Manta Parade

Manta Parade is a reef dive site north of Sangalaki Island in the Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia — the centrepiece of the island’s manta highway where reef manta rays can be observed approaching from all directions.

Overview

Manta Parade sits at the northern apex of Sangalaki’s manta highway, where the reef topography shifts from the stepped coral avenue of Manta Avenue into an undulating series of ridges rising and falling like underwater hills. This dynamic bottom structure creates upwellings that concentrate plankton, drawing reef manta rays (Manta alfredi) in feeding aggregations. Mantas “parade up and down this manta highway, coming from all directions,” as described by Dive The World, with their wingtips occasionally breaking the surface. Multiple cleaning stations are active along the ridgeline, where cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) service mantas hovering motionless above the coral crests. Up to 20 mantas have been recorded at the site during peak full-moon feeding events.

Marine Life

• Reef manta rays (Manta alfredi) — feeding, cleaning, transiting
• Cleaner wrasse at active cleaning stations on reef crests
• Fire gobies and clownfish on ridge slopes
• Frogfish, lionfish, and scorpionfish on open rubble
• Angelfish, triggerfish, and parrotfish throughout the ridges
• Gorgonian sea fans and barrel sponges on deeper sections
• Occasional leopard sharks on sandy corridors between ridges

Dive Profile

The ridges rise and fall between 5 and approximately 20 metres. A typical dive profile begins at 15–18 metres along the ridge troughs and finishes on the shallow crests. Visibility averages 15–25 metres. Currents are mild to moderate, often from the south, and manta activity correlates with incoming tidal flow that concentrates surface plankton. Scuba Junkie’s manta monitoring data confirms Manta Parade accounts for 42.9% of recorded cleaning behaviour at Sangalaki — the highest of any single site.

Entry and Exit

Boat dive only. Divers enter at the north end and work along the ridge sequence with the current. Surface marker buoys should be deployed for ascent as boat traffic can be present during peak season.

Tips

• Kneel low on a sandy patch between ridges rather than hovering at manta swimming depth — mantas are bolder when divers appear non-threatening.
• Dawn and dusk dives often see the highest manta numbers.
• Pair this site with Manta Avenue on the same day for a comprehensive manta highway experience.

Safety Considerations

Current direction and strength can change between sites along the highway. Brief your dive guide on your experience level before attempting the full manta highway traverse. Always carry a surface marker buoy.

Photography

Manta Parade’s undulating terrain provides natural framing for wide-angle images of rays silhouetted against the surface light. Cleaning station behaviour — mantas hovering while wrasse work their gills — is the most rewarding behavioural shot at this site. Use a fisheye or 14–16 mm lens.

Site Information

• Location: Sangalaki Island, Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
• Entry Type: Boat dive
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Maximum Depth: 20 meters

Additional Resources

• Last Updated: 2026-05-17

Sources: Dive The World – Sangalaki, Starfish.ch – Kalimantan Diving, Scuba Junkie Sangalaki – Why Dive Derawan, Maratua.com – Sangalaki, Asia Diving Vacation – Sangalaki, Scuba Junkie Sangalaki – Manta Research. Last updated 2026-06-27.