Summon your courage and plunge into the waters off Kailua-Kona to swim with manta rays. During this 2-hour tour during sunset or after dark, slip on the provided wet suit and snorkel gear and follow your expert instructor into the water. Watch as the enormous vegetarian animals, some with wingspans of 20 feet (6 meters), swim in graceful loops around you, taking in clouds of plankton for their evening meal. All gear and light snacks and refreshments are provided. Choose between sunset and evening snorkel tours; manta ray sightings are guaranteed or you can do a second outing for free.

Swim and snorkel with docile, graceful manta rays
Snorkel gear and wetsuit provided
Snacks and refreshments
Guaranteed manta ray sightings or come back for free

What's Included

Snacks
Snorkel Gear, Flotation Devices
Wet Suits

Gratuities
Towel and Warm clothes such as sweater or windbreaker.

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

74 Kealakehe Pkwy
74 Kealakehe Pkwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
HONOKOHAU HARBOR. Our system will text you directions 1 day before so you have detailed directions of the meeting location. Manta Boat #1 and Manta Boat #2 depart in slightly different areas.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
Weight restriction: 265 lbs
Please wear a swimsuit
Not wheelchair accessible
Bring a towel

Bring warm clothes to throw on after snorkeling (it can get chilly on the return ride)
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travellers can participate
Pregnant women are NOT permitted on this tour.
No children under 5 years of age
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travellers

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 cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

Featured review

Spencer_M

Chris and Bubba were incredible tour guides. Welcoming, authentic, funny, informative and down to earth. We came face to face (literally inches away at times) to 6 mantas that stayed by our raft the whole time we were in the water. (30 min). Other boats in the area were struggling to find and view a single manta ray, while we had a whole group of them to ourselves. Bubba claimed he knew how to find the right spot better than anyone and he backed up the claim in full. Easily one of the most intense, visceral and exciting experiences of my life. Every single person in the group of 14 that went could not stop talking about it afterwards during the ride back and even in the parking lot after the tour. Collectively we were all on cloud 9.

Reviews

4.5

533 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 533 reviews

Great time!

Teresa_S, Sept 2023

They did a great job. Just very hard to find. Need better directions since GPS had us going the wrong way. Asked a local hiw to find you and that's hiw we made it to your establishment.

Night Manta snorkeling trip

Barry_R, Sept 2023

Wonderful adventure. Scott and Trevor were awesome. Exciting trip with many Manta’s swimming around and barreling so close in feeding that I thought for sure that we would be touched by them. I’m so glad I choose Iruka for this wonderful, memorable adventure.

Memorable night!

Christiane_L, Sept 2023

Fantastic experience. The crew worked extremely hard to give everyone a good time while protecting the animals and keeping g everyone safe. Thank.you for a memorable night! Future participants - go for the purple light.

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review. We really appreciate it. So glad you had a wonderful time on the manta ray. 😊

Amazing experience

Michelle_B, Sept 2023

Beautiful ride out as the sun was setting. Definitely exceeded my expectations. The manta rays were out in full force. It was so amazing to see such a huge animal be so graceful so up close. They were absolutely beautiful to watch. Our tour captains were knowledgeable and felt very safe with them. Would definitely do it again. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Wow thank you so much! What a compliment ❤️

Great tour

Herlinda_C, Aug 2023

It was amazing. We really enjoyed the tour Every body very nice and profesional Diego was really kind

An absolute MUST DO!

Steve_C, Aug 2023

Tamae, Diego & Louis were wonderful hosts! This is an adventure of a lifetime! We recommend this epic experience, to have the gentle giants amongst us swimming right in front of us! Tamae will provide pics for you of your adventure. Don't miss out on this! Aloha!

The best Manta Ray adventure on Big Island

Brian_S, Aug 2023

Always an amazing sunset adventure with the Manta Rays. This was our second time with Chris And Bhudda for a reason. They are going to ensure you have a safe and sublime experience with nature. Don't waste your time looking elsewhere, book with Chris and Bhudda.

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Thank you Brian for joining us again for the manta boat :) You should be sick of us by now......or maybe we will see you again next year 😊

Great but no video

Stacey_M, Aug 2023

This was the best experience! I only wish we would have gotten the video they said they would send. We tried several times giving them several emails but never received the video. :(

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Aloha Stacey, please call our office and I will put you in contact with the guide. The guides sometimes do this as extra.

Worse could not be

HANNA_P, Aug 2023

There is no story because of your incompetence in giving information and directions. We reached the harbor in due time, unfortunately wasted time trying to find the boat captain and lost the trip. This is my. last day here and if I won’t be able to do the manta ray experience it will ruin my entire vacation. This was my dream and viarie destroyed it

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Aloha Hanna, you actually came to the correct location. you told our captain you were with another company and then left. Not sure if you double booked two different companies. The captain called you and you said you would be going with us. He waited till 7:00 pm and finally had to go. I offered you a free trip on Manta Boat #2 in consideration since you said that was your last night in which you denied. I apologize but we did all we possibly could do to accomodate

Exhilerating experience but choose a boat company carefully.

