This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see giant manta rays in their natural habitat! Manta Adventures is a top notch tour company and I would recommend them to anyone that wants to experience this rare opportunity. It's a little creepy being out in the ocean at night, but you get used to it fairly quick. There are tons of other boats out there with people in the water. The Rays we saw I'm guessing had about a 6ft wingspan and they literally get within inches of you while feeding on plankton. One thing to note. If you are susceptible to motion sickness I would recommend Dramamine or the bracelet. My wife threw up along with a couple of other passengers. read more

Manta Adventures - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Wonderful experience. The crew was super awesome. Tanner and Shawna were very kind and informative and helpful. They had homemade cookies, pineapple and water for us. Captain Bill knew his stuff but wasn't as easy going. They were kind enough to wait bc construction was horrible going south to get there. They provided wet suits and snorkels. The boat is nice. Bigger. The ride out was about 25 Mins. The sunset gorgeous. We departed around 430. Got there little around 5. Sat around til almost 645 before we entered water. I felt like he sitting a round was a bit long. The dive itself was PHENOMENAL!!! AmaZing views of 3-4 mantas swimming right below me; mouth open eating. Incredible. Must do!! Took 6,7,9 year old kids. I wouldn't recommend kids under 10. My 9 and 7 did pretty well. Lasted about 15 Mins jn the water; my 6 year old cried and refused (she swam in a cage with sharks 2 weeks ago) i think the darkness and open rough waters scared her. She could still see some swimming from boat. But parents save your money; leave them with grandparents and go without them. Holding on to the board with the waves was a bit challenging. I'm pretty strong and the waves beat ya a bit. I could only last 20-25 Mins and i had to get out bc i was freezing. Nice hot showers and a ride back. Bring dry clothes to change into. Bathroom is large enough and 2 towels. One to dry off. One to cover up with. Highly recommend read more

Our snorkel and manta rays swim cruise was great. We saw mantas during the day and night, a monk seal, octopus, and dolphins. Super crew, great boat and was a highlight of our vacation. read more

I don't personally do the ocean as I'm not a good swimmer however we bought the excursion for my daughter's birthday. Hubs and daughter were so excited about this and she absolutely loved it!! Our tour was at 8:30pm. We meet at the restrooms of the marina. Be aware that there are lots of bugs and there restrooms are closed at night. Also there is limited lighting AC bed very hard to see when driving and trying to find the place. We were greeted and signed waivers, then visited with Mike to get fitted for a wetsuit top and obtain the snorkel gear. Once everyone was ready, we boarded the boat abs of wet went. Jacob was really good about keeping us informed while boating out. It was quite scary boating at night with the water being so choppy. Great experience and definitely recommend it. read more

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Most amazing snorkeling adventure in a lifetime. So many manta ray felt like you were on a defferent planet!gentle giants of the sea! This snorkeling trip didn't disappoint! read more

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The captain is a bit salty (I gathered from fixing the toilet and dealing with puke and or stupidity too much), but all the female divers are precious and wonderful to be around. I did not get seasick for the first time out on the ocean. My 7 year old and I floated out to the manta rays. I will tell you... you can't kick because it will scare them, so you learn to float with the waves. You look down and see these angels floating around you, and it feels like outer space, or heaven, or a dream. There was peace. Also, I copied and pasted the name of the organization in Google Maps and it sent me to the wrong harbor. 74-429 Kealakehe Parkway Slip G-2, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Look for the van with beautiful women pulling out wet suits. Thank you. read more

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I cannot recommend Manta Adventures enough. Swimming with mantas has been on my bucket list for a long time and I can now cross it off. I got to literally swim and be up close and personal with large gentle manta rays. The crew with Captain Bill, Drew, Karen and Connie did an outstanding job. If you love the ocean, if you love marine life, than this is the adventure for you! It was clear from the start that the crews number one priority was the safety of everyone on board. We had a safety talk before getting on the boat, and another one before we entered the water. Their second prioirty was the protection and care for the ocean and its marine life. Making sure everyone understood how to act around these beautiful large mantas as well as the other sea life and being out in the ocean. And their third prioirty was to make sure everyone was having a good time. And I truly believe everyone did. As a solo woman traveler, it really impressed me that the crew took the time to make everyone feel safe, comfortable and entertained. They knew everyones name and really just made the effort to make sure everyone felt included. Manta Adventures provided wet suits, snorkel gear, water, snacks and a fresh warm water shower for when you get back on the boat. I highly recommend them . read more

