Testimonials

What an incredible experience with Kona Mantas! We saw several Mantas and even recieved "manta kisses". I was pleasantly surprised that our group of 3 were the only ones going keeping our experience intimate and enjoyable. If you get the opportunity to do this tour dont walk run! You won't regret it! - Alicia from Colorado

Our family of 5 joined Kona Mantas for a night snorkel in Feb 2026. So glad we found them! Jen was amazing at facilitating our tour! So friendly and helpful, genuinely just wanted us to have a great time. Once on the water we had Lauren as our captain and Cassie in the water with us. Both were super friendly and helpful, and their enthusiasm was contagious. We may had been a bit nervous about jumping into the ocean at night, but that lasted about 1 minute. The mantas were incredible. We saw a total of 9 rays, several of which came close enough to actually bump into us while feeding! We felt safe the entire time and left the water exhilarated. Highest recommendations for the tour in general and Kona Mantas in particular. We have encouraged our friends to do this tour as well!

Incredible!!! That was a dream come true! We saw 9 mantas and the crew was adorable, lots of information about mantas, feel perfectly safe and we stay a lot in the water to enjoy. I Will recommande this tour as it was over my expectation 😁 …

Absolutely amazing!! Even if you get motion sickness, just do it for the experience!! Jen was super informative! Lauren and Cassie were amazing!! Very knowledgeable about what manta rays were who, how they can sense things, age, just awesome and you can tell they love doing what they do! Once in a lifetime experience!! Plus they do their trips in small groups which is perfect to really get the great experience!! 1000+/10 stars!!

This tour was amazing. I’d give it 10 stars if I could! We saw about 100 Manta Rays. They came right up to the board we were holding on to. Jen, our guide in the water was very knowledgeable. Kia, our boat captain was also. This was a small group tour. That was great. Just our 5 family members. This tour also included more in water time than some other tours. Our daughter purchased on Groupon and got a good price.

Most epic manta ray tour ever!! First off, Jen was amazing to deal with. She was quick to respond to my inquiries and questions, she accommodated a date change last minute as our flight was cancelled so we didn’t arrive in Kona until the day after our original tour was booked for, she also reached out to see if we wanted to move our tour time up (from 9:45pm to 7:45pm) as she had a spot open up. Once we got down to the boat launch and met up with Lauren & Cassie, we were greeted warmly and well taken care of. The ride to the snorkelling spot was literally 2 minutes. We were in the water shortly there after and had the absolute best experience. There were at least 8 mantas swimming beneath us for most of our time in the water. We were able to rent wetsuits (highly recommended as we did a manta ray night snorkel last year without them and it was freezing). I should also note that our tour was just our family of 4 so we had such an intimate experience together. We also rented a go pro from them to record the experience and it was well worth it. Cassie recorded a lot of it for us but we were also able to record our experience ourselves as well. Our 7 year daughter even got to record some of the video footage of her experience. Overall, this tour far exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend them to anyone whose looking for a great time with the mantas! 5 stars ⭐️

We had an amazing time with Kona Mantas as a family of 5. Having a boat and guide to ourselves was awesome - it made our experience seem very personalized. Lauren was a great captain and Cassie was helpful and informative but not over-bearing. Would 100% recommend them!

This manta ray tour was hands down one of the highlights of our trip. From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations. Jenny and Captain Koa were both amazing and made the entire experience feel safe, personal, and truly special. One of the biggest reasons we chose this company was the small group size, a maximum of six people. We’re a family of four, and we were thrilled to have the boat completely to ourselves. It felt like a private tour, which made the experience even more intimate and relaxed. Another huge plus for us was that they welcome young children. Our kids are 4 and 5 years old, and it’s surprisingly hard to find manta tours that allow children that young. Not only did they welcome our kids, but they also offer parent swapping if needed, which shows how thoughtful and family-friendly they are. The staff truly sets this tour apart. Jen was incredible from the very beginning. She was always available, made check-in smooth and stress-free, and went out of her way to engage our young kids and get them excited for the snorkeling tour. Our tour guide Jenny is extremely knowledgeable about manta rays and even knows them by name. Once in the water, she knew exactly where to go, explained everything clearly, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable the entire time. You can tell she genuinely loves what she does. Captain Koa was just as fantastic-professional, friendly, and made the boat ride feel effortless. The snorkeling spot is only about a 3 minute boat ride, which was perfect with young kids. Seeing the manta rays up close was absolutely magical, and knowing we were in such capable, caring hands made it even better. We felt completely taken care of from check-in to the end of the tour. I can’t recommend this experience enough. You won’t regret it!

Kona mantas exceeded my expectations. I found them through Groupon but called and booked through them instead. They were very responsive and provided a good briefing. I tend to get anxious in the water and felt safe with these ladies. They provide ankle floats and wet shirts. You can request a life jacket if needed. Group size was also small which was nice. The boat ride was only 2-3 minutes and manta viewing was 45 minutes which is all you really need. We saw probably 6-9 manta rays swimming around us. Overall this was a great experience and I would highly recommend Kona Mantas :)

We had such a great experience! From booking with Jen to the actual tour with Eric and Jenny the manta doctorate. It was non-stop manta action. Recommend the additional wetsuit cause it can get cold at night. Thanks Kona Mantas Group!!!

Jen helped with gear pick up and answered all my questions. It was easy to find the ramp and the boat. We saw other boats going out with 15 plus people, and our boat had only a few people. My husband stayed in a boat and got some great photos. Eric, our guide was amazing and was telling us about the rays. We jumped in and saw a ray within about 90 seconds. Really unforgettable!

