micronesia

What better place to dive with manta rays than the island affectionately dubbed 'the manta capital of the world'? Yap Island in Micronesia is encircled by pristine reefs, allowing for incredible biodiversity and stellar underwater views. Divers can observe the graceful giants at cleaning stations along the barrier reef virtually year-round, but numbers peak from December to April due to the Mi'l channel mating season. Pair this with world-class wreck diving at Chuuk Lagoon, and you're in for an unforgettable Micronesia diving adventure.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Micronesia: December - April

4. Indonesia

Manta rays have been a protected species in Indonesia since 2014, so the 17,000-island archipelago is a haven for these creatures. While they can be seen in various areas throughout Indonesia, the best spots for Indonesia diving holidays are Komodo, Bali and Raja Ampat. The plankton-rich waters around Komodo draw in mantas aplenty, while Manta Point at Bali's Nusa Penida island sees rays flock in to be 'cleaned' by wrasse fish. Raja Ampat, with its beautiful soft corals and macro marine life, is easily one of our favourite dive spots in the world, so it's an added bonus that it happens to be a great place to spot mantas.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Komodo is December - March, in Raja Ampat it's November - April, and in Bali it's July - October.

5. Palau

They (read: we) say that the more remote a place is, the better the diving is. Never has this been more apparent than in Palau, an Australasian island that boasts unparalleled biodiversity, dramatic wall diving, Second World War wrecks and colourful reefs galore. As if that's not reason enough to visit, the jewel in its crown is some of the world's best manta ray diving. Visit between December and March to witness the manta ray mating season, which is undoubtedly one of the most epic manta ray diving experiences out there.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Palau: December - March

6. Fiji

Fiji's main claim to (diving) fame lies in the kaleidoscope coral that carpets the Somosomo Strait. If you can draw your gaze away from these spectacular reefs, you'll discover a wealth of incredible marine creatures, including the majestic manta. If you're looking for a lesser-known spot, we've got you covered - you can also spot manta rays off the Yasawa Islands and Bligh Water.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Fiji: May - October

7. Australia

Next up on our list of the best places to dive with manta rays is Australia. This sun-soaked country might be famous for kangaroos and koalas, but it also happens to offer some seriously spectacular manta diving. On the east coast, the Great Barrier Reef attracts friendly manta rays by the dozen, especially around Lady Elliot Island, while on the west coast, mantas can be seen at Ningaloo Reef. While you can catch a glimpse of them year-round, the best time to see manta rays is between July and October, when currents are strong and visibility is excellent.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Australia: July - October

8. Costa Rica

Located off the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the Gulf of Papagayo is home to Pacific manta rays, which gather around the Catalinas Islands between December and March. Alongside these gentle giants, divers can also spot southern stingrays, devil rays, cow nose rays, whitetip sharks and moray eels. What better way to escape the English winter?

Best time to dive with manta rays in Costa Rica: December - March

9. Hawaii

Night diving with manta rays in Kona is, quite simply, out of this world. Armed with a torch, divers descend beneath the waters of Makako Bay just after sunset and position themselves on the seabed to wait for the action to unfold. The torches attract plankton, which, in turn, attract ginormous manta rays. Once the mantas have arrived, watch in awe as they flip and swirl above your head, trying to catch these miniature morsels.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Hawaii: year-round

10. Mozambique

Due to a perfectly curated cocktail of plankton-rich waters and manta cleaning stations, manta sightings in Mozambique's Tofo are practically guaranteed year-round. For the best encounters, however, dive at the aptly named Manta Reef, which boasts a multitude of mantas and an incredible range of other marine life. And, if you want to learn more about these majestic creatures and help on manta research projects, the Marine Megafauna Foundation is conveniently positioned right on the beach.

Best time to dive with manta rays in Mozambique: year-round