3rd Manta Ray Snorkel Tour — Final Late Night Departure
Sea Paradise Hawaii now offers a third manta ray departure — the final and latest of the night. One of the original manta ray tour operators on the Kona Coast since 1985, Sea Paradise operates the Hoku Nui, a 50-foot luxury sailing catamaran, from Keauhou Bay to Manta Village. The 3rd Tour is designed for guests who want the deepest possible dark-sky conditions, the quietest ocean atmosphere of any Sea Paradise departure, and manta rays that have already been feeding for hours before arrival. Departure times shift seasonally: April through September at 11:00 PM · October through March at 10:30 PM. Tour duration is approximately 1.5 hours. The Manta Guarantee applies and Ride-Along guests are warmly welcomed.
Quick Details — 3rd Manta Ray Snorkel Tour
Quick Details
If manta rays are not seen, Sea Paradise will rebook you at no additional charge on a space-available basis. See the Manta Guarantee. Gratuity not included but greatly appreciated.
What to Expect on the 3rd Manta Ray Tour
Check in
Arrive at the end of the Keauhou Bay finger pier 15 minutes before your scheduled departure. Do not check in at any buildings. Crew members in blue shirts will meet you at the pier.
Short Cruise
A short cruise from Keauhou Bay to Manta Village off the Kona Coast. Under clear skies, the short transit often offers outstanding star-gazing on the open water.
Arrival
The crew deploys custom underwater light boards that attract plankton rising from below the surface. The manta rays follow the plankton — the same feeding behavior that has drawn them to this site for decades.
Snorkel
Approximately 45 minutes floating on the surface above the feeding mantas at Manta Village. Guests hold flotation boards and watch manta rays glide, somersault, and barrel-roll inches below — illuminated by the underwater lights.
Return sail
Warm drinks and chocolate are served on the return cruise to Keauhou Bay under a full sky of stars.
The 3rd Manta Tour is the right choice for confident swimmers and experienced snorkelers who want the quietest, darkest conditions and the fewest vessels at Manta Village. For a sunset departure and earlier return, see the 1st Manta Ray Tour — the most accessible option for families and first-time night snorkelers. For a mid-evening experience, see the 2nd Manta Ray Tour.
Tour Pricing
Adult
13 and older-
Wetsuit
-
Flotation board
-
Mask & snorkel
-
Crew-operated underwater light board
-
Warm drinks & chocolate after snorkel
-
Marine naturalist manta briefing
Child
6 – 12 years-
Wetsuit
-
Flotation board
-
Mask & snorkel
-
Crew-operated underwater light board
-
Warm drinks & chocolate after snorkel
-
Marine naturalist manta briefing
Ride-Along
4yrs. and up-
Warm drinks & chocolate after snorkel
-
Marine naturalist manta briefing
-
Deck observation of mantas from above
-
Clear view into the illuminated water
Ride-Along Option — Exclusive to Sea Paradise Manta Tours: Designed for guests who want to share the experience without entering the water. Ride-Along guests remain on deck, often see manta rays clearly from above the illuminated water, and enjoy the full crew briefing, warm drinks, and chocolate. Non-swimmers, guests with medical considerations, and partners of snorkeling guests are warmly welcomed as deck observers. .
Ideal for
- Non-swimmers 4 and up
- Guests with medical considerations
- Partners & family of snorkeling guests
- Those who prefer to watch from the deck
Gratuity is not included and is greatly appreciated. Book online via FareHarbor. Ride-Along guests remain on deck and do not enter the water. Both manta tours are identically priced.
Sea Paradise's 50-Foot Sailing Catamaran
49 Passengers
Spaciously designed for 49 guests
50 ft
Twin-hull sailing catamaran
40+ yrs
Operating the Kona Coastline
The Hoku Nui’s wide twin-hull open design delivers a stable, comfortable ocean experience — a meaningful advantage on a late-night departure when the Pacific is calm and the air is cooler. The catamaran dramatically reduces the rolling motion that causes sea sickness compared to single-hull or smaller rigid-hull vessels. Guests who are typically sensitive on the water consistently report a comfortable experience aboard the Hoku Nui.
The wide beam delivers usable deck space: shaded seating, two oversized restrooms and changing rooms, a full galley, two freshwater showers, and two wide staircases for easier water entry and exit. USCG licensed captains aboard the Hoku Nui bring years of hands-on Kona ocean knowledge — currents, reefs, and conditions — to every departure.