THAT was a spectacular experience! My hubby researched about 20 places that offer this and boy am I grateful we went with the best! Captain Bill was a seasoned pro and we felt very informed and safe in his hands AND Karen (our deck hand guide) was a wealth of knowledge with a little extra humor thrown in just for entertainment. Lake and Karen were very charming, safe, inviting and made our experience quite memorable. Now for the really great part... due to our well experienced team going out early and getting the perfect spot... we got to snorkel early (and we saw a ray snorkeling!!... then watch a beautiful sunset with a whole lot of education and get into the water at dusk for the true "experience" - it was manta heaven!!! We saw the biggest girl 16' along with 8 other known local rays who played inches from our faces and bodies. Inches. Seriously. For the entire hour in the water. Wow. Magical giants up close and personal. Truly an experience you cannot duplicate anywhere in the world with the absolute best crew leading. Wow. Don't go anywhere else - we've been with other snorkel boats - this is the best. read more

Great day with a private charter. We catch a Wahoo we got to snorkel Captain Cook. The best part was that Capt Dan had our fish cooked for us , and personally delivered it. It was an amazing dinner. We also did night snorkeling with the manta the night before. We saw multiple Manta up close. Great trips Great boat Great Capt. Thank you read more

This trip was magical. The captain and crew were fantastic, and safety (human and especially for the rays) was a top priority. We will definitely do this again next time we're in Kona! read more

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What an Epic event!!! No person should ever die without experiencing this surreal event. Some of the most beautiful creatures in the world were practically snuggling with me and the beautiful Hawaiian waters. Captain Billy is Cool, com, and in control, and both say 100% survival rate and not all companies can say that. The deckhands were very kind, helpful, and charismatic. If you leave the island of Kona without experiencing Captain Billy's manta tour, then you seriously dropped the ball. read more

BE CAREFUL. We booked the Manta Snorkeling tour, paid in full few months before the reservation but when we travelled all the way to Kona they said we are not on the list and they don't have space on the boat so we are kicked out. Nobody explained to us what happened. The captain blamed the "office" without apology or any explanation. Which makes it worse, he shouted to other customers saying "who wants to get off for these two people" when we tried to ask him what we can do. It is unbelievable. We will probably get a refund eventually but our day was ruined. Now I really think they were trying to overbook to make more money during the July 4th weekend, in case someone cancels the trip. There are plenty of other companies in Kona doing the exact same business. Take a second look before you book. read more

Manta Adventures - Right before the tour, they sent us confirmation msg. What a joke. - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Captain Bill, Sam and Drew ran a well oiled machine that took use safely and gracefully into the ocean. We were treated like kings to honeydew melon or a similar type of melon and homemade chocolate chip cookies. The manta rays are unpredictable but the crew did they best job building "food" (aka phytoplankton) for the mantas to be attracted to. We also saw the prestigious manta Lefty, known as the first manta ray IDd in Kona. This was a wonderful experience. I would have been happy seeing one but we saw about five different mantas with as many as three feeding at once. These guys apparently have some specialized and unique light set up to attract the mantas that very few boats have on the island. I highly recommend this experience. read more

We went to see the manta rays with captain bill and chad and Collin. It was so fun. We didn't see many manta rays to start with, but they kept us out there longer until we found some and we ended up getting a great show. Lots of mantas and they get really close to you. read more

Manta Adventures was the best. The crew were very informative, engaging, and accommodating. They were constantly checking in to make sure we were comfortable. We had someone in our group who was not a confident swimmer, and they helped her feel comfortable on the trip. This trip was amazing, and was by far my favorite activity on the island. My husband brought his prescription goggles that we borrowed from a rental company, and proceeded to lose them. The crew looked everywhere on board and tried to help him find them. Sam from Manta Adventures went ABOVE AND BEYOND to not only help us locate them (another tour goer accidentally took them), but also helped us return them since we were no longer on the island. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! read more

