Travel
Another successful MantaFest hosted on Yap: The Pacific’s premier dive photography event set to return in 2025
Yap Visitors Bureau
November 6, 2024
Sharks Over-Under (Spit Shot) (Photo courtesy of Ken Sutherland, winner of Best of MantaFest 2024)
(November 6, 2024 – Yap Visitors Bureau, Yap, FSM): The 17th annual MantaFest, hosted by the Manta Ray Bay Resort & Yap Divers, has once again captivated underwater photographers, divers, and ocean enthusiasts from around the world. The event saw several returning participants, a testament to MantaFest’s enduring appeal as one of the Pacific’s premier dive photography events.
An exciting new feature was also introduced this year at MantaFest: blackwater diving. Attendees embarked on several deep ocean night dives, exploring the waters of the “Yap Trench” which reaches depths of over 9,000 meters in the Pacific Ocean. Here they discovered a surreal underwater world, where alien-like creatures and vibrant marine life appeared to float straight out of a dream. Due to its popularity blackwater diving will now be offered weekly and upon request by Manta Ray Bay Resort. Particularly during the non-tradewind season from June to mid-November, which offers thrill-seekers an exciting opportunity to dive into the mysterious depths of Yap year-round.
This year’s event again featured a dive photography competition with attractive prizes offered in various categories. The grand prize was awarded to Ken Sutherland, whose “Sharks Over-Under” entry was declared Best of MantaFest 2024, winning him a live-aboard scuba trip sponsored by Odyssey Adventures Truk Lagoon. A full list of the 2024 winners and their winning photos entries can be found on the Manta Ray Bay Resort’s website.
Next year’s event will be held from August 23 through September 7, 2025. You can find out more information on this event and on diving in Yap by visiting Manta Ray Bay Resort’s website, or meeting with them in person at booth #3018 during the DEMA Dive Show from November 19-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada.
ABOUT YAP: Yap is an island in the Federated States of Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean that is ringed by spectacular coral reefs and famous for its scuba diving with giant manta rays, sharks and mandarinfish. Other key activities on the island include canoeing, kayaking, hiking, deep-sea fishing and exploring the many World War II historical sites. Yap is also uniquely famous for its stone money (huge disks of stone, which are still used today in major transactions), strong traditional culture and way of life, and welcoming residents. Just a short flight away from Guam or Palau, this Pacific gem is one of the tourism industry’s best kept secrets. For more information on visiting Yap go to www.visityap.com.