How to swim with manta rays in Queensland

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Manta Ray and Diver | Great Barrier Reef

By Danielle Reckless

Southern Great Barrier Reef | The Whitsundays | Brisbane

Manta Ray peak season: May - August

With wingspans stretching up to seven metres, manta rays move like poetry beneath the waves — calm, powerful, and utterly majestic. Encountering one as it glides silently beneath you is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Queensland is one of the rare places in the world where you can swim alongside these gentle giants, and the Southern Great Barrier Reef is their stage.

There’s a quiet wisdom in their presence, and plenty to discover about why manta rays hold their place among Queensland’s Great Eight marine icons.

Ready to witness their grace in motion? Here's how to swim with manta rays on the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Swim with manta rays on the Southern Great Barrier Reef

The Southern Great Barrier Reef is one of the best places in the world to swim with manta rays (and turtles, too). So much so, Lady Elliot Island is referred to as the home of the manta ray. You'll see them throughout the year, but mantas are particularly prevalent in large numbers during the cooler months of May-August.

In just under a decade, the number of manta alfredi rays has increased 10-fold and they swarm to the warm tropical waters on the Southern Great Barrier Reef to feast on plankton and breed.

Stay at the eco resort for a few days to experience its magic, or book a day tour to take in the best of the reef. Either way, get ready to be dwarfed by these giant underwater kites.

Mantas can also be seen near Lady Musgrave Island, which is reached from the Town of 1770. The best way to get up close is with Lady Musgrave Experience.

Swim with manta rays in The Whitsundays

Manta Rays in The Whitsundays Queensland — Photo by @oceanrafting

Manta rays are very inquisitive and they love checking out divers in the water, offering an unforgettable experience as they somersault and turn beneath the surface.

If you're eager to scuba dive in The Whitsundays, head to Hook Island. Appropriately named Manta Ray Bay is a playground of underwater valleys, caves and swim-throughs; and in winter, it's abundant with manta rays and Maori wrasse. This guide has everything you need to know before you strap on your BC and backroll into the water.

Swim with manta rays near Brisbane

Manta Bommie North Stradbroke Island — North Stradbroke Island

Venture a little further south for another chance to meet your graceful swimming buddies. Manta rays come to the waters around North Stradbroke Island during warm summer months.

Your best chance to see them is to gear up and scuba at Manta Bommie Dive Site - known as one of the top ten dive sites in Australia. It's common to see groups of three to four rays swimming together here, as well as leopard sharks, stingrays, eagle rays and turtles.

On Straddie you might even see them from land. Head out on the North Gorge Walk and keep your eyes peeled to the waters below the cliffs.