Duration:
- 2 hours
About:
You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a marine documentary during your up-close encounter with Kona’s majestic manta rays. Watch from mere inches away as these gentle giants have a feeding frenzy on phytoplankton and zooplankton that’s attracted to our light board. Your party will enter the ocean as the plankton builds, and go home with a bank of memories that will last a lifetime.
Hawaii Island is the only place in the world that offers nighttime manta ray encounters with more than 90% consistency. Kona’s manta rays perform a seemingly choreographed nocturnal ballet, conducting barrel rolls at the water’s surface as they return to the same spot each night for dinner. Travel Channel called the manta ray snorkel “one of the top 10 things to do in your lifetime,” and this bucket list activity is a must-do for every visitor to Hawaii’s Big Island.
Kona’s wild manta rays have wingspans that can reach 16 ft., which is huge! Don’t worry, they don’t have any teeth, stingers, or barbs, and hundreds of people safely interact with the manta rays every night. Your swim guide will educate you on safely and humanely interacting with the wild manta rays, and you will be escorted to the most active areas of the manta viewing site. Your swim guide is there to help make your experience amazing, and will do everything from adjusting your snorkel equipment to taking underwater photos with your camera.
The manta ray site is a 25 minute boat ride from the harbor. You’ll be provided a wetsuit, snorkel, and mask. In the water, you’ll hold onto our light board with your feet propped up on a foam noodle. By keeping our bodies horizontal to the surface, we avoid entering the manta rays’ feeding space.
The early tour travels to the manta ray site as the sun sets on the Kona coast. As the plankton builds, you’ll enter the water for a manta ray viewing for up to 45 minutes.
The late tours are designed for more experienced snorkelers, as the entire trip is in the dark. There are fewer boats and fewer snorkelers in the water as the night progresses, allowing for a less crowded manta ray experience.
All tours include non-alcoholic refreshments, snacks, and a special treat. Please bring a towel and a coverup to keep warm on the boat ride back to the harbor.
Tour Includes:
- Wet suit
- Quality mask
- Snorkel
- Fins
- Group “Light Board” to hold while in water
Important:
We have a minimum age requirement of 5 years old, and all minors must be accompanied by an adult. We have a maximum weight requirement of 270 pounds.
Safe and Humane Practices:
We do not allow touching or harassing of wildlife. Your swim guide will educate you on our humane approach to engaging with marine life.
Our Boat:
Our boat, Makua, comes with comfortable padded seats and plenty of shade. There is no restroom on Makua.
Safety:
All captains are US Coast Guard certified. All captains and crew are trained in First Aid and CPR. Life vests for all passengers are on board.
Sunscreen:
Please apply reef safe sunscreen prior to your tour. Sunscreen is a huge threat to our delicate coral reefs, and it’s important to use environmentally safe sunscreen that’s applied at least 30 minutes before entering the water.
Weather Condition:
If the seas are too rough, we will reschedule your tour. We would rather skip a tour than make you uncomfortable. Please make sure we have your cell phone # for the unlikely event of a cancellation due to weather conditions.