All 8 options, side by side
✓ 2026-08-11| Option | Price | Per person | Length | Rating | Cancellation | Extra fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kailua-Kona farm tour: Coffee, chocolate and soap productionBest value | US$ 50 p.p. | US$ 50 | 3h | 4.96★ · 560 | free | — |
| Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkeling: Kailua-KonaOur pick | US$ 75 p.p. | US$ 75 | 2h 30m | 4.89★ · 852 | free | — |
| Kailua-Kona: Ocean Kayak & Snorkel Tour with Sea Caves | US$ 99 p.p. | US$ 99 | 4h | 4.85★ · 405 | free | — |
| Dolphin and Whale Watch in Kona: Kailua-Kona coastal cruise | US$ 99 p.p. | US$ 99 | 2h 30m | 4.64★ · 80 | free | — |
| Sunset Manta Ray Snorkel in Kailua-Kona: Small Groups Under 10Top rated | US$ 109 p.p. | US$ 109 | 2h–3h | 4.95★ · 260 | free | — |
| Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel & Kailua-Kona Lights | US$ 125 p.p. | US$ 125 | 2h | 4.82★ · 481 | free | — |
| Manta Ray Night Snorkel in Kailua-Kona: Small Groups, Canoe Ride | US$ 127 p.p. | US$ 127 | 1h | 4.83★ · 697 | free | — |
| Snorkel & Dolphin Watch Cruise from Kailua-Kona: Red Hill | US$ 184 p.p. | US$ 184 | 4h 30m | 4.76★ · 832 | free | — |
Real price per person across the 8 options: US$ 50–US$ 184 (median US$ 99). With 100+ reviews: 7 of 8.
Default order: price per person.
Up to 2 hours (3)
Manta Ray Night Snorkel in Kailua-Kona: Small Groups, Canoe RideNight snorkeling with manta rays in Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii, aboard a traditional Hawaiian double-hulled canoe with a small group of 12 or fewer. You'll float with floatation devices along a lit board while manta rays arrive to feed on plankton attracted by the lights. The experience includes a brief canoe ride to the snorkel site near Keauhou Bay, snorkel gear, wetsuit top, and a safety briefing from a professional crew.Is it for me?Book this for a small-group experience where the crew can position you for the best manta ray viewing without the constraints of larger groups tethered to their boats. The short travel time means you maximize snorkeling rather than logistics.
Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel & Kailua-Kona LightsYou'll float on a raft in the dark while giant manta rays feed on plankton beneath underwater lights, sometimes gliding within inches of you. The boat provides snorkel gear, hot cocoa on the return, and a crew that keeps you safe and steady. If mantas don't show, you're invited back free. Hotel pickup is available for a small fee if you're staying in the Waikoloa or Mauna Lani resorts.Is it for me?Right for anyone who wants to see giant manta rays in their natural habitat without the logistics of finding the site yourself or timing the boat departure — the operator handles the boat, the raft, the lights, and the crew, so you just show up and float.
Sunset Manta Ray Snorkel in Kailua-Kona: Small Groups Under 10A sunset manta ray snorkel tour in Kailua-Kona limits each group to no more than 10 swimmers in the water, with two crew members, a guide in English, and all gear provided. The boat departs from an in-water slip for fast boarding, travels 10–15 minutes to the snorkel site, and gives you 35–40 minutes in the water watching manta rays feed on plankton attracted to LED lights. Snorkel gear, wetsuits, bottled water, hot cocoa, tea and snacks are included; a minimum of 4 guests is required to run the tour.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want a small-group encounter rather than a crowded one—the 10-person cap in the water means you're not jostling for position or watching the animals from a distance. If you're visiting Kailua-Kona for the first time and have a free afternoon or evening, this is a single, self-contained activity that requires no planning beyond showing up at the slip; gear, transport and timing are all arranged.
2 to 5 hours (5)
Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkeling: Kailua-KonaYou 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.Is it for me?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.
Snorkel & Dolphin Watch Cruise from Kailua-Kona: Red HillA 4.5-hour snorkeling and dolphin-watching cruise from Kailua-Kona aboard a double-decker catamaran, departing from Kailua Pier and heading 10 miles out to the Red Hill marine sanctuary. The boat carries breakfast, lunch, snorkel gear, a 20-foot waterslide and a 15-foot jump platform; you spend roughly two hours in the water while the crew watches for dolphins and other marine mammals. Boarding is 30 minutes before departure. Hotel pickup is not available; free parking is a one-block walk from the pier. The lower deck is fully wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?You're booking a shared boat tour where you do the snorkeling yourself in a protected marine sanctuary, not a guided tour where the guide leads you through a single spot. The two hours of water time and the onboard amenities — breakfast, lunch, showers, the waterslide — suit travelers who want to move at their own pace and stay comfortable between water sessions. If you prefer a guide pointing out fish and corals, or if you need hotel pickup, look for a different tour.
Kailua-Kona farm tour: Coffee, chocolate and soap productionA 3-hour guided farm tour in Kailua-Kona covers coffee roasting, chocolate production from cacao pods, and a soap factory using farm-grown botanicals. The tour starts at 9am, sits at 1,200 feet above the coast with views of the Pacific and Hualālai volcano, and includes tastings of fresh coffee and gourmet chocolate. Children under 12 must be ticketed and supervised; the soap factory has a small step but is otherwise wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary without translation. This works for anyone comfortable with a standard pace through three working factories and their production lines—not a hike or a hands-on class, but a walk-through with stops to taste and learn.
Kailua-Kona: Ocean Kayak & Snorkel Tour with Sea CavesYou’ll paddle along Kona’s rugged coast with a local guide, watch for spinner dolphins in the early light, slip into sea caves if conditions allow, then snorkel reefs teeming with fish and maybe turtles. Small group size means you can actually hear stories and ask questions — plus there’s bottled water and all your gear sorted for you. You might come home with salt in your hair but also something softer inside.
Dolphin and Whale Watch in Kona: Kailua-Kona coastal cruiseA 2.5-hour dolphin and whale watching tour on Kona's coast departs from Kailua-Kona with a naturalist guide who narrates sightings of dolphins, sea turtles, and—during winter—migrating humpback whales, while the boat passes sea caves, lava tubes and volcanic cliffs unreachable from shore. The tour runs on a rigid hull inflatable vessel, suitable for ages 5 to 70, and does not include snorkeling. Check-in time is not departure time; two meeting points serve different areas of Kailua-Kona.Is it for me?If you're staying in Kailua-Kona without a car, the two meeting points mean you can reach the boat on foot or by short taxi from your hotel—no rental or transportation arrangement needed. The raft-style boat and open-water motion suit travelers comfortable with that setup; those with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or cardiovascular concerns should confirm suitability before booking.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book with free cancellation?
Yes: 8 of the 8 options offer free cancellation, so you can book now and confirm your plans later.
How long do these experiences last?
Most options last between 2 and 5 hours. There are also shorter and longer formats to fit your itinerary.
Which one is the travelers' favorite?
Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkeling: Kailua-Kona is the travelers' favorite, rated 4.89 out of 5 across 852 reviews.
More things to do in Big Island of Hawaii
Kealakekua Bay22 optionsWaimea Tours25 optionsSnorkeling Big Island of Hawaii56 optionsBig Island of Hawaii Waterfalls20 optionsWaimea Waterfalls6 optionsWhale Watching Big Island of Hawaii7 optionsCaptain Cook Monument Boat Tour7 optionsRainbow Falls Tours6 optionsATV Tours on the Big Island of Hawaii6 optionsMauna Kea Tours on the Big Island5 options
