Sea Paradise Hawaii — Complete FAQ
Sea Paradise Hawaii has operated snorkel and manta ray tours from Keauhou Bay on the Kona Coast since 1985. This FAQ covers booking, logistics, the tours themselves, marine life, health and safety, and responsible tourism. If your question is not answered here, contact Sea Paradise at (808) 322-2500 or info@seaparadise.com.
Booking & General
Morning Snorkel, Afternoon Snorkel, and both Manta Ray Night Tours can be booked
online at seaparadise.com.
Private charters are booked by phone at
(808) 322-2500
or by email at
info@seaparadise.com,
not through the online booking system.
Yes. Sea Paradise gift cards are available in any amount through seaparadise.com.
If manta rays are not seen on your Sea Paradise manta ray tour departure, the
Manta Guarantee lets you return free within 7 days on a space-available basis. It
is a free rebooking, not a refund.
Manta ray sighting rates run 85–95%, so the guarantee is rarely needed. Full terms
are available on the
Manta Guarantee page.
Yes. Sea Paradise offers a multi-trip discount for guests booking more than one tour. Contact Sea Paradise at (808) 322-2500 or info@seaparadise.com for current multi-trip pricing.
Logistics — Check-in, parking & getting there
All Sea Paradise tours depart from the end of the finger pier at Keauhou Bay — located at the end of Kaleiopapa Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Do not check in at any buildings. Look for crew members in blue shirts 15 minutes before your scheduled departure. Sign digital waivers in advance using the link provided in your booking confirmation email.
Parking at the Keauhou Bay pier is limited. Free parking is available along Kaleiopapa Street. Allow 3–5 minutes to walk from your vehicle to the finger pier. Public restrooms are located on the east side of Kaleiopapa Street near the parking area. Restrooms are also onboard the Hoku Nui.
Yes. All guests must sign a release form before boarding. Waivers are linked in your booking confirmation email — Sea Paradise strongly recommends signing in advance to speed up check-in at the pier. Guests who have not signed waivers will need to complete them at the pier before boarding, which can delay departure.
Wear a swimsuit under comfortable clothing. Bring a towel, reef-safe sunscreen,
sunglasses, a hat, a light jacket or rash guard, and sandals or slip-on shoes —
the Hoku Nui is a shoe-less vessel. A light layer matters most on the manta ray
tours, where the return sail is cooler.
All snorkel gear is provided. Guests may bring their own mask or snorkel if
preferred. Bring a reusable water bottle; non-alcoholic beverages are provided on
all tours.
Underwater cameras are welcome on all tours. On the manta ray tours, disable any
flash before entering the water. GoPros are available to rent at the time of
booking, subject to limited availability.
The Hoku Nui — Vessel & facilities
The Hoku Nui — Hawaiian for “Big Star” — is Sea Paradise’s 50-foot luxury sailing catamaran. It is spaciously designed for 49 guests. The vessel includes 2 onboard restrooms/changing rooms, shaded seating under a bimini top, galley, full bar (local brews, cocktails, wine, and mixed drinks for purchase), 2 freshwater showers, and 2 staircases with handrails for easier in water entry. The catamaran’s twin-hull design significantly reduces sea sickness-inducing motion compared to single-hull or rigid-hull vessels.
Yes. The Hoku Nui has two onboard restrooms. Public restrooms are also available near the Keauhou Bay pier on the east side of Kaleiopapa Street.
The Hoku Nui’s twin-hull catamaran design significantly reduces rolling and rocking compared to single-hull or rigid-hull vessels. Most guests who are typically sensitive on the water report a comfortable experience. Tips: choose a seat with a clear horizon view, stay hydrated, avoid heavy meals immediately before departure, and consider over-the-counter sea sickness remedies taken before boarding. If you are highly motion-sensitive, the Morning Snorkel Tour in the calmest conditions of the day is the best choice.
Yes. Local Brews, tropical cocktails, wine, seltzers, and mixed drinks are available for purchase onboard the Hoku Nui on all day tours. Non-alcoholic beverages are included with all tours.
Snorkel tours — Morning & afternoon
Both tours sail to the World Famous Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay and
include a marine naturalist briefing and all snorkel gear.
The Morning Snorkel Tour departs at 8:30 AM and runs about 4.5 hours. It includes
a tropical breakfast buffet and a deli-style lunch, and typically offers calmer
seas and clearer visibility because trade winds are lighter earlier in the day.
Conditions permitting, it also stops to snorkel the Red Hill Area.
The Afternoon Snorkel Tour departs at 2:00 PM and runs about 3 hours. It includes
light snacks, has a full bar, and offers golden-hour light and a more relaxed
pace. It sails past the Red Hill Area but does not stop to snorkel there.
Kealakekua Bay is a 315-acre Marine Life Conservation District, protected since
1969, with some of the richest marine biodiversity and clearest water on the Big
Island — typically 60–80 feet of visibility. The World Famous Captain Cook
Monument at Kealakekua Bay, a 27-foot white obelisk, stands at the north end of
the snorkel area.
