Big Island of Hawaii

Manta Magic - Night Manta Ray Snorkel At Manta Village, Kona, Hawaii

Name: Manta Magic - Night Manta Ray Snorkel At Manta Village, Kona, Hawaii
Brand: Hawaii Oceanic
SKU: 40277P1
Price: 145.00 USD
Rating: 5.0 (1008 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceBig Island of Hawaii, USA

1 hour
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Overview

Get up close with Hawaii’s graceful manta rays during this nighttime snorkel experience along the Kona coast with a small group. Watch these gentle giants as they swoop and dive for plankton just below the surface during their evening feeding. An on-board manta ray specialist, along with a certified swim guide, ensure an informative and safe experience.

Snorkel with graceful manta rays as they feed on plankton after dark
On-board manta naturalist adds unique insight into the creatures' feeding habits and behavior
Included drinks and snorkel gear
Small group trip limited to no more than 12 guests

What's Included

Beverages
Professional guide
Use of Snorkeling equipment
Local taxes
Wetsuit (optional)

Gratuities
Transportation to/from attractions

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

78-7130 Kaleiopapa St, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
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.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Board your boat at Keauhou Harbor in the evening, allowing you to reach the manta snorkeling site just in time for sunset. You’ll get a short introduction to the feeding habits of these wondrous creatures from your on-board naturalist as you travel to the snorkel site.

Once you arrive, grab your snorkel gear and get ready to experience this one-of-a-kind natural phenomenon. Snorkeling is optional, so those who choose to remain on board are free to enjoy the sunset. Those who choose to snorkel will jump in the water and grab onto a ‘light board,’ which helps attract plankton to its glowing surface. A certified swim guide will be nearby to help in the unlikely event there are any issues..

Soon the mantas will begin their aquatic ballet, swooping and diving through the water as they feed on the plankton attracted to this site. When your snorkel time is up, head back to your original starting point. You’ll leave your trip with unforgettable memories of this unexpected natural phenomenon.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Must be able to swim without the assistance of a floatation device.
Not wheelchair accessible
A ticket is required for all passengers, regardless of age or whether they are entering the water.
Maximum weight of 280 pounds per traveler.
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Not recommended for travelers with neck problems.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Q:Should I bring my own towel on the Manta Magic Tour?

A:Yes, please bring your own towel as one will not be provided.

Jun 2023

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Urvee_S

Phenomenal night snorkel experience ever. This is hands down one of the most unique dives you will ever do. We got lucky and the mantas showed. We had mantas swimming so close to us. It was top notch one of the best experience we've ever had. The diver provided us with so much detailed information on the mantras and as to how to enjoy every bit of night snorkel. EVERY DIVER SHOULD TRY THIS DIVE AT LEAST ONCE.

Reviews

5.0

1,008 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 1,008 reviews

Amazing experience

Victoria_C, Apr 2024

It was amazing to just float and have these majestic creatures swim so close. The tour was a small group and our guide was very informative A must do!

Epic manta moments

Jeanne_J, Apr 2024

Our experience with Manta Magic was exceptional! The crew was amazing and informative. Our boat trip was quick and soon we were holding on to the light board where a record amount of mantas put on a show right under the surface- so close!! Highly recommend!

14 manta rays! But...

JenniferWenzel, Apr 2024

On the HUGE plus side, we saw 14 manta rays!!! On the negative side, pretty much everything else. (With the exception of the young lady who checked us in, Marianna, she was great.) I went on Monday, April 1. The boat was small and rocked horribly in the waves, but none of the 3 staff in board gave any assistance as people were trying to walk to the bench seats. They only had 1 adult sized life vest, and 2 people wanted it, so they had to figure out who needed it more between them. The ankle floats had very old Velcro and some wouldn't stay closed. No sodas or snacks were offered at any time, though there was a small bucket of sodas on board and a small basket of individual bags of chips (and a few single serving packs of Oreos cookies) at the check-in van. The captain, Jason, looked and sounded like he'd rather be doing anything else. Totally bored and checked out. Eric, the guy in the water with us, shared some interesting things about mantas but he was at the other end of the float and I couldn't hear him much on my end. There were only short sleeve wetsuit jackets available, not long sleeve, pants or full suits. And it was a very short, fast trip - 5 minutes to the site, they shoved us out the back of the boat like cattle, 30 minutes in the water, and back on board to go to the dock. This was the lowest budget, most bare bones excursion I've taken in my 3 visits to the Kailua Kona area by far, and yet it very much was not a cheap trip. At $145 each person it was on the higher end of the manta ray snorkel trips. If it weren't that we had more and more mantas join the zooplankton buffet, starting with one gigantic female from minute 1 and new ones joining every couple of minutes, I couldn't recommend this at all. But if you're just wanting to see mantas and don't care about customer service, then I'd say this is the trip for you. I'd talked to a woman a couple of days earlier who had seen 16 mantas on this Hawaii Oceanic/Manta Magic tour, which is why I booked with them, but after experiencing great vibes with Fairwinds, Sea Quest, and Body Glove earlier in our vacation, maybe I was just spoiled with their levels of guest service. But it really felt like they just didn't care about the customers at all on this boat. But hey, mantas galore! 2 stars for them.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Aloha! Thank you for your review. And we are happy you had a great manta show. The areas of concern that you brought to our attention are important. We do care about our guest and provide the best experience possible. When guest are boarding the boat staff should always be present to assist guest. The staff do not grab onto a guest to assist unless asked or if the guest looses balance. We want to respect everyone’s personal space. Staff also do not grab guest personal belongings unless asked or given. But there should be someone standing there on the dock and on the boat and help when needed or asked. Life jackets for adults are not provided unless there is an emergency. The light board that guest hold onto supports and floats the upper body.The ankle floats support the legs. Life jackets make it very difficult to view mantas because they are designed to keep your head out of the water and most guest would like their head in the water. We do have pool noodles that a guest may request. We do tend to put people in the water quickly for three reasons. 1) a sitting boat is a sea sick boat. The longer people sit on the boat the more likely people will be sea sick. 2) the longer it takes people to get in the water the further the light board drifts. If the light board drifts fast it’s a longer swim for guest. We want to be as close as possible. 3) the faster guest get in the water the longer you have viewing the mantas. We do our best to provide an amazing experience. We are a small group boat and don’t have all the same luxuries as the 50+ person boat like Fairwind’s, Sea Quest and Body Glove. Thank you for your valid concerns and they will be addressed with the team.

