Where can you swim with manta rays in Nusa Penida?
No, you don't need to be able to dive. At Manta Point, on the south coast of Nusa Penida, reef manta rays visit a "cleaning station" where small fish rid them of parasites. They are there all year, mostly in the top 12 metres (40 ft), so you can see them snorkelling as well as diving. Even beginners can swim there, as long as the sea is calm. Manta Bay is easier (not least because the site is more sheltered) and is another place where manta rays gather. It is not a cleaning station, though, but more of a passing-through (and feeding) spot, so the rays stay there for less time.
What you'll find:
- Snorkelling: a trip on a shared boat costs about IDR 300,000 (US$17) for Manta Bay and IDR 500,000 (US$28) for Manta Point. A full-day tour with several stops, lunch and transfers runs IDR 850,000-1,100,000 (about US$50-62). A private boat for four people is around IDR 1,700,000.
- Other spots: Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay on Penida, and Mangrove Point on Lembongan. At Crystal Bay, between July and October, you may spot a mola mola (ocean sunfish), a strange (and huge) round fish.
- Diving: a discover scuba dive is about US$150 (two ocean dives, one of them at Manta Point), and a day of diving for certified divers runs US$100-150. Manta Point accepts beginner dives when conditions allow.
The rules to follow:
- Don't touch the manta rays and don't chase them.
- Avoid splashing, and don't block their path.
- Stay away from the cleaning station.
The real danger is the swell, not the rays. Go with an experienced guide: reputable operators cancel the trip when waves exceed 1.6 m (5 ft). The water can be cool, especially at depth, and at low tide boarding sometimes happens in very shallow water: take reef shoes.
Tip: book the trip for early in your stay with a reputable operator that explains its rules clearly, and keep a spare day in your schedule in case it is cancelled.
Prices, schedules and rules checked in October 2026. Confirm before you travel.