Awesome crew with awesome manta ray adventure! Our family couldn't be happier with this crew. Boat was new and clean, and the captain was funny with his safety talk at the beginning. Rest of crew are also very friendly and helpful, made our excursion memorable. We saw maybe 8 huge manta rays at one point right below us, and we all were wowed. 25 min short trip to the location was also a plus. Heard some other companies may take you to another location takes hour. read more

Manta Adventures - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Best thing I've ever done. I'd trust captain and crew with my life. I'm usually scared of water but they made me comfortable and I didn't want to get out. We got lucky and saw soooo many mantas right away and the entire time. I feel so lucky that we got to go do this and with this particular captain (Dan)/ crew and boat. read more

Highly recommend this trip!! My family and I just did a manta trip with them this evening. Captain Bill, Shauna and Nick are the best!! They are the best because they are organized and offer a very safe and enjoyable trip! It was our very first time out to look at the manta rays and did not know what to expect. Captain Bill, Shauna and Nick took the time out to fully explain each step of the trip. From getting on board to how to hold the light board. There explanation of events was outstanding! When we're out at the snorkel area near the Sheraton Hotel, we could see the other dive boats customers. We have to say that this boat seemed very organized with the instructions on what to do. The other boats had people swimming all over the place not just by the light board. Even though we only saw two to three manta rays, we recommend this place because they seemed VERY organized and gave us a very safe feeling. We will definitely go back out with these people when in Kona again. read more

Had a wonderful manta ray tour with manta adventures! The boat was new, the captain and crew were friendly, very informative, and professional. The mantas are amazing to see in person--highly recommend this activity and this tour company! read more

My partner and I went out last night (3/27/23) to see the mantas with Captain Bill. The crew were two knowledgeable and skilled young women, Sam and Karen. While we only saw one manta it was a throughly wonderful experience. Captain Bill and his crew were helpful, clearly caring for passenger safety and experience. Also! Fresh pineapple for snacks I hope to have the opportunity to swim with them again when I visit next. read more

Captain Bill and crew are amazing and full of knowledge. boat is super comfortable and so easy going. highly recommended!

We went out with Cap'n Dan, Karen & Josh tonight. Seas were not favorable and the crew definitely kept us safe! Saw some awesome mantas, but Cap'n Dan didn't think the "show" was good enough! Offered everyone a repeat trip. I am so impressed with this tour and crew! Top notch! Everything was great - friendly, caring, eager to please. Guys, do not miss this one! I wish I could give them a higher rating read more

Bill and his staff were great! Really made sure everyone was having fun and being safe. Very organized and no chaos at all! Saw plenty of mantas!!! It was so amazing!! Our biggest issue we ran into was being able to find a boat to bring our toddler on as an observer. Some company's wanted us to pay full price for him even though he would just be sitting on the boat. Manta Adventures only charged $30 for him and they allowed for me and my husband to switch out! We were very thankful for that so we both could experience the mantas! Thankyou so much Captain Bill and crew!!!! read more

Manta Adventures - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Bottom line up front: This was an absolute amazing experience! Captain Bill and his team were fantastic. They got us out to the snorkeling site before the sun went down and gave us time in the water to do some snorkeling. They brought us back onboard before the sun set and as we were all watching the sunset he and his crew were busy setting up the rigs for the snorkeling with Mantas. Once they got everything in place the crew got into the water, got us all safely onto the rig and within minutes of being in the water we had our first encounter with a Manta! As the night sky got darker the plankton below the lights of the rig got thicker and thicker and before I knew it, I had a giant Manta belly roll so close to me her belly rubbed my belly. It was absolutely breathtaking! There were at least 10 Mantas doing belly rolls with us watching in awe! My wife, reluctant to go because it was night time in the ocean had an absolute blast. Do this while you are in Kona! It's an amazing experience. Nothing at all to be scared about. And when you do this trip, go with Captain Bill and Manta Adventures! read more

