Certified Scuba Dive With Manta Rays (Open Water Diver Minimum)

Nice tour nice tour guide with txa and Theo saw five manta

The team at sanctum were kind and generous. I truly believe they were doing their best to create a wonderful dive experience for everyone. And honestly my last dive was unbelievably magical. Two things I feel it’s super important to mention- I’m sure if you’re thinking of diving in Nusa Penida you’ve read about the possibility of strong currents. It’s a real thing and no joke, especially if you are new to diving. I did three dives total and two out of the three times I experienced an instructor get into a spooky spot (I.e. lack of air, strong currents & lack of air for another diver) and both times the instructors bailed on the dive, no safety stop and went to the surface in a panic. Something to note- both times we were about 15 meters so ascending from that depth with no real safety stop may not be that big of a deal. But what I want to highlight for the team at sanctum and those reading this is that neither instructor followed protocol and had either themselves or the diver in need of air go to a buddy for their back up regulator. This is a scary habit to see happen twice in one day. I am very clearly NOT an instructor so I can only guess at the amount of responsibility and weight one carries to be in a situation underwater where you must keep eyes on the safety of all involved. With this said- if you are seeking a dive center be diligent in paying attention to the red flags if you get there and they miss seemingly small details in prepping for the dive. And to those running sanctum- I highly suggest you run extended training periods throughout the year (if you aren’t already) for your instructors- specifically around what to do in a panic underwater. I’m concerned these young men will get hurt one day or someone else will pick up the habit and also suffer from it. Lastly- I’m sure all divers know this but we dive in groups or in pairs for many reasons, one very crucial reason is so we have someone to turn to if something happens with our oxygen. Please please, please learn the habit of turning to your neighbor or buddy or students for air when you need it and then ascend together safely. Big lessons for me and I hope sharing them only helps support the professional dive careers for those working at sanctum. Sending you all big thank yous and big support!

Had an amazing experience with Sanctum Scuba Dive! 🤿🌊 The entire experience was well organised, safe, and enjoyable from start to finish. The instructors were professional, friendly, and very supportive, especially for first-time divers. The underwater experience was beautiful, and the team made sure we felt comfortable and confident throughout the dive. Everything was explained clearly, and the staff were patient and helpful.

Great experience with engaged and fun staff and breathtaking dive seeing the mantas for the first time!

Incredible experience from start to finish. Wonderful people, reliable dive centre, good equipment, safety conscious, exceptionally respectful of the environment and wildlife, super fun, excellent music taste 💃🏽

I did two dives, Crystal Bay and a Manta Dive. Very nice and professional shop, Guides, staff and masters divers were all very welcoming and professional. I would always go again with sanctum dive.

Overall experience was great, from easy communication/booking over WhatsApp, friendly & helpful staffs at the dive center, and having an awesome dive master, Zach. He took insane under-water shots for us and made sure we were safe at all times!! 👍🏼

Sanctum Davie were wonderful! My instructor “Ai” was THE BEST, beautiful and fun energy, and with 10,000 dives under his belt I felt I was in very capable hands, I felt very safe and well cared for. The dive location was pure magic! At Amanda Point I got the chance to dive with at least 12 Giant Manta, and then at the second dive at Crystal Bay a pod of 50 dolphins dawn along side us, babies and all, pure magical experience. Thank you Ai! 🙏💫💫💫💫🐬

Sanctum Dive were fantastic. Ambus, my Divemaster was helpful, welcoming and a true professional. Sanctum’s communication before I booked was very helpful, including what travel arrangements I needed to make from Nusa Dua. Lunch, which was provided, was delicious and fresh. I’ll definitely come back to Bali and will absolutely dive again with Santum Dive. Highly recommend!!

Very nice experience, scuba diving with Manta Rays as a certified diver. The communication with the real before was great, fair price, the team is really nice and the dive master really made amazing videos underwater. Thank you so much!

We went with Legend Diving to go to Manta Bay, and two other snorkelling spots. Unfortunately we did not get to see the manta’s, but the coral and fishes at the other spots where amazing. There was a current, but we always felt save swimming withbthe guidance of the crew. Thank you Joshua for helping us and taking some time afterwards to explain about all the things we saw!

