Like many of the great manta ray dive spots of the world, this is a very popular dive site and a great place to watch manta rays in action. It is one of the most popular dive sites as a result and is found in between Airborei and Mansuar islands. The manta rays in the area, unlike manta ray found elsewhere, often have dark upper and lower sides. They can measure up to 4 metres from wing tip to wing tip and often come accompanied with their allies the cobias, remoras, or golden trevallies.
The reef is a sloping reef that goes down to a sandy bottom at 40 metres and then slopes down to the deep ocean. The manta rays can be spotted at 6 metres and most diver’s average depths of around 30 metres. Visibility here is good, getting to 30 metres on good days. As the manta rays can be seen at depths starting at around 6 metres, this dive can be completed by beginner divers who do not go very deep. There are strong currents, though, and so beginner divers should only attempt this dive when the currents are weak.
Like many manta ray diving spots, the area of the reef is a cleaning station for the manta rays who come down to the ridge to find the many cleaner wrasse who are willing to give them a clean by eating the parasites on their bodies and cavities. The best time to catch these beautiful animals is all year round but during October and April, the ocean conditions are better, with mostly dry and sunny weather.
The dive site is also home to many other fish that often are ignored by divers keen to see the rays. Divers can see schools of butterflyfish, bump head parrotfish, trevallies, and many turtles. There are many types of fish that are here to clean the mantas and the cleaner wrasses are joined by black-eyed thick lips, leopard wrasse, and moon wrasse.