Our Recommended Fiji Resorts for Swimming with Manta Rays
If your dream is to swim with the majestic ocean giants that are manta rays, then this list will be the most helpful thing on the internet right now! Between May and October, manta rays can be seen gliding through the waters of, most famously, the Yasawa Islands, but also in Kadavu and Vanua Levu. Select your perfect manta ray swimming spot with this list of the resorts in Fiji where you can swim with manta rays.
For more advice for planning the perfect manta ray swim, check out The Guide to Swimming with Manta Rays in Fiji.
1. Mantaray Island Resort (Yasawa Islands)
It’s no surprise that the “Mantaray” Island Resort is all about those giant majestic ocean-dwellers. Mantaray Island Resort is one of the closest resorts to the famous “Manta Ray Passage” in the Yasawa Islands between the southern end of Naviti Island and Drawaqa Island where manta rays regularly swim through the passage between May and October. When the manta rays are in the passage, the horn blows to let snorkellers know it’s time to jump on the boat and head out there. As for accommodation, there is a wide range of options, from luxurious “Beachfront Villas” to the budget “Paradise Dorm”.
Check Mantaray Island Resort out:
- Mantaray Island Resort on Booking.com
- Mantaray Island Resort on Trip.com
- Mantaray Island Resort on Expedia
© Mantaray Island Resort2. Barefoot Manta Island Resort (Yasawa Islands)
Connect with the land, sea and the local people at the other aptly named resort, Barefoot Manta Island Resort. A short boat ride away from the Yasawa‘s Manta Ray Passage, the resort is an ideal choice for snorkelling with giant manta rays between May and October. The accommodation consists of characterful “Safari Rooms” and “Beach Bures” (bungalows). They also offer a fantastic dining experience on Saturday afternoons/evenings where guests can weave their own dinner plates, enjoy a Fijian cooking lesson and then indulge in a traditional lovo feast – a real Yasawas foodie experience!
Barefoot Manta Island Resort out:
- Barefoot Manta Island Resort on Booking.com
- Barefoot Manta Island Resort on Trip.com
- Barefoot Manta Island Resort on Expedia
© Barefoot Manta Island Resort3. Paradise Cove Resort (Yasawa Islands)
As well as boasting one of the best beaches in the Yasawa Islands, Paradise Cove Resort is another one of the best resorts to swim with manta rays in Fiji. The passage where the manta rays feed is just a 10-minute boat ride away. Between swimming with the rays, enjoy lazy days around the three swimming pools and two bars or out on the water on one of the other amazing activities available. There are accommodation options for couples, groups of mates and families in either a beachfront or tropical garden setting. See how this resort compares to the 20 Best Resorts in the Yasawa Islands.
Check Paradise Cove Resort out:
- Paradise Cove Resort on Booking.com
- Paradise Cove Resort on Trip.com
- Paradise Cove Resort on Expedia
© Paradise Cove Resort4. Kokomo Private Island (Kadavu)
This exclusive five-star luxury resort in the Kadavu archipelago provides an alternative destination to swim with manta rays in Fiji. After arriving by helicopter or seaplane, you’ll stay in one of Kokomo Private Island‘s 21 “Beachfront Villas” or five “Luxury Residences”, each with its own pool, garden, beach access and complete privacy. A 10-minute boat ride away from your residence is the Stick Bomby Reef where manta rays are often seen between May and September. See more resorts nearby in the 5 Best Resorts on Kadavu.
© Kokomo Private Island5. Nanuya Island Resort (Yasawa Islands)
Nestled in the centre of the Yasawa Islands, Nanuya Island Resort is another Yasawa resort offering an ideal location for swimming with manta rays during the manta ray season. The resort is a good all-rounder for all types of interests, with a spa, glass-bottom boat, guided village tours, island walks, scuba diving and much more. The resort offers more contemporary villas than some of the other Yasawa resorts mentioned on this list, a highlight being the “Tree Top Bure” elevated in the trees.
Check Nanuya Island Resort out:
© Nanuya Island Resort6. The Remote Resort (Vanua Levu)
Those with Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu, in their sights, may want to consider staying at The Remote Resort if wanting to swim with manta rays. Between May and October, join these ocean giants between Kioa and Rabi islands where the team at the resort will determine the best places for swimming with them. Amongst the excitement, stay at one of the resort’s modern-style villas for up to two to five people. Located on the edge of the Rainbow Reef, The Remote Resort is also a fantastic base for scuba diving. Compare this resort to others on the island in the 20 Best Resorts in Vanua Levu.
Check The Remote Resort out:
© The Remote Resort7. Boathouse Nanuya (Yasawa Islands)
Head to the Watersport and Day Tours office of Boathouse Nanuya to organise a trip out to snorkel with the manta rays in the Yasawa Islands. Otherwise, not much else beats sitting on their restaurant deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As well as offering private twin/double rooms and dorm rooms, the accommodation is the only one in the Yasawas with an ATM, a convenience store and a sports bar. They have a day spa too! Stay in affordable double, twin or triple rooms or the dormitory. We also feature this accommodation in the 10 Best Backpacker Resorts in the Yasawa Islands.
Check Boathouse Nanuya out:
© Boathouse Nanuya8. Matava Eco Adventure Resort (Kadavu)
Another resort in the Kadavu island group, Matava Eco Adventure Resort takes snorkelers and scuba divers to Manta Reef submerged just outside of the Great Astrolabe Reef. It’s a 40-minute boat ride to this remote location to swim with manta rays in Fiji. As for accommodation, the bures at Matava Resort are scattered in seclusion across a hillside complementing the surroundings with their thatched exterior. Meals are shared family-style on long tables in the main restaurant and bar, while a range of experiences, including fishing, surfing, spa treatments, cultural immersion, birdwatching, and scuba diving are available.
Check Matava Eco Adventure Resort out:
© Matava Resort9. White Sandy Beach Resort (Yasawa Islands)
This Fijian family-run lodge/resort sits on the end of the picturesque Korovou Beach on Naviti Island, giving you another option to swim with manta rays in the Yasawas. The budget resort provides a more authentic Fijian experience with bures and a dorm building set among the coconut palms. Dine at White Sandy Beach Resort‘s on-site restaurant and enjoy some of their laidback activities. See more accommodations like this in the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in the Yasawa Islands.
© White Sandy Beach Lodge10. Barefoot Kuata Island Resort (Yasawa Islands)
While a little further from the manta ray swimming than its sister resort, Barefoot Manta, Barefoot Kuata Island Resort is still worth considering for swimming with manta rays in Fiji, especially if you want to swim with sharks too, which is their speciality. The resort offers affordable luxury in the Yasawas with unique safari tents and bures nestled in tropical forest on the beachfront. Amenities include three swimming pools, tropical gardens, island walks, conservation programs, private and cultural dining and much more.
Check Barefoot Kuata Island Resort out:
- Barefoot Kuata Island Resort on Booking.com
- Barefoot Kuata Island Resort on Trip.com
- Barefoot Kuata Island Resort on Expedia
© FijiPocketGuide.comMore About Resorts in Fiji Where You Can Swim with Manta Rays
That’s it for our guide on the best resorts for swimming with manta rays in Fiji. For more on the subject, take a look at more of our insightful guides:
Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in The Guide to Swimming with Manta Rays in Fiji.
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