A couple of notes about the night time (6:15) manta excursion: First of all, it was everything the web-site said it would be - easy reservation process, email and telephone reminders, efficient check-in at the dock, professional briefing, plenty of wetsuits, and quick trip (less than 10 minutes) to the snorkel sight. But the real payoff came when we got into the water.
I grabbed onto the light board and floated superman style for a couple of minutes and saw a few needlefish, but not much else. Then the first manta swooped by almost out of nowhere. Then another and another. I was able to count as many as five at a time. We were in the water for almost exactly 40 minutes. My Go-Pro recorded everything. The water was clear and the video turned out great.
The mantas were amazing. Their coloring and markings from above were beautiful. They would dive down and loop up with their large mouths open. They would swim by so closely that sometimes the would actually brush against me.
Many tours don't quite live up to my expectations. This one blew way past anything I could have hoped for.