Night Manta Ray Experience

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Absolutely Magical Experience!

We did the Sea Quest Night Manta Snorkel in Kona, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of our trip! Seeing these incredible manta rays up close is almost impossible to describe. They are like giant angels gliding through the water—they seem to appear out of the darkness, gracefully sweep beneath you, and then disappear again just as quickly. And when I say they come close, I mean CLOSE! One manta actually brushed across my husband’s upper body as it glided past him. It was incredible! You travel out by boat and then enter the water and hold onto a large illuminated flotation board. The lights attract plankton, and before long the mantas begin appearing beneath you to feed. Watching these enormous, graceful animals glide and turn just inches away is absolutely mesmerizing. The Sea Quest team was organized, friendly, and very attentive. We noticed that they provided a lot of support and reassurance to several people in our group who were clearly less experienced or uncomfortable in the water. The crew did a great job keeping everyone organized and helping people throughout the experience. A little advice from our trip: a few people became seasick while we were in the water. If you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared for that. If you start feeling queasy, pop your head up occasionally and look toward the shoreline or another stationary point. The manta viewing area is actually very close to shore, so you can easily see land. The entire experience felt incredibly special. There is something almost peaceful about floating in the dark ocean and watching these huge, gentle creatures silently glide beneath you. We would absolutely do this again, and we would LOVE to bring our grandkids someday. What an unforgettable adventure that would be for them! If you are visiting Kona, put the Night Manta Snorkel on your list. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 🌊🌙🤿❤️

via Tripadvisor

Highly recommended for manta experience

staff there are with great hospitality, trustworthy experience. Parking slot might not be easy to find, remember to come at least 30mins in advance.

Response from the operator: Aloha! Thank you for choosing Sea Quest Hawaii and mahalo nui loa for your kind words and recommendation! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your Night Manta Ray Experience and felt welcomed and well cared for by our crew. We truly appreciate you sharing the helpful tip about arriving early for parking. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure! Mahalo and a hui hou, The Sea Quest Hawaii Team

via Tripadvisor

Amazing manta experience

Went with my 7 year old and neither of us is advanced swimmer or snorkeler, but the staff took good care of us throughout the tour. We spotted mantas two minutes into the water and they stayed around the whole time. The tour was well organized and they provided everything you’d need. Just bring yourself, plus a towel and a waterproof camera, and have a good time!

Response from the operator: Aloha! Thank you for choosing Sea Quest Hawaii and for sharing your wonderful experience! We are so happy to hear we were able to make you and your Ohana feel well cared for throughout the adventure. Seeing mantas just two minutes after getting in the water must have been incredible! Mahalo nui loa for the kind words and recommendation. We hope to see you both back on the water again soon! Mahalo and a hui hou, The Sea Quest Hawaii Team

via Tripadvisor

safety first

while an unexpected issue (hazardous fireworms) prevented us from going on the manta ray excursion - i am impressed by any operator who prioritizes safety over profit. they were straightforward and offered everyone a refund or opportunity to rebook.

Response from the operator: Aloha Jamie! Thank you for choosing Sea Quest Hawaii! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and, most of all, for recognizing our commitment to putting guest safety first. We know it was disappointing to have your Night Manta Ray Experience interrupted by the unexpected presence of hazardous fireworms. While we never want to cancel an adventure, the safety of our guests and crew will always come before anything else. We are grateful for your understanding and for appreciating the difficult decisions our team sometimes has to make on the water. We are also glad our team was able to provide you with the option to receive a refund or rebook your experience. We hope you will have the opportunity to return and experience the magic of the manta rays with us under safer conditions. Mahalo nui loa for your understanding, trust, and kind words about our crew. We truly hope to welcome you back to Sea Quest Hawaii on your next visit to the Big Island! With warmest aloha, The Sea Quest Hawaii Team

via Tripadvisor

Manta Rays Were Elusive, But We Still Had Fun on This Well-Managed Trip

We had a good time going out to see the manta rays as a parent with one college-age and one high-school-age son. We were on the first trip of the night and had no trouble finding street-side parking, but I could see how things were about to get chaotic with multiple companies running trips from the same dock. Check-in was straightforward at the SeaQuest business location adjacent to the dock. They had a secure place to store items we didn’t want to take on the boat with us. SeaQuest had several groups going out on different boats at the same time, but everything was well organized. Our guides did a good job checking in with us to make sure we had everything we needed. We had our own masks and wetsuits, but they provide these as well. One of my sons opted to try one of the prescription masks SeaQuest had available at no extra fee, which was a nice opportunity for him. Our guides provided an overview of the evening and explained the established protocols. After a short 10-minute boat ride, they set up the light panels to attract plankton, and we were in the water with dozens of other people. I brought my GoPro, which is encouraged, and was glad I did. If you bring a camera, make sure you have a good wrist strap and are comfortable operating it with one hand. You need to keep one hand on the light panel and are not allowed to drift free. I was able to get a great video clip of the adult female that came up close to us. Our guides did a great job keeping track of everyone, including families with younger kids. This trip is a carefully and highly managed experience. Unfortunately, we did not see many manta rays, which is simply the nature of wild animals. We saw one juvenile along the bottom a couple of times, but thankfully an adult female came up to within inches of us just as our guide had announced it was time to leave. Although it was not as spectacular as a previous trip I took where we had dozens of close encounters, the kids still loved it and we had a great time. When we got back to the dock, the team had hot drinks waiting for us. I would go with this company again. They run a bigger operation than some of the others, but they were very organized. Having a building adjacent to the dock was convenient, and the staff were all very attentive to everyone's needs.

Response from the operator: Aloha! Thank you for choosing Sea Quest Hawaii! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review of your Night Manta Ray Experience. It means a lot to hear that you and your ohana had a great time and felt well cared for throughout the evening. We are especially grateful for your kind words about our crew, organization, safety protocols, and check in process. Our team works hard to make sure every guest feels comfortable, informed, and supported from the moment they arrive until they return to the harbor. We are also happy to hear that the prescription mask was appreciated by your son and that you were able to capture some special moments with your GoPro. While we always hope for those incredible close encounters, manta rays are wild animals and their activity can vary from night to night. We are so glad that the adult female made that memorable appearance just before it was time to head back, giving you a special close encounter to take home for your kids. It sounds like your sons still had a wonderful experience, which is exactly what we hope for. And of course, we are happy our hot drinks were waiting for you when you returned to the dock. Those little comforts after a night in the ocean are part of what makes the experience special. Mahalo nui loa for recognizing the care and effort our entire team puts into creating a safe, organized, and enjoyable experience. We would be honored to welcome you back to Sea Quest Hawaii on your next visit to the Big Island, and hopefully the manta rays will put on an even bigger show for you next time! With aloha, The Sea Quest Hawaii Team

via Tripadvisor