Manta Ray Snorkeling By Night In Kailua-kona, Hawaii

This was an unforgettable experience! I appreciated how safely and quickly our guide got us out into the water to see the Manta Rays! They were so magical! We saw a lot of them. It was really neat to see them swim around and spin in circles while they fed and you could see underneath them. I highly recommend this company.

I would highly recommend Eka Canoe Adventures! I had such an amazing experience on their manta ray tour last year that I had to come back again. Paige, Koa, and Chayden really enhanced the experience. Paige was super sweet, ensuring my mask was secure and assisting me with boarding the canoe. Koa was very knowledgeable about the rays. I told him that they were my favourite sea animals, and he went above and beyond to educate me. Koa’s calming demeanour and lifeguarding background were very reassuring. Chayden is a fantastic captain. He did a great job navigating the waves and was very personable and easy to chat with during the boat rides. I had the opportunity to snorkel with many manta rays that swam right up to me. I highly recommend a manta ray snorkelling experience, especially with this company!

Eka Canoe was really great! The canoe we go out with is beautiful, the guides are amazing and the experience itself is out of this world! They do recommend to get motion sickness meds before if you might be prone to it and I would recommend it too. If the sea is a bit agitated that night, you might be glad you took it

Absolutely awesome! We were lucky enough to have several manta rays show up, and they seemed to love our group because they stayed with us nearly the entire time we were in the water. They swam incredibly close, even brushing against my wife and I over and over again! Truly gentle giants and such amazing creatures. We’ve never experienced anything like it — definitely one of the highlights of our trip! 🌊🤙

Super awesome experience! Guide & Captain was enthusiastic during the tour and very informing on safety and names of the Mantaʻs. Will do this again!

So excited to do this. Unfortunately, the mantas were shy on our trip. Did not see any, but the experience was still amazing. My husband and I enjoyed every minute. The canoe ride was amazing and the crew was very helpful and entertaining. They offered us to come back since we didn’t see any. Which I thought was very nice. We were flying back to Oahu the next morning so we couldn’t come back, but they told me they would honor it for our next trip out. Still an amazing experience for us. Loved the smaller boat. There was other companies out there with boats and a lot of people packed on them. So being a smaller boat made it more memorable. We will for sure go back on our next visit to Kona.

It was a great experience to go out on a Canoe to see the Manta rays. We were unfortunate to see the Manta rays one night, but they were very accommodating to rebook our experience and get us on another trip quickly. They were also accommodating in allowing us to rebook at a later date which worked great for one of the guests in our party. They were really nice and it was enjoyable if you are looking for a smaller group to see the Manta rays. They hook up with others so that we could make it possible for everyone out there to see as many Manta rays as possible. You are in the water for about 45 minutes which is enough time to see them and learn a little about the Manta rays.

What a great experience! The communication and meet up instructions were super clear and helpful. The only thing we didn’t know in advance was that they had a dry box handy for cell phones (we ended up leaving ours in the car so we got no pics!). We were informed in the booking and with the waiver that everyone needed to be an independent summer, and that is true for this boat. One of our favorite things was the simplicity of the Hawaiian style canoe and just jumping straight into the ocean. We had our 11-year-old with us, and she did great. All the boats from different companies go out to basically the same spot, so we saw other folks walking off big boats gradually into the water, but we loved our splash off. And we saw the rays! And when I say saw, I mean they were right underneath us. What an awe-inspiring experience. Our guide and boat captain were helpful, laid back, and friendly. It didn’t feel like a tour but an experience, which I really appreciated. Definitely recommend Eka Canoe for no-frills but all the wonder and awe.

Night snorkel with mantas = highlight of our trip! Loved the canoe experience , small group setting, and super seamless tour. Captain and guide were both knowledgeable, friendly and accomodating. Eka's Manta guarantee is for real! We missed mantas our first night and Eka made it super easy to rebook, and it was totally worth it.

Loved this Manta Ray experience. We were in a canoe which made it special. When we first got there we saw one Manta Ray and then they disappeared we were almost done after much time and no sighting and our crew extended our time a bit and then the magic happened. Several manta rays came up and almost kissed us. All 9 of us had a great time.

We loved going with this group because it was small, chill, and laid back. Everyone goes to the same area and even tends to tie their floats off together. But we loved the simple small group feel during the beginning and end of this trip. Saw lots of rays!

Amazing experience snorkeling with the manta rays. Eka Canoe did an amazing job taking care of us. We went out one night and the manta rays were not cooperative and we didn’t see any. Eka Canoe was on the phone the very next morning rescheduled us for another night free of charge. Went back out and we were able to see several rays doing summer salts so close one actually brushed my wife’s arm. They are a small boat only taking 10 or so people at a time so they can pay more attention to each customer if the need arises. Great experience definitely recommend.

My son, lifelong best friend and her family all did this tour. We will do it again every single time we come to Hawaii again, NO DOUBT. It is a the coolest and MOST exhilarating thing all of us had ever done. They are so beautiful and majestic and so close to you. Seriously life changing. Don’t miss this!

