MantaFest 2026
19th Annual MantaFest Photography School
Yap, Micronesia, August 22 through September 6, 2026.
MantaFest 2026 will begin in
Book before March 31, 2026 and receive a complementary room upgrade!
Since 2006, our MantaFest program has brought underwater photographers, both amateur and professional, to this small island and its protected reef to attend workshops, take tours of the island, compete for prizes, and experience the unique culture of Yap, which is considered to be among the best preserved in the Pacific region.
Daily Dive Trips
Daily dive trips provide opportunities to dive with and photograph the manta rays, sharks, and the plethora of small, colorful tropicals such as the brightly colored mandarin fish and many more wonders of Yap’s underwater world.
Photography Workshops
At MantaFest, workshops are led by experts in the field providing their knowledge of all things related to taking better pictures including, but not limited to composition, lighting, and photoshop. They also offer advice during sessions with local models in settings that include the island’s unique stone money banks and traditional dance performances.
The experts will be happy to teach you the basics and then have you join them on the boat for personalized hands-on experience.
Blackwater Diving
We’re excited to continue blackwater diving as a part of MantaFest 2026. Dive into the mysterious depths at night and witness a whole new world of alien-like creatures and other fantastical marine life. This thrilling experience has become a favorite, and we’ll be incorporating it regularly throughout the event, especially during the non-tradewind season.
Join us for the 19th Annual MantaFest in 2026, and let’s make this year’s event an unforgettable journey of creativity and discovery.
Top U/W Photographers & Seminars
Photography Training
Pro presenters are available daily for one-on-one appointments and will work with participants on any aspect of photography. Happy Hour (4:30pm – 5:30pm daily) is the official time when you can find all presenters on the Mnuw available to assist with photos/videos editing. Daily mid-afternoon seminars will be given by each presenter who will focus on several areas of their field of expertise.
David Fleetham
David is a National Geographic photographer, and one of the most published North American UW photographers. He shoots a Canon / Ikelite system and brings us his years of award-winning experience of photography and the ocean.
Seminars
- My Workflow, From Photo Mechanic to Lightroom to Photoshop
- Fifteen (15) Reasons Why Your Photos are not Good Enough
- Shooting Wide Angle
Evening Presentations (Big Screen)
- Camera and strobe maintenance
- Best of Yap, and around the World – Part 1
- Best of Yap, and around the World – Part 2
Logan Wood
Logan Wood is a cinematographer whose journey has led him from capturing adventures in the American West to exploring the world beneath the waves. As a Video Producer at Ikelite, he blends his passion for storytelling with adventure, creating content that educates and inspires an ever-growing community of underwater photographers and videographers. Logan’s work drops him in some of the most stunning environments to film, test new equipment, and hear first-hand how people are re-defining what it means to be a modern-day creative.
Seminars
- Video Settings and Camera Setup
- Visual Storytelling: The 20-Shot Sequence
- AI in Underwater Photography
- Editing Your Video Together
- Underwater Video Color Grading
Evening Presentations (Big Screen)
- Underwater Cinematics: Yap
- Underwater Cinematics: Raja Ampat
- Underwater Cinematics: South Africa
Logan is our Videography Expert who will provide help with video editing for anyone who requires support.
Photo Contest
Although our annual MantaFest Photo School is all about learning, improving your U/W photography skills, fun, meeting new friends, and discovering Yap’s underwater and topside beauty, you also have the chance to win some amazing prizes. From Live-Aboard Scuba Trips to gift vouchers to dive gear and many more. With prizes worth more than $20,000 our annual MantaFest program is one of the world’s highest-valued, resort-based U/W photo contests you can participate in.
