This nighttime tour brings adventurous individuals closer to one of the ocean’s most graceful giants: the manta ray. Departing from Honokohau Harbor, this two-hour tour heads just offshore to find the best location for manta ray viewing. Once the rays are spotted, guests climb into the warm Hawaiian waters and surround a custom-built snorkel boat equipped with bright lights. An experienced guide will accompany you as you hang on to the boat, float, and watch the spectacular manta ray ballet. This tour is open to anyone over the age of five with adequate swimming skills. All the necessary gear for viewing the rays will be provided.

Kona Manta Rays

There are hundreds of manta rays that call the waters off Kona home year-round. These rays can grow to be humongous, weighing up to 1,000 lbs with a wingspan of up to 16 feet. Unlike stingrays, manta rays do not have stingers and are harmless, gentle creatures. The number of manta rays around Kona can vary, depending on how much plankton (their main source of food) is in the water.

Free Manta Guarantee

Manta rays are abundant in Kona, but just like whales, dolphins, and turtles, rays are wild animals, and their presence is not guaranteed on every tour. However, if no mantas are seen on your tour, you are free to try your luck on a different night, depending on availability. This rarely happens, but this offer never expires in the event of a manta-less night.  Want to experience the best of Big Island snorkeling? Check out this tour!

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Nearby Areas:
Kona • Waikoloa • Captain Cook

Nighttime Kona Manta Ray Snorkel Tour Photos

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This Kona manta ray snorkel tour is one of the most popular activities on the Big Island. After sunset, immerse yourself in warm Pacific waters for an experience unlike any other- a feeding frenzy among gentle giants. Aboard one of Kona’s most unique tours, guests are shuttled into the night seas for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with graceful manta rays. Once you arrive at your swimming destination outside of Keauhou Bay, spotlights are pointed into the deep to attract plankton, which in turn attract the rays. Accompanied by a Coast Guard-certified crew, guests simply float above these mammoth creatures and watch the unforgettable show.

Manta Rays

Although massive, manta rays pose no threat to humans. These creatures can weigh up to 1,000 lbs and have a wingspan of up to 16 feet. Despite being so huge, mantas feed off of microscopic organisms called plankton. In Hawaiian, manta rays are called “hahalua”, and the Kona coast is the only place in the world where you can view these graceful giants via tour at night!

What’s Included

In addition to an experience of a lifetime, this tour provides all the fixings for a comfortable nighttime adventure. Although warm in comparison to other places in the world, the nighttime water temp can be a bit chilly. Wetsuits and hot chocolate are provided to help stay warm, as well as flotation devices and snorkel gear (including prescription masks) to ensure proper viewing. Big Island snorkeling is like NO OTHER!  Book today!

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Nearby Areas:
Kona • Waikoloa • Captain Cook

Kona Night Manta Ray Snorkeling Tour Photos

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Climb aboard a spacious 65’ foot catamaran for a day of exploration along the Kona coast. This boat comes equipped with everything needed for a fun-filled day on the ocean: a 20’ waterslide, high dive platform, snorkeling gear, inner tubes, a “flotation station island”, water toys, stand-up paddleboards, and more! To ensure a comfortable ride, guests will also find cushioned seats, freshwater showers, restrooms, and plenty of shade on board.

Sea Creatures

Kona’s calm waters are a favorite playground for an abundance of sea creatures, including spinner dolphins, manta rays, and humpback whales in the winter months. Keep your eyes peeled for energetic pods of spinner dolphins- these curious creatures are spotted frequently aboard this tour. In fact, dolphin sightings are guaranteed, or you can come again for free! Once you arrive at your designated snorkel spot, don your snorkel gear and explore the shallows. You’re sure to see scores of tropical fish and, if you’re lucky, perhaps a green sea turtle or two.  If you haven’t been snorkeling on Big Island, you haven’t lived!

Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast and lunch are served on board to keep guests fueled for a day on the water. Breakfast includes fruit, yogurt, and an assortment of pastries. For lunch, you’ll find tropical grilled chicken sandwiches with citrus slaw, chips, and cookies. For adult guests, a full bar is located onboard, serving local beers and cocktails.

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Nearby Areas:
Kona • Waikoloa • Kohala

Kona Snorkel Tour and Dolphin Watch

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Climb aboard the 28’ “Orca” for an exciting ride and spend a day in the ocean. Departing Kona, this tour moves south along the coast, exploring Kona’s nooks and crannies and taking in the sights of the massive Mauna Loa volcano to the east. As you explore the coastal waters, keep an eye out for spinner dolphins, which are frequently spotted offshore. Before arriving at your snorkeling destination, you’ll zip out into the blue to look for other ocean mammals like bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales, and on the way back, check out sea caves created by old lava flows.

Snorkeling

Once you arrive at Kealakekua Bay, you’ll be immersed in a wild aquarium. Kealakekua Bay is home to the Captain Cook monument and is highly regarded as one of the most preserved reefs in the world. It is easily one of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii and is home to schools of vibrant fish, coral reefs, and other sea critters like turtles, rays, and eels.

What’s Included

Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are provided during the tour. Basic snorkel instruction is provided, as well as all the necessary gear for snorkeling, such as masks, fins, and flotation.

What to Bring

Show up to the dock in your swimsuit so you can spend more time on the ocean! The Orca is shaded, but hats, sunglasses, and UV shirts are a must. Sunscreen is an absolute necessity, but before boarding, make sure it is reef-safe. Reef-safe sunscreen is the only sunscreen permitted in Kealakekua Bay. Lastly, don’t forget a waterproof camera!

BOOK NOW!

Nearby Areas:
Kona • Waikoloa • Captain Cook

Kealakekua and Captain Cook Snorkel Tour Photos

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