Evening, about 2.5 hours (input); operator duration not confirmed
Tour type
Night Snorkel Tour
Island
Big Island
Overview
Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures' Kona manta ray night snorkel is a small-group evening boat trip where you float on a shared light board while manta rays feed beneath you, from $134 per person. It suits confident swimmers who want a close encounter with a small crew. The drawback is that sightings depend on the rays; 13 reviews are 1 star.
Highlights
Guests hold a shared, lit float board at the surface while mantas feed on the plankton drawn by the lights
Greetwell's summary of 397 reviews says mantas come close and guests often count 7 to 12 rays
Small-group boat with crew praised by name for marine-life knowledge
From $134 per person on Greetwell in October 2026
HawaiiGuide gives this trip its top 100/100 editorial score among the operator's tours
What to Expect
You meet the boat in Kailua-Kona in the early evening at the point given on your booking.
The boat runs to a known manta feeding site off the Kona coast as the light fades.
The crew briefs you on manta etiquette: float flat, hold the board, keep hands and fins still, do not touch the rays.
You enter the water in a group and hold the illuminated board; plankton gather in the light and mantas loop up to feed inches below you.
After the session the boat returns to Kona; the 1 review we read saw sharks and rays and called it the highlight of their trip.
Kailua-Kona; exact harbor or pier given at booking
Ratings from every source we could find
Google
4.8
397 reviews
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
Manta ray night snorkeling off Kailua-Kona is widely regarded across operators as one of the top wildlife experiences in Hawaii, with high, consistent sighting rates due to a stable resident manta population in the area.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We read 1 Google review republished on Greetwell (July 2026) and Greetwell's summary and star breakdown of the operator's 397 reviews across its three tours. Scores collected October 2026.
What Reviewers Praise
Close manta encounters with multiple rays(operator-wide pattern in Greetwell's review summary)
Greetwell's summary describes manta encounters as close, with guests often seeing 7 to 12 rays in a session.
Patient, knowledgeable crew(1 of the 1 review we read, echoed in Greetwell's summary)
The reviewer praised three named crew members for patience with a mixed group including children and guests with limited English; the summary names five crew for marine-life and history knowledge.
— Google via Greetwell, 5★, July 2026: the crew were very patient and it was the highlight of our trip
What Reviewers Complain About
One tour ended 30 minutes early(1 report (Greetwell review summary) · operator issue · most recent: not shown)
Greetwell's summary flags a single review in which the trip finished 30 minutes early; we could not read the original or any operator reply.
13 one-star reviews we could not read(13 of 375 counted reviews (Greetwell breakdown) · operator issue · most recent: not shown)
The operator's breakdown shows 351 five-star and 13 one-star reviews; low-rated review text was not available on any fetched page, so we cannot say whether they concern no-show mantas, cancellations or service.
About the Operator in General
Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures also sells a Kealakekua Bay snorkel from $106 and a small-group reef snorkel by raft from $134; HawaiiGuide scores the operator 91/100 overall.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
At $134 this sits in the normal price band for Kona manta trips, and the small-group format plus the 4.8 rating from 397 reviews make it a reasonable pick over the larger boats that put 20 or more people on one board. The unknowns are basic: we could not confirm duration, meeting point, wetsuit provision or what happens if no mantas appear. Ask those questions on the FareHarbor page or by phone before committing.
Book This Tour If…
You want a small group on the light board rather than a crowded one
You are a confident swimmer comfortable floating in open water after dark
You want crew who explain the animals; Greetwell's summary and the review we read both praise this
You are staying in Kailua-Kona or Keauhou
Skip This Tour If…
You are nervous in the water at night; this is a surface float in the dark, not a pool
You need a guaranteed sighting or a published no-manta policy; none was found
You get cold easily and cannot confirm a wetsuit is provided
You want a large boat with a restroom and hot drinks
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Confirm duration, departure time and whether wetsuits are provided on the FareHarbor listing before booking
Book on your first or second night in Kona so a weather cancellation can be rescheduled
Keep hands and fins still on the board; mantas feed inches from you and touching them is prohibited
Bring a warm layer for the ride back; the boat is open and the air cools after sunset
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures manta ray night snorkel?
The Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour in Kailua-Kona was listed from $134 per person on Greetwell in October 2026. That matches the price of the operator's small-group raft reef snorkel and is $28 more than its Kealakekua Bay trip. Gratuity is not included.
How does the Kona manta ray night snorkel work?
On the Kona manta ray night snorkel you float at the surface holding a shared board fitted with lights. The lights attract plankton, and manta rays loop up to feed on it just below the snorkelers. Guests stay flat and still and must not touch the rays. Greetwell's review summary says guests often see 7 to 12 mantas here.
How many manta rays do you see with Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures?
Greetwell's summary of Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures' 397 reviews says guests often see 7 to 12 manta rays and describes the encounters as close. Sightings depend on the animals and conditions, and we found no published policy for nights when mantas do not appear, so ask the operator before booking.
Is the manta night snorkel safe for children?
The 1 review we read described a mixed group of adults and children handled patiently by Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures' crew, but the operator's own age and swimming requirements were not available on the pages we could fetch. Participants float in open water after dark holding a board, so confident swimming is the practical minimum.
What is Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures' rating for the manta tour?
Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures held a 4.8 rating from 397 reviews on Greetwell as of October 2026, covering all three of its tours, with 351 five-star and 13 one-star reviews. HawaiiGuide gives the manta night snorkel a 100/100 editorial score, the highest of the operator's trips. We could not read the one-star reviews.
Contact
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