Our group of 12, 9 high school aged Girl Scouts and 3 adults absolutely loved our night Manta Ray snorkel excursion with Dolphin Discoveries. Sam, Jack and Jake were amazing. This is a just do if you are in Kona. Everyone in our group loved it and is one of those one in a life time events that we will all remember forever. read more

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Capt Rob was at the helm on my trip. Expect a 20 min trip out to the snorkeling site. My party was seated on the right side of the boat as you look from the rear to the front. The seas were rolling but not breaking which made the ride smooth. We were greeted by 5-6 dolphins. Capt Rob slowed down and we got to see them up close. The snorkeling takes place in a nook of a bay that has interesting Capt Cook history. We were in the water for 1 hr and it was something like out of a movie. If you have never swam in deep pacific water you are in for a treat. The color of the water doesn't seem real. My visit was late Aug and the water temp was 81, for reference. Being on the right side of boat back to shore put us up and personal to the cliffs, caves and volcano tubes. Capt Rob maneuvered the boat up to the caves and small coves to explain the history of how this coast was created. My entire family was so pleased with this adventure. Snorkeling at the resorts is fun, but this was great.... read more

Dolphin Discoveries - Capt Cook monument - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Our manta ray experience with Dolphin Discoveries at 8:30 on 7/25/26 was outstanding from start to finish! From the moment we arrived, the team was welcoming, organized, and enthusiastic. Directions were clear, parking was busy but easy (out of anyone's control), and Brayden greeted everyone immediately upon his return from the previous trip. He was confident, professional, and kept the entire group informed, organized, and comfortable throughout the experience. Once aboard, the captain and his female crew member, Brayden and Carlo made sure everyone was safely seated, equipped, and ready to go. The captain operated the boat with confidence and precision, making us feel safe the entire time. I'm someone who gets sea sick very easily, but the trip and a quick 3 min ride out. He positioned the boat quickly and we were in the water within a couple of minutes. In the water Brayden and Carlo constantly communicated, positioning the float so we could focus entirely on the manta rays instead of worrying about other groups or drifting. Brayden was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing facts about the mantas, calling out their names and pointing them out as they approached, and making sure everyone had the best possible view. We never had to think about anything except enjoying the experience with our family. Getting back on the boat and returning to the dock was just as seamless. Within moments of tying up, our shoes were lined up waiting for us, and we were on our way. This is a first-class operation with an exceptional crew. We couldn't recommend Dolphin Discoveries more highly and will absolutely book with them again the next time we're on the Big Island! read more

Never thought I would go out into the ocean at night. Thankfully the boat ride out is barely out of where you launch. The Manta Rays were running into us! Most insane experience ever! You have to knock this off of your bucket list. read more

We had a great snorkel trip with Seth and Addy! They are nice, fun people. Loved the info they provided and I felt they really enjoyed their job. We had to cut our trip short because of a canoe race but it was all good. We especially liked the size of the boat. Not too small that you were bouncing all over but still very intimate. read more

We went with Seth and Addie on June 23rd at 9:30 for the Captain Cook Snorkel. They were both excellent, provided lots of information, we immediately saw spinner dolphins when we entered Captain cook's bay, the snorkeling was excellent, clear expectations and directions. They answered questions and were very knowledgeable. We would definitely go again. Thank you both! read more

We went on the Captain Cook Snorkel trip with Seth and Jack. Had an absolute blast with 4 adults and two kids (7 and 9). They were great guides and were super knowledgeable about the Island and all the fish we saw. They even spotted some spinner dolphins on the way back and stopped long enough to see a couple of them jump and spin right next to the boat. Highly recommend!!! read more

We did a deluxe snorkel with Dolphin Discoveries and had a blast. The staff were friendly, kind, and super knowledgeable about the area and the marine life. I learned a few new facts about the island too. It felt super safe, since we had our 4 children with us. The crew were watching the guests and kids in the water and giving great instructions. It was fun exploring the underwater world. Can't wait to get out there with this team for a Manta adventure. read more

