Manta Point in Nusa Penida (Bali) is world-famous for exhilarating dives with graceful manta rays. This dive site sits within the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA), a sanctuary established to protect marine life and promote sustainable tourism. Diving with mantas is one of the for many, but it comes with a responsibility to interact ethically and safely.
The Nusa Penida MPA has an official Manta Ray Code of Conduct outlining how divers and snorkelers should behave around these gentle giants. By following this code, you not only protect the manta rays but also ensure a more enjoyable and longer- lasting encounter for yourself. In this article, we’ll explain the 8 official MPA rules for interacting with manta rays at Manta Point, why they matter, and how you can be a responsible diver supporting marine conservation in Bali.
Manta Point is located off the southwestern coast of Nusa Penida island, roughly a 45-minute boat ride from Bali. This site is a manta ray cleaning station an area of reef where mantas hover to let small cleaner fish pick off parasites and dead skin. The reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) here can reach up to 4–5 meters in wingspan and are present year-round, making Nusa Penida one of Bali’s top manta hotspots.
Importantly, Manta Point lies inside the Nusa Penida MPA, a 20,000-hectare protected marine area established in 2010 and officially designated in 2014 with the main purpose to conserve reefs and megafauna.
The Manta Ray Code of Conduct was developed by conservation groups and local authorities to minimize disturbance to the mantas. These guidelines are voluntary but widely encouraged by dive operators. With tourism booming in Nusa Penida growing from ~200,000 visitors in 2015 to millions in recent years following the code is crucial to prevent overcrowding and stress on the animals.
Interacting responsibly with manta rays is vital for both the animals’ well-being and the quality of your dive experience. Close harassment can cause chronic stress for mantas and disrupt natural behaviors like feeding, cleaning, or mating. Divers or snorkelers who chase or crowd mantas often find the encounter is cut short the mantas flee and might not return for a while. Unfortunately, many visitors to Bali’s manta sites don’t receive a proper briefing and may unknowingly do all the wrong things chasing mantas, trying to grab or ride them, crowding the cleaning areas, or kicking the reef.
Mantas are a vulnerable species with slow reproduction, so every individual counts. Code of conduct ensures we “do no harm” it protects the mantas’ health and habitat, maintains a sustainable dive tourism industry, and upholds basic diving ethics that apply not just in Nusa Penida but globally. By following the MPA’s manta interaction rules, you help keep these majestic rays safe in their Bali home. It also grace us with their presence, and divers can enjoy unforgettable encounters for years to come.
The Nusa Penida MPA’s official Code of Conduct for manta ray interactions boils down to 8 key rules. These guidelines are posted and promoted by the MPA management and local dive operators. Let’s break down each rule and what it means in practice for divers:
Always give manta rays a respectable space bubble. Three meters is the minimum distance you should keep between you and a manta at all times. This buffer ensures the manta doesn’t feel threatened by your presence. If a manta is approaching a cleaning station and hasn’t settled in yet, it’s even better to stay further back (5–10 meters) until it begins cleaning. Crowding too close can make a manta abort its cleaning visit.
If a manta ray does swim near you or even brushes past, that’s okay just remain calm and still, and let the manta control the interaction. By keeping your distance, you’ll often find the manta becomes more curious and may circle back toward you on its own.
This rule is non-negotiable: never touch, grab, or ride a manta ray. Touching a manta not only causes stress and violates their personal space, it can also injure the animal. Manta rays have a protective mucous coating on their skin; touching or rubbing against them can remove this mucous layer, making them susceptible to infections or skin damage.
Many divers don’t realize that even a gentle pat can harm a manta’s delicate skin or eyes. Moreover, when a manta is touched or harassed, it will usually flee the area, cutting short the encounter for everyone.
It’s essential to move slowly, calmly, and predictably in the presence of manta rays. Sudden movements or rapid swimming can startle mantas. When you approach, view ideally from the side or front at a lower elevation so the manta can see you coming. Never drop directly down on top of a manta or lunge toward it from behind.
Instead, glide in gradually and avoid chasing or splashing. If you’re snorkeling or freediving, avoid doing an abrupt duck-dive right in front of a manta. Quick movements and noise are interpreted as predatory behavior and will scare the manta away.
If you witness harmful behavior or rule breaking at Manta Point, speak up and report it. The MPA authorities encourage divers and guides to report incidents such as a diver intentional chasing, touching a manta, standing on coral, or a boat dropping anchor on the reef.