We were truly in awe of these majestic animals. Nakoa and Chayden were excellent guides. Looking at pictures of manta rays cannot prepare you for what it’s like to be in the water with them. We loved it so much we went twice in the same week. Would definitely recommend the experience and going with Eka Canoes.

Very professional, organized, knowledgeable and kind. It was an amazing experience swimming with the Manta Rays.

This was a really unique and cool experience! The captain and guide were friendly and well-informed. It was nice that we were able to go on a traditional double-hulled canoe and that the tour company is locally owned and operated, rather than a franchise. They also offer smaller groups, which is more enjoyable! We had no idea how close the mantas actually get to you! If you love experiencing nature, you definitely have to do this tour!

This was a great experience for first time experience. Love the interaction with the sea life in a safe environment will always remember how much fun we had on this trip. Many thanks to the crew for this amazing experience.

We loved our manta ray snorkeling with Eka! We took our kids ages 5, 8 and 9. It was cold but they were patient with our kids and we saw some amazing manta rays barrel roll right in front of us! My kids are so proud of themselves and still talking about the experience. We chose Eka for 4 main reasons: 1) you ride in their traditional Hawaiian double-hulled canoe; 2) small group size of 12 or less; 3) timeframe (Eka provides 1 hour tours and where they launch is just 5 minutes to the snorkel site. Any longer would have been too cold for my kids—and me!); and 4) they take an ethical and safe approach, following "look but don't touch" guidelines. Highly recommend!

This was a truly amazing experience. An evening we will never forget. From the booking on the telephone with a lovely employee, to the constant communication and efficient check in. The boat crew were fabulous and informative and the entire experience was incredible. We could not believe how many Manta's we saw right in front of our faces....LOVED IT - A MUST DO TOUR WITH THE BEST TEAM

We had an AMAZING experience tonight with Eka for the night manta ray snorkel. This was my first time snorkeling and my first time in the water at night and to be honest I was scared, all of the crew were extremely professional, reassuring, and made it an absolute incredible experience I will never forget. 5 stars! I will definitely do this again and recommend kids to older adults to do this. The small intimate group size made it very enjoyable.

This was incredible! They were organized a K d took great care of us. Felt very safe! The manta rays come right up to your face. Don’t miss this experience. Eka was great!

I had such a hard time choosing which Manta Ray Tour to go on. In the end I chose Eka because I felt it would be a more authentic experience. I'm glad I chose Eka. They are a smaller business and I like helping the little guys. All the tour boats go to the same exact spot and they will also all hook up with one another once one group gets some Manta action. I really appreciated how it wasn't a competition out there. All the groups just want you to see what you're there to see and they all seemed to know each other really well and work nicely together. Our group was the first to find the Mantas and the last to get out there, so the other groups hooked up with ours. We were also out there on our own for a little since Eka does go out a little later than the other tours, so had some quiet with the Mantas for a little. It was a truly amazing experience. Loved every second.

Small group, took us right to the rays, easy on and off the boat, excellent knowledge

We had a wonderful trip and the mantas were amazing! Great service, patient staff. Family friendly! Would definitely recommend!

It was an amazing experience!! We were given very good instructions on where to meet and what to bring. My sister was very nervous about it and Nicoa was so kind and helpful to her. We liked that there were only 12 of us on the excursion so we got a lot of personal attention. We saw so many manta rays and were told many interesting facts about them. We highly recommend this company for your manta ray snorkeling experience! (We walked to this destination from our hotel and forgot our gratuity. Is there someway we could mail this to him)?

I took my 10 year old son on this adventure. We arrived just before the start time and Nikoa got us checked in with a helpful rundown on what to expect. The captain’s briefing was similarly thorough: you’re going to see manta rays; hold still and don’t touch them. We set off on their Moana-style traditional Hawaiian canoe and we were at the dive site within 3 minutes. We all got in the water — and then out of the depths came enormous manta rays, one after the other. It was mesmerizing and almost spiritual. I give EKA my highest recommendation. The price was fair, the team was professional, and the experience was extraordinary.

Wow! What can I say?! This was an absolutely amazing experience! The manta rays came right away and passed us again and again. The guides were knowledgable and knew the rays by name. Some tours a slightly longer, but this was the perfect amount of time. Eka canoes use smaller vessels that can pull up close to the light bar.

The experience was super! Our tour was moved up but I would reco going at sunset. It was beautiful! The mantas came right away and swam so close to us. The tour was great. There are a lot of other boats in the same area but it did help to be on a small boat with a small group to make getting in quick and set up easily.

After speaking with friends I was told that I overpaid. It is for a short time, the light attractors are small and the staff spent much of their time talking to each other rather than paying attention to their clients and my arm was injured.

This was a great experience! The staff were calm, friendly and very accommodating to everyone’s needs and concerns. Loved that it was a small group. We toured at 6pm and witnessed a gorgeous sunset as well. I highly recommend!

We had a fabulous time on the Kinikini! It is small, intimate, authentic. Our crew was friendly, helpful, made sure everyone was safe & had a good time. Not the normal tourist boat with 50 people on board. And the crew loves what they do and cares about the history and ecosystems of the area.