Purchased tickets to the manta ray night snorkel but then got nervous, cuz, what about sharks! Then someone said "they've been doing this for years. If sharks want to eat people they would have!" Anyway that logic calmed me down. I'm glad I did calm down,cuz, it's absolutely one of the best experiences of my life! You check-in at a mall to get ur gear then drive a mile away to The Outrigger Hotel and park on the street. You meet your guide at a boat ramp. They load everyone on a boat and in 5 minutes you are sliding on your butt off a boat into the ocean. You swim two-three paddles and grab onto a floating board with metal handles for you to hold onto and listen up. Your guide and the crew who are expertly trained, get you set up in the water and then bam, a flood light turns on making the dark water ever so bright. You pop your head, with snorkel mask on (TIP: they have prescription masks for us glasses wearing people, so know ur prescription) and then you stare down and all of the sudden these gigantic beings are swimming under you, at you and about an inch from your body. It's both stressful (cuz I was hanging on and trying to get my iPhone camera working) and exhilarating at the same time! I always say to have an animal encounter is one of the best travel moments. And these mantas are unique to the big island. Don't worry they don't bite. You look at them in wonder like a kid, enthralled. The workers kept you safe and are narrating facts the whole time. Before you know it your back on the boat and back at the dock having had the best time. We saw a dozen mantas! Guide said that was a rare encounter. Maybe due to the full moon. Whatever it was it was so magical to be in the water with so many!!!! Thanks Bryce, Nate and crew for the best time! It kind of felt like I was in the water with Navy Seals. I mean that in a good way. I felt they had my back. Anyway, it was the best!!! I had no idea how to work my phone in the plastic with the water cradhing on me but somehow I got a few pics. Something to remember. But I mean the experience alone will stick with me forever! read more

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We did the Manta Ray tour and was less than impressed. Check in was in a strip mall, then told to drive ourselves to the marina, find parking and meet them on the dock. We waited an hour from check in to boat. Saw 2 Mantas and the kicker was we had to pay $32 to exit the parking. read more

I was extremely disappointed with the Manta Ray Night Snorkeling with Dolphin Discoveries. I don't even know where to begin. Several years ago I was on the Island and did the same experience myself and really loved it. So I thought this experience would be incredible for my husband and teens about 7 years later. This tour with this company was not worth the money. I would sadly not recommend it to anyone. 1. They pack a very small boat full of too many people. Some of the companies do have larger boats. I'd look for one of those. The companies with larger boats seem to get better positions and views for their customers. 2. There were 2 guides for like 20 people. The day we went the water was extremely rough and it was a bit difficult to hold on. While I'm a very good swimmer, it felt very unsafe in the dark trying to hold on. 3. There were 2 guides on a very long light board. The guides literally were trying to push all those people through the water, we were not tethered to the boat and the boat was not close to us. If someone had needed to retreat back to the boat quickly it would have been extremely difficult to get there. I consider this a safety issue. Again, there are companies that are not like this. 3. The water was very choppy which obviously the company had not control of, but I don't feel like they took the safety of everyone into account by cramming too many people and not enough guides and not being close to the boat. 4. My snorkel broke in transit. My son's wetsuit had holes in it and he got very cold. Their equipment doesn't seem well taken care of. I feel like this company is taking advantage of the number of people wanting to do this snorkel instead of actually caring about the customer. It feels like a money grab at this point. I paid $500 for the 5 of us for a poor experience. 5. I did not even see a Manta Ray or anything else at all. While I realize this is out of their control and that it's wild animals. But Other groups were seeing them from other companies because I could hear people. I feel like this company was not able to get us to a spot to even see them because they didn't have a good boat. Better companies had better positions. I'm so disappointed in this experience. I've been really upset over it. I feel really taken advantage of at this point. I don't write a review like this unless I felt like I don't get the experience this is in control of the vendor and they provide an horrible experience. I'm really sad. This my Hawaii experience with my teens and one is about to graduate high school and they literally had one job. I felt like I was a number on their boat the way the guides and boat attendants treated us instead of a guest. This can be a great experience. Don't use this company. read more

