Destinations Manta Komodo National Park · Labuan Bajo Charter Desk

Manta Point

Cleaning stations where mantas queue.

Also called the Cauldron, or Makassar Reef. Oceanic mantas come here to be cleaned by wrasse, and they come all year — which makes it one of the most reliable manta sites anywhere.

Check Availability Request the Brochure

December–February for the largest aggregations; present year-round Best season
2.5-hour cruise from Labuan Bajo From Labuan Bajo
2–3 hours Time to allow
Private Charter only

The short answer

What Manta Point actually is

Snorkelling and diving with manta rays at cleaning stations. Season: December–February for the largest aggregations; present year-round. Access: 2.5-hour cruise from Labuan Bajo, between Komodo and Flores. Allow 2–3 hours, tide-dependent.

Why it is worth the stop

What makes it worth anchoring for

Cleaning stations, not feeding

Mantas hold position over coral bommies while wrasse clean them. That is why they stay put long enough to be watched properly.

Snorkellers see them too

This is not a dive-only site. The mantas work shallow enough that a snorkeller on the surface gets the same animals.

Current is the price

The nutrient flow that brings them also makes the site drifty. The crew reads the tide and puts you in at the right hour.

On paper

The stop on paper

Known for: Snorkelling and diving with manta rays at cleaning stations
Best season: December–February for the largest aggregations; present year-round
Access: 2.5-hour cruise from Labuan Bajo, between Komodo and Flores
Wildlife: Oceanic manta rays with wingspans to 7 metres, mobula rays, reef sharks, eagle rays
Time to allow: 2–3 hours, tide-dependent
Status: Inside Komodo National Park, UNESCO World Heritage

Park entrance and conservation fees are inside the charter rate and re-checked close to sailing — they move, and a stale figure becomes your problem at the gate.

Inside the rate

What the day rate already covers

Tender transfer from the yacht
Guide or ranger where the site requires one
Snorkelling and diving equipment
National park entrance and conservation fees
Water, shade and reef-safe sunscreen sent ashore
Timing planned around tide, light and the day boats

A private charter decides its own hours here. Day boats run to a fixed schedule; you do not, which is usually the difference between an empty site and a crowded one. Specific inclusions depend on the yacht selected, our charter desk will confirm the full list for your chosen vessel.

Before you commit

Four questions the desk gets weekly

Am I guaranteed to see mantas?

No site guarantees wildlife. But this is among the most reliable in the world — mantas are present year-round, with the biggest aggregations from December to February.

Do I need to dive?

No. The cleaning stations sit shallow enough that snorkellers see the same animals from the surface.

How big are they?

Oceanic mantas here reach seven metres across the wings. Mobula rays, reef sharks and eagle rays use the same water.

Is the current difficult?

It can be. Entry is timed to the tide, and the crew will move the drop point or the hour rather than put you in against it.

Put it in the itinerary

Tell the desk which stops matter most and how many days you have. The route is built around them, and the written quote comes back the same day.

Ask the Desk on WhatsApp

The rest of the fleet