Manta Road

Pohnpei's signature manta dive in Mwand Pass on the north side, where divers hold a rope along the channel and watch mantas at a cleaning station. Over 100 individual mantas have been identified and about 40% are the all-black morph ('Pohnpei Black Beauties'). Reliable sightings; the inner passes are sheltered when the outer reef is rough.

Facts

• Region: Micronesia – Yap, Pohnpei & Kosrae
• Area: Pohnpei (incl. Ant Atoll)
• Depth: 3–27 m
• Level: intermediate
• Current: moderate
• Type: manta, channel
• Coordinates: 7.02, 158.22 (approximate)
• Highlights: manta rays, black morph manta, grey reef sharks, turtles
• Permit: Diving inside Pohnpei's marine protected areas needs a state permit from the Division of Forestry and Marine Conservation. The 2014 MPA regulations list a non-resident snorkel/scuba user fee of US$5 (one time), US$10 (monthly) or US$30 (yearly), plus a separate boat registration fee, children 12 and under exempt; current amounts may differ. In practice the dive operator holds the permits. Manta Road lies in the Dekehos (Mwahnd) MPA (Mwahnd Passage).
• Issuer / contact: Division of Forestry and Marine Conservation, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (Pohnpei State)
  • Website: https://www.pohnpei-adventure.com/mpa/
  • issuer named in the 2014 MPA regulations (permits sold Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00); no phone or email published there
• Unverified: Position is approximate: no published GPS was found; the pin places the site on the correct side of Pohnpei's reef/atoll only. Your dive operator knows the exact spot.
• Tips: Hold the rope, stay low and do not chase the mantas; no decompression chamber on Pohnpei, so carry DAN-style insurance.

Sources

• https://worldofdiving.com/pohnpei/
• http://pohnpeisurfclub.com/dive
• https://www.pohnpei-adventure.com/scuba/