read more, We went on the manta ray night time snorkel and really LOVED it. The crew and team were great/ I had 6 kids ages 5-10 and they did a great job and were very accommodating and helpful! 2001-2022, VELTRA Inc. All Rights Reserved. Multiple sea turtles and lots of beautiful fish were spotted. Most of the tours take place at Manta Village, Keauhou Bay with boats departing from Keauhou Bay and Honokohau Harbor. 20-25 manta rays consistent for about an hour in the water. Recommend for everyone ages 5 and up. Great captain and crew with Hang Loose Boat Tours. Then several more Mantas joined us. Meet crew under the pavilion. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Get a good arm work out. It was really cool to see so many Manta rays up close, Captain Jacob and Alaeo were amazing. Don't miss a Hawaii Manta Ray snorkel if you have the chance. When we first got in the water, it was thick with plankton. Easy to book. Each different boating company has their own color, so we could easily keep track of our own group. I may have had a camera setting wrong, or there just was not enough light. This experience requires good weather. I'll break down the trip a bit below for those interested, but the bottom line is that I unreservedly recommend booking this tour--it should not be missed. My husband two sons granddaughter and myself had one of the best adventures. We were very fortunate on our Hawaii Manta Ray snorkel. A year to remember! Watch these massive and graceful animals up close as they come out to play and feed on microscopic plankton. The staff really took great care of us and took lots of photos on and off the boat which was a big plus! On this particular night there was over thirty individual Mantas counted, a record number. Captain Simon and his crew are nailing it. If its canceled due to poor weather, youll be offered a different date or a full refund. Bonnie & Dave, Boise, ID. The lights attract the plankton, and the plankton attracts the mantas. Enjoy this amazing opportunity to see manta rays up close. Man, the mantas are so fascinating. Our crew guides were the best! CAPTAIN, OWNER/LEADER, PHOTOGRAPHER, and ADDITIONAL STAFF: In a word, outstanding. The team was amazing, and even took pictures. The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers questions. The mantas were absolutely stunning and amazing! We happily purchased the photo package and are thrilled with the shots captured. If you get seasick don't go, so much waves. If youre worried about them hurting you, theyre harmless and they dont have stingers. Our Hawaii Manta Ray snorkel was truly a sublime experience, one of the most amazing snorkeling adventures we have ever had. Im terrified of the ocean bur would recommend this to anyone. After turning into the harbor, TAKE the very first road to the RIGHT. Practice with a mask and snorkel at a beach or pool before this!!! That is the plankton. And then it happens. The hot chocolate after we got out of the water was the perfect touch. Captain Bambi and Mason were knowledgeable and took us to see the parrots and goats while we were waiting for the sun to set and mantas to come out. Book your manta ray night tour early as they sell out quickly. Make time to do this. The manta rays were majestic and the guides were helpful and fun. Experience a once in a lifetime encounter with giant manta rays, an experience you can only find in Hawaii on the Big Island. BOOKING: We booked over the phone the day before our tour; luckily, there were still a few remaining spaces. The Manta Ray snorkel experience was AMAZING! Snacks (chips, granola bars, rice krispies, and fruit snacks), Snorkel with these mysterious and elegant gentle giants, Please bring a swimsuit, change of clothes, towel, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, long-sleeve jacket or sweatshirt and motion sickness medicine (most effective taken the night before and the day of tour at least an hour before the scheduled tour), If Manta Rays are not spotted on your tour, you will receive another cruise free (no refunds), You can rent a GoPro (subject to availability). MUST HAVE PREVIOUS SWIMMING AND SNORKELING EXPERIENCE OR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN THE WATER!!! And the plankton is attracted to the light. One lady had never snorkeled before and was kicking and panicking instead of laying flat . Definitely book t morehis tour!!! Q:What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Night Manta Ray Adventure on the Big Island, Hawaii? We would do this again. PS The Bluenose Whale that breached out of the water near us was a BONUS!! Find the best deals and discounts on manta ray night snorkeling in Kona. Ask Angie B about Iruka Hawaii Experiences. There was a bit more talking from the captain than we expected. