A truly epic dive site above and below water, Manta Alley is one of the most dramatic dive sites in Indonesia to see manta rays.
Manta ray close-up in the shallows, Manta Alley, Komodo © [email protected]
Manta Alley sits at the very far south of Komodo island, right at the edge of where liveaboards venture. The weather and tides have to be right to let boats safely arrive here, and once at anchor, you can see why: beyond the towering rocks of Nusa Duawaj, there’s just open ocean.
Nusa Duawaj looming over Manta Alley © [email protected]
The steep cliffs of the rocky islands around Manta Alley dwarf the liveaboard boats that sit in their shadow. The dramatic topside scenery surrounding Manta Alley sets the scene for what lies below the surface.
Manta Alley, Komodo – the view above water © [email protected]
The alley is a channel hewn through the rock of the island, and manta rays like to congregate on either side at cleaning stations and pass through the channel too.
Battle scars, Manta Alley, 2024 © [email protected]
At depth, it can be quite dark and murky, but if divers stay still and keep low, the mantas remain happily circling the cleaning station, sometimes cruising off into the deep and then circling around behind divers and coming very close. As you’d expect, there can be a lot of current here, but you can always be out of the current on either side of the alley depending on your dive plan.
-
A Komodo Liveaboard is typically 3 to 7 nights long - decide your dates and search for availability on liveaboard.com
-
Also check our Last Minute Liveaboard Deals page for Komodo liveaboard discounts.
-
Browse detailed info and photos about individual Komodo dive sites so you can get a sense of what to expect.Check times and pricing of flights to Labuan Bajo which is where most Komodo liveaboards depart and return.Check my liveaboard packing list to make sure you bring all you needIt's compulsory to have diving insurance. World Nomads offers diving insurance as part of their Thailand travel insuranceBook a hotel in Labuan Bajo or Bali for when you get back from the liveaboard. Bali has a decent airport hotel if required - no need to leave the airport.Decide if you want to stay on in Labuan Bajo after your trip and explore Komodo onland
I have a hazy memory of diving Manta Alley back in 2009 and seeing six or seven mantas stacked up pyramid style in the alley, just hovering in the current and feeding on whatever was being filtered through their gills.
Manta ray in the darker depths, Manta Alley, Komodo, 2024 © [email protected]On this trip, we saw seven mantas on one dive, four circling the deeper cleaning station at 22 metres, two more including a black manta showing up as we left, and then one solitary big manta wheeling around in the shallows which made for the most epic safety stop ever. The mantas at depth would have been an awesome dive on their own, but the manta in the shallows in the sunlight and surf of the waves crashing against the rock was just spectacular.
Close Encounters, Manta Alley, Komodo, 2024 © [email protected]Komodo Dive Sites
- Manta Alley
- Cannibal Rock
- Yellow Wall
- Batu Bolong
- Pengah Kecil
- Castle Rock
- Crystal Rock
- Mawan
- Siaba Besar (Turtle City)
- Sebayur Kecil
- Tanjung Batu Besar
- Galley Rock
- Saleh Bay Whale Sharks
- Komodo Dive Sites Overview
Komodo Liveaboard And Resort Trip Reports
- Kalimaya Dive Resort Trip Report July 2025
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report August 2022 - MSY Damai 2
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report November 2009 - MSY Damai 1
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report September 2008 - Indo Siren
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report December 2006 - Komodo Dancer
Komodo Diving Podcasts
Komodo Dive Site Locations
2025 Komodo Last Minute Liveaboard Deals
- Blue Lotus - All upcoming 2025/2026 departures! - from $1260 - PLUS FREE NITROX! - Valid for limited time only (30% OFF)
Diving And Travel Insurance
Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities including scuba diving, as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.Start Planning Your Indonesia Dive Trip Now!
:: Check the availability and pricing of liveaboards in Indonesia and book online.
:: Find the cheapest flights to Indonesia - one search will show you the prices and times from scores of airlines for your trip. A real timesaver. You'll typically need to fly into Jakarta and then get a connecting flight to Sorong (SOQ) for Raja Ampat, Labuan Bajo (LBJ) for Komodo, Biak for Cenderawasih Bay (BIK) - but check with your liveaboard operator on optimum flights
:: Make sure you don't forget to bring any of the essentials for your scuba diving trip with our comprehensive Liveaboard Packing List
:: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
:: Find available places to stay in Indonesia on Booking.com - usually you can reserve a room with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out. Free cancellations too. The Jakarta Airport Hotel, located in Terminal 2, is convenient for a transit stayover.
:: Need inspiration? See our Best Places To Dive In Indonesia for ideas of where to go and what to do.
