Manta Ray Snorkeling: Intimate Kona Experience

Experience the magic of snorkeling with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii. Avoid the crowds and enjoy an intimate, small-group tour with a maximum of 12 passengers. Learn about Kona’s famous manta rays and witness their graceful ballet beneath you. Book now!

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 78-7130 Kaleiopapa St - Come aboard the Pueo Kai 2, and enjoy a small-group manta ray snorkeling experience with up to 12 passengers. Snorkeling with Kona’s famous manta rays is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that The Travel Channel called “one of the top 10 things to do in your lifetime.”
    After a quick 5-minute boat ride, we’ll arrive at the…
What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
  • Wetsuit (optional)
  • Local taxes
  • Beverages
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Towel
Additional Information

Steer clear of the crowded ‘herd boats’ in Kona and partake in a personal manta ray snorkeling adventure that accommodates no more than 12 people.
We kick off our journey from the Keahou Harbor in South Kona, followed by an breezy 5-minute boat trip to Manta Village, our snorkeling spot.
Your captain and snorkel guide will enlighten you about the…

Location
78-7130 Kaleiopapa St
Kaleiopapa Street
Please meet us at Keauhou Harbor, 30 minutes prior to your time of departure. When you arrive at the harbor, we'll be parked near the boat dock. Look for a white van with lights on top. It can be difficult to find us in the dark, so please call if you don't immediately see us.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(1182 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Allison_l
Sep 22, 2026
Incredible! - We had an absolutely incredible experience with Hawaii Oceanic for the manta ray night snorkel! 🐋🌺 From start to finish, the entire crew made us feel welcome, comfortable, and excited for the experience. The manta rays were absolutely amazing to see up close, and it was one of those experiences we’ll be talking about for a long time. A special thank-you to Eliza for making everything so easy and welcoming, Captain Alexis for getting us out there safely, Carmelle for being such a wonderful guide and helping us get the most out of the experience, and Maianna for taking such great care of us. You could tell that the whole crew genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a fantastic experience. If you’re visiting the Big Island, I highly recommend putting a manta ray night snorkel with Hawaii Oceanic on your list. It was absolutely worth it, and we would do it again in a heartbeat! Mahalo, Eliza, Alexis, Carmelle, and Maianna, for such a memorable night! 🌺🐋🤙
Review provided by Viator
Craiga81
Sep 16, 2026
Four Manta Rays, 30 Amazing Minutes — An Unforgettable Kona Experience - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Manta Rays, 30 Amazing Minutes — An Unforgettable Kona Experience Of all the things Tiffany and I have done on the Big Island, this will definitely be one of the experiences we remember most. From the moment we arrived, the entire crew was fantastic. Maianna handled check-in, Captain Mitch was at the helm, Carmelle was our guide, and Eliza rounded out an excellent crew. Everyone was friendly, professional and, most importantly for an excursion that involves jumping into the Pacific Ocean after dark, extremely calm and reassuring. Before we entered the water, they walked us through exactly what we would be doing, how the experience would work, and what to expect once the manta rays arrived. They also gave us a quick overview of manta rays and their behavior, which made seeing them in the water even more interesting. And then the show started. We were incredibly lucky to have four manta rays “flying” around us for essentially our entire 30 minutes in the water. They glided underneath us, rolled and turned in front of us, and came unbelievably close as they fed around the lights. Watching something that large move through the water with such grace is difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it yourself. At times it felt less like snorkeling and more like having front-row seats to an underwater ballet. A couple of suggestions for anyone considering the trip: Practice with a mask and snorkel beforehand if you’re inexperienced. Snorkeling isn’t difficult, but putting your face into the ocean at night can be a little intimidating at first. Being comfortable breathing through a snorkel before you arrive will let you relax and enjoy the experience much faster. The crew was excellent about making sure everyone was properly outfitted and comfortable before getting started. Also, if you have trouble floating—like I do—ask whether they can give you some extra flotation around your legs. You need to stay in a prone, almost “Superman” position with your legs near the surface so you don’t accidentally contact the manta rays swimming underneath you. I managed, but a little additional flotation would have made maintaining that position easier. Those are minor considerations, though, compared with what an incredible experience this was. Once we settled in and realized we had four mantas circling underneath us, the initial nervousness of being in the ocean at night disappeared. For anyone visiting Kona, I would put a manta ray night snorkel very high on the list of things you should experience, and we wouldn’t hesitate to go out with this crew again. Four manta rays. Thirty minutes of nonstop action. Absolutely unforgettable. Mahalo to Maianna, Captain Mitch, Carmelle and Eliza for giving us one of the highlights of our Big Island vacation! 🌺🤙
