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Manta Mania - Manta Ray Night Snorkel - Small-Group Experience In Kona, Hawaii

Manta Mania - Manta Ray Night Snorkel - Small-Group Experience In Kona, Hawaii

Overview

We carry a maximum of 12 passengers so we can offer a more intimate manta ray snorkel experience than the larger "cattle boats" in Kona.

In addition to delivering a more private experience, our small group size allows for a better manta ray show. Your swim guide will tow your party to the most active areas of the snorkel site, as you hold onto a light board and enjoy the show. Larger groups on bigger boats are often required to stay next to the boat, and can't chase the manta ray action as we do. By locating the most active areas of the snorkel site, you'll have a higher chance of seeing more manta rays.

If you book all 12 seats on any trip, you will have your own private charter.

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to snorkel with manta rays, in a private small-group experience. Get ready to make memories that will last a lifetime!

City: Big Island of Hawaii

Sun 22 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $100.00

Make a reservation

Sun 22 Jun

Starting at $100.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Use of Snorkelling equipment

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.
Maximum weight of 280 pounds per traveler.
Not recommended for travelers with neck problems

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (333)

OllieChew

Nov 2010

We went on a Manta Ray Night Diving excursion with Capt Ron and Derek and it was simply the most magical experience ever. The trip in itself is breathtaking and definitely a must-do for anyone visiting Big Island. Manta Rays upclose and personal - literally right in front of your face. On this particular dive we saw 10 huge manta rays! What made the dive even more memorable though was doing it with Coral Reef Snorkel & Dive. We went with a more popular company for the dolphin swimming earlier in the day and while enjoyable, it fell short of how personal the trip with Capt Ron felt. He takes time to walk you through the different rays you'll see underwater and throughout our ride to the dive site, also gave us some background on Big Island. The bigger companies tend to have many assistants but with Coral Reef, you get the captain himself and what a great guy he is! He even offered to take us for a night dive as part of the manta ray dive. I would strongly recommend him if you are looking for a more exclusive customised experience.

Julie60880

Nov 2010

Our Captain said people often leave a dolphin excursion for the last day of their vacation to the Big Island. To that I would have to say that it is so they can save the very best for last. This is an excursion of a lifetime and not to be missed. We took the dolphin snorkel cruise, though they offer other trips as well. Of course we now know better than to wait until the last day of our trip. It was so remarkable that we wished we had done it earlier in the week so that we could have booked one of the other trips for later in our vacation. When we return we will definitely book the Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive manta ray trip, as we know we can count on Captain Ron to provide a life experience not to be missed. We felt like we were able to slip right into the world of the dolphins without adversely impacting them in any way, which was important to us. As the spinner dolphins swam below us and beside us they seemed oblivious to our presence and we were able to watch them interact with each other from just a few feet away. We saw mothers with their babies, bubble rings, and literally hundreds of dolphins throughout the morning. We were fortunate enough to see three types of dolphins, bottle nose, and spinner and spotted. Captain Ron knew just where to place us in the water where we would be safe and comfortable and have the greatest opportunity to swim with dolphins. I felt completely comfortable even though I had never done anything like this before. Roberta, who is also an expert on dolphin behavior, fit us with our gear and snorkeled with us. She taught us the sounds to listen for in the water so we knew when the pods were approaching and guided us to right where they would swim through on their way up the coast. We were treated to a refreshing mid morning snack of papaya (fresh from the Captain's garden) and pineapple. We were able to choose our own sandwich the night before, turkey for me and roast beef for my husband. They were delicious and freshly made by Captain Ron's wife. Snacks, bottled water, and cold fruit juice were always available. Our words do not begin to do justice to this incredible excursion. We hope you are able to experience this for yourselves. You will truly feel part of the ocean. You could not be in better hands than Captain Ron and Roberta’s.

sarletta

Sep 2010

My family and I did the Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive and it was by far the coolest thing we did our whole vacation (it probably makes the top 5 list of coolest things I've done my entire life). My family and I debated which manta ray snorkel company to go with, as there are several in Kona and we saw a few boats from the Sheraton Keauhou where we were staying. I'm so glad we went with Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive because they took us to a place other than Keauhou Bay (they'd been having trouble seeing mantas at the bay that week). The location we went to was near the airport and is apparently a favorite feeding area for the mantas - we saw probably between 10-12 mantas, whereas I was hearing at Keauhou Bay your lucky to see more than 3. Captain Ron and his First Mate, Roberta, also made the trip special. Captain Ron gives you a brief lesson about the mantas before you head out (including photos and names of a few regular mantas and how you can identify them). He and Roberta have been offering the manta snorkel for over a decade and have a genuine respect and appreciation for the mantas. Roberta goes in the water with you and guides you and the floating ring you hold onto to the best locations to see the mantas. She is an absolute pro when it comes to knowing where to be to get close to the mantas. We had several barrel roll within inches of us. To top it off, Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive had one of the most competitive prices for the night manta snorkel. I've been to the Big Island a couple times now and this is the one thing I would recommend above everything else. You have to check out Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive - you will not regret it!! General information about the manta snorkel: First, manta rays are completely harmless (unlike sting rays, they do not have a barb). As tempting as it is when they get within an inch of you, you cannot touch them. They have a protective film on this skin that protects them from bacteria and touching them removes this coating. They eat plankton, which is attracted by light, so the mantas indirectly go towards underwater lights. They are typically 12' in wingspan and will come literally within inches of you (but they will not touch you). General information about the night manta snorkel with Coral Reef Snorkel and Dive: They provide you with a wet suit, diving flashlight, quality mask, snorkel and fins, a floaty ring that everyone holds on to in the water and towels for when you get out, in case you forget your own. They also have drinks and snacks on board - we even got homemade brownies made by Captain Ron's wife!