First Timers Guide: Manta Ray Snorkeling in Kona, Big Island

Encountering manta rays in the wild was the #1 thing on my Big Island bucket-list, and it was even more special than I could have imagined! We spent 45 minutes in the water with eight individual manta rays playfully spinning in the water below us, and to my surprise, these gentle giants got incredibly close.

If you’ve booked (or are thinking about booking) a Kona manta ray snorkeling tour, you’ve come to the right place! In this article I’m sharing everything I wish I knew before night snorkeling with manta rays in Hawaii, including details on how to stay safe and warm in the water at night, what to expect when you’re face to face with these 15-foot mantas, and a comparison of the $65 budget manta tour vs the more luxurious catamaran manta snorkeling tour I booked!

Two manta rays swim gracefully in the water below me on the Kona Coast of the Big Island in Hawaii

Me on a catamaran looking out at the coastline of the Big Island with the volcano in the background

Snorkeling with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii

GoPro photos from my manta ray dive plus me on the Kona Style catamaran (from their daytime tour, but its the same boat!)

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

Night Snorkeling With Manta Rays: What to Expect

Between 200-300 manta rays live along the Kona Coast, and local researchers and tour guides know them all by name because of their unique markings. Snorkeling with these gentle giants (who reach up to 30 feet!) is one of the best things to do in Hawai’i, but you have to do it at night! Here’s how it works:

Since manta rays eat plankton, and plankton are drawn to light, local tour operators have started shining giant lights into the ocean, which attracts plankton, and then, mantas show up ready for dinner!

We went manta ray snorkeling with locally-owned Kona Style, and they use custom-built light boards that float on the surface of the water and shine light down. They float well enough that you can hold on with your arms and float so that you stay in place!

Since we were in Hawaii in December, the water was a little chilly, but thankfully Kona Style offered us wetsuit jackets to keep us warm! As someone who gets cold easily, this was an essential perk and I was completely comfortable the whole time we were in the water.

Bookmark for later: Top 5 Best Snorkel Spots Along the Kona Coast

My Experience Start to Finish

The whole experience started in downtown Kailua-Kona, where we were reunited with the lovely Kona Style crew—we’d gone on their Kealakekua Bay snorkeling tour (also recommended) earlier on and they remembered us!

We boarded the catamaran and took off down the coastline toward Manta Village! As we journeyed there, the crew came around with drinks, and set us up with wet suit jackets and snorkel gear. We also got a safety briefing and learned a bit about the resident mantas!

As we approached the snorkel spot, we geared up and the crew started attracting mantas by shining lights in the water. We jumped in, and held onto the light board and in a few minutes were face-to-face with our first friendly manta ray of the evening!

We were in the water for 45 minutes and swam with at least eight individual manta rays in that time, most of them were about 15-feet long, but they can grow up to 30-feet!

Something that we learned was mantas tend to be attracted to vibrations—they are able to sense human heartbeats, and are very much aware of our presence and who we are! Our guides (who do this daily) told us that humming can attract them even more, so our whole group spent 45 minutes humming as loudly as we could, faces down in the water… must have been a sight! 🤣

You’re absolutely not allowed to touch a manta ray but my husband and I were both brushed by the manta rays several times. We weren’t trying to get touched, they just got so close! And apparently, in Hawaiian tradition a touch from a manta ray is a blessing. Blessed because of the good vibes of our humming, I guess?!

Since we had snorkel gear on and were able to secure to the floating light board with the crew keeping an eye on the area for us, we were able to we were able to gaze down at the mantas the entire time! I took plenty of pictures on my GoPro and was surprised with how well they turned out given that it was nighttime.

Those 45 minutes flew by, but filled with awe and gratitude for these majestic creatures who graced us with their presence. Even just writing about it now brings me such joy. I hope you’re able to experience it, too!

Afterward our crew helped us back onto the boat and offered some warm drinks for the ride back to Kona. It was a perfect night!

Four manta rays swim in the water beneath me while on a manta ray night snorkeling tour in Kona, Hawaii

The Big Island Manta Ray Tour I Booked & Why I LOVED it

I’ve already gushed a little bit about the manta ray tour we went on, but I wanted to dive into what made it so special, and share another budget option we considered.

Travel blogging is my full-time job, and I am really picky when it comes to activities and tours since I want to be able to share them with my readers, too. I’ve never gone on a tour for free or been paid to do one, instead I do my research and try to find tour companies that are loved by travelers, offer something unique, and owned by locals.

Out of every Kona manta ray tour I saw, this one was my top choice, here’s why:

They offer wetsuit tops to keep you warm (great for us visiting in December!)
High quality *sanitized* snorkel gear is also included
The crew absolutely goes above and beyond for each person on board
They have 700+ 5-star reviews for a reason, so I know my experience is not unique!
You ride on a luxury catamaran, which isn’t essential, but is a nice touch
Warm drinks are provided after you get out of the water, again, a nice touch
The company is a local family-owned business, and supporting locals is a huge priority of mine!

Overall, the team was professional and kind, yet also made us feel like we were just a group of friends going snorkeling together. And on a personal note, I loved that our tour guides could recognize the different manta rays by their markings—it felt special to be with guides who know and respect the wild animals!

I can’t recommend this manta ray tour enough, but transparently, there is a cheaper option if you are on a strict budget (or time crunch).

$65 Budget Option

This manta ray snorkeling tour only costs $65 per person, and will save you time, too. The key difference is that it departs from Keauhou Harbor rather than downtown Kona AND wet suits are only available for an additional fee. The boat ride is only 3 minutes, which is great, but also means you don’t get that serene sunset cruise experience I loved so much. I have no regrets about going with Kona Style, but am glad there’s a budget option for those who prefer it!

Where to Spot Manta Rays from Land

There are a few Manta Ray Viewing Sites on the Big Island where you can get a chance to see some manta rays without having to get into the water. The main one is Manta Ray Point at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, there’s a spot along the shoreline where lights shine into the water and manta rays show up in the evenings!

What to Bring With You on a Kona Manta Ray Tour

👙 Swimsuit, under your clothes
💦 Travel towel, I love my Nomadix travel towel which repels sand and folds down quite small
⛵️ Light jacket or sweatshirt, so you can stay warm on the boat ride back in the dark
🎀 Hair ties, if you have long hair
🤿 (Optional) your own snorkel and mask if you have one you prefer