2nd (Late-Night) Manta Ray Snorkel Tour

The 2nd Manta Ray Night Tour departs Keauhou Bay after full dark. Exact times
shift through the year as darkness arrives earlier or later, so your booking
confirmation email shows your specific departure time.

The tour runs approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. It is shorter than the 1st Manta Ray
Night Tour because there is no golden-hour coastal sail on the way out.

Check in 15 minutes before departure at the end of the Keauhou Bay finger pier,
end of Kaleiopapa Street, Kailua-Kona. Look for crew in blue shirts. Do not check
in at any buildings.

You float face-down and still at the surface on the custom Manta Flotation Device,
body horizontal, while the crew’s underwater lights sit below you drawing plankton
into a bright column of water. The mantas feed in that column, directly beneath
you.

The manta rays at Manta Village are Mobula alfredi, the reef manta ray.
They have no stinger and no barb. They may pass within inches, rolling and
somersaulting as they feed, and they may brush past you — but they control the
encounter and approach only because they choose to.

Guests stay still and horizontal and let the mantas move. Snorkelers never dive
down toward them or swim after them. The in-water session lasts about 45 minutes.

The difference is the darkness and the crowd, not the mantas. Both tours visit
Manta Village, use the same custom Manta Flotation Device, and carry the same
85–95% sighting rate and the same Manta Guarantee.

The 2nd Manta Ray Night Tour departs after full dark. Fewer vessels are usually on
site by that hour, the water is blacker, and the crew’s underwater lights read as
brighter against it. Most guests describe the second departure as the quieter and
more immersive of the two.

The trade-off is timing. There is no sunset sail, the return is later in the
evening, and the tour suits guests already comfortable in open ocean at night.
Families with younger guests generally prefer the 1st Manta Ray Night Tour.

Sea Paradise’s manta ray sighting rates run 85–95%, year-round — among the
highest reliable encounter rates for any wild animal experience in the world.
Sea Paradise captains log every sighting after each departure, tracking patterns
across nights and seasons.

If mantas are not seen, the Manta Guarantee applies: return free within 7 days on
a space-available basis.

If manta rays are not seen on your departure, the Manta Guarantee lets you return free within 7 days on a space-available basis. It is a free rebooking, not a refund. Full terms are available on the Manta Guarantee page.

Yes, and more so than on the 1st departure. All snorkeling guests must be
confident swimmers and snorkelers, comfortable floating face-down on the surface
in open ocean in full darkness on our custom Manta Flotation Device. The crew does
not teach swimming onboard.

The 2nd Manta Ray Night Tour runs in complete dark rather than fading light.
Guests who are uncertain about night water are better suited to the 1st Manta Ray
Night Tour, which departs at sunset.

Guests who prefer not to enter the water are warmly welcome as Ride-Along
observers on deck.

Yes — as Ride-Along guests. Non-swimmers  are warmly welcome to join the manta tour as Ride-Along observers, remaining on deck aboard the Hoku Nui. Ride-Along guests often see manta rays clearly from above the illuminated water and enjoy the full crew briefing, warm drinks, chocolate, and bar service. All guests must still review our Medical and Health Information page  and sign a release form before boarding.

The Kona Coast is home to over 450 identified reef manta rays catalogued by Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation using unique belly spot patterns. Famous residents include Lefty — the first Kona manta ever identified, in 1979, recognizable by her damaged left cephalic fin — Big Bertha, one of the largest females with an estimated 14–16 foot wingspan documented since 1991, Koie Ray, known for swimming boldly close to snorkelers, Jolene Ray, a petite regular at about 5 feet wide, and Obama Ray, originally named Barack Obama before being confirmed female. Quarantina, first spotted during the COVID pandemic, and Elvis are among other well-known residents. If you photograph an unidentified manta belly, you can submit it to the Manta Ray Tracker — and if it’s a new individual, you may earn the right to name it.

Warm drinks and chocolate are served after the snorkel on the return sail.  Non-alcoholic beverages are also available. 

Wear a swimsuit under comfortable clothing. Bring a towel, a light jacket or hoodie for the cooler return sail, and sandals or slip-ons (Sea Paradise operates shoe-less boats). All snorkel equipment including wetsuits is provided. Underwater cameras are welcome — disable any flash before entering the water. Shark bands are NOT allowed as they may repel the manta rays. 

Check in at the end of the finger pier at Keauhou Bay — end of Kaleiopapa Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Do not check in at any buildings. Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled departure. Free parking is available along Kaleiopapa Street; allow 3–5 minutes to walk to the boat. Public restrooms are on the east side of Kaleiopapa Street near the parking lot. Restrooms are also onboard the Hoku Nui.