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How to Dive with Manta Rays IN Nusa Penida, Bali 

How to dive with Manta Rays in Nusa Penida, Bali.

Nusa Penida – or “the big Nusa” – is a gorgeous little island off of the coast of Bali. You’ve probably seen pictures of its stunning coastline, pristine beaches, and unbelievable views on Instagram. In addition to its jaw-dropping coast, Nusa Penida is also home to some incredible dive spots fit with pristine coral reefs, and you guessed it–Manta Rays!! 

The island’s world class diving and snorkeling spots attract thousands of visitors each year. While most people know that Nusa Penida is a prime dive spot, the lack of comprehensive information online paired with the sheer number of diving options can be overwhelming for even the most seasoned traveler. That’s where this guide comes in! This guide breaks down the different ways you can swim with the manta rays, cost estimates, detailed dive information, other activities on Nusa Penida, and more. 

So, ready to learn how to see Nusa Penida’s famed Manta Rays? Read along! 

So, how can I see the Mantas on Nusa Penida?

There are 2 pretty obvious ways to see Manta Rays on Nusa Penida – the first is scuba diving and the second is snorkeling. These are both pretty surefire ways to visit the mantas. Depending on which trip you choose, your boat will take you out to different spots best suited for your chosen activity. 

On Nusa Penida, there are 2 famous spots for seeing the Manta Rays—Manta Bay and Manta Point. Yes, I also got them confused at first. The absolute best spot to see Manta Rays is Manta Point which is a scuba diving spot. Manta Point also has a Manta Ray cleaning station which is super cool to witness! No, the Mantas aren’t scrubbing themselves clean (unfortunately). Instead they swim around in big circles and do some sort of filtering thing with their mouths. You know, science-y stuff.

The next best spot for Manta-spotting is Manta Bay. It’s much easier to get to Manta Bay by boat, and you can snorkel here. Be mindful of the ocean conditions because the waves can get fairly high here.

In addition to these points, it’s likely that your tour company will take you to some coral reefs or other neat dive spots–ocean conditions pending of course. Another staple for both scuba and snorkel trips is Crystal Bay, which has unbelievably vibrant coral reefs.

Where should I stay on Nusa Penida?

Nusa Penida is a pretty tiny island, so there are relatively few areas to stay. For simplicity’s sake (and if you wanted to be in proximity to basically anything), I’d recommend staying near the Toya Pakeh harbor. There are a few places to stay for a variety of budgets, so you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.

I found that Booking.com was much better than Hostelworld for finding accommodation on Nusa Penida.

How can I snorkel with Manta Rays on Nusa Penida?

When we visited Nusa Penida, my friend Jess and I were set on seeing the mantas by any means possible. So, we dedicated our brief time on Nusa Penida to trying out different tours. On our first full day on the island, we booked a snorkel tour through our hostel because we had some luck doing the same in other parts of South East Asia.

Booking was fairly simple–our hostel manager just phoned someone she knew and got us on a tour. They also included pick-up from our hostel. Very straightforward.

We left around 8am in a boat with a handful of other people and headed straight towards Manta Bay. When we got there, we were one of only 3 boats out there and immediately jumped in the water. We quickly saw 2 beautiful rays swim by, and had some gorgeous reef views.

At the third snorkel spot, we saw some more coral and even a couple of sea turtles hanging out. We got back on the boat and were back on the shore by 10:30 am and had the rest of the day to explore. 

Any recommendations for snorkeling?

If it’s an option, I’d recommend taking the earliest boat possible. This way you can attempt to beat some of the major crowds at some of the snorkel spots. Once the other tour boats started settling in at Manta Bay, it got much harder to enjoy quality time with the mantas. As more people showed up they started to crowd the rays. I started to get worried that people were too close to them. Many of the other tourists also couldn’t swim too well and ended up kicking us in the face with their fins.

A word of warning: While I was on Nusa Penida, I heard quite a few horror stories of people booking snorkel tours with sketchy companies that had some safety issues ranging from not having enough life jackets on board to stranding guests in the water (think taking off in the boat while people snorkeled). This was all word-of-mouth and I cannot speak on how true these cases are, but I’d definitely recommend vetting the snorkel companies before you go. (As not many of them have online presence, I’d ask around with other visitors or your hostel/hotel managers about their experience with a particular snorkel company etc.)  

Price Range for Snorkeling?

Don’t pay more than 300,000 rupees (~20 USD) per person for a snorkel trip. Many snorkel companies on Nusa Penida are fairly laid back and the price is negotiable, so keep this in mind when trying to find a good deal.

Do I have to stay on Nusa Penida? 

The short answer is no–you can actually book snorkel tours based in Bali that will take you to the same dive spots directly. Usually, they’ll have you take the same tourist ferry that everyone takes to Nusa Penida which will add at least and extra 2 hours to your trip.

The dive spots are actually between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembogan, so if you’re staying on Nusa L, you could book a tour that departs directly from the island.

Because of the added time associated with getting to the dive spots, I’d just recommend staying on the island. Plus, you’ll be able to explore all the beauty that Nusa Penida has to offer!

Can I just rent snorkel gear and see the Mantas myself? 

