Big Island moonlight snorkel with manta rays, from Kailua-Kona

Experience the exhilarating feeling of swimming right next to the beautiful manta rays of Hawaii’s Big Island during this night manta ray snorkelling boat tour from Kailua-Kona!

Kona’s giant oceanic manta rays, with wingspans of up to 18ft, are the angels of the ocean! Soaring smoothly underwater with their undulating wings, these magnificent and gentle creatures are truly a sight to behold in their natural habitat. Manta rays are known to be found in the waters around the Big Island, particularly around Kona, and are one of the great attractions that draw divers and animal lovers from all over the world to the island of Hawaii to get the chance to swim with them!

To start your manta ray snorkelling adventure, you can either request a hotel pick-up/drop off, or meet the crew and boat at Kailua-Kona’s Honokohau harbour. After checking in, it will be time to board the speed boat and head to the snorkelling location, known as ‘Manta Ray Heaven’! On the 15-30 minute boat ride there, you will have brilliant views of the setting sun, and once you are at the snorkelling spot you will get to swim with manta rays under the moonlight!

At the Kona snorkelling spot, the crew will help you into the water and from there you will hang onto a large viewing platform equipped with a light that will attract plankton and the manta rays who will feed on the plankton! The viewing platform will be gently pulled across the water by the boat, allowing you to comfortably stay in place and float safely on top of the water while you observe the manta rays below. Out of the inky depths swirling with fish and plankton, the manta rays will swim up close to you with their mouths wide open to catch the plankton – a truly incredible and unforgettable experience!

While there is not a guaranteed number of manta rays to be seen during the manta snorkelling tour, multiple manta rays are often spotted during these night snorkelling tours, and if there are no mantas to be found doing your Big Island manta excursion, you will be able to reschedule to another day free of charge. After the excitement of swimming inches away from Kona’s beautiful manta rays, on the way back to Honokohau harbour you will get to enjoy hot cocoa and a light snack over which to reminisce about the magic you have just witnessed on Hawaii’s Big Island!

Book your manta ray night snorkelling tour from Kailua-Kona now for a thrilling Hawaiian experience that will stay with you forever!