Manta Ray Night Snorkel in Kona, HI (Big Island)

These standards are set for your safety, the safety of our crew, and the safety and enjoyment of other guests. This manta ray night snorkel is an open-ocean nighttime snorkeling activity. Those who cannot swim cannot join.

• For safety, swimming skills are required for all guests – this is a nighttime open ocean activity
  • Can you swim 50 yards without additional flotation?
  • A life vest is not a replacement for swimming skills – if you cannot swim, you cannot participate in this tour
• Prior snorkeling experience is required
  • Join us on a daytime charter to dial in those snorkeling skills
• Non-swimmers or riders are not permitted on this tour
• Children (under 18) must be at least five years of age, demonstrate strong swimming ability, and be accompanied by an adult at all times
• Everyone in the party must be able to converse in English for safety instructions, with no exceptions
• Pregnant women are not permitted due to the adventurous nature of the boat ride – our vessel is not for everyone!
• Those who experience recurring back or neck pain cannot participate in this tour
• Those with any problems with their shoulders cannot join this tour.  You are lying prone in the water with your arms outstretched for 30-40 minutes.  Those with recurring dislocation issues are not permitted to participate in this activity
• There is no weight restriction, but guests must be able to physically and safely maneuver on and off the vessel without assistance.  Snorkeling is a physically exerting activity, and we are 20-45 minute boat ride from medical care in the event of an emergency – it is not recommended for those over 300lbs
• Those with injuries that limit their mobility cannot participate in this tour
• Those with neurological conditions or cognitive impairments impacting safety cannot participate in this tour
• This can be a stress-inducing activity and is not recommended for those with heart conditions, unregulated high blood pressure, or severe asthma.

Please be aware that snorkeling can be physically demanding and may pose serious health risks for certain individuals. This activity is not recommended for those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, severe asthma, obesity, limited mobility, recent long-haul travel, or elderly individuals.

It’s a good idea to let us know if anyone in your party carries an EPI pen, uses an inhaler, or is diabetic. Please bring all required medication with you, as indicated. Failure to do so may require you to reschedule with a penalty or forfeit your spot.

Please read the Snorkel Safety Study and Conclusion to educate yourself on snorkeling risks.

Our boat, Orca, is a 27.8’ rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) with twin Yamaha 200 outboard motors, allowing us to move quickly down the coastline. Orca is a retired Navy Seal vessel.

There’s 2 ways to get the best price for your Kona manta ray snorkel.

First Way to Save

Book ahead and get the first few spots on the boat. Like booking with an airline, we offer dynamic pricing. If you book ahead and get the first 6 spots on the boat you will get the best price. After that people booking the spots 7-12 get better pricing and so on.

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Second Way to Save

Book any TWO tours online and save 15% on your second tour!

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All tours will have you in the water after the sun sets so the answer is truly – whichever tour fits your schedule the best.  Operators wouldn’t be running different tour times if the manta rays weren’t consistently showing up!

This is the most popular tour on the island, so we offer two tour times to accommodate all the guests who want to attend.

• Mask (some Rx available)
• Snorkel
• Shorty wetsuit (kids sizes 6/8 to adult 3X)
• Additional flotation (float belt)

There are many manta tour companies in Kona. Some have the lowest price, others have big boats with lots of people. We have neither of those things. Kona Snorkel Trips offers the highest quality manta ray snorkel experience available on the Big Island. Just read our thousands of 5 star google reviews and you will see why we are the best.

Reasons Why People Love Kona Snorkel Trips

• Excellent, personalized service
• Small group sizes
• Higher likelihood of seeing mantas
• Attention to Safety

If you’re still not convinced we have the best manta ray night snorkel Kona has check out our over 6000 google reviews from satisfied guests.

• All our snorkel guides are Lifeguard Certified or are Divemasters and have AED and O2 provider certifications.  Not all operators require this of their crew…
• We have prop guards on our propellers
• We have high safety standards for guests to even join our manta snorkel.  All guests must know how to swim and have prior snorkeling experience.  This is for your safety AND the enjoyment of other guests. After all, who wants to be beside a panicked snorkeler flailing around scaring away the manta rays.

The Manta Ray Night Snorkel is open to anyone with a spirit of adventure, who can swim, is comfortable in the ocean, and is physically and mentally healthy. Adults and children (ages 5+) are welcome. All guests should be able to swim 50 yards without assistance and consider themselves intermediate snorkelers. Non-swimmers are not permitted on this charter for their safety, our crew’s safety, and the safety and courtesy of other guests onboard.  (Children (under 18) must be at least five years of age, demonstrate strong swimming ability, and be accompanied by an adult at all times.)

This adventurous retired Navy Seal boat will have you off to see the mantas in no time.  This is an exciting, and sometimes bouncy time out on the water depending on ocean conditions.  Sometimes the ocean is like glass and sometimes has a bit more oomph to it, especially during the winter. Those who are pregnant or have back, neck, or shoulder issues should sit this tour out. Your helpful Lifeguard Certified guide will provide all the necessary equipment (including Rx masks) and keep you safe and happy on your adventure.

If you’re a new snorkeler, no worries!  Join us on a morning snorkel or an afternoon snorkel first to practice!  You’ll be gain those valuable skills to then be able to participate in the manta ray experience.  A manta ray night snorkel can be the crown jewel of your Kona, Hawaii vacation, a great bucket list conquest, and a fun outing for the whole family, don’t miss out! This is widely considered Kona’s top snorkeling activity and one of the best things to do on Big Island. You won’t want to miss it!

