Manta rays & whale sharks - best opportunity to see

[mark8carol]

Hello, new member so please be gentle. We are looking ahead to 2019 to plan a one off special trip, given there are no certainties when diving (and with life in general) where would members suggest we visit to give us the best opportunity to see manta rays and whale sharks on the same trip. We are UK based, thanks in advance

 

[diversteve]

Two to look into are Ningaloo, Western Australia or the Socorros Islands in the Pacific from Mexico. Probably the Galapagos Islands also but I'm not sure about there.

Ningaloo is land-based, the Socorros are via liveaboard from the San Jose del Cabo area of Mexico. You will definitely dive with Mantas on a Socorros trip and certain times of the year Whalesharks pass thru there.

A couple boats to consider are the Solmar V, the Nautilus Belle Amie or the Rocio Del Mar. Since it's a special trip, Belle Amie is the newest/nicest of the 3.

I've seen more than one video of snorkelers following whalesharks off Ningaloo when some Manta's fly by - IDK if they allow diving with w/s's there - mainland Mexico or Utila - 2 known whaleshark destinations - don't - just snorkeling. Which is still great, we did that off Utila a few years ago.

Southern Belize is pretty reliable at certain times late spring/early summer for Whaleshark diving and the Manta Night dives off Kona are world famous for that. I've never heard of whalesharks in Hawaii though and I dove there multiple times.

Somehow the Donsol area of the Phillipines sticks in my head for both also seasonally. Some of the South Pacific locations like Yap are pretty reliable for Manta's IDK if they ever see Whalesharks though.

hope this helps narrow your search.

 

[Kathg]

I'm brand new here too - just got my diving cert in Maldives (from NZ though). We stayed at Mirihi (Maldives) in South Ari Atol and I know they have lots of dive trips that are successful in seeing the whale sharks and Manta Rays on same boat trip. Look it up. Beautiful place to stay and amazing diving.

 

[Tippytoes12]

From the UK a liveaboard in the Maldives is quick and easy the South Ari Atol is a great area for big stuff. Boutique Beach is a wonderful English run dive resort on a local island, we much preferred it to a four star resort the previous year. No alcohol is allowed though !

 

[Syb]

I am also a new diver and had the incredible opportunity to see whale sharks and manta's on the same trip. The location was, Tofo (country: Mozambique). I went diving in September 2017 and saw three Giant Manta's and swam with a massive Whale Shark. The locals almost guarantee that you will see either Manta's or Whale Sharks in a trip there. It is cheap to dive there and really a fun place to be. The whale shark I only got to see while doing a 'Snorkeling Safari'. Unfortunately, in September, the visibility suffers somewhat due to the high amount of Plankton in the water, but that is what almost guarantees the Whale Shark spotting. I would reccommend going there between July and September, the weather is perfect in that time.