Manta Point (Tikehau) – Tikehau (Tuamotu)

20m Max

15-30m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Manta Point in Tikehau's inner lagoon is a second manta ray cleaning station that offers a more intimate and accessible manta encounter experience compared to the pass entrance site, with resident manta rays visiting the cleaning station regularly in the calm shallow waters of the protected atoll lagoon. The inner lagoon location means that conditions are consistently calm and visibility is reliably good, making this site accessible to divers and snorkellers of all experience levels who want guaranteed manta ray encounters without the challenges of pass diving. The resident manta rays at this site have become habituated to the presence of respectful divers, allowing close observation of their extraordinary cleaning behaviour where tiny cleaner wrasse remove parasites from the mantas' massive bodies in a symbiotic relationship that has evolved over millions of years. Stingrays are abundant on the sandy patches surrounding the cleaning station, their broad wings gliding elegantly across the substrate as they search for buried crustaceans and molluscs in the productive lagoon environment. Green turtles are regular visitors to the site, grazing on seagrass and algae near the cleaning station with their characteristic methodical feeding behaviour that allows patient divers to observe them alongside the mantas. The combination of reliable manta encounters, calm conditions, and accessible depths makes this site one of the most popular and rewarding dives in the Tikehau atoll system.

Dive Briefing

"Descend from the boat to the shallow cleaning station where your guide will position the group at a respectful distance from the approaching resident manta rays. The mantas arrive at the station in a predictable pattern, their enormous wingspans creating breathtaking silhouettes in the calm shallow water as they hover above the coral bommies for cleaning services. Remain still and neutrally buoyant when mantas approach, allowing them to manoeuvre around the divers with their extraordinary grace and intelligence in the confined space of the inner lagoon. Stingrays glide across the sandy patches surrounding the cleaning station, providing additional marine life interest between manta visits. Green turtles visit the site regularly, their gentle grazing behaviour creating a peaceful atmosphere alongside the more dramatic manta encounters. The shallow depth and calm conditions mean that extended observation periods are possible, allowing divers to fully appreciate the intelligence and grace of these gentle giants. Non-diving snorkellers can enjoy equally excellent manta encounters from the surface in the clear shallow water above the cleaning station."