Reporting can be done via your dive operator or directly to the Nusa Penida MPA office. By reporting bad actors, you help the MPA enforce the rules and educate those who might be unaware. Don’t confront other divers aggressively underwater, but do inform your dive guide if someone in your group or another group is behaving in a way that harms the mantas or the environment. Additionally, if you see signs of illegal fishing or debris that could injure wildlife, let the authorities know. Remember, as a visitor you are also an extra set of eyes and ears for the MPA.
Always give mantas the right of way. Whether a manta is circling a cleaning station or cruising along a reef, be mindful not to position yourself in its direct path. At cleaning stations, never block the manta’s entry or exit route onto the cleaning area. If mantas are looping around a specific bommie to be cleaned, avoid hovering exactly in that spot.
Never swim directly above a manta at a cleaning station. Aside from your bubbles irritating it, you could be cutting off its escape route. Mantas are big, but they are surprisingly agile; if you simply stay put or move aside slowly, they will navigate around you.
However, if a group of divers surrounds a manta or blocks it, the animal will feel cornered. It may panic and flee or avoid the site altogether. Give them plenty of space to loop, turn, and glide freely without having to dodge divers. Essentially, be aware of the manta’s body language and never box them in.
Each rule in this code of conduct exists for a reason together, they help protect manta rays and reduce our impact on their natural behavior. It’s important to follow all of the guidelines consistently, not just the ones that feel easy or convenient. If you notice others ignoring the rules, don’t let it influence your actions. Stay committed to responsible diving. Lead by example, and with any luck, others will follow your lead.
Dive guides in Nusa Penida will usually brief these rules before the dive; pay close attention and ask questions if anything is unclear. Following the complete code of conduct shows respect for the MPA regulations and for the animals.
For underwater photographers, this one’s especially important: please avoid using strobes or flash when photographing manta rays. Sudden bursts of bright light can disturb or startle them. Particularly if they’re feeding or being cleaned causing them to leave the area.
While manta rays may not be quite as sensitive to light as the elusive mola-mola, the marine park authorities in Nusa Penida still recommend no-flash photography around mantas as a precaution. In fact, many of the best manta images are captured using only natural light.
If you’re shooting underwater, try increasing your ISO or diving during brighter hours for the best results. And if you’re snorkeling and freediving at the surface, avoid flash altogether. The reflections and disruption can be even more jarring from above.
This rule is critical at Manta Point’s cleaning areas. Never position yourself right on top of or in the middle of a manta ray cleaning station. A cleaning station is usually a specific bommie or section of reef about 5-15 meters deep where mantas repeatedly return to get cleaned by reef fish.
If you were to hover directly on the cleaning spot, the mantas will abandon their cleaning. Even worse, kicking around the cleaning station can damage the delicate coral or spook the cleaner fish. The official guideline is to stay outside the cleaning zone and let mantas come in undisturbed.
Also, do not swim underneath a manta that’s being cleaned. Your exhaust bubbles can bother it and the cleaners, effectively “entering” the cleaning area from below. If the cleaning station gets disturbed or damaged, the mantas may stop coming which would be a tragedy for both the animals and the divers who love seeing them. So, respect the cleaning station like a sacred ground: observe, but don’t invade.
Education is powerful. Before diving at Manta Point, make sure you are familiar with the MPA rules like the 8 guidelines we detailed above. Most quality dive operators in Bali will brief their guests on these rules; pay attention during these briefings. If you’re a dive professional or guide, it’s even more important to inform your guests about the Code of Conduct. A surprising number of tourists arrive not knowing how to behave around marine life.
Encourage your dive buddies to read any MPA information pamphlets or to listen closely to guides. Share the code with others, if you see someone about to do something harmful out of ignorance, kindly remind them of the proper conduct. Creating a culture of awareness ensures that every diver in the water becomes a guardian of the mantas, not a threat to them.
Your choice of dive center or tour operator has a direct impact on marine life. A good dive center will brief you on MPA rules before the dive, emphasize no-touch policies and proper distancing, limit group sizes to reduce crowding, and participate in programs like Green Fins or local conservation initiatives. These are strong signs of a genuine commitment to eco-friendly practices.
On the flip side, avoid operators that exhibit “wild west” behavior for instance, rushing a bunch of snorkelers or even freedivers into the water on top of mantas, or failing to control divers who harass animals. By doing a bit of homework and picking a reputable, conservation-minded shop, you support businesses that protect the environment.