Try dive course was really great experience for being a beginner. Our guide ( ambos) was quite friendly and professional as well. He explained the pool session quite easily and afterwards we did 2 dives it just felt like we should be getting license. I would definitely recommend Sanctum Dive for first time divers like us. Thank you

Great day out with Zach. We went to manta point and even though it was low visibility we still saw 3 or 4 mantas. The 2nd dive was on the north coast and it was a great reef, very beautiful lots of fish. Thank you!

I did my open water course at Sanctum and it was amazing! Adit was a very calm, knowledgeable and helpful instructor and I would recommend

I had an incredible week diving with this amazing team! From start to finish, everything was relaxed, fun, and full of good vibes. The crew is not only highly skilled but also genuinely friendly and easygoing — it made every dive feel like an adventure with friends. What stood out most to me was the people. Their passion, knowledge, and laid-back approach created such a welcoming atmosphere. I joined during the ECO HERO week and learned so much about marine life — it was an absolute blast and truly inspiring. Massive thanks to the whole team for an unforgettable experience. Can’t wait to dive with you again!

I had a fantastic dive experience. I used their dive gear which all was in good shape. All instructions were clearly explained. The boat was well run. We saw at least 6 Manta Ray and the DM took great film of them and myself. All in all we had a great dive experience.

Great team to go do some fun diving! We went to manta point and Staff were amazing . The guide was awesome and professional. Strongly recommend

At first i tried the the dive without the certificate course enrollment, i had a preparation guidance at the pool before we we went to open water. My first experience was a little scary being in the ocean the most thing i was concentrating on is staying alive. But after i decided to do the course and started properly learning about it. My coach Ismael was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful up until the last minute he keeps giving me guidance. I started really enjoying my dives and having great time underwater. The online material are also very needed for the thorough knowledge. I was able to see the Mantas on my fourth dive and I'm so grateful . Amazing experience.

We had an awesome dive at Manta ray Point. There were at least 6 swimming around just meters away. Very exciting. A big tick from me. The crew was great and very friendly and helpful.

Very very very,qualified stuff. Nice peaople there. They will help you with everything if you newby or expirienced. Definitely will do again

They were beyond my expectations. I love the staff here and the instructors are really great . Got the opportunity to see dolphins as well which was really great.

As a first-time diver, I can honestly say this was one of the best experiences of my life, it’s made me fall completely in love with the ocean! Our instructors, Brian and Widodo, were absolutely amazing. They trained us so well before the dive, making sure we were fully equipped and confident. Safety was clearly their top priority, and that gave me so much reassurance. I usually get seasick on boat rides, but they even had medicine on hand, which made the bumpy ride out feel like nothing. That small detail made such a big difference for me. Once underwater, Brian kept an eye on us the entire time, checking in, calming us down whenever nerves kicked in, and making sure we were enjoying ourselves. Their professionalism and genuine care really stood out. To top it all off, they captured some incredible underwater shots of us with the marine life, easily the highlight of my trip! And of course, I can’t forget to mention Nora, the adorable puppy at the dive centre, honestly the cutest welcome committee ever. 🐶 Hands down, this was the best scuba experience I’ve ever had. I would 100% recommend Sanctum Dive for both first-time and experienced divers. Can’t wait to come back for my next dive!

All the people were very nice but don't come here if you're a serious diver, or if you don't want your first morning to dive to start at 11am or don't want to see a diver in the water who has forgotten to open their tank. No discussion of using reef safe sunscreen, beginners kicking up lots of sand, etc.

A truly amazing experience. Widodo and his team were extremely helpful guiding us through the training. My friends and I had the most beautiful experience and saw many manta rays, more than what we were expecting. The team was a delight to learn from and I would recommend this to anyone wanting a good dive, even with little to no experience. Thank you Santum Dive team for making my holiday a truly memorable one!

ai best guide! showed us every animal. Mola Mola was insane. Would 100% recommend for everyone! Had such a nice time! See you soon!

So fun!!! Best day ever got to see manta rays! Our diving instructor was super cool & we got lovely food after provided by the company - 10/10 experience

Diving at Sanctum was incredible! The crew was exceptionally nice and friendly, creating a safe and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended for an unforgettable underwater adventure.

We did 6 dives over 3 days with our guide Widodo, he took us to awesome spots, he found us Mola Mols, Giant Manta, Oceanic Manta, spotted Rays, turtles, mantis shrimp and so so much! We had the best time! Thanks so much for having us! We will definitely come back!

fun!!! the dive masters are friendly and very helpful if i ever come to nusa penida again and dive again i will go with sanctum

My dive was incredible—I encountered a majestic manta ray along with a variety of tropical fish species. The water was clear, the marine life vibrant, and the overall experience unforgettable. Highly recommend this site for anyone who loves underwater adventures.”

