Manta Rays at Catalina Islands (Costa Rica)
- Franko Merlo
- Nov 1, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 5
Diving with Manta Rays: A Different Kind of Encounter
There are many incredible animals you can meet underwater, but few experiences compare to coming face to face with a manta ray.
Manta rays are the best! Maybe. Or maybe they are simply the ones that leave the deepest impression. If you have dived with manta rays before, you might agree. And if you
have not, this might be the dive that changes your mind.
The first thing that strikes most divers is the size. It is impossible to ignore. Seeing such a large animal glide effortlessly through the water is overwhelming. But size alone does not explain what makes these encounters so special.
What comes next is harder to describe.
When a manta ray looks at you, you immediately sense that there is a lot going on. This is not a passive encounter. There is eye contact. There is awareness. You do not just see them. You feel seen.
Unlike many shark encounters, where movement feels neutral and instinct driven, manta rays often slow down, turn, and match your position. Sometimes they approach. Sometimes they circle. Sometimes they hover just long enough for that unmistakable moment of connection.
Over thousands of dives in these waters, moments like this are uncommon but unforgettable. Truly deep, playful interactions are exceptionally rare. A handful of times in a lifetime, even for professionals.
Changing direction and feeling them follow. Turning back and seeing them approach. Swimming parallel, then above or below. Exchanging glances that feel deliberate. Not chasing, not being chased, but a quiet and fluid exchange of awareness.
It is impossible to say what manta rays understand about us. But it is very clear that they know we are there.
This is where manta ray encounters feel fundamentally different from most shark encounters. Sharks observe, assess, and move on, guided primarily by instinct. Manta rays often display complex, curious, and socially aware behavior that feels intentional.
Scientifically, manta rays are known to have one of the largest brain to body ratios among fish, which helps explain their advanced cognitive and social behavior. That does not mean they think like humans, but it does help explain why encounters with manta rays often feel unusually personal.
That moment, locking eyes with a manta ray as it glides past close enough to feel its presence, feels almost unreal. And the truth is that very few people ever get to experience it.
That is why diving with manta rays at Catalina Islands is not just about spotting a large marine animal. It is about sharing space with one of the ocean’s most intelligent and graceful creatures in a way that feels rare, deeply human, and unforgettable.
Why Catalina Islands Attract Manta Rays
Catalina Islands are one of the best places in the Eastern Pacific to dive with giant manta rays (Mobula birostris). Located offshore from Tamarindo, these volcanic islands create ideal conditions for manta ray activity.
Underwater topography concentrates plankton rich water, while reef structures host cleaning stations where smaller fish remove parasites from larger animals. Manta rays are regularly observed slowing down, circling, or hovering in these areas.
These same environmental patterns are explained in more detail in our article about the Best Time to Dive from Tamarindo.
When Can You See Manta Rays at Catalina Islands
Many websites claim that manta rays are only present during specific months, often pointing to February or the windy season as “manta ray season”.
From our experience as a dive center operating year round, this is an oversimplification.
Manta rays can be seen throughout the year at Catalina Islands. Certain conditions may slightly increase the chances of encounters, particularly when plankton concentration rises, but manta rays do not follow calendars.
They follow food availability, cleaning opportunities, and environmental conditions, all of which can align differently from one year to the next.
Some years bring more encounters in February. Other years, manta rays appear consistently in months that are supposedly low season. Over time, one thing becomes clear. There is no guaranteed manta ray month.
Why Manta Ray Encounters Feel So Different
Manta rays are among the most intelligent fish in the ocean. Their large brains and complex social behavior help explain why encounters often feel interactive rather than accidental.
Approaching divers, slowing down, mirroring movement, and maintaining eye contact are behaviors reported by divers and researchers around the world. These interactions are driven by curiosity, not feeding or mating.
They are never guaranteed and should never be forced. The most meaningful encounters happen when divers remain calm, neutral, and respectful, allowing manta rays to decide how close the interaction becomes.
FAQs
Are manta rays seasonal at Catalina Islands Manta rays can be seen year round. Certain conditions may increase encounter probability, but there is no fixed manta ray season.
Do manta rays interact with divers
Sometimes. Manta rays may approach, circle, or hover near divers, especially around cleaning stations. These interactions are driven by curiosity.
Do manta rays mistake divers for cleaning stations
No. Cleaning behavior involves reef fish. Interactions with divers are observational and exploratory.
Are manta ray encounters guaranteed?
No. All wildlife encounters are natural and unpredictable.
Does diving experience matter for manta ray encounters
Yes. Calm buoyancy control and slow movements significantly increase the chances of meaningful encounters.
References & Further Reading
A Note from Tamadive
We are a dive center and professional instructors, but we are not scientists or doctors. Everything we share in these articles comes from our daily experience guiding and teaching dives in Northern Costa Rica.
These posts are meant as a reference, not strict rules. Nature doesn’t follow calendars perfectly, and every dive can bring surprises.
If you have different experiences or opinions, we’d love to hear they; send us a message or leave a comment. And if new information comes up, we’ll be the first to update, correct, or extend our articles.
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