Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour in Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Big Island of Hawaii, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Swim with manta rays on this group tour from Kailua-Kona, or if you don’t feel comfortable in the water, you can view them from a floating mat. All passengers will have the experience of feeling the presence of these wild manta rays. After your swim/ snorkel, you’ll have hot cocoa and snacks provided to warm you up.
- Easy to find departure point
- Snorkeling equipment is provided for you
- Free Go Pro photos are not guaranteed and trip dependent
- Tour for around 2 hours, then the rest of the evening is free
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Wet suits are available for rent $10/adult and $5/child.
- Free Go Pro photos from our crew - Trip dependent/no guarantee
- Air-conditioned vehicleAvailable upon transportation request
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Iruka Hawai‘i Dolphin and Manta Tours74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
Iruka Hawaii Dolphin & Manta Tours Slip A-17 Honokohau Small Boat Harbor 74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy Kailua-Kona HI 96740 USA Please meet us at the Iruka Hawaii booth located at Slip A-17 at the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor for check-in. Check-in starts 30 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven
2
Kailua-Kona
3
Island of Hawaii
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Wild animal sightings are natural and cannot be 100% guaranteed
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Adrianne_S
The crew was beyond amazing. The crew was hilarious, helpful and made the experience better than we could have expected! We saw several mantas, Diego pointed out the names and how to tell the markings that lead to them being named. Our youngest son and my mom stare on the boat with Captain, and we’re able to see them from the surface. Everyone was amazing, the experience was a bucket list item for me! I highly highly recommend this company! I had originally booked somewhere else and then changed to this one- so happy I did, best decision this trip! If you have any doubts or are nervous don’t be this crew explained everything, made sure we were safe, it was very organized and went really well. Thank you for the amazing experience!
Reviews
4.8
based on 450 reviews
Kristin_P, Jul 2026
What an amazing experience to see these majestic creatures up close! Our tour crew (Diego, Maddie, Ryan and Captain Trevor) were the best!
Kendra_G, Jul 2026
Excellent experience and talented crew. The captain was great - she got us right to the spot to set us up for an excellent manta sighting and even stopped on the way back to point out the MilkyWay! Wow! What a special experience. The crew and guides were knowledgeable and very helpful. Even with a big group - the experience was excellent!
Sandy_C, Jun 2026
Amazing trip and experience! The mantas were so close! Finding the meeting point was the only issue…right side of harbor.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your review! We're so glad you had an amazing manta ray experience and got to see them up close. Mahalo for joining us!
Abigayle_W, Jun 2026
Very organized and an amazing experience. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your kind review! We're so glad you had an amazing experience and appreciated our friendly and helpful crew. Mahalo for the recommendation!
Jerad_M, Jun 2026
Brought my pregnant fiancé and they made it super easy and fun.
Thankful for the experience and the careful attention form
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for joining our manta ray snorkel tour! We're so glad our crew was able to make the experience easy, safe, and enjoyable for you both. Mahalo for joining us!
Monica_V, Jun 2026
Wonderful experience! I was scared at first (night snorkeling in the ocean) but the team and captain were extremely supportive and knowledgeable about every detail. I would highly recommend this excursion, plus they took awesome videos of the mantas! We immediately saw 1-2 mantas and a total of 4 by the end. It was as beautiful! After mantas, the captain shut off all lights on boat and let us see and admire the beautiful night sky! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your great review! We're so glad our crew helped you feel comfortable and that you had such an amazing manta ray and stargazing experience. Mahalo for joining us and for the recommendation!
Crystal_L, Jun 2026
This was our second manta ray night snorkeling trip. The first trip was July 2025 with our daughter (and a different charter company). We were excited to share the experience with our 18 year old son because the first go around was SO good. What a disappointment. First off this company charges you for wet suits and life jackets on top of what was already paid. We opted to go without since we are decent swimmers and knew what to expect. Then they have you board a small boat stuffed with people and a very disorganized crew. The one female crew member kept walking over us (more like on us) literally. 2 or 3 mantas came near us, I’d say about 15-20 feet within the first 10min. All the mantas were hanging out around the other charters because they had much better lights w/float boards. We were literally hanging onto pvc that was zip tied to a surfboard that had holes drilled through it for the lights to sit in. We could hear all the other charters screaming and having a good time their crew was telling them facts about mantas, mean while we had one adolescent boy holding the line so we wouldn’t all end up bunched up against to boat. It was almost humorous how bad it was. I assume we were not the only people disappointed. We were one of the last groups to disembark the vessel and the tip jar was empty. We left a tip regardless, because the young boy Jack was working hard. Will never book with them again.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, we’re sorry to hear your experience didn’t meet expectations. We do work with wild animals in their natural environment, and conditions and sightings can vary from night to night. That said, most guests do have a great time on our boats, and we truly value all feedback. Please contact us at (info@hawaiidolphin.com) so we can look into this further and make it right. Mahalo.
Richard_C, Jun 2026
Great trip, our crew Nick, Madi and Lena were great and very helpful. Amazing to see these huge creatures up close.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your kind review! We're so glad you had an amazing time and enjoyed seeing the manta rays up close, and we'll be sure to pass your shoutout to Nick, Madi, and Lena. Mahalo for joining us!