Refundable Ticket:
Cancellation: Full refund if canceled up to 48 hours before the trip.
Rebooking: Free rebooking up to 48 hours before the trip.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing at least 48 hours before the trip’s start. Reservations made within 48 hours are not eligible for a refund.

Non-Refundable Ticket:
Cancellation: No refunds.
Rebooking: Rebooking allowed up to 48 hours before the trip.

Trip Protection for Refundable Tickets
If you purchased trip protection, your cancellation window has been extended up to 12 hours before the start of the tour. You’ll be fully refunded for the ticket (minus the trip protection and fees). Request should be made by email.

No Shows and Late Arrivals will not be refunded.

We commit to our employees and other guests and adhere to our cancellation policy regardless of circumstances.  We suggest traveler’s insurance for any issues such as illness, weather delays, and other circumstances that prohibit travel or participation on your part for any of your travel plans.

What if we cancel?

We reserve the right to cancel for any reason, including, but not limited to weather, ocean conditions, passenger count, mechanical issues, safety for you, our guests, and our crew. We’ll do our best to reschedule your trip based on availability or you’ll be issued a refund in full.

We are not responsible if we can not contact you for important information regarding the charter. We do not call international numbers.

• Your swimsuit (have it on)
• Towel
• GoPro

You’ll want to arrive for check-in wearing your swimsuit.  A towel and a GoPro are all you need!  The less you bring the less you leave behind on accident.  A small dry bag is recommended for any additional must-haves. 

Since you’ll be taken to where the most action was on the last trip it might mean you travel 20 minutes north to Garden Eel Cove or 40 minutes south to the Outrigger hotel.

You will be wearing a mask, snorkel, wetsuit, and floatation belt.  There is a modified surfboard that has rope “handles” going around the perimeter of the board.  You’ll lightly hold onto the rope handle superman style (arms outstretched over your head).  This is why it’s important not to have any shoulder issues!  In the middle of the board, holes were cut out and high-powered lights were inserted that attract the plankton – which is what the mantas love to eat!  There are 9-10 guests per board.  Your guide will “tow” you around to the best spots to view the mantas.

30-40 minutes – This is the perfect amount of time for you before you begin getting chilled.

Don’t worry, they’re completely harmless. Unlike stingrays, manta rays do not have stingers or barbs on their tails and have no teeth. Instead, they suck in plankton with their wide, vacuum-like mouths.

Kona is home to over 200 named mantas, distinguishable by their beautiful black and white marks. The manta rays come year-round, but their numbers on any given day depend on how much plankton is in the water.  These gentle giants lurk just beneath the warm, clear waters and can boast a wingspan up to 16 feet wide. They are some of the largest fish in the ocean.

FREE MANTA GUARANTEE

Manta Rays are wild animals and their presence is not guaranteed. There is no refund if the wildlife does not appear. However, if you do not see a manta on your night out, you can go again on another night on a space-available standby basis. Keep in mind that standby spaces may be extremely limited, especially during peak season. This offer never expires, but is non-transferable and has no refund or cash value.

The manta ray night snorkel is Kona’s most popular water activity with hundreds of visitors viewing mantas at one of Kona’s two manta ray viewing sites. When the show is good people will get highly emotional and you’ll hear yelling and crying through people’s snorkels, and all around having an amazing experience, they will never forget.  It is certainly a bucket list adventure and is rated one of the top snorkels in the world, for good reason! This is an item that should go at the top of your Big Island bucket list.

Night time is the best time to view mantas because they are feeding on the plankton attracted to our lights. This is the best opportunity to view them up close. During the day it is possible to see mantas cruising the reef moving steadily along near the bottom and sometimes stopping in at a cleaning station where small fish pick the parasites off of their skin. While scientists do not have a lot of data it is possible mantas retreat to deeper depths during the day to avoid predators.

Unlike other rays that feed on the bottom. Mantas do not have stingers or teeth. They are large and can swim fast but there has never been a single recorded incident of a manta ray injuring a person. We have seen mantas injured by humans being caught by debris, hung up on lines, and cut by propellers. We’ve even seen a manta ray take off with someones camera in it’s mouth! Fortunately we were able to chase after it and retrieve the camera.

Since manta rays eat plankton they have no need for teeth and since they are fast and don’t rest on the bottom while feeding they have no use for stingers.

It’s better to be PROACTIVE instead of REACTIVE when you’re headed out on the ocean.  If you’ve experienced seasickness before then take proactive measures to prevent it again.  If you don’t know if you get seasick take proactive measures to help never experience it.  Even if the ocean is dead calm you may still get seasick – we cannot tell you how YOUR body will react to the motion of the ocean.

Manta Rays are in their natural habit and decide to grace everyone with their presence when they feel like it.  80% of the time they come to say hello, but there are many nights they do take off throughout the year – there is not a pattern – we see them consistently year-round.  Manta Rays are not chased or corralled (like the dolphin swims used to be) and are certainly not in captivity.  There are voluntary guidelines reputable operators follow when diving or snorkeling to see the manta rays.

You should be a confident and capable swimmer with prior snorkeling experience. Inexperienced or anxious swimmers and snorkelers can create unsafe conditions for themselves and others. Medical assistance is not readily available in this remote location, so please honestly assess your skills and health before participating.

Plus, we’ll drill you at check-in about your experience!

Yes, this tour sells out.  Pricing varies with demand, so book early!

We take 18 amazing guests and 3 crew out each night to snorkel to see manta rays.

While wildlife encounters are common, they can never be guaranteed. We see manta rays on over 85% of our tours—these incredible creatures are the heart of a thriving local industry. However, as with all wild animals, their appearances are unpredictable and ultimately beyond our control.

We are lucky enough to see manta rays year-round!  Our success rate is approximately 85% or more!