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Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkeling: Kailua-Kona

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Duration2h 30m

GroupUp to 26

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Watching Manta Rays Feed at Night Off Kailua-Kona

You board a boat at sunset in Kailua-Kona, cruise to a manta ray feeding site, and snorkel among them for roughly an hour while a guide explains what you're seeing. Gear, wetsuit, floatation, snacks and transport are all included. The whole outing takes two to three hours, and you'll want to call 12 hours ahead to confirm the departure time.

2h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Take short cruise to snorkel site
Watch spectacular sundown
Snorkel with manta rays
Return onboard
Enjoy snacks and drinks
Use onboard washroom

The Experience

You don't expect to be nervous about getting in the water at night, but standing on the boat as the sun drops below the horizon, you are. The crew dims the lights to draw the plankton — and the manta rays that hunt them — closer to the surface. Your guide goes over the basics one more time: stay calm, move slowly, let them come to you. The water is warm. The sky is still holding color. And then you're in, floating on a board with a light beneath you, and the first ray glides underneath like something from a dream.

The manta ray night snorkeling tour on the Big Island operates from Kailua-Kona and takes about two to three hours total. You board a small boat, cruise out as the light fades, and anchor over a site where the rays reliably gather to feed. The snorkeling itself lasts roughly an hour, though time gets strange when you're watching something that large move that gracefully. The rays aren't aggressive — they're indifferent to you, really — but their size makes you feel small in a way that's hard to describe until you're there. Some nights you see three or four. Some nights more. It depends.

The boat provides snorkeling gear, a jacket-style wetsuit top, and a floatation device, so you don't have to bring your own equipment. There's a professional guide on board who watches the group and offers live commentary about what you're seeing — how the rays feed, how they navigate, why they gather at night. Between the snorkeling and the boat ride, you get light snacks and bottled water. The crew also points out the washroom if you need it. Round-trip transport is included, though you'll want to bring a towel and something warm to wear on the ride back, because the ocean cools you down faster than you'd think.

Call at least 12 hours before your tour in case there's a time change — weather and sea conditions can shift the departure window. The experience isn't recommended if you're pregnant, have spinal injuries, or have cardiovascular concerns that would make floating in the ocean risky. Infants can come along but need to sit on an adult's lap the whole time. If you're traveling with small children, a stroller works fine on the boat.

What’s included

Your tour includes snorkeling gear, a jacket-style wetsuit top, and a floatation device.
A professional guide provides live commentary on board and supervises the snorkeling.
Light snacks and bottled water are served, and you have access to the boat's washroom.
Round-trip transport from Kailua-Kona is included.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Kona Coast Boat Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see manta rays in their natural feeding habitat without arranging your own boat, gear, or guide — the night timing is what brings the rays to the surface reliably, and it's the one thing that makes the whole experience possible.