Anau Manta Ray Cleaning Station
Just off the eastern shore of Anau village, two coral reefs create a natural crossroads where reef manta rays glide in to be groomed by tiny wrasse — one of French Polynesia's most spellbinding underwater encounters. Get here at dawn and you may have a dozen mantas to yourself.
Where the mantas come to be cleaned
Bora Bora's lagoon is home to a celebrated manta ray cleaning station at Anau, where the magnificent fish visit to have residue removed from their skin by smaller creatures. Divers who arrive early in the morning can expect to see a dozen or so mantas gliding by in the soft morning light.
The dive site ranges from 15 to 30 metres deep, and the currents are generally mild, making it accessible to a range of experience levels. Visibility frequently exceeds 30 metres, so even from the surface you can peer down and watch those great wings undulate below you.
Alongside the mantas, lucky visitors also spot sea turtles, reef sharks, barracudas, eagle rays, and moray eels weaving through the coral formations that flank the channel.
Snorkel or scuba — which is better?
Because the mantas tend to cruise deeper in the water column, scuba diving gives you the best eye-to-eye encounter. Snorkellers can still peer down at the rays from the surface — a surreal experience given that wingspans can reach up to 12 feet across.
It is not recommended to visit Anau independently: strong currents run close to shore, and a local guide will know exactly where the mantas are feeding on any given morning. Ask your resort or dive shop to book a dedicated Anau dive or to include the site on a lagoon tour itinerary.
Move slowly, exhale steadily, and resist the urge to chase — the mantas will approach on their own terms, and when they do, the encounter is unforgettable.
Getting there from Anau village
Anau sits on the eastern coast of Bora Bora's main island, roughly opposite Vaitape, and is the landing point for boats serving Le Méridien and the InterContinental Resort on Motu Pitiaau. Most dive operators offer hotel pick-up and a short boat ride to the site.
The lagoon is notably narrow at this section of the coast — Motu Piti Anau is barely a mile away — which concentrates marine life and makes for an especially vivid underwater landscape.
Anau Manta Ray Cleaning Station on video
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