Elisabeth_S, Jun 2026
There is a reason that night snorkeling with manta rays on the Big Island is considered a bucket list experience... it's nothing less than MAGICAL! Don't get into your head about jumping into the ocean at night... honestly, I'm terrified of deep, dark water. This didn't scare me in the least, though! I found myself to be almost blissfully relaxed... and so did my family (including our 8 year old!) If you're on the fence... just book it and get out there. You won't regret it!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your amazing review! We're so glad you and your family had such a magical and comfortable experience with the manta rays. Mahalo for joining us and for the recommendation!
Abhijit_V, Jun 2026
Great experience all the way, knowledgeable team which guided us to the perfect spot, and helped us all the way from start to the end of the trip...got to see several manta rays, shoals of fish and harmless sharks as an extra treat!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad you had a great experience and got to see manta rays, fish, and even sharks along the way. Mahalo for joining us and for your kind words about our team!
Steven_H, May 2026
This was by far one of the most amazing experiences me and my family have had. Night snorkeling with manta rays is truly an unforgettable experience. The crew: Lena, Diego and TrevoRRR were incredible and top notch. Don’t look any further and book with Iruka!
They provided help to anyone who needed it and made sure everyone was safe on and off the boat. The hot chocolate, soda and snacks were a big plus. Also, the GoPro photos and videos they provided (Thanks Diego) was a great added bonus. At one point there were 7 Manta Rays swimming by our group. Great job by the crew with keeping us close to the manta rays. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting The Big Island!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Aloha, thank you for the amazing review! We're so glad you and your family had an unforgettable manta ray experience and that our crew helped make it special. Mahalo for choosing Iruka and for recommending us to others!
Faith_M, May 2026
Diego and the team were so amazing !!! The manta rays come up right to you!
We had an incredible time!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Thanks for joining us on our Manta Ray tour! We are thrilled to hear that you got to see the mantas and liked our crew! Come again soon! Mahalo.
Natalya_N, Apr 2026
This was truly one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. Night snorkeling with manta rays is something so unique and unforgettable—it’s hard to even put into words how incredible it felt to watch these graceful creatures glide right beneath us in the dark ocean.
What made the experience even better was how professional and attentive the guides Lena, Madi and Tamae were. They took the time to go over the snorkeling equipment and provided extra help to anyone who needed it, which made everyone feel comfortable and confident before getting in the water. Throughout the tour, they were extremely attentive—making sure everyone was safe on and off the boat, and checking in regularly while we were holding onto the floating platform.
Their care, organization, and genuine enthusiasm really stood out. I felt completely safe the entire time, which allowed me to fully relax and enjoy the experience. The GoPro photos and videos they provided were such a great added bonus—an awesome way to relive the experience afterward.
Highly recommend this to anyone visiting—absolutely unforgettable!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so happy Lena, Madi, and Tamae helped you feel safe and comfortable so you could fully enjoy such an unforgettable encounter with the manta rays, we truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Adrianne_S, Apr 2026
The crew was beyond amazing. The crew was hilarious, helpful and made the experience better than we could have expected! We saw several mantas, Diego pointed out the names and how to tell the markings that lead to them being named. Our youngest son and my mom stare on the boat with Captain, and we’re able to see them from the surface. Everyone was amazing, the experience was a bucket list item for me! I highly highly recommend this company! I had originally booked somewhere else and then changed to this one- so happy I did, best decision this trip! If you have any doubts or are nervous don’t be this crew explained everything, made sure we were safe, it was very organized and went really well. Thank you for the amazing experience!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so happy Diego and the crew helped make your bucket list experience so fun, safe, and unforgettable while you got to see the manta rays up close, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Anna_B, Apr 2026
Really fun and amazing! staff were friendly. Glad we were in the sunset tour and not later so we could see where we were jumping into water. The Manta rays were amazing to see!!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray sunset tour with us, we are so happy you had such a fun experience with our friendly crew and got to enjoy the manta rays in the beautiful sunset light, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Avery_S, Apr 2026
We saw a couple of Mantas, they were basically trained to be there, but cool to see. The atmosphere was weird, though. One party group, a lot of people who could barely swim, and the tour leader making inappropriate jokes with kids on board and enouraging it to be a loud party atmosphere when I would have expected a bit more serene - would not reccomend for families.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that parts of the experience felt uncomfortable and not in line with what you were expecting, especially regarding the onboard atmosphere and communication from the crew. We take concerns about professionalism and guest experience seriously, and we will be addressing your comments with our team to ensure clearer expectations and a more appropriate environment for all guests moving forward. Mahalo.
Shaylah_S, Apr 2026
Awesome experience! Tip, go restroom before you check in. Immediately put into wetsuit. Pack dry towel for after mantaray swimming!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray tour with us, we are so glad you had an awesome experience and we appreciate you sharing these helpful tips for future guests, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Alejandro_G, Apr 2026
One of the best experience in Hawaii, the crew is super friendly and they delivered what they promised…lots of mantas.
