Manta Ridge is one of Raja Ampat’s most sought-after dive sites, famed for its incredible manta ray encounters.
Manta Ridge is one of Raja Ampat’s most sought-after dive sites, famed for its incredible manta ray encounters.
Located in the Dampier Strait, this site draws divers from around the world looking to witness the graceful dance of Reef and Oceanic Mantas.
The site offers an exhilarating experience, with clean, clear waters and abundant marine life. Divers will find themselves surrounded by vibrant reefs and a host of species that make Manta Ridge a must-visit destination for any diving enthusiast.
Manta Ridge is particularly renowned for its manta ray sightings. Both Reef Mantas and Oceanic Mantas frequent the area, often seen circling the cleaning stations where they wait for cleaner wrasse to tend to them.
The currents at Manta Ridge can be moderate to strong, creating ideal conditions for manta rays to glide effortlessly through the water. These currents also provide an exciting challenge for divers, who must remain aware of their position while observing the marine life.
Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 20 to 30 meters (65 to 98 feet), making for clear views of the manta rays and the surrounding reef. Divers can expect a rewarding experience as the currents often bring large schools of fish and other marine life close to the reef.
The maximum depth at Manta Ridge reaches around 40 meters but most of the Manta show is anywhere between 6 meters to 17 meters, with the topography characterized by steep slopes and ridges.
These ridges lead to a series of cleaning stations where manta rays often congregate. The reef features a mix of hard and soft corals, creating a colourful backdrop for the many fish species that call this site home.
Manta Rays in Manta Ridge are often accompanied by yellow pilot fish, which swim alongside them, creating an impressive display. In addition to the mantas, divers can encounter cobias, remoras, and golden trevallies, adding movement and colour to the dive.
Other common species include bump head parrotfish, blacktip reef sharks, and moon wrasse. The site also features a variety of smaller fish species, such as black eye thick lips, spotted rays, and leopard wrasse. Turtles are frequently seen swimming through the site, adding to the site’s allure.
To dive this site, we will enter at the ridge top, sometimes a few meters below the surface and sometimes exposed. The current is normally a bit milder at this hard coral ridge, making a good entry point. From here we will keep the reef on our right-hand side which means we will be swimming in a west direction along the ridge.
It is important for divers to maintain good buoyancy control as they explore the ridge, particularly when observing the cleaning stations.
After a few minutes we will hit the spot where we can reef hook on and enjoy the show. While the currents can be swift, they also provide an exciting opportunity to see large schools of fish and manta rays in motion.
We will want to avoid the ridges southern slope, which can be subject to dangerous down currents. We need to be cautious of this during the ascent in particular.
When we go to ascend at the end of the dive, we will head north to the shallows to do our 5-meter safety stop, before popping to the surface and exchanging stories about the Manta magic below.
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Topography: Ridge Reef with Manta Feeding Grounds.
Max Depth: 40 meters
Typical Current: Strong to Very Strong
Best For: An Exciting Dive Reef Hooking Onto a Ridge and Watching Mantas Fly Around Feeding and Being Cleaned
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