Great crew! my friends and I didn't know what to expect when going out there but the experience itself was a great time. nice sunset cruise off the Kona coast, followed by lots of laughs and some snorkeling was fun. Unfortunately we didn't see any Manta Rays but still had a good time. I would have been more happy if we got to see a plethora of different fish and or was able to free dive and swim around a bit but this tour consists of a group of 10 folks or so holding on to a PVC pipe apparatus and group snorkeling while we float and look for manta ray. It was cool to see the underwater divers and ocean floor lights but after an hour of it and not seeing anything note worthy it got rather boring. A few folks got sea sick and we became more exhausted towards the end. Overall - they do have a guaranteed to see manta ray so if you don't see it this time, you can let the office know for a free run next time around until you see one. Still a fun time and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the experience for anyone on island! read more

Bill, Drew, and Shawna were awesome! They made everyone feel welcome and safe! Communication prior to the trip was clear. We went out early to secure our spot and scope out the conditions prior to getting in the water. While there were 24 people on the trip, they were so organized! The manta came out about 15 minutes after we got in. We were the last group to leave since they were still there and actively around us. It was an amazing experience! read more

We had the most amazing manta ray snorkel adventure. Captain Bill , Karen & Callum we're so informative kind and funny. We had a group of 14 people ranging in age from 14 to 70 were were completely comfortable with being. In the water with the Manta rays after being educated by the staff . Highly recommend this snorkel adventure to anyone who can swim. read more

Absolutely the best of the many manta Ray tours. So glad I chose these guys. Super professional. Kept us safe and having a fin time. We were first to the site, got the best viewing. Some outfits had 50-60 people on one boat and strung out on the viewing racks. We had 24. Way better, safer, intimate and personal. read more

A terrible time. The proprietors lashed out and insulted me when I voiced serious concerns about safety after I saw they were storing unsecured cargo above deck. They did not turn on their stern lights while driving the boat at night! That's not even getting into the tour itself. It was awkward, cold, slow, and no mantas. According to other sea captains in the area, the mantas haven't been coming regularly for a while now. The tour was, without exaggeration, the worst tour I have ever been on in my life and the people running it should be ashamed of themselves. read more

The crew was funny and entertaining. Karen had the best personality and was so very intelligent about the manatee, the island. CPT kept us all safe and ensured we had fun! When other boats were seeing nothing, our CPT kept the mantas coming. Amazing kona rolls, best boat in town! read more

Sam, Drew & Captain Bill were OUTSTANDING! From their knowledge and concern that we were safe and had a great trip, to Sam & Drew going above and beyond to know everyone's names and talk to everyone...this was the epitome of a vacation experience! Thank you, so much. read more

Booked this trip for my husband and I. To he honest, I had no intentions in getting into the ocean. I don't do oceans..... Thanks Jaws! Anyway, they have a price break for an observer so I booked one regular and one observer and off we went. Upon arrival, we were met by Tanner and Shauna, the boat crew. They were polite, welcoming and pretty easy going. The explained the process, got my husband fitted for his wet suit and had us sign the release forms (an unfortunate necessity in this day and age). Once we and the other passengers were fitted and signed in, we went down onto the dock to meet Captian Bill and get the rundown of the boat. And what a nice boat it is. Big, with plenty of covered seating. Once underway, you had the option to move up to the bow to enjoy the sea wind in your hair, if that's your thing. While on the way, Tanner explained the process and told us there was limited mooring in the manta spot so it was best to get there ahead of the other boats and spend a few minutes enjoying the sunset. He was right, not a better view to be had. Once it was getting dark, everyone put on their wetsuits (except me, of course) and in to the water they went. As promised, it wasn't long before the Manta Rays showed up. And, (according to my husband), there were at least four different rays making passes, sometimes in pairs. What an amazing sight to see. These huge creatures coming up from the darkness right towards you and then at the last second, performing a back roll with their huge mouths open! Amazing to see! As for me, since I was on the boat, looking over the back, I had a pretty good show as well. The Mantas would often come up right under the boat and out the back just inches below the surface of the water. After about 45 minutes in the water, everyone is called back to the boat where a warm shower awaits. All in all, while you may find a slightly cheaper price on this excursion, you wont find a better boat or crew. This was one of those rare times when the excursion was worth every penny!! read more