Truly amazing, 10/10
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so happy you had such an amazing experience and got to see so many manta rays with our friendly crew, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Lisa_M, Apr 2026
This was a great experience! We went on the one 3/31 at 830pm!!!!!! We saw lots of cool stuff and even saw a shark.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so happy you had such a great experience and got to see so many amazing marine animals including a shark, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Meredith_G, Mar 2026
The crew was fantastic with my 10 year old who is a strong swimmer but still got a bit disoriented.
The water was cold, I recommend renting the wet suit. And, when you get out of the water, take it off immediately to help yourself warm up.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our tour with us, we are so glad our crew took great care of your 10 year old and helped make the experience safe and comfortable for your ohana, we appreciate you sharing your helpful tips about the wetsuit and warming up afterward and hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Katie_C, Mar 2026
This is a once in a lifetime experience. The rays come within inches under you. They really are gentle giants. You do need to be able to comfortably swim over to the platform and it’s the Pacific Ocean at night so be prepared to hold onto the floating platform for 30 minutes and to be able to lift yourself up the ladder with the boat rocking from side to side in the waves. But the crew is super helpful and the experience is the best. Also: spend the $ to rent a wet suit or bring one if you own one. The water is chilly at night. And they have prescription masks for those who are nearsighted. Awesome touch!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad you were able to witness the manta rays up close and appreciate how amazing and unique this adventure is, and that our crew and gear options helped make it more comfortable for you. Come back soon for another unforgettable night on the water mahalo.
Laura_K, Mar 2026
The crew, especially Maddie were terrific! I don’t have much snorkeling experience and I have never snorkeled at night, There’s not a lot of actual snorkeling so, it was easy. I would recommend it for people of all ages.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad Maddie and the crew made you feel comfortable, especially for your first night snorkeling adventure. Come back soon for another easy and memorable trip mahalo.
Ty_M, Feb 2026
Awesome, unique and special experience. The manta rays come within inches of you while feeding on plankton. The guides are professional and informative.
Water temp was 78 Fahrenheit and the air was 75 Fahrenheit…bring towels sweatshirts and a blanket for the ride back.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray tour with us, we are so happy you had such a unique and special experience getting up close with the manta rays and that our guides helped make it informative and enjoyable, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Dan_D, Feb 2026
If their is only one activity on the island that you have time for this would most definitely be the one! A once in a lifetime experience doesnt even begin to describe it! Absolutely breath taking! The entire crew was outstanding and extremely knowledgeable. I only wish that would have been able to stay in the water longer than 45 minutes.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so happy to hear it was such a breathtaking once in a lifetime experience and that our crew made it even more memorable with their knowledge and care, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Kelly_G, Feb 2026
It was amazing. We saw numerous fish, dolphins and manta rays. The crew were so patient and gave clear explanations and expectations. The price was right. Get a wet suit. Only 10 bucks.
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so glad you had such an amazing time seeing dolphins, manta rays, and so much marine life while feeling well prepared by our patient crew, we appreciate your helpful tip about the wetsuit and hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Patrick_M, Feb 2026
Easy and simple to get the the vehicle! We were running really late for pick up but it was not an issue at all!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray night snorkel tour with us, we are so glad the pickup process was easy and that our crew was able to accommodate you even when you were running late, we hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Cindy_B, Feb 2026
We finally did the tour after 2 rebookings, due to strong ocean conditions. You have to be able to swim, as you’re jumping into the water from the boat and swimming out to the platforms. Definitely take anti nausea medicine and rent/bring a wetsuit. The Manta Rays are beautiful creatures are glad we experienced them!
Response from Host, May 2026
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our manta ray tour with us, we are so glad you were finally able to make it out and enjoy such a memorable experience with the beautiful manta rays, we truly appreciate you sharing your helpful tips and hope to welcome you back again one day, mahalo nui!
James_K, Jan 2026
Boat was comfortable and crew was well experienced and made it a safe a fun trip. Saw plenty of manta rays. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Aloha! Thank you for joining our Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour in Kailua Kona on the Big Island. We’re so glad you enjoyed the comfortable boat, experienced crew, and amazing manta rays. Thank you for choosing Iruka, mahalo!
MaryEllen_R, Jan 2026
We were able to see Manta Rays swimming and feeding. The crew took care to instruct us appropriately and keep us safe. It was an amazing experience.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Aloha! Thank you for joining our Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour in Kailua Kona on the Big Island. We’re so glad you enjoyed seeing the manta rays swimming and feeding, and that our crew helped keep you safe throughout the experience. Thank you for choosing Iruka, mahalo!
Elizabeth_H, Dec 2025
This is a once in a lifetime must do experience. I am so grateful to the crew for being so kind. I missed the 5:30 tour and they bumped me to the 7:30 one for free, and they were so kind about it. 100% recommend this company and the crew (Trevor Diego Eric and Maddie).
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Aloha! Thank you for joining our Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour with Iruka Hawaii. We’re so glad Trevor, Diego, Eric, and Maddie could make your experience smooth and memorable, even with the schedule change. It’s wonderful to hear you had a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We hope to see you back for another tour soon! Mahalo.
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