How to Go Night Snorkeling with Manta Rays in Kona (+ FAQ)

One of the most popular tours on the Big Island is night snorkeling with manta rays in Kona.

In this guide, I recap my experience on the manta ray snorkeling tour, including what to know before you go, what to bring with you, and more.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the Kona manta ray snorkeling tour, but it was one I thoroughly enjoyed and suggest to everyone who likes going underwater and booking unique activities (this is definitely that!).

I hope I have answered all your questions in this guide, but if not, feel free to leave a comment, and I will do my best to help out.

Why I Went Snorkeling with Manta Rays in Kona

I love snorkeling and I am always trying to find new and unique trips where I can explore the underwater worlds. I knew this manta ray snorkeling tour in Hawaii was a fan favorite, so I wanted to test it out for myself.

Several companies were offering similar tours, but I chose to go with Hang Loose Boat Tours due to the near-perfect reviews on their tours (and thousands of reviews!). I knew this tour was going to be amazing, but I did not expect it to be the pinnacle of my trip to the Big Island. 

How to Book a Night Manta Ray Adventure

Duration: 2.5 hours
Physical Ability: must be able to swim to get into the water
Season: year-round (can be canceled due to bad weather)
Meeting Point: 74-381 Kealakehe Pkwy in Kailua-Kona
➡️ BOOK HERE

I booked my manta ray adventure through Viator, one of my favorite booking platforms. I love using Viator, as they have a fantastic array of tours and their booking platform is easy to use. It is also fantastic because you can book all of your tours in one place and not need to put your credit card information on multiple platforms online.

To book your tour, choose your desired date and the number of people you wish to book for. The tour operates every day, so there are always plenty of dates available. I would still opt to book this tour as far in advance as you can because it is likely to sell out.

Once you have selected the date and number of people, you will need to select your departure time (there are around 6 timeslots per evening). The tour provider will contact you before the tour if the departure time needs to change.

You can then select if you wish to pay now or reserve and pay at a later date. If you choose to pay later, you will be charged 2 days before your tour, or you can opt to pay before that.

Once you have booked, you will be sent a confirmation email. Your tour provider will then contact you with any additional information about the tour, including a waiver form that should be completed before the tour.

Where to Meet for the Tour

There is no pick-up service for this tour, and you will need to make your way to the meeting point at 74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy.

Once in the car park, you will need to meet the tour provider under the pavilion attached to a small brown building on the left-hand side of the car park. There are also toilets here if you need to get changed (they will, however, be closed after the tour is complete). 

I took an Uber to and from the tour, and it was very easy. The drivers seemed to know exactly where to go and made the whole process simple. I arrived at the meeting point fairly early, so I used the opportunity to check out Ai’opio Fish Trap Beach. 

If you have your own car, there is a parking lot right next to the meeting point with free parking. Once you have arrived, you will meet everyone under the pavilion, where you will be checked in by one of the guides and directed to board the boat.

If you have not completed the waiver, you will need to do this now before being checked in. As you board the boat, a second guide will hand you a wet suit and provide you with snorkel equipment.

Kona Manta Ray Snorkeling Adventure (My Experience)

Once everyone has boarded the boat, you will be given a short safety talk before setting sail as the sun drops below the horizon. These tours are pretty standard, and everyone will experience the same tour.

The only variable is whether the manta rays will appear or not. As with all nature tours, the provider cannot guarantee seeing manta rays as they appear whenever they’d like.

The tour providers do everything they can to attract the manta rays. To try and entice the rays, they float platforms in the water that shine a particular type of blue light into the ocean.

This blue light then attracts the favorite food of the ray, microplankton. If you are lucky, the rays will appear from the deep to scoop up as much plankton as possible.

After settling on the boat and changing into our wet suits, we left the harbor. As we left the harbor, the sun dropped below the horizon, and we were plunged into the darkness.

We powered through the waves to the manta ray spot, and the guides blasted music and offered snacks and drinks out to the boat. The music created a fun atmosphere, and everyone chatted with each other until we got closer to the snorkeling area. 

As we arrived at the snorkeling point, there were already a few other boats at the sight, shining lights into the water to attract the rays. Our guides anchored the boat and started setting up our own floating platforms with lights.

Once everything was set up, we were invited into the water. At this point, there was a safety aspect, as the strongest, most confident swimmers needed to go first.

I have to admit that before going on this tour, I had not considered that it would involve swimming in the pitch-black open ocean. Knowing that I am a fairly decent and confident swimmer, I headed out in the first group.

When you reach the platform, you will hold on to it at the next available spot. Once everyone is holding onto the platform, a guide will come and put flotation devices under your feed so you can kind of lie flat in the water. 

Once you are in position, you need to play the waiting game as you hope that the manta rays will appear. We were fortunately lucky, and from the depths, a manta ray emerged. They seemingly fly through the water, turning upside down and scooping up as much plankton as possible.

As one arrived, another soon followed, and it was truly a mind-blowing experience. There are a few rules you have to abide by when the rays arrive, such as that you should not touch them, although they may brush past you. 

During the tour, you do not need to stay out the whole time, and once you have had your fill of seeing the rays, you can signal to the guide that you wish to head back to the boat, and you can swim back to the boat.

I chose to stay out until the very end, knowing that this was a very unique tour and that it wasn’t done in other places.

Eventually, all good things must end and you will need to head back to the boat. Once on the boat, you will get a brief hot shower and can dry off. When everyone is back on the boat, you will head back to the harbor, with some more music, snacks, and drinks.

After you return to the harbor, the tour is over, and you are free to go back to your hotel.

FAQ

Who can’t go snorkeling with manta rays in Kona?

This tour is unfortunately not wheelchair-accessible or suitable for people with serious health conditions. 

If you are unable to swim, you can also not take part in the swim, as it involves night swimming in deep ocean water. For those who are non-swimmers, you can sit on the boat and observe, however.

You should let the guides know if you are not a strong swimmer, as you will need to get off the boat last and hold on to the closest platform.

Do you have thalassophobia (fear of open and deep water)?

This tour takes you out into the ocean and while you’re not far from the shore, it is pitch black and quite disorienting. You may feel more secure going on a day snorkeling tour like this one, instead of the night manta ray snorkel trip.

What is included in the tour?

Snorkel Gear

You will be given a snorkel and mask at the start of the tour, so there is no need to bring your own with you. As you do not need to do much swimming, flippers are not needed. 

Wetsuit

As you will be swimming at night in the dark, the temperatures in the ocean will drop, and you will need to wear a wet suit, although not a full one.

You will be given a wet suit before boarding the boat and they have plenty of different sizes available for nearly all body types. 

Snacks and drinks

The tour offers basic snacks and drinks, including chips, soda, and water. I would eat before going on the tour, as by the time it has finished, most restaurants will have closed and the snacks are not enough to fill you up. 

What to Bring on Your Tour

As most of the equipment on this tour is provided, you do not need to bring much with you. 

The main thing to bring is swimming gear and a towel. I wore swimming shorts and a rash guard t-shirt under my wetsuit. There are no towels on the boat, so you will need to bring your own with you.

I would also bring a sweatshirt or hoody with you, as it is a little chilly when you head back to the harbor. 

I would also recommend bringing a GoPro or DJI Action camera with you to capture these majestic creatures. Given the darkness of the ocean, photographing them is a challenge, but it is possible to get some incredible photographs.

I used a GoPro in an underwater dome to photograph the rays. I did see some people also take photos using their phones in a waterproof case.

I hope this guide helps you plan your Kona manta ray snorkeling tour. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can!