Mention Manta Ray to any diver and you will see their faces light up instantly. Mantas are one of the most prized sightings for divers including myself. When I heard of an island hidden somewhere in Borneo, where sightings of manta rays is almost guaranteed all year round, I knew I had to go there. This island is Sangalaki.

Located off the remote east coast of the Indonesian portion of Borneo, I entered through Tawau by flight to Tarakan, Indonesia and stayed overnight before catching a 3-hour ferry ride to Sangalaki the next day. There are 2 islands providing diving accommodation – Derawan and Sangalaki. I chose to stay on Sangalaki island and explore Derawan by boat.

The dive lodge resort on Sangalaki island was not crowded. Scattered along the beach on either side of the dining hall and dive station are individual sea view beach chalets. As part of the Green Sea Turtles conservation program, the chalets are built on stilts 1 meter above the sand to allow the passage of turtles that nest on the beach every night.

As soon as I unpacked my dive gear, I headed off towards the open sea. A school of about 30 mantas

was immediately spotted within a one kilometer radius. Armed with only fins and snorkel, I jumped into the sea. Upon my first contact with the mantas I was ecstatic! The gentle giants, each spanning over 3-4 meters in length, effortlessly flap their pectoral fins and glide right before my eyes, almost teasing to crash into me. They are broadly known also as Devilfish or Devil Ray owing to the horn-like fins on either side of its broad head. Using these flexible cephalic fins to direct water into their broad and wide mouths they feed mainly on plankton and small fish.

After frolicking with the mantas for a good half hour, I put on my dive gear and descended to start my dives. As Sangalaki and its surrounding reefs are protected as part of the Indonesian Marine Park, the exotic marine life present are not unlike those featured on National Geographic! A pair of Cuttlefish posed for our cameras to show off their Technicolor coat, Blue Ribbon Eels peeping out of rocks, Frogfish disguised as corals, DOZENS of species of Nudibranchs, HUNDREDS of species of hard and soft corals, schools of brightly colored Fusilier fish and MILLIONS of colorful reef fishes. Most dive sites here are shallower than 65 feet (20m) and the reefs slope gently, providing excellent shallow areas for the end dive.