Magic Manta Snorkel is a MUST! - Been a bucket list item of mine and finally convinced the family to book a night Manta Snorkel. Hawai’i Oceanic, Magic Manta night snorkel did not disappoint! We did the 7:40 departure which got us in the water with the mantas after dark. It was a little intimidating to get into the water in the dark but it was fairly well lit from the other boats and the swim out to our surfboard was short. The tour only takes 12 people at a time which made it smooth and easy getting in and out of the water. They provided wet suit jackets for those who wanted them for the adults and a short suit for kids. We did get cold towards the end, so definitely take them up on the wetsuit. Once we got in the water our knowledgeable guides Ake & Molly talked to us about the rays and maneuvered us to locate the best place to view the mantas. Within about 5 minutes we were treated to a show of about 7 mantas coming within inches of your face! So amazing!!! We were in the water for about 30 minutes with many mantas making multiple passes at our board. Our family ranged in age from 11 to 70 and we all had an amazing time. Truly an unforgettable experience and good for all ages. Can’t forget to mention our awesome captain Justin and Lexi who helped check us in and get us to the boat dock. Thank you Hawaii Oceanic Ake, Molly, Justin and Lexi for a wonderful night with these beautiful creatures!!! Aloha & Mahalo 🌺

Manta Ray Night Snorkel - We had such a good experience with Hawaii Oceanic. Loved that it was a small group and our guide in the water was so knowledgeable. I appreciated that they sent a text with clear instructions about where to meet. We were even able to book this tour last minute, and so glad that we did!

Hints and tips - I can write another paragraph on how amazing the trip was and how good Sarah was with the manta knowledge and the truth is it is amazing , but some things I wish I knew in advance. Book early in your holiday. There is a 90% chance of seeing them so if you don’t then you have to rebook ( they honour free rebooks) but that’s no good if you’re not there. If you can choose a later trip . 8.20 on. It’s great being on the boat when the sun goes down but give the rays a chance to migrate to the lights ( food source) Ask for a second later wetsuit top. It’s cold laying still in the water for half hour and having an extra layer makes a difference. Finally listen to the tour guide they are great . If you have your own mask and snorkel, bring them the mask they provide is ok but the snorkel is not great. I do highly recommend this though the mantas come real close and are amazing under the lights. You can’t do this anywhere else in the world.

Fabulous!! - Once in a lifetime experience! We LOVED seeing the manta rays, we were in awe! Lexy, Justin, Sarah & Carmelle were an awesome crew & we highly recommend this excursion. We saw seven total rays during our nighttime snorkel & we were truly right there with them! Pictures show exactly what we did, truly amazing.

A Must Do on the Big Island - When booking this tour, I thought it would be a bit of a tourist trap, but instead, it was the most memorable part of our trip. First, Hawaii Oceanic and the crew of Lexy, Shawn, Sara, and Molly were amazing! It's a small group of 10 so you get very personal service. There was a thorough introduction, and Lexy eased the fears of a couple participants. The trip out to the Manta area was literally 5 minutes in a fairly protected harbor. Hopped into the water, and grabbed onto the modified board where Molly slowly towed us right to the Mantas. She was sure to explain everything she was doing so people understood the process and what to expect. Then the Mantas began to show, and what a show they put on. I've never seen so many Mantas in one place and I have SCUBA dived for much of my life. These gentle creatures were swimming right under our board over and over again. In all, we saw 14+ mantas which supposedly was the most they had seen in a while. This was truly a once in a lifetime event. Plus, while they were swimming under us, Molly was educating us on all sorts of Manta facts. My wife and I loved every minute and felt completely safe the entire time. You must do this if you go to the Big Island! Thanks Hawaii Oceanic and thanks Lexi, Shawn, Sara, and Molly!

Amazing manta ray experience. Do not miss this!!!!!! - We had the most amazing experience. Our captain, Corey did a great job, and our guide in the water, Sarah made the experience just that much better. So fun and positive. The manta rays themselves were just unbelievable. There were so many, and they were almost constantly right under us. Just spinning around and swooping right under us. So close that they rubbed up against us numerous times. I wish I were more eloquent at describing our journey, but if I can impart anything to you, it is that you need to do this. Absolute favorite part of our trip. And being a small group was so nice. Five stars all the way.

Nice small group & Super knowledgeable/friendly crews - We took Hawaii Oceanic out to snorkel with the Manta Ray's last night. Our trip was phenomenal!! It was 5 minutes to the site & about 45 minutes in the water - which was perfect. They keep it small - only 11 snorkelers - a much more relaxing experience. We were lucky enough to see 9 rays within less than an inch - they like to put on a show - doing back flips right in front of us! Today we went to Captn Cooks monument to snorkel. It was about 25 minutes out over an hour in the clear blue fish filled water. The crew was helpful, friendly & knowledgeable. They seemed like they wouldn't want to be anywhere else! I'd highly recommend Hawaii Oceanic for both!

Manta Rays - Night snorkeling in Kona - What an absolutely fantastic experience! Small boat with a great crew and very knowledgeable about the mantra rays. A must when you are in Kona! You won’t be disappointed. Say hi to Jeff, Dustin Sarah, and Kaylee.

Amazing experience - It was amazing to just float and have these majestic creatures swim so close. The tour was a small group and our guide was very informative A must do!

Manta ray snorkel - The company which organized the dive wasn’t encouraging, helpful and friendly. The dive however was amazing.