Super fun evening! And loved that this tour was just over an hour. Smaller boat. Fewer people. Same amount of water time. Worth the extra cost.

This was an unforgettable experience and do much fun! I appreciated the small group size and how much time we were able to spend in the water. Our guide (Nakoa) was so helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you for one of our favorite experiences in Kona!

It was an unbelievable experience. The manta rays were shockingly stunning! Must see! You don't need to be the best swimmer to participate.

It was amazing. First off, to add to the experience we got to go on a canoe (you don't have to paddle it has a motor) but it adds to the experience and you have a smaller group of people. Our water expert was amazing. Once in the water it took a while to find the manta rays, but our water expert didn't give up. Moving us across the water by himself a raft of 10 people until he found them (Way to go Rob!). The experience was amazing and would do it again!

Put this on your bucket list! Such an amazing experience watching the ballet of the manta rays right underneath you. Gentle giants performing acrobatics. Nakoa and Jaden were great as our tour guide and captain. We had the coolest of all the boats. I highly recommend Eka Canoe Adventures

On our Manta ray tour we were swarmed by jelly fish and we were stung badly. Our captain and tour guide ended our tour early and got us out of the water after it was announced that box jelly fish were present. My dad age 55, started having pretty severe symptoms from the sting about 55 minutes after getting stung. If this would have happened while in the water without a life jacket... I worry he could have died. Our guides were great and Eka canoe offered a partial refund. However, After this experience I would reccomend booking with a company that offers FULL BODY wet suits, life jackets, and a diver that checkes out the water before getting in. I know the tour company cannot control jelly fish but they could have taken better precautions. Eka canoe does not offer life jackets or a full body wet suit.

Had a wonderful experience with Chaden and nickcoa They both showed great hospitality and respect I have recommended them to multiple family’s especially the special tour with the double hull motor powered canoe’s felt like I was in the Moana movie.

What an incredible experience! The canoe style boat felt more authentic and I appreciated the spacious room in our seats. Our group had the pleasure of seeing many manta rays! Our captains Chayden & Koa were fantastic, which made the experience even better. Both were very polite and helpful during boarding. They were personable and remembered all our names in our large group. Their knowledge about the manta rays was very educational and I learned some new facts. I had an absolute blast and would definitely recommend!

We had an incredible experience with Eka! The small group size was perfect and made the whole tour feel personal and relaxed. The boat was very cool, and the crew was fantastic—super friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. We were in the water with the manta rays within five minutes of leaving the dock, and it was absolutely magical. This is a must-do experience, and I wouldn’t go with anyone else but Eka!

I was most impressed with the crew member who stayed in the water with us as we held to the floating raft. He was endlessly patient with fetching pool noodles that came loose from our legs, and he had an intelligent answer for all my questions about identifying spots on the mantas, gestation, lifespan... When clients are a little trepidatious as I was, the crew's sureness and geniality went a long way. This is a safe exploratory trip that doesn't impinge on the animals' welfare but features the thrill of wild creatures just inches away. What a well-run company!

This was an amazing experience. We experienced a short cruise on a double canoe. Then we watched the Manta Ray feed on tiny plankton right in front of us.

One of the best choices I made was taking the tour with them because they keep the groups small. That made it so much more comfortable, personal, and we had plenty of space in the water. It also gave us a better chance to see lots of manta rays up close. I honestly felt like I was in a dream — such a once-in-a-lifetime experience

Amazing experience, an absolute must do when visiting Hawaii. The Eka Canoe guys were helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Manta rays were respected and all the guides are mindful of their welfare while keeping guests safe. Perfect balance of professional and laidback charm. We loved the canoe boat too!

I cannot express how incredible this experience was for us. I had originally reserved with another company, but when that fell through, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. Choosing to go on a canoe rather than a boat was magical in itself—but pairing that with a local company, a crew of inspiring and helpful young adults, and then the manta ray experience—wow! Truly beyond words. It felt like we were on Moana’s boat, visiting Grandma Manta Ray. This was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and this is absolutely the company to do it with. I have no investment in sharing this except for the fact that it was so incredibly perfect. I will be back to Kona to do this with my family.

Had a great experience with manta ray encounters. Never quite ready to understand how this experience could be !

What a bucket list AMAZING experience. I was nervous about swimming out to the board and they were so encouraging and helpful! They bring the board within 3 or 4 feet of the canoes and you jump in with a pool float. We saw soooooo many mantas! They continuously swam within inches of us. We could not have asked for a better experience. The staff were so nice and friendly. I love that the ride out is only a few minutes. The wet suits kept us warm and were comfortable. I would highly recommend eka canoe! The other companies had TONS of people and we had only 12 and it was a much better experience.

Great experience and staff. We loved the tour atmosphere, friendly staff and watching the manta rays. It was a unique experience.

This was a really cool experience! Definitely recommended. The crew was very friendly and focused on safety as well as many awesome views of the Manta Rays. I would do this same tour with Eka Canoe again and again.