Night snorkeling with manta rays in Kona
Night snorkeling with manta rays off Kona is an evening boat trip to one of two viewing sites on the west coast of the Big Island. After dark, the crew switches on lights in the water, and you float at the surface while manta rays glide below you. You do not dive; these are snorkel tours, and some boats also take guests who prefer to watch from the deck.
Manta rays in Kona are wild animals. Sightings are never guaranteed, whatever a tour name promises. What you can choose is the length of the trip, the size of the group and what equipment is included, from a short-sleeve wetsuit top to flotation and warm drinks afterwards.
Our picks: manta ray night tours
The 75-minute swim is the most compact choice, with a wetsuit and hot chocolate included. The cruise adds boat time and snacks, and the 90-minute snorkel with a lifeguard is the plain, lower-priced start.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Manta ray night swim with hot chocolate
- Wetsuit and flotation
- Prescription masks available
- Hot chocolate and biscuits
A 75-minute night swim with a guide, snorkel gear, a wetsuit and flotation, finished with hot chocolate and biscuits.
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Manta ray night cruise with snorkel gear
- Snorkeling equipment
- Safety briefing
- Snacks and drinks
You cruise out after dark to snorkel or watch the mantas, with gear, snacks and drinks provided. Sightings are likely but never guaranteed.
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Manta ray night snorkel with a lifeguard
- Mask and snorkel
- Dive lights and manta board
- Lifeguard in the water
A 90-minute tour with a captain, a snorkel guide and a lifeguard, plus mask, snorkel and dive lights with a board to hang onto.
Check availability →Manta ray night snorkel tours in Kona
Boat trips, small-group night snorkels and ride-along options off the Kona coast, with live prices and availability.
Snorkeling with manta rays on the Big Island: the tour types
What the manta tours include in 2026.
Classic boat trip, about 2 to 2.5 hours
The most common format leaves a harbor on the Kona coast in the evening. Tours include snorkel gear, a safety briefing, a guide, live commentary on board, snacks and water or juice. Some add a jacket-style wetsuit top and a flotation device for snorkelers. Hotel pickup is usually not included, and the meeting point depends on the option you choose.
Short small-group trip, 60 to 90 minutes
Shorter tours keep the group small and spend less time in transit. Several include a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, a flotation device and crew-operated underwater lights, and some serve hot cocoa on the way back. One night swim of about 75 minutes includes prescription masks, wetsuits and hot chocolate with biscuits.
Longer trip on a larger boat
At the other end, one tour of about 3.5 hours uses a larger boat with a restroom on board and offers a warm freshwater shower after the snorkel, plus a light snack and water.
Ride-along seat
Some tours sell a ride-along option for people who want to come out and watch from the boat without getting in the water. It suits families where not everyone snorkels.
Manta tours compared
Formats in 2026. Inclusions differ by tour and option.
| Format | Length | Often included | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic boat trip | 2 to 2.5 hours | Gear, guide, snacks, drinks; wetsuit top on some | First-timers who want commentary |
| Small-group trip | 60 to 90 minutes | Wetsuit, flotation, lights; hot cocoa on some | Short evenings and fewer people |
| Larger boat, long trip | About 3.5 hours | Restroom, warm shower, snack | Comfort and more time on board |
| Ride-along | As the tour | Seat on the boat | Non-snorkelers in the group |
For most first-timers, a classic boat trip of about 2 to 2.5 hours with a wetsuit top included is the safest choice: there is time for a briefing, and you are not cold when you get out. If you get cold easily or prefer a calmer group, pick a short small-group tour with a wetsuit and hot drinks included. Daytime reef trips are on the snorkeling page.
Manta Village and Manta Heaven: the two sites
Two different places off the Kona coast, not islands.
Manta Village, off Keauhou
The site off Keauhou and Kaukalaelae Point is known as Manta Village. Some tours check you in at a shop before you drive on to the harbor, so read the meeting instructions carefully.
Manta Heaven, Makako Bay
The second site lies in Makako Bay in front of Kona Airport. It is known as Manta Heaven at night and as Garden Eel Cove by day.
Which site you visit
The site depends on the tour and the harbor it leaves from. Check the tour description if you care which one you visit, and plan your drive to the meeting point accordingly.
How the night snorkel works
After a briefing, you slip into the water and hold on to a floating board or flotation device fitted with lights. You stay at the surface, keep your legs still and let the mantas come to you. At least one tour does not allow fins. The wetsuit is the main comfort factor: it is not part of every tour, so check the inclusions.
Rules for you and the rays
Look, do not touch. The state's ocean safety advice applies to mantas as to all marine life: no touching animals or coral, just watching. Practice with your mask and snorkel before the trip, and be honest about your swimming ability; a night in open water is different from a pool. Mantas are not humpback whales, and the whale season from about November to April or May has nothing to do with them; for whales, see the Kona boat tours page.
What to bring
A swimsuit worn under your clothes, a towel, a warm layer for the ride back and seasickness tablets if you need them. Glasses wearers should look for a tour that offers prescription masks.
Manta ray night snorkel: frequently asked questions
Am I guaranteed to see manta rays?
No. Mantas are wild animals, and even tours with “guaranteed” in the name cannot control them. Read the terms for what happens on a night without mantas.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
You float at the surface holding a light board or flotation device, so you do not swim far. You should still be comfortable in open water at night and practice with mask and snorkel first. Non-swimmers can book a ride-along seat where offered.
Is a wetsuit included?
On some tours yes, often as a short-sleeve or jacket-style top. Others make it optional. Check the inclusions of the tour and option you book.
Where do manta tours leave from?
From harbors on the Kona coast or Keauhou Bay, depending on the tour. Hotel pickup is usually not included, so plan how you get to the meeting point and back after dark. For the town itself, see the Kailua-Kona guide.
Can I touch the mantas?
No. Do not touch mantas, other marine life or coral. Keep your hands on the board and your legs still.