First, there is no manta ray season in Kona. Kona provides the best experience to go night snorkeling for two reasons. As manta ray habitats span the globe in warm, tropical waters, there are locations all over the world, perhaps closer to you than Hawaii, to swim with the manta rays. Manta rays snorkeling isn’t only in Kona.

What makes snorkeling with them so thrilling is these giants swim within inches of your face. They can grow up to 18-feet long and weigh over 6,000 pounds. The Hawaii manta ray is the second largest species of manta ray in the world, belonging to the giant oceanic manta ray species, Mobula birostris. They are even known to wait in line to have their skin, gills, and mouth cleaned.ĭuring your night snorkel with manta rays, you will see rays with 15-foot wingspans, on average. These cleaning stations are where sharks, manta rays, and fish come to be cleaned of parasites by cleaner fish. They do frequent manta ray cleaning stations located in reefs. They go where the food is so snorkeling with them is seasonal in most locations around the world. Each manta ray can be identified by their black and white Rorsschack patterns, making it possible for scientists to identify and name the 291 (as of January 22, 2020) manta rays in Kona. They call Hawaii their home year-round and for their 50-year lives.

The manta rays around Hawaii do not migrate like other manta rays in tropical waters around the world. Making the feeding areas around Hawaii ideal for snorkeling with manta rays. As opportunistic feeders, they dine when they can find it. An adult can consume 40 to 66 pounds of food per day. Their gaping mouths filter large quantities of plankton, their main source of food, as they swim. Manta rays are gentle, graceful creatures. They don’t have a bone, tooth, or barb in their body.

Meaning they don’t have bones but cartilage. Manta rays are fish and in the same order as sharks, the chondrichthyan order. Closing Notes on Manta Ray Night Snorkeling (Kona Coast).Where to Book Your Manta Ray Night Snorkeling Adventure.Cost of a Manta Ray Snorkel Tour in Kona.Manta Ray Night Snorkel vs Manta Ray Night Dive.Stay Safe When Snorkeling with Manta Rays.What Happens If Don't See Any Manta Rays?.Location of Departure for Night Snorkeling.Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tours: What to Expect (Video).Where in the World Can You Snorkel with Manta Rays.Yes, kids can go.īefore you book your trip, read on for what to expect when you night snorkel with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii or wherever you go. With up to an 18-foot wingspan, these gentle giants of the sea will be a memory for you and your family members forever. The phytoplankton is attracted to the light from your group’s shared swimming flotation device.Ī trip to the Big Island isn’t complete without experiencing a manta ray night snorkel. Night snorkeling is an ideal way to swim with manta rays as they feed off phytoplankton. Manta ray night snorkels average 85% to 90% sightings rate on the Kona Coast. Here is the manta ray night snorkeling guide you need to overcome your fears (if you have them) and what to expect once you plunge into the dark waters off of Kona, Hawaii. I like adventure but anyone can snorkel with manta rays.Īnd they should. It beat out bungee jumping in Switzerland, windsurfing in Maui, and snowboarding in the Sahara. Manta ray night snorkeling made it into my top 5 best life experiences list.

Giant manta ray location