Best of MantaFest 2025
Phillip Seys
Manta Ray Wide-angle Closeup
Grand Prize: 7-Day Dive Damai Liveaboard Certificate
Photo Contest Categories
| Digital SLR | Compact Camera | Video | Beginner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Animals | Big Animals | Best Submission | Best Submission |
| Behavior | Behavior | ||
| Macro/Close-Up | Macro/Close-Up | ||
| Topside | Topside |
Brought to you by:
Our Travel Partners:
MantaFest 2026 Schedule
Week 1
Sunday, August 23rd
- 11:30AM Meet Your Dive Crew
- 1:00PM Dive Departure
- 6:30PM Welcome Meeting, Official MF kick off
Monday, August 24th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- PM Cultural Shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at the Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Tuesday, August 25th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- Sunset Drive with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Wednesday, August 26th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- PM Cultural shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Thursday, August 27th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
- PM Cultural shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Friday, August 28th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Saturday, August 29th
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- PM Cultural shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Week 2
Sunday, August 30th
- 10:00AM Dive Departures Begin for NEW GUEST ARRIVALS
- 3:30PM Afternoon Seminar by Logan Wood
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 6:30PM Welcome Meeting, Second Week MF kick off
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Monday, August 31st
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- Sunset Drive with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at the Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Tuesday, September 1st
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
- PM Cultural shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Wednesday, September 2nd
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon session with presenters Logan Wood
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- PM Cultural shoot with model (sign up at front desk)
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Thursday, September 3rd
- Check dive board for your final dive departure
- 3:30PM Afternoon session with presenters (David & Logan)
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 6:00PM Local Dinner Buffet at the dining room
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Friday, September 4th
- 8:00AM Turn in Contest Entries
- 9:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 7:00PM Awards Presentation at Crow’s Nest
Saturday, September 5th
- 9:00AM Half day land tour departure
- 1:30PM Beach BBQ departure
- 7:00PM MRBR event photos
Our MantaFest 2026 Photo School & Contest packages include:
- Hotel Room w/ late Check-Out
- Full Meal Plan
- 2-Tank Dive Days
- One (1) Mandarinfish Dive per Week
- One (1) Night Dive per Week
- One (1) Blackwater Dive per Week
- Free NITROX
- Participation in Photo Contest
- Seminars and Workshops
- Happy Hour One-on-One Sessions with the Photo Pros
- Evening Media Presentations
- Shark Split Photo Opportunities
- Land/Cultural Photo Opportunities
- One (1) Beach BBQ or Local Dinner per Week
- 1/2-day Land Tour
- Free Wi-Fi
- Roundtrip Airport Transfers
- Hotel Taxes
Package Prices
| Room/Package | 7 Nights 5 / Dive Days | 14 Nights / 11 Dive Days |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD | ||
| Per Diver | $2,319 | $3,919 |
| Non Diver* w/ diver | $549 | $909 |
| OCEAN VIEW | ||
| Per Diver | $2,409 | $4,049 |
| Non Diver* w/ diver | $699 | $1,189 |
| DELUXE OCEAN VIEW | ||
| Per Diver | $2,759 | $4,619 |
| Non Diver* w/ diver | $839 | $1,469 |
Mantafest Notes:
- Unless paying a 30% surcharge, we reserve the right to room singles with other singles of same sex
- Gear rental, departure tax, and other incidentals are not included in above-mentioned prices
- All rates are for packages and no refunds are available for any unused portion of a package
- Maximum occupancy per room is 2 adults and 2 children
- Non-divers are also eligible for all tours and festivities offered during the MantaFest Event
- * There must be at least one diver in the room for these rates to apply
Getting to MantaFest 2026
We are pleased that United has twice-weekly flights to Yap from Guam (GUM) on Tuesdays & Saturdays. Most major airlines have flights that connect to Guam. Or, if you are in Palau, there are regional flights with PMA from Palau to Yap.
Visit our Flight Schedules Page for more details. And, of course, you can always Ask Bill! or drop us an email at bill@mantaray.com and we will make all of your flight arrangements for you!
Pencil in these future MantaFest dates:
- 2027 August 28 – September 11
- 2028 August 19 – September 3
Past MantaFest events:
- MantaFest 2025, August 23-September 7
- MantaFest 2024, August 24-September 8
- MantaFest 2023, August 26-September 9
- Closed for 3 years for COVID-19 Pandemic (no MantaFest ☹)
- MantaFest 2019: Event Workshops Winners
- 2018 MantaFest Winners: Champions DSLR Winners Compact Winners