The manta ray night snorkel was spectacular and the crew was fun! I can't believe how amazing it was to see these beautiful animals up so close and there were so so many on the full moon. Incredible Dennis was super safe with the ride out and the process to get on and off the boat was efficient and quick, all of the guides were friendly and super knowledgeable. read more

Dolphin Discoveries - Manta ray one of many - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Booked the last tour out. You have to check in at the store first, then drive down to the bay for the meet up. Parking near the bay gets crowded. Shout out to Val, Rob and Seth! It's obvious they love what they do. Val was very sweet and caring with assisting everyone from the beginning to the end. Very engaging and informative during the snorkeling. I stayed on the boat while my cousin was out with Val. Rob and Seth kept the boat close enough for me to see the manta rays and hear the group. Was told the water was very cold. It's not cold while waiting on the boat. They have a bin for people to keep their stuff stored and dry. No shoes on the boat. They have a bin for that too. Also no water shoes if you've worn those on the streets/pavement. read more

We did the night manta ray snorkel Good: we saw manta rays Slightly cheaper than some other tours Things I wished I knew: Should have brought my own snorkel equipment. The first googles they gave me snapped at the strap when I tried to put it on. The second one had a valve in front of my mouth that seemed to be faulty and let in water with every breath. I wish I just had the old school ones that are just a tube. Went in January and the short sleeve wet suit top was not early enough to keep you warm. Lots of guests were shivering the whole time. The day we went the water was choppy and we got sea sick while in the water. Also getting jostled around by the waves against your closely packed neighbors was def not serene or magical or "experiencing nature" or anything. Not so fun, when combined with tasting sea water with every breath and being cold. Also they don't tell you before you pay but they give you a pool noodle to help you swim to the floating light and to keep your lower body afloat. If you want a life vest it's $10. So in summary, I think it can be nice if the conditions are right and their equipment works. People told me this is an amazing experience but let's be real and beware these factors that can make it not so enjoyable. read more

We did the manta ray swim and it was fantastic! Seth, Brayden, Addie, and Carlo were friendly, professional and helpful! We got to see at least 5 massive manta rays and it was incredible! The crew kept us safe, informed, and made sure we had the best experience possible! I highly recommend doing the manta ray tour with this company. read more

Had a great time snorkeling with Dolphin Discoveries! The crew was helpful, informative and very supportive. Having never snorkeled before I wasn't too sure what I was getting into but thanks to the crew's friendly attitude and direction I had a GREAT time. Water noodles are provided if you're not a very strong swimmer, we had a wide range of ages/body sizes in our group and everyone had a fantastic time. read more

Aloha, Night snorkeling with the Manta Rays, through Dolphin Discoveries, was the most AMAZING experience ever! From check-in to the boat crew all personnel were kind, caring, and very knowledgeable and informative about equipment fittings and marine life. I would love to give a shout out to the June 22, 2026 7:00 tour boat crew (Jack, Brayden, the captain, ship mate, and other diver. Sorry couldn't remember all crew members names). They all did a wonderful job of explaining exactly what was to be expected while snorkeling, and how to stay calm while the manta rays get up close and personal. Jack and Brayden did an excellent job of explaining the life of manta rays and how to identify each one while we were in the water. A big thank you to Brayden for be encouraging and keeping me calm while in the water. He knew I was a good swimmer, but am very nervous in deep water. Brayden was very good at informing us when a ray was getting close and to just stay still and calm if one were to get too close to our bodies. He did a wonderful job with keeping us safe, informed with marine life, and gave clear directions as to what we needed to do to get in the water, while we were in the water, and with how to get out of the water back onto the boat. Mahalo (Thank you) Dolphin Discoveries Crew for a wonderful night snorkel with the manta rays! I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone that is visiting the island of Hawaii!! It is a once and a life time experience and well worth the money you pay to go on the excursion. read more

