Jeremy Maldives
Swimming With Manta Rays In Kona Hawaii – This is one of those wonderful experiences that is very special to the Big Island. We depart from the Puako boat ramp (about 10-15 minutes from most hotels in the Waikoloa area). It is a short 10-minute boat ride from the Northern Manta Viewing site. After anchoring in a beautiful cove, we’ll tell you how to behave in the water, what to expect, and fun facts about Manta rays.
We step into the water and see these incredible Manta Rays feeding on plankton. These harmless and eager creatures feed under bright lights, and in the water with a guide, you will witness this amazing phenomenon beautifully and safely. Watching these incredible creatures close enough to kiss them several times in front of you is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Swimming With Manta Rays In Kona Hawaii
We cannot guarantee the existence of Manta rays as they are wild animals. We see Manta Rays more than 90% of the time. If for some reason you can’t see these animals on your trip, we offer “come back free”. “Come Again Free” tickets are distributed daily at 15:00 at the Standby. It is on a first come, first served basis. We are unable to offer refunds as it costs money to run this tour.
Manta Ray Night Snorkeling Guide: What To Expect (a Thrill)
Suits are provided. Please include your height and weight information so we can pre-determine the correct size for your garment. Costumes are not required but highly recommended. Drinks and snacks will be waiting for you on the boat on your return. We want all snorkelers to know how to swim. Unfortunately, we don’t offer an “observer” fee, but you can buy a full-priced ticket and possibly see manta rays from the boat. We have a 48 hour cancellation policy. Any cancellations or reservations must be made 48 hours before the departure time of your planned trip.
Our minimum requirement per tour is 8 guests and our maximum requirement is 18 guests. We highly recommend the earliest departure time, but the chances of seeing are the same on every trip. When our normally scheduled trip is full, we open the secondary Late Night Manta Snorkel. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call our office.
We want everyone planning to go into the water in the snorkeling part of this activity to know how to swim. If there is any confusion during the discussion regarding this requirement, please contact our office immediately. Manta Ray Night Dive/Snorkeling off the coast of Kona, Hawaii is definitely a to-do list attraction. It made several lists, including CNN’s 50 Best Dive Sites, National Geographic’s Top 10 Things to Do in Hawaii, and PADI’s 5 Best Places to Dive with the Manta Rays.
If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, your question is definitely not “how fun is swimming with manta rays” but “how scary is it?” I am here to answer this for you.
This Is What It’s Like To Snorkel With Manta Rays At Night In Hawaii
I consider myself quite an adventurous person. My sister once accused me of not knowing the meaning of the word “afraid”, but I don’t know if that’s entirely true. I snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef and scuba dived in the Caribbean. I went down a volcano on Maui, climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and pushed myself off a cliff in New Zealand. I took a flying lesson in Pittsburgh where I was allowed to fly the plane. I boarded a doorless helicopter on Kauai, boarded a floating plane in Alaska, and even jumped out of a really good plane in Austin, Texas.
I couldn’t find anything that claimed it was dangerous to swim with manta rays that night, but still, a part of my brain was like, “Do you really want to go to the ocean in the middle of the night?”
Before I experienced manta rays, I had quite a few questions that I was trying to find answers to. Now I’ll answer a few to help you decide if the manta ray night snorkel is right for you.
Our boat was still down when it left for our adventure. It was dusk when we arrived at the manta ray area, so it wasn’t exactly midnight as I had expected. Regardless, the water looked pretty dark. This was partly due to the depth of the water and partly due to the lack of sunlight above it. There were already many boats there, and many more were following us. They all had bright lights.
Kona Diving Ecoadventures
Jumping into dark water at night wasn’t as scary as I expected. I think it was mainly because of the number of people and lights surrounding us.
He was part of our family of three tour group. The mother and daughter entered the water and the father had no intention of leaving the boat. When we got back on the boat, I asked him if he had seen manta rays. He said he could see it as he neared the surface.
My advice – get in the water. Even on a night with many manta rays, the experience will not be the same if you stay on the boat.
I couldn’t answer in a few simple sentences. Instead, I wrote a separate article that will help you choose the most suitable option for you.
Must Do In Hawaii: Night Time Snorkel With Manta Rays
Yes. There are two main spots for night swimming with manta rays. One is close to the Kona Sheraton and the other is close to the airport. The tour company I used went to the airport site.
As you can see in this photo, the shore is not far from where the boats anchor. However, the airport area has a rocky coastline, so don’t expect to swim at the beach.
The Sheraton advertises that you can see manta rays from the shoreline most nights, so I’d probably expect boats to anchor not too far from shore as well.
There’s no way to know for sure. Manta rays are wild and not forced to be there. Some nights there will be lots of manta rays and other nights there may be none. This is one of the most magical aspects of seeing them in the wild rather than an aquarium. Many tour companies will rebook you for another tour or give you a discounted price for a second try if you don’t have manta. Be sure to ask this before making a reservation.
Healthy Ways To Explore The Big Island Of Hawaii
If the swimming conditions are not safe, the tour company will cancel the trip. Keep this in mind when booking. Don’t plan it for your last day in Kona in case you need to reschedule.
Yes! I did not expect that. The accumulation of plankton around the lights also attracts other fish. They are small compared to manta rays, but large compared to the colorful fish you usually see when snorkeling around corals.
I have snorkeled many times and there is usually a “shark talk” before getting off the boat. Something like this happens: “Sometimes we see a shark in our swimming area. If you see a shark, stay calm and keep your distance. He doesn’t care about you. Don’t panic and don’t start killing, or you’ll get his attention.”
This trip was different. Sharks were never mentioned or mentioned. This leads me to believe that sharks are never seen, or at least very rare, in this region.
Hawaii Big Island
NO. Manta rays are not harmful to humans. Unlike their relatives, the stingray, manta rays do not have spines or stingers. It can’t bite you. You also don’t have to worry about being bitten. Manta rays are filter feeders. They swim with their mouths open and gather plankton, which are microscopic organisms that live in the sea.
If you’re lucky enough to spot manta rays on your journey, you’ll see the barrel spin as they swim past you. They only swim forward, not behind. Because they are filter feeders, they learned that the fastest way to get through the lights, where all the plankton gathers, is to swim in circles.
Yes. Normally, scuba divers try not to touch the seafloor. Their goal is to survive objectively. They don’t want to sink or rise to the surface, they want to stay at the depth at which they’re swimming. This is an exception. Scuba divers on manta ray night dives like to sit on the seafloor to avoid accidentally bumping into a manta ray and injuring it.
Visibility is great. From the surface, snorkelers can see the divers and their lights sitting on the bottom. Because it’s dark outside, it’s difficult to see manta rays when they’re not in the light of a group of snorkeling or divers.
Swimming With Manta Rays: Tips & Photo Guide
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