Manta Ray Nusa Penida: The Best Manta Point in Bali

Nusa Penida Island is one of the 3 islands located just southeast of Bali. Nusa Penida is the largest one of the three islands surrounded, the others are Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

Manta Point is located in the southwest corner of Nusa Penida and the farthest dive site in Nusa Penida from Sanur Harbor takes about 60 minutes. A trip worth the effort, because the coastline of Nusa Penida is still original, beautiful and truly beautiful.

This stingray, it isn’t like the stingray you imagined. Moreover, if you consider it a poisonous and deadly animal, it causes a biologist and world-famous wildlife presenter, originally from Australia, to die from the sting. This is not that stingray. His figure is always sought after by scuba diving hobbyists, to be enjoyed or even perpetuated its beauty. Ghost stingrays, or commonly known as Manta Rays, are named after the fish.

Manta Ray Nusa Penida is one of the largest stingray species in the world. The width of the body from the tip of the pectoral fin to the other end of the fin reaches almost 6-8 meters (probably more because there are reports that there are mantas whose body width reaches 9.1 meters). The heaviest weight alone has ever been measured to reach around 3 tons. Manta rays are also not poisonous rays, their tails don't have the sting like most stingrays. The population of manta rays is considered close to danger because of the high level of fishery activities and increasingly polluted sea conditions, while their birth cycles are low. Manta skin is covered with a thicker mucus layer than most stingrays. This mucus layer is thought to have something to do with protecting vulnerable skin.

Manta Ray Nusa Penida has a variety of colors, ranging from black, grayish blue, brown, to almost white. The color patterns on the manta body also vary where the manta rays found in the eastern Pacific the lower part of the body is predominantly black, while the manta rays found in the western Pacific, the color of the lower body is pale. It isn’t yet known what the functions and causes of this varied coloring are, but its varied color makes it easy for scientists to distinguish mantras from one region to another. Another unique thing about manta coloring is they have a kind of pattern on the shoulders and lower body and these patterns are different in each manta so it’s considered to be similar to human fingerprints.

Manta rays are truly extraordinary creatures that live in Bali throughout the year, so anytime you dive there will be a great opportunity to see them. Some types of Manta here have a fin of more than 3 meters and all have unique motifs consisting of black, gray, white at the bottom which makes identification even easier.

Be ready to be amazed when you watch giant manta fish swimming around at the Manta Point. So, enjoy your Manta Ray Snorkel right there. Keep your distance and these curious creatures will still surround you, making you amazed by their size and beauty.