Big Island - Swimming with Manta Rays

Scuba? Snorkel? or both?

Snorkel....will have my 12 year old daughter and wife.

Did the night one, it was a pretty awesome experience

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Anyone here done it?

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We did the night tour outside of Kona near the Outrigger resort. It was phenomenal. A group goes out into a bay and floats with a snorkel while lying face down and holding a large board. It's like a huge surfboard with a light on the bottom. That light attracts krill and then the manta rays. They swim within a few inches of the board (and you). Hang on to the end of the board if possible.

I don't remember who we used, but there were a few tours doing the same thing. I can't imagine one was much better than another.

Swimming with the stingrays in grand cayman and swimming with Manta rays are two completely different experiences. We went to the one down by the Kona resort and spa. Got on a catamaran and took less than a 5 minute ride. It is the one thing I would recommend the most doing on the Big Island. They are such majestic creatures. If you’re staying north on the Kohala Coast, there are some that go out of the Manea Kea resort I think. There are several companies that doing it out of Kona resort area. They are beautiful harmless giants. The plankton is attracted to the lights and that’s what attracts the mantas.

Forgot to mention, company we used was Sea Paradise