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Manta Magic - Night Manta Ray Snorkel At Manta Village, Kona, Hawaii

Manta Magic - Night Manta Ray Snorkel At Manta Village, Kona, Hawaii

Overview

Avoid the crowds of the other "cattle boats" in Kona, and enjoy a small-group manta ray snorkeling experience with a maximum of 12 passengers.

This tour departs from Keahou Harbor in South Kona and enjoys a short 5-minute boat ride to our snorkeling site, Manta Village.

Your Captain and snorkel guide will educate you on Kona's famous manta rays and will discuss our safe and humane approach to engaging with the gentle giants.

After entering the water, you'll hold onto our lightboard, with your feet propped up by floatation devices, as the manta rays perform a graceful ballet beneath you. The manta rays filter feed on plankton that naturally gathers at the surface just before sunset, then accumulates underneath our lights. This is an opportunity to enjoy an evening on the water and watch in amazement as the manta rays glide around and dance for you.

We are proud to be a Green Listed company, and we take an environmentally cautious approach to our interactions with the manta rays.

City: Big Island of Hawaii

Thu 03 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $125.00

Make a reservation

Thu 03 Oct

Starting at $125.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Professional guide

Wetsuit (optional)

Use of Snorkelling equipment

Local taxes

Beverages

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Must be able to swim without the assistance of a floatation device.
A ticket is required for all passengers, regardless of age or whether they are entering the water.
Maximum weight of 280 pounds per traveler.
Not recommended for travelers with neck problems.
Snorkel equipment is sanitized between uses.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (858)

Xiaolin_J

Aug 2021

It was amazing to see the manta rays up close! We saw multiple rays, some just inches away! The staff were friendly and helpful.

Rodanni_P

Aug 2021

We took the 9pm slot for 5 people. Instructions and confirmation was given a few days in advance. The boat was good size and fits 12. The crew was super informative and friendly. Must do activity at the Big Island and highly recommended crew!!!

MegB321

Aug 2021

The experience itself was amazing, totally worth the long drive, the tricky parking, the late night. It was so so incredible! The company was absolutely fine, but didn’t seem to distinguish from any of the other 8 companies that had people out there at that time. The guide was good, driver was good, but obviously the stars were the manta rays. So I would say that whatever company you go with, your experience will probably be awesome; but every group around us seemed pretty much the same. The only thing I would say is that the directions were “look for the white van with lights on the top” when you get to the pier. As a woman, walking around a dark pier in the middle of the night and approaching strangers at a white van to see if they are supposed to take you out in a boat goes against pretty much all of my instincts. Put a BIG SIGN up on or near your van. There were a bunch of tour groups at the same time, many of whom had white trucks with lights on the top so for nervous solo travelers I would say this would be a big help. Other than that, it was great!

Response from Host

Aug 2021

Aloha and thank you for the feedback. Regarding signage, we are not allowed to place signage on state property. We agree it would be a better customer experience if we had a big sign near our van, and we are working on more creative ways to make sure we can easily be found without violating any state laws. Regarding the comment that we "didn't seem to distinguish from any of the other 8 companies" at Keauhou Harbor, there are several important differences for guests to consider when evaluating their options. 1) Our boat holds a maximum of 12 passengers, which is a small-group experience that's far more private than the "cattle boats" with dozens, or even 100 passengers. With a smaller group, the group can get into and out of the water more quickly, allowing for more time in the water. Also, large groups are less mobile in the water, and can not easily move to the best manta ray viewing sites. The larger boats typically put their large groups of people in the water near the boat and don't move, regardless of where the manta rays are. Our swim guide will bring our passengers to the best manta ray viewing areas. 2) Some of the boats at Keauhou are running tours that are 30-45 minutes total, including 20-30 minutes in the water. Our tours are 1 hour long, and guests are in the water for 30-45 minutes, which is a longer period of time in the water than most boats in Keauhou. 3) We rent GoPro Hero 9 Black cameras, and we sell waterproof cellphone pouches, allowing our guests to capture memories for a lifetime. Most of our competitors do not provide these additional services. If anyone has other questions about Hawaii Oceanic vs. the competition, please give us a call and we'd be happy to discuss. Mahalo