One of the most amazing experiences of my life. I did the Night Manta Experience with my son (8) and he loved it as well. We chose the later time that was offered, which was 8:45pm.
We were in the water for about 45 minutes. The manta rays showed up after 5 minutes or so, and then they were constantly gliding and looping around us for most of the remaining time. There were at least 8 of them at one point, and they kept coming within inches of us. Sometimes I'd be looking one way, and a manta would surprise me from the other side, gliding right in front of my face. They tell you not to touch them, but there were times when they would brush up against my elbow because they were coming so close.
I would absolutely recommend Sea Quest to anyone interested in seeing mantas in Kona! I had done this tour once before with a different company and it did not compare to this experience. Part of that may just be luck with the mantas, but Sea Quest also had better equipment, lighting, and experience.
I think the later time also helped, as it was less crowded and we were not competing with many other groups. Another thing that is nice when going with Sea Quest is that the boat ride is only 5 minutes, versus the 20-30 minute ride on my last experience.
Big shout out to our guides, Zack and Liz, for making the experience smooth, fun, and educational. Thank you, Sea Quest!