What Is Manta Point (Karang Makassar) Like in Komodo?

Manta Point (Karang Makassar): Komodo's Most Accessible Manta Encounter

Manta Point, officially known as Karang Makassar, is the largest dive site in Komodo National Park at approximately 3 kilometres long. It is also the most accessible and reliable location for manta ray encounters, suitable for divers of all certification levels as well as snorkellers.

Site Profile

What to Expect

The dive is a gentle drift over a sandy seabed dotted with coral bommies that serve as manta cleaning stations. Mantas visit these stations to have parasites removed by cleaner wrasse and cleaner shrimp. Divers kneel or hover near the seabed at a respectful distance and watch as mantas glide overhead, circling repeatedly at the cleaning stations.

Manta Encounter Guidelines

• Stay low: Position yourself at or near the seabed and allow mantas to approach you
• Do not chase mantas: They are curious but will leave if pursued
• Maintain a minimum 3-metre distance — park regulations and responsible diving practice
• No flash photography: Strobes can startle mantas and disrupt feeding and cleaning behaviour
• Control your buoyancy: Avoid stirring up sand, which reduces visibility for everyone

Beyond Mantas

Even when mantas are not present, the site has plenty to offer: eagle rays, blue-spotted stingrays, garden eels in the sand flats, juvenile reef fish around the bommies, and occasionally reef sharks in deeper water at the site's edges.

Snorkelling option: Non-divers can snorkel Manta Point effectively because the mantas often feed and clean in water as shallow as 3 to 5 metres. During peak season, surface encounters with mantas are common and unforgettable.