The Best Place On Earth To Swim With Manta Rays

Last Updated on April 10, 2025 by Charlotte

Swimming alongside the elusive giant manta ray is a magical once-in-a-lifetime experience. These gentle giants live offshore in the tropical seas near Indonesia, Australia, and Mexico, and can be hard to find. However, Reef Manta Rays are found along the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii almost every day of the year. At night, Kona’s manta rays feast on plankton that are attracted to lights that shine toward the sea from the shore, like a manta ray buffet. In this post, we share everything you need to know to swim with manta rays in Hawaii: how to do it, what to expect, and why Kona is the best place in the world to swim with manta rays.

Kona’s Reef Manta Rays are the second largest species of ray in the world, with a wingspan reaching up to 16 ft (5 m). Unlike their sting ray cousins, manta rays do not have a stinger and cannot hurt you. Manta rays are filter feeders and eat plankton, which are tiny microorganisms that congregate in the bays along Kona’s rocky shoreline.

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Manta Ray Night Snorkel at Keauhou Bay

Just a 20-minute drive from downtown Kailua-Kona, Keauhou Bay is a hotspot for manta rays. We drop anchor five minutes past sunset, and our guide passes out masks, snorkels, and fins. As the sky grows dark, I spot shadows darting beneath the waves. Our guide launches a floating raft into the water that is rigged with fluorescent lights. The purpose of the dive lights is twofold: they allow us to see down into the depths, and attract plankton, bringing the manta rays.

One by one we jump into the water and float prone, gripping the raft with our arms outstretched above our heads. In the depths, I catch a flash of movement in my periphery. The mantas are shy of splashing. Staying as still as possible is the key to seeing the mantas up close. Our guide tells us that even if the mantas choose come close, it is important not to touch them. Touching the mantas could damage their coating of mucus that protects them from disease.

The mantas circle each another in a figure eight, spiraling upward. The largest manta I see is possibly three meters across from wingtip to wingtip. Despite their large size, these creatures are incredibly graceful underwater. It’s like a manta ray ballet as they dance and play together under the sea. Bubbles escape from my mouth as a manta ray skims so close that its gills tickle my belly.

I’m heartbroken when our guide gives us the five-minute heads up that our time with the mantas is almost over. We pack back onto the boat. After a short five minute ride, we’re back to shore enjoying hot chocolate and cookies. My friends and I are all flushed with excitement, and full of wonder from seeing the mantas up close.

Plan Your Trip to Swim With Manta Rays in Hawaii

Best Seasons to Swim With Manta Rays

The manta rays flock to the Kona coast most days of the year. However, periods of extra-large swells in the winter can prevent manta tours from running. Most tours run when swell sizes are less than three feet. We suggest checking the ocean conditions in the days leading up to your tour using Surfline.

Best Manta Dive Spots in Kona

Manta Village

We recommend visiting ‘Manta Village’ on tours that depart directly from the harbor at Keauhou Bay. The ride from Keauhou Harbor to Manta Village takes about five minutes. This site lets you spend less time on the boat and more time in the water with the manta rays.

Manta Heaven

Manta Heaven is a less crowded spot located near the Kona Airport. Most tours to ‘Manta Heaven’ depart from Honokohau Harbor. While we did not personally check out this spot, some close friends of ours visited the Manta Heaven and got extremely seasick on the longer boat journey out to the dive site.

Tips for Your Visit to Swim With Manta Rays

• Prepare for Seasickness in Advance: Even if you think you’re fine with boat rides, bobbing on the surface of the water during the snorkel itself can induce seasickness. You can help prevent seasickness by taking Dramamine or Bonine in advance.
• Know How to Swim: For this tour, knowing how to swim is a must. Manta ray snorkeling tours typically run at night, and swimming in the dark can be disconcerting for nonswimmers, even if they use floatation.
• Wear the Wetsuit: While Hawaii is a subtropical paradise, it gets very cold in the ocean in the dark. We are sensitive to the cold, and we were violently shivering in our wetsuits by the end of our tour.
• Bring a Change of Warm Clothes: Once you’ve returned to the dock, you will want a dry change of clothes and a sweatshirt. I did not bring any jacket or sweatshirt and was shivering back to my hotel.
• Prearrange Transportation To and From the Dock: It can be hard to find Taxis and Ubers in Kona late at night. We suggest either driving yourself or reserving a Taxi in advance so that you are not stranded at the dock.

Popular Manta Snorkel Tours

Was it Worth the Trip?

100% yes! After a disappointing attempt to swim with mantas at Nusa Penida in Bali, seeing the mantas here at home in Hawaii was a rewarding and magical experience. This was one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had on the Big Island out of all of our Big Island trips.

Looking for Other Bucket List Dives to do in Hawaii? Check our post on Swimming With Sharks on Oahu’s North Shore