Guests may see Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu), spinner dolphins, spotted eagle
rays, Moorish idols, yellow tang, parrotfish, butterflyfish,
humuhumunukunukuapua’a (the Hawaiian reef triggerfish and Hawaii’s state fish),
moray eels, octopus in the lava formations, and occasionally whitetip reef sharks
resting under ledges. Humpback whales may be seen from the boat on the morning
sail between December and April.
Yes, with different inclusions by tour. The Morning Snorkel Tour includes tropical brunch breakfast and deli style lunch. The Afternoon Snorkel Tour includes light snacks (pupus). Both tours include non-alcoholic beverages. Local brews, wine, tropical cocktails, and mixed drinks are available for purchase onboard both tours.
Manta ray tours
What is the difference between the 1st and 2nd Manta Ray Night Tours?
Both tours visit Manta Village and follow the same snorkel format, and both carry
the same 85–95% sighting rate and the same Manta Guarantee.
The 1st Manta Ray Night Tour departs around sunset, with golden-hour coastline
views and an earlier return — the better choice for families with younger guests
and anyone who prefers to be back ashore earlier.
The 2nd Manta Ray Night Tour departs after dark and offers darker skies, fewer
vessels at the viewing site, and a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.
Manta ray sighting rates on Sea Paradise tours run 85–95%, year-round. Sea
Paradise captains log every sighting after every departure, tracking patterns
across nights and conditions.
If mantas are not seen, the Manta Guarantee applies: return free within 7 days on
a space-available basis. It is a free rebooking, not a refund.
The Ride-Along option is available on the manta ray tours only, not the snorkel
tours. It is for guests who want to share the experience without entering the
water. Non-swimming guests are warmly welcome as Ride-Along observers, remaining
on deck aboard the Hoku Nui at a reduced rate.
Ride-Along guests watch the mantas from above the illuminated water, hear the full
crew manta briefing, and receive warm drinks, chocolates and non-alcoholic drinks
throughout.
All Ride-Along guests must review the medical information at
seaparadise.com/medical/
and sign a release form before boarding.
The Kona Coast is home to more than 450 individually catalogued reef manta rays
(Mobula alfredi), documented by the Manta Pacific Research Foundation — a Sea
Paradise research partner — and by Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii, using the unique
spot pattern on each animal’s underside. Famous regulars at Manta Village 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 a 14–16 foot wingspan documented since 1991, Koie Ray, known for swimming closely to snorkelers, Jolene Ray, a petite 5-foot-wide female who appears reliably, Obama Ray (confirmed female, originally named Barack Obama), and Quarantina, first spotted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests who photograph manta undersides can submit images to the Manta Ray Tracker database and potentially name new individuals.
Health, safety & swimmers
Yes. All guests who plan to enter the water — on snorkel tours or manta tours — must be confident swimmers. Sea Paradise crew does not teach swimming onboard. Guests must be able to swim independently and follow crew directions in open ocean.
On the manta ray tours, non-swimmers are welcome as Ride-Along guests on deck and
do not need to enter the water. On the day snorkel tours, non-swimmers may join
and relax on deck at the regular tour rate, which includes food and non-alcoholic
beverages.
Pregnant guests are welcome, but should speak with their doctor for approval
before booking. Please review the health guidelines at
https://seaparadise.com/medical/.
Yes. Sea Paradise tours are popular with families. Children must be confident swimmers to enter the water on snorkel and manta tours. Toddlers and young children who are not swimmers may join as deck observers on snorkel tours or as Ride-Along guests on manta tours. Children must be able to follow crew directions in an open-ocean environment. Contact Sea Paradise before booking if you have questions about specific ages or abilities.
Yes. Guests who prefer their own mask, fins or snorkel are welcome to bring them.
All other gear is provided by Sea Paradise — flotation on the day snorkel tours,
and the custom Manta Flotation Device plus a shorty wetsuit on the manta ray
tours.
Full-face snorkel masks are not permitted aboard the Hoku Nui for safety reasons.
Yes. The Hoku Nui has two freshwater showers on deck for rinsing off after being in the water. These are open-deck rinse stations rather than fully enclosed showers. Public restrooms and rinsing facilities are also available at the Keauhou Bay parking area.
Marine life & conservation
No. The reef manta rays at Manta Village — Mobula alfredi — have no
stinger, no barb, and no teeth capable of harming a person. They are filter
feeders that eat plankton.
Guests float at the surface on the custom Manta Flotation Device while the mantas
feed below. The mantas control the interaction at all times and approach only
because they choose to.
No. Sea Paradise has a no-touch, no-chase policy for all marine life. Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) are protected under federal and state law — touching or harassing them is illegal and can result in significant fines. Manta rays carry a protective mucus layer that is damaged by human contact. The crew briefs all guests on these rules before every water entry.
