The Republic of Mozambique, which is located in southeastern Africa, and bordered by the warm Indian Ocean, is beautifully tropical and is quickly becoming an even more popular tourist destination, thanks to its abundant natural resources and scenic vistas. One of the most interesting, and most exhilarating dives anyone can take is a dive with the Manta Rays that populate the warm coastal waters off Mozambique.
Manta Rays: Gentle Giants
While it is common to see smaller Manta Rays in Mozambique’s waters, it is also possible to swim with some of the largest mantas on the planet: Manta Birostris. These enormous mantas have a wingspan of up to seven meters wide, and they support this bulk by filter feeding on plankton in the rich waters off the coast of Mozambique’s Tofo region. Here, you can dive at Manta Reef, where there are two Manta cleaning stations, plus an abundance of marine life in every color of the rainbow.
Manta rays rely on small cleaner fish, such as wrasse, to rid them of tiny parasites and built up algae on their skin. This helps to keep them healthy, and when you visit one of these astonishing cleaner stations, you will have the opportunity to take astonishing photos in water that is normally very clear – between ten and thirty meters visibility.
While mantas are normally transient creatures in other parts of the world, Mozambique boasts a year-round manta population, so you can visit at any time and have an excellent chance to dive with the mantas as they feed and enjoy the services of the cleaner fish. You will notice that the Mantas have unique markings, and that some of them have scarring where they have encountered large sharks or become entangled in nets. Local dive operators are quite familiar with many of these easily recognized Manta rays, which are used to the attention divers give them.
Diving Manta Reef
If you want to dive Manta Reef and the surrounding area, you will need to have an up to date advanced open water certificate or the equivalent. It is also a good idea to be familiar with Nitrox. The dive begins with a descent to twenty-six meters, into the middle of what appears to be an underwater amphitheater, which is absolutely filled with colorful fish. From this aquarium-like area, you will proceed through an ethereal area stippled with pinnacles, until you arrive at the cleaning station, which is located at about twenty-one meters, and has a sandy bottom.
Here, you can see the cleaner wrasse and even some butterfly fish maintain the manta rays – almost like mechanics working on an aircraft! They buzz about, nibbling gently as the manta hovers in stillness. More giant mantas circle the area, waiting for their turns. This makes for incredible photos from the bottom!
Whatever you do, do not try to touch the Manta rays. Their bodies are covered with a protective coating, and besides frightening the mantas, touching can leave them vulnerable to infection.
Getting There
There are several local dive operators that take trips out to Manta Reef and the surrounding area. Besides manta ray dives, many of these operators offer interactive diving with whale sharks and whales. Take a trip on a liveaboard to enjoy a comprehensive experience that you will always remember!