Kona Manta Night Snorkel Adventure: Swim with Majestic Rays

We went on the 7:45 PM manta ray night snorkel in Kona with Manta & Snorkel Co., and it was hands down one of the most surreal and magical experiences I’ve ever had. Watching the graceful manta rays glide beneath us as we floated like plankton under the stars felt like something out of a dream. The crew made the experience even better. Brett, our diver, was incredibly knowledgeable about each of the manta rays we saw and made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable in the water. I’m not the strongest swimmer and the open ocean can be intimidating for me, but Brett was calm, attentive, and reassuring the entire time. Chris, our captain, navigated and anchored the boat smoothly—something I appreciated since I usually get terrible motion sickness, but surprisingly I felt completely fine this time. (My partner got a little seasick, but the crew was attentive and understanding.) Kia was an amazing host—warm, welcoming, and kept great conversation going. I also loved that this is a small, mom-and-pop style company and they keep the groups limited to 6 people max, which made the whole thing feel really personal and relaxed. We even saw a few other night-dwelling fish, which was a nice bonus! I’d 100% do this experience again and would only book through this company. I highly recommend it to people who are comfortable floating in the ocean for about 30–40 minutes and can relax in the water. Staying calm and loose is key—tense muscles will leave you sore afterward!