Sea sickness on a late-night departure? Nighttime ocean conditions on the Kona Coast are typically calmer than daytime. Combined with the Hoku Nui's catamaran stability, the 3rd Tour is one of the most comfortable manta ray experiences available. Choosing a seat with a clear horizon view during the transit, staying hydrated, and avoiding heavy meals before departure are the most effective steps — most guests are comfortable throughout.
Learn more about the Hoku Nui
Manta Ray Etiquette
Sea Paradise follows all Manta Ray Tour Operator Guidelines and partners with Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation. The reef manta ray Mobula alfredi is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Hawaii was the first U.S. state to legally protect manta rays, passing that law in 2009.
Touching
Never touch manta rays — physical contact removes their protective mucus layer and can cause lasting harm to their health and immune response.
No Camera Flash
Disable camera flash before entering the water. Flash disorients mantas during feeding and can disrupt their natural behavior.
Stay Calm
Remain horizontal and calm on the surface — do not dive toward or chase the rays. Relaxed guests create the best conditions for close encounters.
Move Slowly
Keep all movements slow and deliberate. Sudden kicks or arm movements disrupt natural manta feeding patterns.
Passive only
Allow mantas to approach naturally. Passive observation only — the best encounters happen when guests let the mantas come to them.
Quiet Voices
Keep voices low and share the moment with aloha. The Kona ocean at this hour is extraordinary — let the experience speak.
3rd Manta Ray Tour — Questions & Answers
All three tours visit Manta Village aboard the Hoku Nui and follow the same snorkel format with the same gear, same crew, and same Manta Guarantee. The differences are timing, duration, and conditions.
The 1st Manta Ray Tour — sunset departure, approximately 2–2.5 hours — is best for families and guests who prefer an earlier return. It includes golden-hour coastline views during the transit out.
The 2nd Manta Ray Tour — mid-evening, approximately 1.5–2 hours — offers a quieter experience than the 1st with fewer vessels on the water.
The 3rd Manta Tour — the latest departure at approximately 1.5 hours — is Kona’s final manta departure of the night, with the darkest sky conditions, the fewest vessels at Manta Village, and manta rays that have been actively feeding since the 1st Tour departed. For guests who want the most immersive dark-ocean experience, this is it. This tour opens up after the 2nd Manta Tour is full.
The 3rd Tour is best suited for confident swimmers and experienced snorkelers comfortable in open-ocean conditions at night. Because this is the latest departure of the three, guests should be comfortable returning to shore well after midnight depending on the season. Children 6 and up may snorkel; children 4 and up are welcome as Ride-Along observers with an adult onboard.
For families with younger guests or guests new to night snorkeling, the 1st Manta Ray Tour — which departs around sunset — is the more accessible choice and includes an earlier return. The crew does not teach swimming onboard any manta tour.
Manta ray sighting rates are consistent across all three Sea Paradise departures — running 85– 95% on most nights of the year. The Manta Guarantee applies to the 3rd Tour as it does to the 1st and 2nd. Sea Paradise captains log every sighting after every departure across all three slots, tracking individual mantas and seasonal patterns across the full evening program. If manta rays are not seen on your 3rd Tour departure,
the Manta Guarantee provides a complimentary rebook on a future manta tour, on a space available basis.
Yes — as Ride-Along guests. Non-swimmers are warmly welcome aboard the Hoku Nui as deck observers on any manta tour, including the 3rd. Ride-Along guests pay $65 plus tax and fees, remain on deck throughout the snorkel portion, and often see manta rays from above the illuminated water.
Ride-Along guests enjoy the full crew safety and manta briefing, warm drinks and chocolate on the return, and bar service. Ride-Along guests must be 4 years and older; minors must be supervised by an adult at all times.
All guests — including Ride-Along guests — must review Sea Paradise’s medical and health information and sign a release form before boarding.
The crew were professional, kind, knowledgeable and fun.
Extremely clean, with luxury bathroom facilities.
Lots of refreshments and snacks, also a freshwater shower to wash off as you get out of the sea.
One thing I did notice that Sea Paradise was doing that other boats around us weren’t doing. Sea Paradise puts crew members on paddle boards as lifeguards in the areas that you are swimming. That’s a big plus for safe in my eyes and I appreciate that.
Thank you again for the great time and great memories.