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sunshine29794334570
Aug 27, 2026
Best Experience on the island - This experience was 100% worth every penny. 30 seconds in we had Mantas barrel rolling right in my face. They were almost too close to film. The all female crew was a dream team. Courtney, Alexis, Sara and Carmelle were amazing, attentive, fun and professional. We didn't have to do anything but enjoy!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Theresa_m
Aug 21, 2026
Magical experience with majestic rays - Absolutely the highlight of our trip to the big island - the all female crew, the utmost care for our safely, and the gazillions of manta rays were amazing! Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Szehr55
Aug 4, 2026
Highly recommend 10/10 experience for our whole family - This was our favorite adventure of the trip (and we did a lot of adventures). It seemed like a once in a lifetime experience and the whole time in the water was an exciting 30 minutes. We saw lot of manta rays and felt safe the whole time. We were in the hands of an all women crew and they did amazing. They were knowledgeable, funny and caring. Highly recommend this experience with this outfitter. I can't comment on the cost because I have literally nothing to compare it to. Such a unique experience. 10/10 highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
313marielv
Jul 31, 2026
Amazing Manta Ray snorkel adventure - We had an amazing time going out with Hawaiian Oceanic for the Manta ray snorkel. Christine was amazing before the trip, sending clear instructions on what to bring and where to meet. Our crew, captain Kelley, Eric and Caleigh were great during the trip. Small boat, great experience. Highly recommend. I have done other tours with Hawaiian Oceanic and they are always high quality
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H896aydavidb
Jul 12, 2026
Incredible manta tour - We went on the snorkel tour in the morning, and had such a great time, we decided to do the manta tour that evening. As amazing as the snorkel tour, the manta tour was even better. We met at the bay and got our wet suits, and I was glad I had mine. The water felt much colder at night than it had in the day time snorkel. We got the overview of what to expect and the rules. You will put on ankle floaties and hold onto a raft with lights. You'll look like superman floating on the surface, and the mantas will swim below you. Since we booked last minute, we had to get a later tour (10:20 PM), but the timing was in our favor. There were more mantas feeding than usual. And there was a pod of dolphins followed by several sandbar sharks swimming nearby. It was a lot of wildlife, but the mantas were the highlight. The mantas will come up to feed and may even come close enough to touch you. You can even get a quick glimpse into their eyes. My only regret was not having a Go Pro. I had to use my phone in a pouch, which wasn't nearly as good for images, but it still captured the moment. This tour was truly incredible and like no other experience I've ever had. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anniedw5629ib
Jul 3, 2026
Amazing experience and crew - This trip exceeded our expectations! I can’t speak highly enough of the experience, in particular the crew. Christine made it all super easy to book & was on top of logistics, Kelly was a great captain - warm, fun & very efficient, Carmelle was similarly friendly & kept things moving smoothly. Sara was the star of the trip - she kept is entertained and hauled us all aging to guarantee the best manta viewing. Don’t think twice, book this snorkel!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I9401pkmarkc
Aug 17, 2026
Not exactly like the YouTube videos - First trip no mantas, second trip 3 mantas
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dmiller933
Jul 21, 2026
VERY DISAPPOINTING - YOU MAY NOT SEE MANTAS AND THERE US NO REFUND - We were excited about this excursion but it turned out to be a terrible experience. There were no mantas, which sounds like it happens more than you’re led to believe. We wasted a good part of the evening floating uncomfortably in choppy water and saw nothing but a few fish. WARNING: the small print says there are no refunds. We were offered to rebook another night (we couldn’t, and why bother wasting another night) or a gift card for a future visit (we aren’t likely to come back for many years). Very disappointing - don’t take the risk and do something else instead
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $145
up to 11 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).