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund. Thank you so much for making our trip a memorable one. Cut-off times are based on the experiences local time. Super organized and made sure everyone was doing great. There was so much new and foreign in this entire experience that my mind went kind of numb and quiet, and I found myself just staring. in Zurich & Berlin. It is a lifetime opportunity to see giant manta rays feeding and interacting with other ocean creatures up close. Then the mantas left and we sat there looking at plankton for 20 minutes. 3. Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour (Top 10 Best Things to Do Big Island), Big Island tours & activities, fun things to do in Big Island | HawaiiActivities.com The manta ray night snorkel is one of the most popular things to do in Kona and is only possible in a few places in the world. The manta ray night snorkel is one of the most popular things to do in Kona and is only possible in a few places in the world. Christmas 2021! There were a number of the bigger females that had wing spans about 16 feet across, several of which that were pregnant. Enjoy a magical moment at night with manta rays gracefully gliding through the water. Tour guide had some jokes and so did his crew. All necessary equipment will be provided for your excursion, as well as light refreshments and snacks to enjoy on board. one of our favorite things we did on the Big Island. No heart problems or other serious medical conditions, Subject to favorable weather conditions. more, Review collected in partnership with this attraction. -Maureen & Sammy. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experiences start time. Definitely an experience I recommend. 30 minutes is too long. Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. I cannot stress this enough - do not skip this experience and make sure to do it with Hang Loose. While the videos I got came out pretty good, the pictures I got were terrible. Yes, join Big Island Divers for a manta ray night dive on SCUBA. Everyone should try this at least once. You may wish to turn up your speakers. Bring a towel and dry clothes to change into and be prepaired for the experience of a lifetime. Already this is really starting to feel like an alien experience. 5. With the exciting guidance of Kodi I was able to overcome my fear of the ocean (or more specifically sharks) and make great memories. The Manta Rays were feeding heavily. When do you ever see that? Thank you, Hang Loose! Essentially, the dolphins were spotted, we jumped into the water, and then looked down and hoped the dolphins would swim our way. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded. They were so accommodating and fun. Yuriko, the owner, is a pro--took excellent care of the entire group. Manta Ray night snorkel is a must-do while in Hawaii. It was truly awe inspiring to see these incredible creatures so close you could touch them although we know thats a no no. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. BOAT: No frills, but completely comfortable for this day trip. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. I always felt safe, that the Skipper had my back in the water and he always knew where we were. Summer Vacation in Hawaii! You don't have to be a good swimmer to do this though. The only place to snorkel with mantas is on Big Island. Best night ever! Very frustrating!! If you are staying in Waikoloa, Kohala or Hapuna, it is recommended to book a tour departing from Honokohau Harbor. Seven or eight different ones! Swimming in the dark, in open ocean, with a hundred people with glow sticks on their snorkels was a completely unique experience all by itself. Hang Loose has a nice little tour with a payoff of coming within inches of these enormous beauties of the ocean. We participated in a lot of activities while visiting over the week and this one by far was the highlight of our trip. Highly recommended. That got my heart pounding. Your guides will begin your manta experience with a thorough explanation of everything manta. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. We were able to focus on the wonderful display from the rays under us. All Rights Reserved, Visitor Manta Ray Night Snorkeling Stories. The most manta's I've ever seen and certainly the largest who came right up to the top of the water and to our light!! This is a MUST do! I see a movement coming out of the dark. Yes, although very minimal snorkel effort is required, you must be familiar with and comfortable using snorkeling equipment. They also provided water, soda, juice and snacks. Led by a local guide, youll take a short cruise out to the manta site, where youll watch the beautiful Hawaiian sunset before dipping into the water to watch the manta rays up close. I was truthfully too distracted to figure it out. We are told that the babies are born like burritos, with their wings wrapped around them in a cocoon. No issues. Felt like in a different world. Snorkeling with manta rays is a must-do while in Hawaii! We saw a lot of manta rays and the ride to and from the manta ray location was lots of fun- the crew played music on the boat and there were so many stars in the sky! My friends and I had a great experience with Hang Loose Boat Tours! 