Second time I went for a dive trip with Sanctum and it never failed to disappoint me. From very comfy dive center, to friendly staff dan super fun but also well trained dive guides. Super recommended and of course will come back here again!

Great experience with Sanctum Dive Center! The team was super friendly, professional, and made me feel safe the whole time. The dives were unforgettable, saw beautiful reefs and manta rays. Highly recommend!

Super good experience. Staff was very patient and took care of us along the way. Would definitely bring my fam and friends along next time :)

Smooth experience. Bryan was my instructor tagged with me. He was patient and was a great instructor. Would definitely engage Sanctum again.

the dive trip was awesome with the dive master was cool, we go to manta point and we can see a lot of manta coming. even the qave strong and make us slightly mabuk, but thats worth it to see manta very close

It’s my second time here and it’s not going to be the last trip! More to come! Great experience and friendly dive master - Widodo! Great place great ambient! Highly recommend!

Third time back here in Sanctum. 5 star service, from the boatmen to the staffs. Will always come back to Sanctum, from Malaysia

We able to see manta at manta point, but the current really strong, we dropped our go pro but the dive master helped us to get it back

Had an amazing time diving with Gilang. The team was professional, friendly, and safety-focused, while still making the dives fun and memorable. Equipment was well-maintained, briefings were clear, and the dive sites were absolutely stunning. Highly recommend to both beginners and experienced divers!

It was great ! Diving with sanctum and we get to see manta ray at the manta point it was fantastic! We did blackwater dive as well!

Amazing guides and amazing diving. We saw the manta rays, turtles, a lot of every kind of fish and the diving sites are very beautiful.

I had 2 dives here and it was my first two dives in 6 years so I was both scared and nervous. Luckily my dive guides, Adit and Waidodo, were so professionell, enthusiastic and happy about diving that they made me relax, feel safe and really enjoy the diving again! And of course, to see Mantas so close is really an experience you can't miss!

I did my Advanced Open Water course with Adit as my instructor and it was an amazing experience. He was professional and clear which made me feel safe and confident during every dive. I learned a lot and really improved my skills. Everyone at Sanctum Diving was also very friendly and helpful and I can highly recommend them.

Really great team, we went to Manta Point and Crystal Bay and saw a manta ray and a green sea turtle along with many other beautiful corals and fish. The team made sure we had all the right gear and we paid about $140 AUD each which included all the gear, boat there, 2x dives, and lunch at the end. They had water and cookies on the boat which was really nice too.

we went diving last week with diving instructor mikael. we had a great experience with manta rays among other things. nice to see how relaxed this diving school is. they have all the time for you and friendly staff.

Unfortunately I had a really bad experience with this company. My equipment was faulty and when I raised the concern it wasn’t taken seriously. The guide made some dodgy calls and gave me big red flag vibes. When I wasn’t defending due to incorrect weights he decided to push me down. Yea nah. The rest of the dive I was struggling with buoyancy and water in my regulator with no mouthpiece on my spare. I felt unsafe but didn’t want to call off the dive and ruin the other’s experience. Because of this experience I didn’t trust the situation enough to proceed with my second dive. When I tried to discuss the gear and the canceled dive the day after (when I had calmed down) I hd a very poor response. They said it was my fault I didn’t dive a second time and there would be no refund. When I sent an email they responded with a “we’ll get back to you”. Then I never heard from them again. I was left feeling very shaken and not looked after.

Our dive guides Fahri and Cann were amazing. Quick boats, small diver to guide ratio, beautiful coral, and lots of sealife to see. Snacks and lunch provided. Manta point was great for Manta rays as the name suggested. Negatives would be the amount of smoking by staff and other divers. Would support larger effort in picking up trash. Penida Colada, a local restaurant, provides a free drink for trash.

An amazing experience with the Sanctum diving Penida team, with additional service and friendliness from the guides who guided us during the diving activity, and it was really great to be able to dive

Sanctum pirates are the best dive guide crew ever. Under and above the sea surface. Highly recommended if you are also a litlle bit of pirate. With love and respect, Natasa and Mirko from Divingbled Slovenia.