Manta Ray moonlight swim in Kona, Hawaii

We start with a safety briefing and share our insights about the manta rays, the ocean, and other marine life you may encounter. The activity takes about 75-90 minutes in total, of which 30-40 minutes are spent in the water.

If you haven’t done so yet, download our Guide to Swimming with Manta Rays to learn about the guidelines for interacting with marine life and other safety tips.

Once you sign up for a Manta Ray Moonlight Snorkel with us, you will be emailed additional information. Please read through it, share it with family and friends joining the experience, and review it at least a few days before the swim.

We recommend you practice snorkeling between the time you book and the day of the experience. You can do this by yourself (you can rent snorkeling gear) or by joining a day snorkel trip. We offer a refresher class to re-familiarize yourself with snorkeling, how to use your gear, and troubleshoot problems; this refresher class is mandatory if you haven’t snorkeled in the ocean in the past year. Find more information and book the class through this page.

Read more here about what equipment you need to swim with mantas.

We can supply you with a high-quality mask/snorkel set, fins, a safety flotation vest, and towels – or you can use your own if you prefer. We do not offer prescription masks (Rx masks) or wetsuits, but those are available in local snorkel gear rental stores.

Please bring your own swimsuit and swimshirt.

You will be floating still in the water for about 30 minutes. The water temperature is usually around 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit (21-25 degrees Celsius); most guests feel they do not require a wetsuit.

There is a freshwater shower for convenience after the swim, restrooms, and changing rooms.

If we need to cancel the moonlight swim: 

Especially during the winter months, ocean conditions can force us to cancel our moonlight swim. We will keep you updated by text and email, so you’ll know as soon as we know. We will do our best to reschedule the event; if that’s not an option, you will receive a full refund.

If you need to cancel: 

If you notify us 24 hours (or more) before the activity starts, you will receive a full refund. Look for our acknowledgement of your cancellation; if you do not hear back from us, please follow up!

If you cancel within 24 hours before the start of the activity, we do our best to fill your space – but you will not be refunded if we cannot.

If you arrive late to the tour or not at all, you are considered a “no-show” and will be charged the full amount. Please be mindful of time zones when booking!

We do not offer reimbursement if you drop out before the end of the activity, do not meet the prerequisites, or are disqualified due to alcoholic consumption before the start of the tour (“zero tolerance policy”).

You can download our full cancellation policy here (PDF).

View all our policies and conditions for participating to the manta ray swim on this page.

A manta snorkel experience is a lovely idea to gift to others, but not everyone meets the prerequisites.

Every participant must sign their own liability waiver beforehand, indicating that they have the required snorkel experience and are in good health.

If you surprise someone, they might not have the skills needed for successful participation—or they may not be keen on going into the dark ocean at night to swim with giant fish. It wouldn’t be the first time this has happened! This is not only a big disappointment for everyone involved, but you also can’t get a refund if someone ends up not being able to participate.

While the moonlight snorkel adventure at this viewing site offers one of the best chances to experience manta rays in their natural environment, it’s important to remember that manta rays are wild animals. Many factors influence their presence, and those can change rapidly.

We do our best to forecast the likelihood of seeing mantas by sharing the sighting success of the prior nights, but there is still no guarantee of mantas showing up (much like whale-watching or fishing).

If the manta rays do not appear, we do not offer a refund, a discount, or a rain check. 99% of participants leave exhilarated by the experience nonetheless; even if the mantas don’t show up, there is plenty of other marine life to encounter!

Download our policy statement (PDF) for a more detailed answer.

There are 3 recognized manta ray viewing sites along the Kona coast in Hawaii. Read all about the different sites on this page!

While the other two locations are accessible by boat, boats are not allowed at the Manta Point location, where we operate. We walk directly into the water from a sandy beach at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. This makes for a unique and relaxing experience, far from the crowds and boat traffic at the public viewing sites. 

We meet at the activity kiosk on the beach for a briefing and preparations before we go into the water; you will receive full directions by email after you book.