Side by side
| Operator | Price (adult) | Leaves from | Length | If no mantas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Paradise | $130 plus taxes and fees (ages 13+); $115 ages 6 to 12; $65 ride-along | Keauhou Bay | 2 hours | Free return within 7 days if no mantas, space available. No refund. |
| Torpedo Tours | $129 | Honokōhau Harbor | 3 hours | Not stated |
| Kona Ocean Experience | $135 twilight, $145 later night, taxes and fees included | Check site | Check site | Another scheduled trip at no charge if no mantas, space permitting. |
| Big Island Divers | From $129 on its overview; $149 before taxes on its snorkel page | Check site | Check site | If no mantas: 50% off another charter with a guaranteed seat, or a free standby return. |
| The Manta & Snorkel Co | From $140 | Keauhou Bay Pier | About 50 minutes total, 30 to 35 minutes in the water, 3-minute boat ride | None stated |
| Anelakai Adventures | $180 per person | Keauhou Bay boat ramp | About 1 hour, 30 to 45 minutes at the manta site | Sightings not guaranteed. Weather cancellations by the operator are refunded. |
| Hawaii Oceanic | $139 plus taxes and fees | Keauhou Harbor, near the Outrigger Kona | Check site | Free rebook if no mantas |
| Puako Dive Adventures | $150 snorkel, $180 scuba, plus taxes and fees | Kawaihae Harbor | Check site | Free rebook if no mantas |
| Manta Ray Advocates | $169 plus taxes and fees | Mauna Kea Beach (swim from shore, no boat) | Check site | No manta guarantee |
| Kona Ocean Adventures | $265 plus taxes and fees | Honokōhau Harbor | Check site | Free rebook if no mantas |
“Check site” means the operator’s current page did not state it clearly when we checked. We would rather leave a gap than guess.
The tours
Sea Paradise
Sunset Manta Ray Night Snorkel
- Price
- $130 plus taxes and fees (ages 13+); $115 ages 6 to 12; $65 ride-along
- Leaves from
- Keauhou Bay
- Manta site
- Manta Village
- Length
- 2 hours
- Vessel
- Large boat
- Group size
- Up to 49 passengers
- Who can go
- Non-swimmers can ride along but not get in the water
- No mantas?
- Free return within 7 days if no mantas, space available. No refund.
- Included
- Wetsuit and snorkel gear
- Good to know
- Full-face masks not allowed. Later departures share the site with fewer boats.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Sea Paradise manta” to book direct.
Torpedo Tours
Manta Ray Night Snorkel and Dive
- Price
- $129
- Leaves from
- Honokōhau Harbor
- Manta site
- Manta Heaven (Garden Eel Cove)
- Length
- 3 hours
- Vessel
- Boat
- Group size
- Up to 18 guests
- Good to know
- Snorkelers and certified divers share one boat. Owner-operated for over 30 years.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Torpedo Tours manta” to book direct.
Kona Ocean Experience
Manta ray night snorkel (twilight or later night)
- Price
- $135 twilight, $145 later night, taxes and fees included
- Vessel
- Boat
- No mantas?
- Another scheduled trip at no charge if no mantas, space permitting.
- Included
- Wetsuit and gear
- Good to know
- One of the few that quotes prices with taxes and fees included.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Kona Ocean Experience manta” to book direct.
Big Island Divers
Manta ray night snorkel (and night dive for certified divers)
- Price
- From $129 on its overview; $149 before taxes on its snorkel page
- Vessel
- Boat
- Who can go
- Confident swimmers only. Life jackets not allowed on manta snorkels.
- No mantas?
- If no mantas: 50% off another charter with a guaranteed seat, or a free standby return.
- Good to know
- Price differs between its own pages; confirm at checkout.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Big Island Divers manta” to book direct.
The Manta & Snorkel Co
Manta ray night snorkel
- Price
- From $140
- Leaves from
- Keauhou Bay Pier
- Manta site
- Manta Village
- Length
- About 50 minutes total, 30 to 35 minutes in the water, 3-minute boat ride
- Vessel
- Small boat
- Group size
- 6 to 12 guests per boat
- Who can go
- Ages 7 to 70
- No mantas?
