Half-Day Manta, Spotter Plane

Five-hour small-group half-day manta ray trip from Coral Bay with a spotter plane and refreshments. Hotel pickup is not included. Only 4 reviews.

Overview

This half-day trip out of Coral Bay puts a spotter plane above the reef to find manta rays, then takes a boat out to swim or snorkel with them. A PADI dive master leads the morning, and the reef itself is World Heritage-listed Ningaloo. The tour runs about five hours, meeting at 8:00am and returning around 1:30pm.

The shape of the day is straightforward. After checking in at Shop 8, Coral Bay Arcade, guests board the vessel and cruise out to the better snorkel and dive spots in the area, with morning tea and refreshments served along the way. In the water there is coral and plenty of marine life to see, plus the chance to swim with manta rays located by the plane. The boat then cruises the reef looking for other wildlife before heading back.

Snorkellers and certified or discovery divers are both catered for, though diving costs extra and dive groups are capped at eight. Hotel pickup is not included. Reviews mention manta rays, turtles and sharks, and one recent guest described watching two mantas swimming together. A buffet lunch is mentioned in the operator's short description, while the included list covers morning tea and light refreshments.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check-in at Coral BayMeet at 8:00am at Shop 8, Coral Bay Arcade, 8/46 Robinson St, Coral Bay.
2. Boat ride outCruise to the best snorkelling and diving spots in the area, with morning tea and refreshments on board.
3. Snorkel or diveSnorkel or, at extra cost, take a guided dive on the Ningaloo Reef with a PADI dive master among coral gardens and marine life.
4. Manta ray swimWith help from the spotter plane, there is the opportunity to snorkel with manta rays.
5. Reef cruiseThe boat cruises the Ningaloo Reef searching for other wildlife to view from the vessel.
6. ReturnThe tour returns around 1:30pm.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points help set expectations before booking this morning on the water.

• Diving costs extra. Snorkelling equipment is included, but diving carries an extra charge. Divers get full length 5mm wetsuits, and dive sites range from 4m to 12m deep with an average of 6-8m.
• Water conditions. Dives last 45-50 minutes, which gives a sense of the pace in the water.
• Dive group cap. The maximum group size for dives is eight.
• Wildlife beyond mantas. Reviewers mention seeing manta rays, turtles and sharks on this tour. The spotter plane is used specifically to locate the mantas.
• Food on board. Morning tea and light refreshments are included, and the operator's short description mentions a buffet lunch served on board.
• Getting there. Hotel pickup is not included. Otherwise check-in is at Shop 8, Coral Bay Arcade on Robinson Street.

Common issues. The listing describes swimming with manta rays as an opportunity rather than a certainty, and the spotter plane is there to improve the chances of finding them. Diving is an extra cost on top of the tour price, with dive groups capped at eight. The listing does not address accessibility or provide a packing list.

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