Kona’s Best Manta Ray Night Snorkel Small Group Experience

It was very user friendly but the directions to the boat pickup need some work. Maps don’t work well

We had an amazing time! It was so cool to see the manta rays and a few sharks too. Jacob was a fantastic guide. We’d absolutely do this again!

This was by far one of the best experiences ever! The mantas came so close to us and seemed to “perform” with rolls right underneath us! I was thrilled with the experience and our guides, Carmella, Kristen, and Alexis, were fantastic. Kristen was a master at maneuvering the rolling ocean that night! This is a must do activity!

I wasn’t sure what to expect but this adventure is 1000/10! Highly recommend and it will be a highlight of your Hawaiian vacation! The boat ride was thrilling, the nighttime “swim” was remarkable. You won’t have a better crew than Alexis, Raechel, and Emily! We learned a ton about the area and manta rays. We say about 3 manta rays. But just being in the water at night was worth it! So if you don’t see any manta rays which is possible it’s still a fantastic experience! I would definitely book again! I would also say this should only be for good swimmers! Anytime you are getting in the ocean- know how to swim. Your panic and fear puts everyone at risk! Friendly reminder. Bring some cash to tip the crew! They are worth it and work hard for you to have an excellent experience!

It is 100% worth every penny and way better in person than you can even imagine!! The all woman dream team of Christine, Sara, Alexis and Carmelle were amazing, attentive, funny and professional. Loved every second of this experience. Manta Ray's were literally kissing us with 5 seconds of entering the water.

Amazing once in a lifetime experience. Admittedly I was a bit worried about being in a dark ocean at night or getting motion sickness (which I get easily) - but ultimately neither was of any issue. Our tour had just about 10 people, which was wonderful because it wasn't overly large or cumbersome. Our crew were helpful & friendly. We especially enjoyed Cody's knowledge of the rays as we were swimming. Our group was small and chill & Cody took great care to keep her fins out of the water so as not to disturb the rays. For most of our tour we were the only boat where we were & it was peaceful. Other boats showed up and wanted to link up - they were a totally different vibe. Much more loud & party, and their guide kept her fins in the water which deterred the rays from swimming nearby. We very much enjoyed the smaller, more quiet group. If you get motion sickness, take a dramamine beforehand. I did and had zero issues. I was super nervous beforehand, but it all went away once that first ray showed up! Truly magical! Don't skip on this tour!

Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Corey, Karen, CJ and Noel were friendly and professional and it was very apparent how much they love these magnificent creatures. They educated passengers about the mantas and how to interact with them respectfully. The boat was spotless and we had dolphins jumping off the bow! Fresh pineapple on the boat was much appreciated and a warm shower rinse after was a great touch. The number and closeness of manatees was something I never would have imagined. An unbelievable memory for me and my daughter. Mahalo!

The trip was rushed. We did not get to see the mantas. Seemed that the guides focus was cranking through back to back tours. They did offer the option to go another time but no trips were available during the rest of our stay. It was pricey for the short excursion. Our group of 8 was very disappointed. I think the 90% chance of seeing Mantas is not accurate.

A fantastic experience using Coral Reef expeditions! A smaller group experience is the way to go. Alexis and Cody were amazing! We got into the group area where the Manta’s were swimming before everyone else. An up close and personal experience. I highly recommend them all the way!

We were in Kona for a business conference with customers and business partners that we all consider friends and family. We had heard this was a good tour to see the Manta Rays and had swam with sting rays and dolphins before. But I can’t express enough how Amazing this was!!! We were the last boat out for the night (strongly recommend that time) and was the soul boat out at midnight. The rays are such a magnificent animal as the grazed across our bodies! Oh and we say a few sharks on the bottom of the ocean too. I’m sorry I can’t remember our 2 crew ladies but they were excellent captain & guide. DO IT!

My son and I attempted to do this tour in October of 2025 but no mantas showed up. We were offered a rebook but we were leaving so that wasn't possible. Upon returning in June of 2026 we were given our rebook. By doing the 8:30 tour it was dark drivring out and back. This time the mantas arrived and put on a show. They swam under us and did several barrel rolls inches from our faces. It was truly a magnificernt experience. The only negative was all the yelling and hollering coming from other boats. Our guide indicated that other tour operators encourage the yelling and hollering by telling their guests that the mantas like the noise. Not sure I believe that. It made a very serene mystical experience sound like a football game. Our tour operator was great and very safety conscious. Cody knew so much about the mantas and shared that with us. A tip for folks who get cold easily buy some dive pants for your bottom half. They go on and off easily and help you stay warmer.