Susan_B, Aug 2023

While I would recommend this activity, be sure to research the boat you go out on. The one we chose only had the option to jump from the boat; some offer steps to walk down into the ocean. When you jump in the dark, it can be overwhelming. You have to enter the ocean, swim to the light board and hold on for a long time. Then you have to swim back to the boat and hoist yourself up. The ladder to get back into the boat started at water level and you have to pull yourself up wet and with tired arms; my arms were very tired from holding onto the lightboard for so long. Also, we had about 38 people in our group with 5 leaders onboard. I did not feel super safe with that ratio. It is dark, it can get cold. We did have wetsuits, which I do recommend using. Take two towels, one to dry off with and one to wrap up with. The experience overall was exhilerating, seeing gigantic manta rays literally swim by and touch you. Be sure you are physically able to handle it. This particular company offered a snack on the way out but not on the way back. They offered hot chocolate after the swim, but it was literally about 1/3 of a small paper cup. One passenger was yelled at for taking a flash picture on the way back. We were never given any directions about this beforehand. I would NOT recommend this for children. When you are in the water, it is hard to tend to a child whose mask slips, gets cold, or is overall having trouble. In my opinion, this is an adult level activity.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

thanks so much Susan, for your feedback have a wonderful day. 🙂

Manta Rays at night and spinner dolphins at sunset

Anatoli_S, Aug 2023

A lot of fun. In addition to Manta Ray viewing, we watched spinner dolphins on the sunset. Support from the team

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Dolphins too! wow what an awesome night thank you for the revie😊

The True Manta Whisperers

Ryan_M, Aug 2023

The guides were great and we saw 20+ manta rays. Kris and Buddha were knowledgeable, friendly and did not disappoint. Buddha really is the "Manta Whisperer"!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

I love that I have started this whole Manta Whisperers 😂 Its true though....!

Buddha and Chris were...

Todd_C, Aug 2023

Buddha and Chris were excellent. We had 20+ rays looping and right in our faces. Such a cool experience. Epic sunset heading out on the water. 6:30 small boat is the best! Few people and these guys were awesome. Will do it again

Response from Host, Aug 2023

they really are a great team and we are so blessed to have them both! Thank you for the review

Not to be missed!

Elizabeth_B, Aug 2023

Once in a lifetime experience!! Up close and personal with Manta Rays…… spiritual experience for sure.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Elizabeth, the manta rays really are special.

Just Do it!

Tye_M, Aug 2023

Incredible, too many rays to count and a playful dolphin joined in on the fun. Quick 15 minute boat ride out, crew was great.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

I agree.....JUST DO IT! The manta experience may not be allowed for much longer.....same as we are now not allowed to snorkel with dolphins anymore.

Once on a lifetime.

PAUL_C, Aug 2023

Manta Rays everywhere. It was an amazing experience. I want to do it again! It was special. So much fun with lots of time with the Manta Rays.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for the review ❤️

The Perfect Experience

Lydia_B, Aug 2023

What a once in a lifetime experience! Chris and Buddha were super friendly and informed and did an excellent job taking us out in the boat and to the mantas. It was super nice to have the smaller (16 cap) experience, which gave us a really personalized and intimate experience. Compared to some of the other much larger boats, we were able to move a lot more freely to follow the mantas, and at our peak, we had about 5 or 6–other groups kept trying to come see ours! Would highly highly highly recommend for the experience, the safety, and the crew!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Lydia, yes this is Manat Boat #1

Amazing! Don't miss this!

Sarah_B, Aug 2023

Everything about the manta ray experience was outstanding. The crew were friendly, helpful and well organized. We were treated with respect and they were conscientious of the varying skill levels. We were fortunate to see an amazing display of 9 or 10 giant manta rays feeding for a full half hour and the crew were very knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting i formation about the mantas habits and biology. They really know their stuff. I recommend this to everyone, don't miss the opportunity when you are on Big Island.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Wow what a wonderful compliment! Thank you

Grate experience

Roberto_E, Aug 2023

One of the best experience I have, I do scuba, and never see this show on the sea. I high recomended, and the staff are so nice

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thanks for joining us, glad to hear you had a great time.😆

Did not show up and no response; Terribel

Andi_C, July 2023

Normally I would not write a negative comment, but this one was totally terrible; I arrived 30 mins earlier at the meeting & pick up points; But they did not show up until the end. I have called and texted them several times but no reply at all. I also contacted Viator for complain and refund, and even Viator did not respond. Very terrible experience!!!

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