Manta rays
Fly Continental Airlines to Yap via Guam or Palau
May through November
Yap, Micronesia
Beyond the Reef (diveyap.com), Yap Divers at Manta Ray Bay Hotel (mantaray.com)
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Diving opportunities in Goofnuw Channel (A.K.A Valley of the Rays), Micronesia are available.
By Mike Veitch (Adapted from "passport to diving the world")
The premiere site to encounter Yap's famous mantas and other rays.
As the name suggests, Valley of the Rays is the premiere site to encounter Yap's famous mantas and other rays, like stingrays (main picture). A narrow tidal channel 20m deep, Goofnuw packs a serious marine life punch. Numerous species of cleaning fish live on a series of bommies in the middle of the pass and service a resident population of over 50 different mantas. Divers tuck low on the bottom of the pass and watch as majestic mantas glide in for a personalised grooming service. with room for three to four mantas on top of the cleaning station at a time, the rays queue up like a squadron of stealth bombers as they patiently await their turn. Consider yourself warned: The mantas love to hover above divers and feel the tickle of exhaust bubbles.
(Ok enough with the stories, I'm itchin' for a dive)