MANTA POINT ON NUSA PENIDA ISLAND, BALI

Snorkelling at Manta Point Nusa Penida is up there with one of the most epic experiences I have ever had. These humble underwater giants fly through the ocean like eagles in the sky.

Curious to know what Camera Gear & Travel Essentials I carry while backpacking around the world? I have put together THIS LIST of items to consider packing on your next adventure!

WHERE TO BOOK A SNORKELLING TRIP TO MANTA POINT NUSA PENIDA

There are two options to book a snorkelling adventure to Manta Point Nusa Penida.

Option 1:

From Nusa Penida island, snorkelling boat tours operate out of Crystal Bay Beach to Manta Point Nusa Penida. You can book a snorkelling via a number of tourists offices dotted around Nusa Penida island or alternatively, get chatting to some of the locals at Toya Pakeh harbour and they will be able to help organise your snorkelling trip. The cost of a Manta Point tour is 200,000 rupiah.

Option 2:

If you are staying on Nusa Lembongan island there are many many tour companies down by the harbour where you can book a snorkel trip to Mata Point Nusa Penida. I booked my snorkelling trip with Monkey Activities, a local tour group on Nusa Lembongan island and I paid 200,000 Rupiah. You can click HERE to organise your trip with them.

WHERE IS THE NUSA ISLANDS AND WHERE TO STAY

There are 3 Nusa Islands to explore, just a short 30 minutes boat ride from mainland Bali. I used Tamarind Resort as a base for my adventures this week on Nusa Lembongan. To check availability and book in advance click HERE.

WHERE IS MANTA POINT NUSA PENIDA

An early morning snorkel at Manta Point Nusa Penida

Flying underwater with the manta rays

Getting ready to jump in at Manta Point Nusa Penida

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE MANTA POINT NUSA PENIDA TOUR

The snorkelling trip began at 8:30am, so my friends and I walked down to the main harbour in Nusa Lembongan, met with our tour guide and jumped on board our private boat. We cruised through crystal clear waters towards Nusa Penida Manta Point. Within seconds of arriving, our snorkelling guide starting yelling out “manta, manta manta.” We spotted a ray cruising along the surface of the water and we were quick to jump in with a mask, snorkel and fins!

These majestic creatures are absolutely incredible! They glide effortlessly through the ocean and are really friendly to swim with. The manta rays can be quite intimidating to begin with due to their body size of up to 5 meters, though you will soon realise they are harmless, humble giants. I counted roughly 8-10 different mantas at Manta Point Nusa Penida on this mornings snorkelling adventure, which is more than usual. I think it is safe to say we got very lucky!

A black manta on the hunt for food

Our Manta Point Nusa Penida guide

GoPro shot of a manta ray

WHAT TO EXPECT AT MANTA POINT NUSA PENIDA – CONTINUED

Our snorkelling guide was really flexible with our group and was happy to do whatever we requested. So we snorkelled for at least 2.5 hours at Nusa Penida Manta Point before making our way around to Crystal Bay on the boat. The reef here is super colourful and many species of fish can be seen.

Palm trees in the bay line the beach on a golden stretch of sand, so we asked our guide if we could go explore and he was more than happy to drop us over there. There was a crowd of locals on the island that were gathered under some temporary tarps hung between the trees. I wandered over to see what was going on and discovered a traditional cock fighting tournament. Big money was getting thrown around the arena to bet for one rooster to win the battle.

There are small warungs on the beach to sip on a fresh coconut under the shade of the palms. Crystal Bay beach is an epic location to get those ‘tropical island vibe’ shots.

Palm tree lined shoreline at Crystal Bay Beach

A traditional cockfight at Crystal Bay Beach

Snorkelling at Manta Point Nusa Penida

NUSA PENIDA ACCOMMODATION

Nusa Penida has hundreds of accommodations to chose from so I have narrowed it down to a few of my personal favourite places to stay that caters for luxury travellers to budget backpackers. See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:

• Luxury: Pandawa Beach Resort & Spa
• Mid Range: La Roja Bungalows
• Budget: Nusa Garden Bungalow

For all other accommodations on Nusa Penida Island, you can click HERE to search on booking.com.

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST NEAR MANTA POINT NUSA PENIDA

For more awesome things to do on Nusa Penida Island, check out my Ultimate Nusa Penida Guide.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions about Manta Point Nusa Penida please drop me a comment below.

Happy Adventuring! 🙂