Manta Scramble
マンタスクランブル24°29′ N 124°08′ EDiveDive: beginner
Manta Scramble off Kabira Ishizaki is the manta ray dive that local shop Pushy Nushima calls probably Ishigaki's best known, and it suits beginners; the shop gives its season as May to October with the best odds in September and October, so a February trip will usually dive elsewhere.
Photo Kugel · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mantas come in to the cleaning stations off Kabira Ishizaki, and Ishigaki dive shop Pushy Nushima calls the site probably the best known on the island and easy enough for beginners. The shop sets the season by the wind: the north-west coast works when the south wind blows, from May to October, and September and October bring the best odds.
A February trip will dive the winter sites. The same shop sends winter boats to Sakuraguchi and the Nagura Bay sites, and Kuroshima operators run a winter-only manta snorkel trip south of Ishigaki.
Before you swim
- Boat dive in open water; go with a licensed shop
- Sea state decides whether boats can reach the north-west coast
December to March
Dive shop Pushy Nushima gives the diving season here as May to October, when the south wind blows, with the best manta odds in September and October. In February the north-east wind usually keeps boats away, and the shops move to sheltered sites such as Sakuraguchi off the south coast. JMA's 1991–2020 normal for the sea north of Ishigaki sits at about 23 °C in February.
Diving · beginner
Manta rays at cleaning stations off Kabira Ishizaki; the shop calls it the most famous dive site on Ishigaki
Dive with a local shop.
Our ratings
- Snorkelling
- Quiet
- Families
- Scenery
Worth knowing
- Ask your shop which manta site suits the wind on the day; in winter they look south.
FAQ
Quick answers about Manta Scrambleよくある質問
When is manta season at Manta Scramble, Ishigaki?
May to October, according to Ishigaki dive shop Pushy Nushima, when the south wind makes the north-west coast diveable. The shop names September and October as the best months.
Can you dive Manta Scramble in February?
Usually not. A local dive shop gives the season as May to October, and in winter the boats move to sites sheltered from the north-east wind.
Can you swim at Manta Scramble?
Manta Scramble has no jellyfish net.
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