Had a really cool manta ray night viewing overall. There were a lot of manta rays, and seeing them up close was an amazing experience. The captain was great! super helpful and clear about the do's and don'ts in the water, which I appreciated. Some of the crew seemed a bit unprofessional at times, using foul language in front of keiki which took away from it a little. But honestly, the manta rays made it worth it. read more

Can't really put into words how enjoyable this excursion was. Coming right out of the harbor to the ray`s location was super convenient, the guides (our guide was Shelley), rocked it and very high energy. The captains were a good time, and everyone was very professional. I would recommend watching the YouTube video about the Manta Ray swimming, because we did NOT, and the whole experience took all of us by surprise. But so cool. This is a must do, but just a word of warning, after 30min holding onto the float board, you will be feeling it the next day, and if you are claustrophobic or get motion sickness, this may not be for you. read more

Dolphin Discoveries - The family on the ramp before we went out - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Thank you Dolphin Discoveries for the amazing manta ray experience! Booking online was easy, and then someone followed up over the phone to provide more details about the experience a month or so before our booking date. Our boat departure at the dock was 7 pm and our check in time at their store (a ~5 minute drive away from the dock) was 6 pm. Try to check in by 6:15 as you still have to drive to the dock, find parking, and walk to the meeting location. At check in they make sure you filled out your waiver online and then they hand you snorkeling gear + a short sleeve wetsuit. I saw some people with a life vest too so I wonder if you could have also asked for one at the store. Then you drive to the dock, find parking along the road, walk to the end of the road where there will be a Dolphin Discoveries sign. Wait there for your group leaders to return from their previous trip to take you onboard. Small bags and personal items can be stowed on the boat and then you and ~20 other passengers are off. They'll drive you out into the water by the Outrigger hotel and then hand you pool noodles before you jump into the water. They'll show you how to get situated in the water holding onto the raft with lights that will attract manta rays. Despite being the end of December, the water really wasn't too cold. While you watch the manta rays, the leaders are in the water with you to help with any issues and to share manta ray facts as you marvel at these incredible creatures. We lucked out and 6 manta rays swam around us for our 40 minutes in the water. It was so cool to see, and I'd highly recommend this activity to anyone coming to the Big Island. Dolphin Discoveries made the whole process straightforward and enjoyable. Pro tip: Be sure to bring a towel to dry you off after you get off the boat and get into your car! read more

Manta ray dive was super fun however I'd like to know why the check in boy is using the list of names on the tour to find our instagrams to follow/message us. Kinda weird kinda creepy kinda gross. read more

We did both a snorkeling excursion and a nighttime manta ray excursion, and it was amazing. The boats were great. The captains were great. The crew was great and we would highly recommend this company to everyone. read more

Great way to end the night! Addie, Seth and Captain Rob gave an unforgettable, and amazing experience. A must do when visiting the Bug Island. read more

I booked the manta ray excursion for my fiancé and two of our friends. There were stormy conditions with very high winds and waves/swells. We thought the excursion would likely be canceled. It was not, but probably should have been. There was a high wind warning, a high surf advisory, and a small watercraft advisory. After getting to the dock and seeing the waves and boat, my fiancé decided not to go. Myself and our 2 friends decided to still go. We were the only boat out there. The staff did a good job with keeping us safe. It's a short boat ride, but was still sketchy in those conditions. We did get to see beautiful manta rays, but it was sometimes hard to focus on them when you were struggling against the waves and losing the floaty under your feet. It was also cold. The short sleeve wetsuit doesn't do much. Under good weather conditions, this would still be an amazing once in a lifetime experience. In this case, we should have had the opportunity to get a refund if we weren't comfortable going onto the water in those conditions, which in my opinion was unsafe. The fact that there weren't other excursions out when the guide said usually there would be tons of boats out, was a red flag. read more

