Hawksbill turtle on the reef in Raja Ampat

Manta Sandy

Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

  • Beginner
  • Mild current
  • Best Oct to Apr

Manta Sandy is a beginner dive site in Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Dives run from 5 to 18 m, with mild current. The best months are October to April. Marine life here includes manta ray. 2 dive shops on Scubalo run trips here.

Updated

Conditions at Manta Sandy

Max depth
18 m
Depth range
5–18 m
Current
Mild
Level
Beginner
Depth profile: dives from 5 m to 18 m.

Safety

Etiquette
Stay low behind the marked line and don't swim up to the mantas.

About Manta Sandy

Manta Sandy is a reef manta cleaning station in the Dampier Strait near Arborek, at about 16 metres. Divers watch from behind a line of rubble, numbers are capped and a ranger station watches over it. October to April brings the most mantas.

Manta Sandy is a cleaning station on a sandy patch in the Dampier Strait, near Arborek, where reef mantas come in to have parasites picked off by small wrasse. It is one of the most reliable places in Raja Ampat to see them.

To protect the mantas, the site runs on rules agreed with the local community. Shops must book a slot the day before, no more than 20 divers and snorkellers may be on the site at once, and boats slow down as they approach. Underwater, divers settle behind a line of rubble at about 16 metres and let the mantas come to them. A ranger station 50 metres away has supervised the site since 2017.

The dive is shallow, from about 5 to 18 metres, with medium current at times. That makes it suitable for most divers, provided you can hold your position without touching anything. October to April, when the water is rich in plankton, is the best time.

When to dive Manta Sandy

Best months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December.

Season

Right now
Year round
Dived all year.
Peak season
October to April, when plankton draws in the mantas.
Good to know
Shops book slots a day ahead, with up to 20 people on site at once.

Marine life at Manta Sandy

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Type of diving

Location

Questions about Manta Sandy

Can you see manta rays at Manta Sandy?

Yes. Reef mantas visit the cleaning station regularly, most of all from October to April, when the water is full of plankton.

What are the rules at Manta Sandy?

Shops book a slot the day before, no more than 20 divers and snorkellers are allowed at once, boats slow down near the site, and divers stay behind a line of rubble. A ranger station watches over it.

How deep is Manta Sandy?

About 5 to 18 metres. Divers wait at around 16 metres, behind the rubble line, for the mantas to come in.

Is Manta Sandy good for beginners?

Yes, if you can hold your position calmly. The current is usually medium, and the dive stays shallow.

Where is Manta Sandy?

In the Dampier Strait, central Raja Ampat, near Arborek island.

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Dive shops that go to Manta Sandy

2 shops in the directory run trips here.

Dive sites near Manta Sandy

All dive sites in Raja Ampat

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