No, not really. The Manta Rays aren’t known to visit well-travelled beaches and are only really seen in places only accessible by boat. If you happen to have a friend with a boat around Nusa Penida, then sure thing! Otherwise, you’ll need to book a tour with a snorkel or scuba company. 

Ironically, I didn’t get any photos of the mantas. I actually don’t have an underwater camera–all of the other underwater shots are stills from a friend’s GoPro. But the mantas were absolutely stunning, just trust me on this one lol.

What about Scuba Diving?

Scuba diving is the absolute best way to see the manta rays in Nusa Penida. With the added serenity of watching the Manta Rays from beneath the waves, you can really take the time to with these magnificent and graceful creatures.

Who should I scuba dive with? 

If you arrive on Nusa Penida and just walk around the little harbor, you’re sure to have at least a minor case of choice anxiety with the sheer number of dive shops offering tours focused on diving with manta rays. Not all dive shops are created equally, and it’s a great idea to do some research on the specific company that you’re looking to dive with before booking.

I’ve heard absolutely rave reviews about Scuba Junkies, The Blue Corner, Reeflex, and DPM dive shops. They’ve been repeatedly recommended to me by fellow travelers and scuba professionals alike. 

After visiting their dive shops myself and speaking with some of their staff, I also sensed that they were very professional and knowledgeable about their craft. The average price for a “Fun” dive trip to Manta Point was around 1.4 million rupees (~100 USD) with these companies.

Unfortunately, they had limited availability for the dates we visited Nusa Penida, so we had to search elsewhere for a company to dive with (which, like I mentioned earlier, wasn’t difficult at all). 

We went with Sanctum Dive, that offered the lowest price point (1.2 million rupees/~79 USD) for 2 dives. Manta Point is usually always included in the dive tour, but depending on the conditions your dive company may choose other locations. We had a great time with Sanctum, though some of our fellow divers had complaints about their equipment and larger group sizes. While I didn’t have any personal qualms with the trip, the overall consensus was that their tours were just too crowded.

What were the conditions like?

We had remarkably difficult ocean conditions as we tried to make our way to Manta Point. We ended up having to do the dive backwards (we went first to the reefs at Crystal Bay, then out to Manta Point) because the waves were too high earlier in the day.

Additionally, we weren’t briefed much about the current, which was reaaally strong at the first dive point. Once we got to Manta Point the current wasn’t too bad, though the water was much colder.

I was very grateful that our instructors made the call to switch around the dives which meant we were able to dive at Manta Point. The other boat that left from the same company wasn’t as lucky—their crew members decided not to try for Manta Point after the conditions calmed down. Because of the switch around, we ended up being over 2.5 hours later than originally expected. We didn’t have any pressing plans after diving so we weren’t too thrown off, but you might want to mentally prepared to return to port at a time wayyy different than specified. 

Can I see the mantas if I’m not scuba certified? 

The short answer is yes— and for 2 different reasons. 

Firstly, you could go snorkeling which doesn’t require any certification.

Secondly–while they might not advertise this–some of the scuba companies offer the “fun” dive without any certification granted that you go through a safety briefing and test run beforehand. (depending on the company, you might have to come in a day earlier to do some pool dives before you’re cleared to dive with the Mantas, so be sure to message companies regarding your specific situation beforehand). On our boat we had a couple of people who had never dove before and they didn’t have a problem, but just make sure you’re comfortable with the gear in the water before you do any open water dive. 

Instead–I’d recommend getting scuba certified right there on Nusa Penida!

Can I get scuba certified on Nusa Penida? 

Absolutely! Nearly every dive shop on Nusa Penida and around Bali offers the opportunity to get certified and it is much much cheaper to get certified in Bali than many other diving destinations. If getting scuba certified is a longtime dream of yours, it’s *definitely* worth getting it done in Bali! In addition to Nusa Penida, Bali is home to some great dive spots, especially in the north. And if you’re traveling all over South East Asia, you’re going to definitely want this certification. 

Likewise, if you already have your open water certification, you can get your advanced open water at a very reasonable rate. A fellow traveler got her advanced open water certification plus 6 dives for around 300 USD on Bali. If you have the budget for it–and some extra time to spare–definitely do it!

What can I do after diving with the mantas? 

Luckily for you, the island of Nusa Penida is gorgeous and has plenty of pristine beaches to relax at after your manta trip. Well, some of them are relaxing. Others like the famed Kelingking and Diamond Beaches require a pretty hefty trek down. If you’re up for the challenge, they’re definitely worth a visit and have some amazing views!

Some other highlights on Nusa Penida include Angels Billabong, Broken Beach, and Guyangan Waterfall Pools. They’re located a pretty decent drive from the harbor, but you can either hire a taxi or rent a scooter to visit them.

If you’re keen on renting a scooter while you’re on Nusa Penida–be careful! This is definitely not the place to learn how to ride a motorbike. Many of Nusa Penida’s roads are small and underdeveloped and have very narrow turns. Take my word that you’re going to want some experience before driving on Nusa Penida (yes, it’s even harder than Bali).

So, there you have it–the ultimate guide to diving with Manta Rays in Nusa Penida, Bali!

Have you recently visited Nusa Penida? Did you swim with the Mantas? Leave a comment below!

Have any questions? Send me a message.

Eager for more? Check out my latest destination posts here.