YOU MUST DO THIS if you visit Kona! This experience was truly unbelievable. Cody, Cooper, and Jeff were amazing guides and the small group atmosphere was perfect. There were other groups in the water but Coral Adventures was personal and thoughtful. They knew so much about the Manta Rays and it was without a doubt an experience we will never forget.

This was an incredible experience with wonderful guides. Highly recommend! Make sure you have a dry towel to stay warm on the boat ride back!

Great team working the tour! The Manta Rays are so graceful and beautiful! Fantastic experience and highly recommend!

Great friendly crew, educated, organized. We saw a ton of manta rays. Incredible experience - would do it again!

The highlight of my trip! Alexis and crew was amazing! A must do if visiting Kona. I had the best time.

This was the most amazing experience ever. Our guide Carmelle was amazing and so knowledgable. She answered all of our questions. We got to be in the water for an hour and saw dozens of manta rays swim up to us and eat the plankton. 10/10 recommend.

Having done this before we were disappointed with this experience. The manta rays were awesome as ever but the experience on the boat was lacking. The captain Jeff seemed to be phoning it in. The ride was unnecessarily bumpy given the calmness of the water. Speed seemed the numer one priority over passenger comfort. I was truly worried it might be dangerous to my spine. Most people we were near on the boat were also complaining. Next time I think I would choose a boat closer to the manta ray location.

Let me say first it's not the fault of the crew for the rough seas and no manta rays showing up except for one at the very, very beginning which swam away when some dolphins appeared. The captain, Erika and Kenny were fantastic, supportive and caring! The 10:30 pm snorkel ride to the site with a party of 8 was terribly bumpy on the motorized craft. Because I sat in the back, I actually loved it and found it exhilarating! But my brother and his wife were left to seat towards the front on a thin cushion over a metal bench. They were hanging on for dear life as they were tossed and bounced about. When we hit one particular huge wave, my brother was thrown a foot up into the air and came crashing down on the seat. The pain went from the base of his spine all the way up to his neck, At 63 he was not injured but his wife at 53 was a little bruised. They were able to get into the water to the lighted platform. I, at 76 completely and severely underestimated my ability to swim in the ocean at night, snorkel and to relax and lie prone. Erika quickly got me back to the craft where upon I heaved over the side my dinner. Ten minutes later my brother and his wife came aboard with their arms aching and unhappy with no manta ray sightings. Then one young lady from the much younger remaining group returned and promptly got sick over the side. I followed her and quickly lost my Happy Hour drink and meal. The captain reassured us all a free return tour any time in the future. Our names would remain in their system. The ride back was pretty bad with the seas even rougher. We all were bouncing everywhere. The young people loved it. As we left the craft, we overheard the captain summarizing the trip to her crew, "Well, that was bad." We tipped them big for trying and dealing with us ol' foggies.

If you find yourself on the Big Island of Hawaii, put your faith in Captain Alexis, Caleigh, and Kenny to show you the most epic excursion you can imagine. The size of these majestic gentle giants is mind boggling and they are just inches away from your face. I've traveled the world for 25 years and this is a Top 3 experience for me.

Some an awesome trip!! Cody, Eliza, and Jeff we outstanding!! Cody said on average they only see about 3 Manta Rays, but tonight we saw at minimum 6 and 1 reef shark! This was an amazing experience! Would for sure do it again! Loved the small group size. It was my family of 5 and 2 families of 4.

This is an experience of a lifetime! There are probably dozens of places offering manta ray snorkeling and if you're reading this, you're probably wondering which one to book with. I'll save you a lot of time -- this is the one! From the time I booked to the end of our excursion, Coral Reef Adventures was professional, friendly, fun and made each step perfectly clear. They communicate clearly about when to meet, where to meet, what to bring (and not bring). Our guides (Jake, Kenni, and Jeff) made sure everyone was such and had the time of their lives. It was about a 20 min boat ride for us and we spent at least 30 minutes in the water and saw a good number of manta rays that would come so close, it was breathtaking. All gear is provided for them (wet suit, snorkel and mask, flotation). Just bring your swimsuit and a towel and you're good to go.