The Nusa Penida MPA relies on community support and input. As a diver, you can contribute in simple but meaningful ways. First, support the MPA financially by paying the required marine park fees, these fees go toward patrols, mooring buoys, and conservation programs . This fee is usually included in your dive trip cost; ensure your operator is indeed purchasing the official ticket for you. You can also donate to or volunteer with organizations involved in Nusa Penida marine conservation, such as the Coral Triangle Center or Marine Megafauna Foundation, to help with outreach and reef monitoring.
Secondly, report issues or sightings to the MPA management. If you encounter something concerning, for example, an injured or entangled manta, illegal fishing gear on the reef, or repeated violations of the code by a particular operator inform the MPA officers. The MPA office in Nusa Penida is receptive to reports and can investigate or take action.
Lastly, participate in conservation initiatives. Some dive operators organize events like reef clean-ups at Manta Point or citizen science projects. Joining these not only gives back to the environment but also deepens your connection to the site.
If you are a dive boat captain or operator, it’s important to manage the boat in a manta-friendly way. The number one guideline is to avoid parking or dropping divers directly on top of the cleaning station. Boats should approach manta sites slowly and keep a good distance from where the mantas gather.
The recommended practice at Manta Point is to drop your divers at least 50 meters away from the active cleaning area. This gives the mantas a wide berth, minimizing noise and disturbance overhead when they’re getting cleaned. Large congregations of boats right above the site can cast shadows and make a lot of engine noise, which may deter mantas from coming up to the cleaning station. Boat operators should also never anchor on coral. Use installed mooring buoys if available, or maintain position with a live drift. In Nusa Penida MPA, anchoring on reef is generally prohibited. Additionally, coordinate with other boats communication is key so that not everyone piles on the same spot.
Diving with manta rays at Manta Point in Nusa Penida is an extraordinary privilege, but it comes with responsibility. Following the established manta ray code of conduct helps ensure that these majestic animals are protected, unbothered, and able to thrive in their natural habitat. From maintaining respectful distance to avoiding entry into cleaning stations, every rule exists to minimize stress on manta rays while keeping divers safe and informed.
By diving responsibly and supporting marine protected areas like the Nusa Penida MPA, we preserve one of Bali’s most iconic marine encounters for future generations. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or a first-time visitor, your actions play a direct role in manta conservation. Respect the code, spread awareness, and choose dive operators who are committed to ethical and eco-friendly practices.
Manta Point is a renowned dive site off the coast of Nusa Penida, Bali. It’s a cleaning station where reef manta rays gather to have parasites removed by cleaner fish. Divers and snorkelers often spot multiple mantas gliding calmly around the reef, especially in shallow waters around 5–15 meters deep. While conditions can be rough due to open ocean exposure, the site offers one of the best chances to see manta rays in their natural environment.
Yes, diving with manta rays in Bali is considered very safe. Mantas are gentle, non-aggressive filter feeders that pose no threat to humans. As long as divers follow the established Code of Conduct, keeping distance, avoiding touching, and moving calmly interactions are both safe and memorable.
The Manta Ray Code of Conduct was created to protect manta rays from stress, injury, and disturbance caused by unregulated tourism. Mantas are vulnerable and slow to reproduce, making them sensitive to interference. The code ensures respectful interactions and includes guidelines like maintaining a 3-meter distance, not blocking manta movement, and avoiding cleaning stations. These rules help keep both divers and manta rays safe.
Manta rays can be seen year-round at sites like Manta Point and Manta Bay. However, sightings may be more frequent during plankton-rich months, typically in the rainy season (November–March). Calm ocean conditions, usually from April to October, make diving easier and visibility better. Early morning dives (7–8 AM) are also ideal to beat the crowds and catch more active manta behavior.
The Nusa Penida MPA covers over 20,000 hectares around Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. It includes key habitats like coral reefs and mangroves. Within the MPA, tourism zones like Manta Point are regulated to reduce environmental impact. The MPA enforces rules, prohibits destructive fishing, and maintains mooring buoys to protect reef life. It plays a key role in manta ray conservation by safeguarding their habitat and limiting human disturbance.
The code of conduct is promoted by the Nusa Penida MPA Authority in partnership with NGOs like Coral Triangle Center. While the rules are not always legally binding, they are widely adopted by dive centers and expected to be followed by all divers, snorkelers, and guides. Dive operators brief their guests, and good instructors will intervene if rules aren’t followed. It’s a community-based system of responsibility and respect.
Manta Point is best suited for intermediate and experienced divers due to rough surface conditions and strong swells. However, beginners can often enjoy manta sightings in Manta Point under the guidance of a certified instructor. It’s essential to dive within your training limits and follow all safety protocols. Try diving with manta rays in Bali.
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