We had an incredible time with Dolphin Discoveries! We booked the 4-hour Kona snorkel tour and visited two amazing sites: Kealakekua Bay (Cook's Monument) and Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau. The snorkeling was the best we've ever done--we saw more fish than on any previous snorkeling we have done on vacation. I felt like I was in am aquarium! Our guide Shelly was fantastic--knowledgeable, fun, and made the trip feel personalized. The manta ray night tour was also unforgettable. We were in the water so I don't have any pictures of the beautiful wildlife we saw but the boat ride was very scenic! Highly recommend this company--friendly crew, great service, and unforgettable experiences! - N.S. read more

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One of the craziest and best excursions I've ever done (and I've done a lot of guided vacation activities)! Manta rays come within inches of you allowing you to see them way up close and personal. One of the ones we saw was 12' long! Bryce, Shelly, and Eve were awesome guides. Logistically it was a bit confusing to find the correct location upon arrival. Be sure you go to the retail store in the shopping plaza FIRST. After grabbing your gear at the store you will drive down to the water. read more

This was an awesome experience!! Basically you go out at night, and get to see manta rays swimming in the ocean (not dolphins, despite the company name). And it's pretty cool because the manta rays usually swim within a few feet of you, too. Anna at the check in store was very friendly and good to interact with, and once we got into the water our tour guide Kailey also did a really good job too. Kailey was knowledgeable about a whole bunch of Manta Ray facts (ex: they don't have a stinger, one of the ones swimming near us was quite old, etc) which was cool to hear. Overall, this experience was an easy five stars!! read more

The expeience was fantastic - beyond compare. My only complaint is that the directions they sent us led us to the back side of the mall where we were supposed to meet. There was a locked door there with a sign about manta ray snorkeling, but it's another company (competitor). We almost gave up, thinking we messed up and went back home, but luckily some random guy walking by overheard us and directed us to the front. So we nearly missed out on a super great time. Please fix the map link! read more

This is a MUST DO!. The entire trip from the time you get on the boat until the time you get off was Amazing. The crew, Capt Dennis and Anna are the best you will find. The snorkel spots, the snacks and the information about the Hawaii history left you wanting more. I've done many dives in the past years and this is by far the Best one! Dont miss it. read more

Dolphin Discoveries - My photo skills do not do the reef justice - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

We have swam with sharks in Oahu, turtles in Maui, and now Manta Rays on the Big Island! What an experience with an amazing crew! We did the night snorkel with manta rays. They provide you with a wet suit so you don't feel cold in the water. From the check in process, to fitting us with our gear, to getting down to the water the process was SMOOOTH! They are highly organized and they make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. When we got down to the water they split us into 3 groups. Jenny was our tour guide for the evening and she was amazing!! It is a bit anxiety inducing when you're out there in the dark of night and they tell you to just "drop into the water". The boat ride is about 5 minutes so nothing too wild, i took Dramamine anticipating a longer boat ride. The water when we went was choppy and i will say this is more for intermediate/experienced swimmers. You swim over to this board that has lights on it to attract the manta rays. They give you a pool noodle to put below your feet so it's not too taxing on your body but our arms got quite tired holding on in the water. A lady in our group did get sea sick and they were very supportive in getting her back to the boat. The experience when you're in the water is like no other! These manta rays came right up to us and put on such a show! I would highly recommend this to anyone who is brave enough to overcome swimming in the ocean at night and open to wild life coming up to say hello! read more

Staff was super friendly and helpful. It is very well organized and the whole experience was perfect from beginning to end. My only note would be to get to the second site as fast as you can since parking is a little limited. The 2 captains and the 3 divers were awesome, can't recommend them enough. read more

We went on the snorkeling tour. Had a great time. Then went back to them to take us to swim with the manta rays! Both experiences were great. No complaints. They were on time and efficient. Guides were very knowledgeable and nice. All good things! Swimming with the manta rays is once in a lifetime. You have to do it. Rent their go pro if you don't have one. read more