Alexis, Kayla, and Teddy made this a remarkable experience. The boat ride was fun, but getting to be with the manta rays was a highlight of our trip. Kayla had great commentary and guided us into a safe and respectful experience with these majestic creatures. Thank you for a wonderful night.

Amazing experience! Did this with my husband during our honeymoon and I would absolutely do it again and recommend it to anyone! We saw so many manta rays and even a shark!

Amazing experience with Cody and Jacob. 1st class knowledge and a wonderful experience! Would strongly recommend to do while In town you will not be disappointed. Do the 7:15 tour.

The best experience. We did a day snorkel and like them so much we went back for a night Manta ray dive. Alexis, Cody and Daniel are amazing ! I rate beyond 5 stars !!

Amazing experience - we did this a second time in our life - last time was 10 years ago. Now we brought our kids (7 and 11) to share this with them - and it was well worth it! A bit on the extreme side for the younger one - but she managed and it was a great adventure for the four of us. The Coral Reef team took us out on a speedboat - they can pick between two manta sites depending on the abundance of mantas - the boat ride was 10-15 mins and an experience in itself. They took great care of safety and we got our our wetsuits, snorkel gear and it did not take long for the mantas to arrive. The kids later admitted they thought they’d be smaller. But „Mom, they were as big as a car!” Big thanks to Cody our guide, to Alexis our captain and the lifeguard (sorry - cant recall your name 🫣) fir taking great care of us and for making it all an unforgettable experience.

First, we say lots of Manta, and it was incredibly cool. We took the late night 9:30 slot with a family of 11. Absolute blast. They were running behind as the seas were rough. They communicated very well with us. Our Captain ALEXIS was phenomenal: calm, collected, professional, and witty. Checking in on some folks from our group who weren’t doing so hot was appreciated (I was busy enjoying the moonlight boatride). DANIEL our “Mermaid” (pulls the raft around and provides some commentary) was intelligent, mellow, and high spirited (despite the fact I could tell he was tired, this was their third trip of the night). NIKKI the gear meister on land had an absolutely garbage attitude, I don’t think I can describe how rude she was without curses, which wouldn’t allow this to be published. They had all been pulling a long day, but NIKKI was obviously the only one letting it get to her. As a customer service human myself, I think you can tell I only got on here to give props to the team members who deserved it (ALEXIS AND DANIEL), and call out those I think should probably take a vacation or find another profession (NIKKI). Apologies for the negativity, but gosh dang did our mood improve once we hopped on the boat. 5/5 would go again what a ride.

An absolutely insane adventure. Definitely one of the coolest things I have been lucky to do! The team was incredibly nice as well!

Fantastic night time tour with Cody, Cooper and Jeff! We did the starlight tour and saw six manta rays, dolphins and a shark! Family friendly for my 10 and 12 year olds and very informative. I chose this company for the small group size and less crowded water for their tour times. Would recommend! Highlight of our trip!

I can’t recommend this team enough. We hoped to see a few Manta Rays and ended up seeing over 30! The team was just great. Definitely recommend the small boat experience. A must do!

My son and I took the Manta snorkel with Coral Reef Adventures. This was my 4th time with the company. I realize the operators bought the name from the previous owner with whom I had done 3 trips to see mantas before Covid. This experience was very very different. First thing that was different was we were not offered a full wetsuit...only a jacket. Before we had full wetsuits. Also there wasnt a 'ring' of boats with everyone in their own spot above water like before. There was a lot of current and then the guide was pulling the light raft all around trying to find mantas. This motion combined with the current made it difficult to hold on. After a bit serveral of us were hanging on for dear life by hooking our arms around the hand hold with head above water. It was very painful for our arms. I wasn't sure I could hang on. There were no mantas.....I get that....they are a wild creature. We were offered another booking but after that experience I had to say not this time. We only had another day in Kona and they didn't go out the next few days. They said our names would remain in the system so we could come back anytime. I may try again at a different time of year. This experience was scary and painful. None of my three other trips were like this so don't know if it's the company or just the way they all do it now ie with no 'ring' of lights.

AMAZING!! We saw about a dozen rays. One came right up to our group and did 3 rolls within inches of us. Best excursion ever. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and gave us all sorts of information on the rays behaviors and habitat. FIVE STARS!!

