I know they are fish, but I call them the underwater bird

Photo by Swanson Chan on Unsplash

When I moved to Bali in 2017, the first thing I did is went for a snorkeling trip to the famous Nusa Penida. I have only one purpose, to see the gentle manta rays.

Since we were on a day trip and Manta Point of Nusa Penida is too far from the port, our guide, Wayan, took us to Manta Bay. Manta Bay is not too far and basically near the Indian Ocean. The water is not calm, a perfect place for Mantas to find zooplankton, their main and only dish.

When we arrived at Manta Bay, the water is not calm at all. It was wavy! And the fact that I am not a strong swimmer, I was a bit hesitate to jump to the sea. But when Wayan showed me a big triangle dark spot not far from the boat, I forgot everything, and immediately put my fin, my goggles, and my life jacket (yes, I’m a “life jacket on the sea” kind of person), and jump!

It turned out the current were not that strong. Okay, it’s strong, but not like you got drag very fast to certain direction. I was able to swim and catch the sight of the manta. And it was the right decision. I was seeing not only 1 manta, but 5 in total!

So beautiful, so gentle and elegant, it looked like they’re flying instead of swimming. That’s why I call them the underwater birds. And when they swam below me, I felt like I was flying with them! What a breathtaking experience!

If you want to snorkel at Manta Bay, Nusa Penida, and you are not a strong swimmer like me, here are some general tips:

1. Find a reliable snorkeling operator at Nusa Penida, where they provide day tour that includes the boat, the snorkeling gears, and the guide. I highly recommend Discover Nusa Penida and ask for Wayan. He knows the best areas around Nusa Penida, and the fact that I am a weak swimmer, he led me during the manta snorkeling so I could catch up with the mantas.
2. If you are not a strong swimmer like me, always, always wear your life jacket!
3. Don’t panic, stay calm. If you wear your life jacket, you will not drown, and basically you cannot, because our body is naturally floating on salty water. Control your body and your breath, always on the look out because without you notice, maybe the mantas are already pass you by to chase their food.

Nusa Penida offers not only snorkeling trip but also diving trip around the island.

When the pandemic is over and the traveling ban is lifted, I hope we all can visit Bali and check the island and the surrounding again.