1. We were told not to miss this and we're glad we listened. We saw a lot of mantas right away, but 2 families ruined it. Definitely recommend!! MUST BE comfortable in the water, be comfortable using floatation if needed (we have Ride Along option available for non-swimmers), Must be in good health and fit condition, must be able to climb a short ladder. The crew was friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. Definitely want to bring some warm clothes for after like they say to, gets pretty chilly. We would definitely do it again on our next visit here and recommend this tour group to our friends back home. This business uses tools provided by Tripadvisor (or one of its official Review Collection Partners) to encourage and collect guest reviews, including this one. They appear genuinely excited for each encounter, and have names for most of the Mantas. 6. Hang Loose provides wetsuit jackets, life jackets, pool noodles and all the snorkeling gear. The crew was so fun and helpful. The success rate for manta ray sightings in Kona is very high, in the 90-95% range. Our tour accommodated both Japanese and English-speaking guests seamlessly. Return to read more of our Sublime Snorkeling Incidents, Copyright 2006-2022 Galen Piehl & Nicole Atkins Watch these massive and graceful animals up close as they come out to play and feed on microscopic plankton. Dont do this if you are not a good swimmer. It exceeded our expectations. This is one of the few places that can give you the consistent experience of multiple manta rays making repeated passes right under you in an unforgettable encounter. And there were many more of the smaller males that had wing spans from 8 to 10 feet. Thanks to them I had one of the best experiences of my life. While the captain was nice, he never explained how to use the pool noodles to keep legs up (dangling legs scare the mantas) so part of the issue was the lack of explaining that piece. But by an hour later, there was a noticeable reduction. When do you have the opportunity to lie comfortably in the water and have these gorgeous, majestic creatures fly by you and even touch you with their wings? 4-stars, because while the ride was good, the mooring was a bit rough, due to a rough swell. Hawaii Activities is a registered trademark of VELTRA, Inc. surfboard really attracted the mantas, and the pool noodles helped keep our feet up. This was our first family vacation to Hawaii as well as our first time snorkeling! The Captain and Skipper were a great team and we completely enjoyed ourselves! Capt Simon was pretty funny and I'm sure some of his banter was just time filler while the crew was getting chores done, but stillmore sitting and listening than I expected. Felt safe and enjoyable. And a huge winged creature suddenly flies up out of the depths right toward us and then starts to turn big circles in front of my face, getting as close as a foot away. Your shoulders will get tired! Call our local Hawaii specialists for any questions about our island tours and activities, Read the Frequently Asked Questions or send us an inquiry. Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. 2. Then as I looked down, my mind started to really lose it's grip on reality. After a safety briefing, gear up with the snorkeling equipment and wet suits provided. Excellent crew and amazing experience swimming with the fishes. It felt like we were on another planet, in another world. Finding out exactly where to go was maybe a tiny bit tricky but it certainly worked in the end. It was so exciting to see the Manta Rays up close and personal. It was super fun!! Q:What is the policy on sanitization during Night Manta Ray Adventure on the Big Island, Hawaii? This is not the type of tour for learning how to snorkel. This was an experience I will forever remember. And there was also about fifty divers on the sea bottom, all with handheld lights. If its canceled because the minimum isnt met, youll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Adam & Caption John took care of me, I was seasick the whole time. Please consider that you are going into the ocean at night. The manta rays were amazing. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Get a good arm work out. Your tour will conclude at its original departure point. Recommended experiences in and around Oahu, Boat Tours, Dolphin & Whale Watching, Nature & Wildlife Tours, Parasailing & Paragliding, Scuba & Snorkeling, Water Sports, Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing, Waterskiing & Jetskiing, Bar, Club & Pub Tours, Scuba & Snorkeling, Boat Tours, Private Tours, Scuba & Snorkeling, Dolphin & Whale Watching, Swim with Dolphins, Boat Tours, Shark Diving, Water Sports, Night Tours, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Kayaking & Canoeing, Adrenaline & Extreme Tours, Shark Diving, Skydiving, Private Tours. It seemed completely respectful and non-threatening.