Captain Cook Snorkel Adventure We originally booked for the Dolphin adventure but that was canceled since there were not enough people signed up to make it a full boat. Paige from was very professional and courteous and contacted us via text and re booked us for another tour which we fully enjoyed. We arrived at the boat dock 45 minutes early and found that the street parking was extremely crowded due to many fishing boats out in the ocean that day. We quickly found our tour check in point near the restrooms of the boat dock and was issued our snorkel gear. Captain Chad was extremely professional and friendly and our little tour had only six people which made it very personal and engaging. We arrived at our snorkeling point within 10-15 minutes and was in the water enjoying our adventure. Captain cook area is a great place to snorkel as the water is not rough and there are plenty of fish to enjoy. We were informed you can also reach this area via a 2 mile trail one way which is another option if you are on a budget and can brave the trail hike. After about an hour of snorkeling, we headed back to the boat and the captain took us on a mini tour of the various points of interest on the way back to the boat dock. Snacks and drinks are provided on the boat. I would recommend this tour to all, this was a good value. read more

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We had a terrific adventure today with Dolphin Discoveries on their Captain Cook Snokel Tour. As advertised, we were the first boat to the site so we had the whole place to our selves for about half an hour. The boat ride over was super smooth in their brand new covered dive boat. We saw a huge humpback whale on the way over and the captain stopped to make sure everyone got to see. If you are considering this tour to skip the hike to and from and Captain Cook monument, I highly recommend it. The hike would have been brutally uphill on the way out. This tour offers two snorkeling spots so we saw a great variety of sea life. We even got to see a sea turtle at the second stop. On the way back our captain knew all the history of the area. He shared interesting fact about the wildlife as well some rich cultural knowledge about the land. I would recommend this tour to anyone that can swim! read more

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Magical night! Our initial tour was canceled due to fire worms in the water (very rare occurrence). But they were awesome about re-booking us and we were able to go the following night. We did the 6pm tour with six of us (me, my husband, and our four daughters ages 17, 14, 11, 9). The youngest had been nervous about going, but the guides were so great and told us just what to do so we felt safe the whole time. And we knew from the canceled tour the night before that they are very careful with safety, which we appreciated! We all had an amazing time and saw several manta rays that came right up close, doing flips, and swimming right beneath us. Once in a lifetime experience! read more

Amazing whale watching experience! Captain Robert was knowledgeable (and had a great playlist as we went along) and we saw a ton of whales! Really excellent experience. read more

We went on the 6pm Manta Ray swim and what a treat it was! Unfortunately, I got incredibly nauseous/sick from the bay rocking me around while in the water, but it was totally worth it! If you have ever gotten motion sickness, then I strongly recommend taking Dramamine prior to the excursion. We did the 30 minute tour and it was just enough time to see the Mantas and get a solid arm work out in. The Mantas came right up to us doing multiple big slow somersaults right in front of us, grazing our belly, board and showboating. I truly felt like these angelic creatures were trying to sooth me after getting sick and it worked! They are majestic beautiful creatures and it was amazing to see them up close and personal! Shout out to Shelly for being so kind, patient and helpful when I got sick and puked during the tour. We had really choppy water, big waves and her and the rest of the team kept us all safe and calm the entire time. Thank you so much for sharing this special experience with us all! read more

Dolphin Discoveries - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Excellent experience on this manta ray tour! Bryce and the rest of the crew were professional, very fun and safe. I would definitely reccomend this operator to any one and everyone looking at doing one of these tours. Don't let your fears deter you from participating. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity! read more

It was an unforgettable experience. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. The only issue I came across and I don't think it was their fault more so the hotel I booked it with. The information was not clear so if anyone is ubering or using Lyft make sure you get all the instructions before booking. Other than that the experience was AMAZING! read more

Dolphin Discoveries - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

We had a group of seven in my family ranging from eight years to 62 and each one of us thoroughly enjoyed the Manta Ray experience. It was well organized, and the guides were fantastic. Highly recommend this experience if you are visiting the big island read more