Departure Location: Honokohau Harbor in Kona, Hawaii
Duration: 2 hours
Trip Time: Changes seasonally with sunset
Requirements: Able to swim 50 yards without additional flotation and have prior snorkeling experience
Not Suitable For: Non-swimmers, First-time snorkelers, expectant mothers, those with back, neck issues or shoulder issues, or those with limited mobility
Inclusions: Mask, snorkel, wetsuit, additional flotation
Prices vary with demand. Plus tax and fees. Learn how to get the best price. Wildlife often appears but isn’t guaranteed.
Book the best manta ray night snorkel with us and witness the magic of their beauty and grace on a boat tour that highlights their mesmerizing underwater dance—an experience that’s sure to rank among the top 10 experiences of your life.
Cancellations within 48 hours of departure are non-refundable.
Tour times are subject to change based on the sunset throughout the year. Click on the specific date for the available times.
Important Details
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.
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.
There’s 2 ways to get the best price for your Kona manta ray snorkel.
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.
Book any TWO tours online and save 15%!
These standards are set for your safety, our crew’s safety, 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Please note that the Manta Rays are wild animals and their presence is not guaranteed. 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 the busiest times of the year. This offer never expires, but is non-transferable and has no refund or cash value. We are typically very successful in finding mantas for you; however, if they are not around, the costs involved with setting up the charter and getting all our guests to the location will not allow us to offer you a refund.
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.
Trip protection may not be added within 12 hours before the start of the tour.
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.
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.
Your health is important to us. Kindly read the medical questionnaire listed below. You acknowledge your responsibility for any omissions related to the failure to disclose any present or previous health conditions. If you have a positive response you should seek approval from a physician prior to joining a tour with Splashers Ocean Adventures, Inc DBA Kona Snorkel Trips.
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.