Kona’s Best Manta Ray Night Snorkel Small Group Experience

We were in Kona for a business conference with customers and business partners that we all consider friends and family. We had heard this was a good tour to see the Manta Rays and had swam with sting rays and dolphins before. But I can’t express enough how Amazing this was!!! We were the last boat out for the night (strongly recommend that time) and was the soul boat out at midnight. The rays are such a magnificent animal as the grazed across our bodies! Oh and we say a few sharks on the bottom of the ocean too. I’m sorry I can’t remember our 2 crew ladies but they were excellent captain & guide. DO IT!

My son and I attempted to do this tour in October of 2025 but no mantas showed up. We were offered a rebook but we were leaving so that wasn't possible. Upon returning in June of 2026 we were given our rebook. By doing the 8:30 tour it was dark drivring out and back. This time the mantas arrived and put on a show. They swam under us and did several barrel rolls inches from our faces. It was truly a magnificernt experience. The only negative was all the yelling and hollering coming from other boats. Our guide indicated that other tour operators encourage the yelling and hollering by telling their guests that the mantas like the noise. Not sure I believe that. It made a very serene mystical experience sound like a football game. Our tour operator was great and very safety conscious. Cody knew so much about the mantas and shared that with us. A tip for folks who get cold easily buy some dive pants for your bottom half. They go on and off easily and help you stay warmer.

YOU MUST DO THIS if you visit Kona! This experience was truly unbelievable. Cody, Cooper, and Jeff were amazing guides and the small group atmosphere was perfect. There were other groups in the water but Coral Adventures was personal and thoughtful. They knew so much about the Manta Rays and it was without a doubt an experience we will never forget.

This was an incredible experience with wonderful guides. Highly recommend! Make sure you have a dry towel to stay warm on the boat ride back!

Great team working the tour! The Manta Rays are so graceful and beautiful! Fantastic experience and highly recommend!

Great friendly crew, educated, organized. We saw a ton of manta rays. Incredible experience - would do it again!

The highlight of my trip! Alexis and crew was amazing! A must do if visiting Kona. I had the best time.

This was the most amazing experience ever. Our guide Carmelle was amazing and so knowledgable. She answered all of our questions. We got to be in the water for an hour and saw dozens of manta rays swim up to us and eat the plankton. 10/10 recommend.

Having done this before we were disappointed with this experience. The manta rays were awesome as ever but the experience on the boat was lacking. The captain Jeff seemed to be phoning it in. The ride was unnecessarily bumpy given the calmness of the water. Speed seemed the numer one priority over passenger comfort. I was truly worried it might be dangerous to my spine. Most people we were near on the boat were also complaining. Next time I think I would choose a boat closer to the manta ray location.

Let me say first it's not the fault of the crew for the rough seas and no manta rays showing up except for one at the very, very beginning which swam away when some dolphins appeared. The captain, Erika and Kenny were fantastic, supportive and caring! The 10:30 pm snorkel ride to the site with a party of 8 was terribly bumpy on the motorized craft. Because I sat in the back, I actually loved it and found it exhilarating! But my brother and his wife were left to seat towards the front on a thin cushion over a metal bench. They were hanging on for dear life as they were tossed and bounced about. When we hit one particular huge wave, my brother was thrown a foot up into the air and came crashing down on the seat. The pain went from the base of his spine all the way up to his neck, At 63 he was not injured but his wife at 53 was a little bruised. They were able to get into the water to the lighted platform. I, at 76 completely and severely underestimated my ability to swim in the ocean at night, snorkel and to relax and lie prone. Erika quickly got me back to the craft where upon I heaved over the side my dinner. Ten minutes later my brother and his wife came aboard with their arms aching and unhappy with no manta ray sightings. Then one young lady from the much younger remaining group returned and promptly got sick over the side. I followed her and quickly lost my Happy Hour drink and meal. The captain reassured us all a free return tour any time in the future. Our names would remain in their system. The ride back was pretty bad with the seas even rougher. We all were bouncing everywhere. The young people loved it. As we left the craft, we overheard the captain summarizing the trip to her crew, "Well, that was bad." We tipped them big for trying and dealing with us ol' foggies.