Amazing tour!

Jennifer_L, Jan 2024

Manta Magic is amazing! This is my second time seeing the Mantas (first time was with a much bigger outfit). They are so helpful and extremely knowledgable about the Mantas. They have a smaller boat and have at the most about 12 people total. Super nice because you don't feel crammed in. Saw about 20 Mantas swimming around and some even came right up to us and brushed past our arms! Just be forewarned, it's not a guarantee that you will see them every time. These are wild animals and they are on their own schedule. A must see if you are the big Island!

Multiple manta rolls, a memorable experience!

Dana_S, Dec 2023

Great staff, very friendly and helpful. Small boat with a small number of participants which made it feel uncrowded and personal. The mantas rolled close to our bodies multiple times. It was an unforgettable and memorable experience.

Manta Magic

Brenna_B, Dec 2023

Wonderful team of folks that did an awesome job! It was easy to find, and we had a great time during our trip!

Do not pass on this adventure!

Shelene_W, Dec 2023

The night manta ray snorkel is a must! During our time in kona we toured the volcano park, went scuba diving and toured. This is one of my favourite adventures so far, do not pass on this!

The staff was amazing. ...

Heather_N, Nov 2023

The staff was amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly, made the experience fantastic and engaging. Such an awesome experience we’ll never forget! Mahalo plenty!

Kona Experience

Shane_P, Nov 2023

While in the water had was brushed by a Ray 3 different times. The colour of the Rays were amazing. A worthwhile trip!!!

Must do wxperience

Will_O, Oct 2023

Excellent use of our time. A short boat ride with a great crew took us to see a thrilling manta ray experience. Can’t overstate how fun this was, especially for our 11 and 9 year olds.

It was a fantastic...

Dun_L, Sep 2023

It was a fantastic experience. The mantas seem like they want to really get close and see what's our deal. It's both scary and terrific to be close to such huge creatures.

Fantastic!!

Terry_L, Sep 2023

Saw up to 8 mantas simultaneously! Lots of knowledgeable tidbits shared about mantas. Loved everything about trip! Great crew on Captain Jeff’s boat.

Manta Rays Extraordinaire!

Jennifer_S, Sep 2023

Checking in was easy and the boat ride is short, which is a plus after the swim and you’re cold and wet. The guides were very knowledgeable about what to expect. It is difficult to find the right words to describe the experience of watching theses majestic creatures swimming and feeding. We were extremely fortunate to have more than the average number of manta rays present. The longer you were in the water the closer they swam to you. I highly recommend this experience.

Rock and Rollers

Marvin_M, Sep 2023

Unbelievable experience! The staff were all very efficient, friendly and informative. We learned a lot and why it's so important not to purposely touch the Manta rays. They have a protective slippery substance on them that rubs off if you touch them. But they touched and lightly bumped me! Don't worry, my slippery slime is fine. 😬 Anyhoo, it was an experience of a life time and I really appreciated the smaller group option, cost more worth more I usually say! The phone cover they offer didn't work well with my phone but the experience it was so amazing, who cares 🤗 Manta rays rock... and roll alot!

A must do.

Dan_J, Sep 2023

Wonderful experience! 5 huge mantas just playing inches away from us. Just an awe inspiring moment. Beautiful.

Worth it, but come prepared!

Haley_P, Aug 2023

The rays sure like to get up close and personal! A few of us got poked! Such an incredible experience and definitely worth it! But definitely take medicine beforehand if you get motion sickness. Laying flat in the water made us feel dizzy by the end, and the boat ride back was rough because of that. I would do this again, but definitely with meds next time!

Amazing! A must do experience!

James_B, Aug 2023

One of the best and most unique experiences ever! Highly recommend, a must do experience on the Big Island. The booking, directions, communication was so easy. The staff was so nice and helpful, make sure you tip them! I took my family with a 13 & 9 year old and they loved it. The ankle floaty they give you is such a good idea. Just hold on to the board/raft and watch the exhilarating show. The 5 min boat ride makes this the most efficient tour to see the Rays. A++++

Best experience ever

Ian_L, Aug 2023

Totally amazing. So very glad we went with Hawaii Oceanic. Smaller boat. Great guide. Saw about 9 turtles constantly for 45 minutes. Don’t need to swim far and felt safe at all times. You need a modicum of fitness to be able to hold on superman style for 45 minutes. The Mantas are huge and magnificent. Best experience ever!

Breathtaking experience with family

Phil_D, Jul 2023

These are truly amazing creatures! Thanks to everyone at Hawaii Oceanic(Melissa, Capt. Shawn, Andrew, Ake -sorry if I spelled it wrong) for making this experience awesome from start to finish! Recommend 100%!!!

Amazing

Jessica_L, Jul 2023

Amazing experience! Very friendly staff. Jeff, Eric, Ake and Melissa were amazing. We went on a 9 pm excursion, and it got chilly toward the end. Highly recommend this company.

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