There were 13 people on our boat, 9 of which were a family. One of them was smoking a clove-smelling cigarette. Being that I’m allergic to smoke I asked the “leader” if they were aware that someone was smoking and that it was offensive to me. They said that they’d say something, but never did. The man literally had his smoke in his mouth until up to boarding the boat. It was very off putting (especially after I got a headache ) The ride was enjoyable; but unfortunately, we didn’t see any mantas. I have to say- I’ve been on at least 3 other manta ray snorkels, and this one fell short. The best part of the experience was Jacob (our guide in the water). He shared a lot of good information about manta rays. One other point to consider (especially if you don’t have strong upper body strength): you will be required to have your arms outstretched in a “Superman” type of way while floating and hanging on to the surfboard while in the water, for 30 minutes. This can get a bit uncomfortable. The next day we woke up she side shoulders and arms! A disclosure about this ahead of time on their website would have been a good idea! Sodas were served after the excursion. I guess the one positive thing is that they offer people the opportunity to come back as many times as they want (free of charge) if they don’t have a manta sighting. My recommendation would me that if seeing a manta is high on your list while visiting the island, that you book it earlier in your vacation so you have time to go again if you desire. We went on our last night on the island so we didn’t have the option of trying again.

Oh amazing!! Don't think just do it! I would go again for sure! The staff is great and the experience well well worth it. 👍👍🤙🤙

A once in a lifetime experience! Cody was cool pointing out the constellations and visiting dolphin families. Got us there safe and sound. Lots of Mantas swam right up to us! Amazing experience! Thank you Coral Reef Adventures!

This experience is epic. It's so worth it. These giants will shock you and stun you with their grace. They are so incredibly beautiful. You just have to do it

Once in a lifetime experience...do it! I will remember this forever. The crew was amazing, Alexis, Daniel and Faith were so much fun! Alexis, you had us laughing the entire trip! The Manta Rays were spectacular, they swam around us staying inches away!! Apparently, Kona is one of the few places in the world where you can actually snorkel with the Mantas. Coral Reef Adventures was first rate...highly recommend, we will book again with them.

We heard that a manta ray swim was a must-do, but this experience exceeded all expectations. Truly remarkable, with so many manta rays, so up close, that I quickly lost count. Erika has an encyclopedic knowledge of manta rays, absolutely fascinating. Maianna and Jeff were so kind, funny, and helpful. Thank you for gifting us a memory our family will never ever forget!

Was an amazing experience! We had about 10 mantas with us and they came right up to us! The crew were all super nice too. I was a little surprised that the boat was a zodiac so had to sit on the pontoon edges which was scary as it went so fast and was bouncing around. At the same time was exhilarating and the stars in the sky beautiful. Being that close to the gentle giant rays was a privledge

This is the best experience I've ever had. The crew was so kind and knowledgeable. The mantas were amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The crew was amazing! The fantastic vibes and information about manta rays was abundant! Saw eight manta rays up close - great night out on the ocean!

Amazing experience and great crew of women! Clear and easy to follow direction so everyone feels comfortable and safe in the water. The boat ride out and back was so mich fun. Would book with this group again for another tour.

An amazing experience if you are in Big Island. Shout out to Cody, Jeff, and Eliza for the fun experience! Definitely a must do!

Way exceeded expectations and enjoyed by everyone , guide were exceptional, would do again next time on the island

Most amazing experience ever!! Definitely recommend our guides! Shout out to our guides Jeff, Erika, and Kody!

This experience is incredible!! Away from the crowds! We felt like we had the ocean just to our group!! They knew the spots and the Manta Rays that frequent the area!! Knowledgeable about them and very accommodating!! I had a bad knee, diagnosed bone on bone and they were very understanding and kind!! Even though it was very choppy water, they allowed me to take the time needed to hobble up the stairs and back into the boat. I truly appreciate the team! Go a little later, we booked an earlier trip and only saw one Manta Ray, but saw it several times!! I can’t say enough good things about this company and crew!!! Relaxing, amazing experience! Thank you!!

Amazing experience. The crew was awesome. Jake and Cody and Jeff were awesome guides. We learned so much about the manta rays and they came within inches of us. A must do while in kona. We enjoyed the smaller boat with less people and a fun ride.

Do not miss doing this excursion. We had Manta Rays turning upside down under us, almost touching us. Jacob, Cody and Jeff did a great job. Very informative.