A little off topic ...

[pheraghty]

I know this is a little off topic, or possibly the topic backwards ...

Where would you say were the top ten (or some other numer) places and times of year to dive or snorkel with the Giant Manta Ray.

Some friends and I want to see them and we keep missing them so we would thought we would go to the places that upped our odds of an encounter. We plan a safe observation encounter letting the animal take the lead (or not if they choose) - no harrasment of the animal.

Any guidance is appreciated.

 

[donnyb]

Aloha Patrick, you probably should have posted in the travel forums, but anyway...

#1 is Soccorros, Mexico
Socorro Islands - Giant Mantas, Sharks and Humpback Whales

#2 is Yap, Micronesia
Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers in Micronesia - diving where the mantas dive

#3 is Pohnpei, Micronesia
The Village - Pohnpei, Micronesia Scuba Diving Resort

and then there's the manta ray nite dive here in Hawaii....
Manta Night Dive Kona Hawaii, Number 1 night dive in Hawaiian Islands, Big Bertha Manta

 

[alcina]

Ningaloo Reef all year round.

There are two main entries to the Ningaloo Reef:

Coral Bay - resident manta ray population all year

Exmouth - mantas around all year, but only steady easy sightings from late May through October.

I recommend very late May or anytime in June for the best opportunities with both the whale sharks and manta rays (two birds, as they say)...oh yeah, and the humpback whales, too!