Manta Ridge
Federated States of Micronesia · Yap
Manta Ridge in Yap (Micronesia) is the world's most reliable manta cleaning station — divers kneel at the bottom of a channel and watch mantas queue up. The rest of Yap's diving is reef and channel work, traditional and uncrowded.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Yap's reefs have been remarkably stable. Manta cleaning stations operate year round in clear oceanic water.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Warmer than usual right now, but not hot enough to bleach.
Fishing
Some fishing is allowed here, in marked zones.
Sources · Reef survey · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
Coral cover over time
Live coral cover, by survey year
Across surveys in 2014 and 2024, live coral cover here has held steady at about 44%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.
Live coral cover, percent by year
| Year | Coral cover |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 44% |
| 2024 | 44% |
What you will see
10 species across the dive sites here
Reef manta ray
Seen 3 months ago
at Mil Channel
Vulnerable
Mandarinfish
Seen Jul 2025
at Mil Channel
Least concern
Whitetip reef shark
Seen May 2025
at Mil Channel
Vulnerable
Bumphead parrotfish
Seen May 2025
at Mil Channel
Vulnerable
Yap Monarch
Seen Dec 2024
at Mil Channel
Eagle ray
Seen year round
at Valley of the Rays
Endangered
Spotted ray
Seen year round
at Valley of the Rays
Blacktip Reef Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Mil Channel
Vulnerable
Pacific Bullethead Parrotfish
Rare sighting
at Mil Channel
Least concern
Reticulated Damselfish
Rare sighting
at Mil Channel
Least concern
Dive sites
What divers say
Sitting still on the sand while a manta hovers a meter above you for two minutes — Yap's signature moment.
Good to know
Cultural respect
Yapese village protocols; ask before photographing people on land.