I highly recommend this tour for anyone who feels anxious about swimming in the ocean. I'm a good swimmer in the pool, but I have limited experience in the ocean. They made me feel very safe. in spite of the HUGE swells that came up after the tsunami warning read more

My experience with captain Dan and Laiken was amazing. We had so much fun. And these 2 were the nicest boat crew. I was so excited to catch fish. We saw dolphins and turtles and many fish while snorkeling. They provided waters and snacks and a fun time. I definitely recommend using these guys for your next adventure in Kona. read more

Manta Adventures - Ono fish that were caught on the Manta adventures boat - Boat Tours Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

If I could put zero stars I would. Captain spent 10 minutes crying about how someone took a dump in his toilet and how he had to clean it by hand. Guess plungers aren't a thing anymore. Captain then baked us cookies! How cool! And with the same hands that cleaned that toilet! They say they over snacks but all that is offered is unripe pineapples and poopy-hand cookies. Getting too tired to swim? Starting to drown? Taking in water? Well too bad, Captain Bill and his two 14 year old mates say you have to stay in the ocean for 15 more minutes before getting back on the boat. Captain Bill and the Kiddie Crew were incredibly rude and unprofessional. Do not pay for this "experience". It is a scam. It is a 4 hour boat trip that could be completed in under an hour. Enjoy being overcrowded on a small boat with 20 people and no room to move. Enjoy 2 of those hours being rocked violently back and forth on the boat while the crew attempts to kill time by repeating the same "speech" the captain had already given while keeping his customers landlocked. Enjoy another hour with faulty gear and urine stained wetsuits snorkeling in extremely choppy water, near sharp rocks, dangerous cliffs, cloudy water, and terrible sights. Captain Bill is an old man that owns a boat and cleans toilets. That doesn't make him a captain. Manta Rays were very cool, just use a different company. read more

I don't write negative reviews but the fact that the captain made my daughter cry (for really no reason) is compelling me to write this. Our anxiety level was high as we were all doing something new and completely out of the ordinary. There was no need to speak to her the way he did, she did nothing that called for him to turn around and snap at her in front of the whole boat. Telling her that if she had $6 million dollars she could tell him what to do with his boat...... . He made her cry, with our anxiety level and his attitude, it was awful to be trapped on a boat with him. I am so appreciative he wanted to keep us all safe, and really we were so excited for this experience as the highlight of our trip. He was totally inappropriate and I hope he has time to reflect on this and realize that we were all there to have a good time. A big thank you and positive vibes to the other two crew members who know what true customer service is, they earned the two stars. read more

The dive instructor grabbed me inappropriately. I would not recommend for young girls...

The group I was with were super excited to do this activity. Unfortunately we had a horrible time. The Captain was very unwelcoming. The way he stated the rules was very rude and unprofessional. He was down talking past customers and insulting us as if we were children. It was like he was annoyed to be doing his job. He wanted us to get the activity over with as quick as possible so he can make his money. He was also down talking other companies. Half of the people got sick because we got out to the spot way too early and just sat in the choppy water. Other companies came just in time to get into the water which would have been way better. To top it all off we did not see any mantas. If your looking to do this activity I really recommend choosing another company. read more

Go. Just go... Bill, Sam and Jackie were an Amazing crew and captain. We went out on a really rough day on the seas. Water was choppy and murky, we were out there for 40 minutes before we saw a manta ray. Then as they were calling people in we saw one, then two. Hey came right up to us. Bill is a character. Extremely knowledgeable and filled with jokes. They gave us pineapple on the way out and cookies on the way back. Also PLEASE TIP THE CREW. I feel like this should go without saying but we were one of two parties that tipped. Made me a little upset at our fellow guests. Other than that 10/10 would recommend. Once in a life time opportunity. read more

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We had such a great time on this tour! The charter uses blue lights to attract manta rays and it definitely seems like our boat saw more mantas than any other boat. We had time to snorkel and see dolphins since our boat got to the manta location first. On the way home, we had cookies and water. Great tour! read more