- None stated
- Included
- Wetsuit, mask, snorkel and light board
- Good to know
- The shortest trip on this list: almost all of it is time with the mantas.
Anelakai Adventures
Manta ray night snorkel by Hawaiian canoe
- Price
- $180 per person
- Leaves from
- Keauhou Bay boat ramp
- Length
- About 1 hour, 30 to 45 minutes at the manta site
- Vessel
- Double-hull Hawaiian canoe, paddle-powered, no motor
- Group size
- Up to 6 per canoe, 12 per tour
- Who can go
- Ages 2 and up. Prior snorkel experience. 250 lb limit per person.
- No mantas?
- Sightings not guaranteed. Weather cancellations by the operator are refunded.
- Included
- Mask, snorkel, wetsuit top, ankle floats
- Good to know
- Fins and full-face masks not allowed. Runs Monday to Friday, 6:30 and 8:30 PM. Bring your own towel.
Hawaii Oceanic
Manta ray night snorkel
- Price
- $139 plus taxes and fees
- Leaves from
- Keauhou Harbor, near the Outrigger Kona
- Vessel
- Small boat
- Group size
- Up to 11 passengers
- Who can go
- Ages 7 to 70
- No mantas?
- Free rebook if no mantas
- Good to know
- Tours run hourly. GoPro rental available for $50.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Hawaii Oceanic manta” to book direct.
Puako Dive Adventures
Manta ray night snorkel and dive (Kohala Coast)
- Price
- $150 snorkel, $180 scuba, plus taxes and fees
- Leaves from
- Kawaihae Harbor
- Manta site
- Kohala Coast
- Vessel
- Small boat
- Group size
- Up to 6 guests
- Who can go
- Ages 10 and up
- No mantas?
- Free rebook if no mantas
- Good to know
- One of the few tours on the Kohala Coast, where sightings are less reliable than in Kona but boats are fewer.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Puako Dive Adventures manta” to book direct.
Manta Ray Advocates
Shore-entry manta snorkel
- Price
- $169 plus taxes and fees
- Leaves from
- Mauna Kea Beach (swim from shore, no boat)
- Manta site
- Kohala Coast
- Vessel
- None, shore entry
- Who can go
- Ages 12 to 99. Strong swimmers only.
- No mantas?
- No manta guarantee
- Good to know
- No boat ride at all, which helps anyone prone to seasickness.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Manta Ray Advocates manta” to book direct.
Kona Ocean Adventures
Manta ray snorkel, dive or ride-along
- Price
- $265 plus taxes and fees
- Leaves from
- Honokōhau Harbor
- Vessel
- Boat
- Who can go
- Ages 3 and up
- No mantas?
- Free rebook if no mantas
- Good to know
- The most expensive tour we found. Offers snorkel, dive or ride-along on one trip.
Booking link coming soon. Search “Kona Ocean Adventures manta” to book direct.
How to choose
If you get seasick
Go from Keauhou Bay. Manta Village is a few minutes from the dock, while trips from Honokōhau Harbor can run 20 to 40 minutes each way. The ride home, when you are cold and wet, is where most people struggle.
If you have young kids
Check minimum ages first. They range from 2 years on the Anelakai canoe to 7 on The Manta & Snorkel Co. Short trips are far easier for kids than three-hour ones.
If you are not a confident swimmer
Rules vary a lot. Some boats ban life jackets on manta snorkels, one requires a 50-yard swim without flotation, and Sea Paradise lets non-swimmers ride along without getting in. Read the rules before you pay.
If you only have one night
Pick the operator with the strongest no-manta policy, and still book your earliest free evening rather than your last.
Questions
Which manta tour has the shortest boat ride?
Tours from Keauhou Bay to Manta Village. The Manta & Snorkel Co lists a 3-minute ride and about 50 minutes for the whole trip.
Which manta tour is best if some of us dive?
Pick a boat that carries snorkelers and certified divers together, such as Torpedo Tours from Honokōhau Harbor to Manta Heaven.
What happens if no mantas show up?
It depends on the operator. Policies we found range from a free return within 7 days, to a free standby seat, to 50 percent off another trip. Some small tours offer nothing, so check before booking.