An absolutely unforgettable experience! Seeing the manta rays up close was incredible—my boyfriend and I were amazed as they gracefully grazed against our arms. The crew was welcoming, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. We loved that they knew each manta ray by name and shared so much information while we were in the water. It felt very personal and special. Highly recommend this experience to anyone—thank you for such a memorable adventure!

This was amazing! Was so intimate as they only take 6 people. Cassie the guide is known as the "manta whisperer" since mantas recognize people they love her. The boat next to us didn't see any and we had 4-5 almost the whole time. It was quite rough out the night we went and they helped us through every step and the captain Eric was great with the boat. Highly recommend and we are going back for a 2nd time before we leave back home.

This was an unforgettable experience! I'm not a strong swimmer, and I had never snorkeled before. The crew was patient with me, and luckily I didn't really need any assistance! For whatever reason, the mantas were EXREMELY friendly that evening, and came right up to us! It was incredible! Well worth the time and money!

Fabulous evening with Cassie and the Captain of the boat (so sorry, I forget his name), who were just wonderful at locating the mantas for us to experience. The mantas were very active and kept coming back to where we were to feed! It was incredible to see these magnificent creatures so close - they came and rubbed up against us several times during the evening. The weather was perfect, the evening was perfect and the mantas were the stars! I highly recommend this activity to anyone. It was an easy trip - all we had to do was hang on to the light board with our faces in the water and the Captain and Cassie did the rest. Thanks to Kona Mantas LLC for providing such a fabulous experience.

The absolute best experience! Jennifer explained the most about the process compared to other places. She went into detail about the process and even text me additional information and photos about where to meet and what the boat looks like. Lauren and Cassie were on the boat with us and were SUPER knowledgeable about the Manta Rays. I was nervous about my little sister (7) being in the water since she’s not too comfortable with a snorkel but Lauren paid special attention to her and made my experience, as well as hers, enjoyable. Our group had 5 people in it and Jennifer said they only take small groups out to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience. Compered to the other companies that had very large groups(20-30 people), this was a great difference and I truly felt like we were being taken care of. They even send you footage after. Overall 10/10 experience and I cannot recommend them enough. Pro-tip: there’s great Groupon deals!

Highly recommend this manta ray experience! Everything from check in to being in the water went smoothly. Jenny was a fantastic manta guide and expert, Koa did great captaining the boat! In the 45 minutes in the water we had multiple close encounters which we will never forget!

First off, it was a ROUGH water night. We were all first time manta swimmers and a little nervous. That said, Cassie and Eric were amazing. Captain Eric kept control of the boat and Cassie controlled the water experience. Gave us fun facts, great info and took great care with both adult and little. Basically they both worked their buts off!! At one point we had 4 fantastic mantas gracing us with their dance. We had a great night and are currently trying to rebook one more swim before we leave. This is a smaller boat, 6 guests max so you get a personal experience! Thanks again Cassie and Captain Eric.

Fabulous! The registration process was easy and staff was happy and personable. The boat crew was safe and well informed. I love the fact that they have small groups of only 6 passengers. It makes for a more personal experience. All in all a great time and the experience was extraordinary!! I highly recommend Kona Mantas.

Six of us ladies did the manta ray tour this evening. It was simply epic. We saw babies and multiple other female mantas. Lauren handled the boat incredibly well and made sure we were all safe. Our in water guide was just superb and her 15 years of experience with manta’s really showed. I feel like I know so much more about the Hawaiian mantas. It is an experience I will cherish for a lifetime! Mahalo! I highly, highly recommend this to tour company. 🤙

We had a fantastic experience with Kona Manta Rays. Their staff was so nice and knowledgeable. The guide in the water with us knew the mantas by name and their markings and knew ways to attract them. We saw about 6-7 different mantas, who visited us and rolled under us about 20 times within inches of us. Why this tour so great compared to the others is that their tour has much smaller group. I was so grateful that I booked with this company, who was recommended by one of our neighbors, and not one of the companies with groups of 20+ people. What also sets them apart is they provide video of the experience. I would highly recommend them.

Simply Amazing… Im not talking about the manta rays, well yes them also, Im referring to the staff. From the first call to book tickets, to the great joy these guys have for personal touch service, to the boat captain, to Eric who is our guide in the water. Kona Manta is exactly what we were looking for. I am a business owner and recognize what it takes to put off a great customer experience vibe. These people truly love what they do and have focused on the smaller group tours like 4-6 people. This mentality affords them the opportunity to have one on one conversation, personal instruction, ability to care for your need as well as teach you about “Their” mantas. The experience was custom tailored to what I want and not the churn of how many people can we fit on this boat. They truly have a heart for service and we highly recommend Kona Manta. By the way the mantas were great and will swim right up to you.

We had an absolutely amazing manta ray snorkeling experience with this tour! The group size was small, which made the whole outing feel personalized and relaxed. The crew was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive — they made us feel comfortable in the water and truly enhanced the experience. The highlight of the night was definitely seeing three manta rays swimming right below us — it was unforgettable and easily one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip. The way the lights attracted them and how gracefully they swam around us was simply magical. To top it all off, they sent us a free GoPro video afterward with footage from the tour, which was such a thoughtful touch. We highly recommend this manta ray tour to anyone visiting the Big Island. It was fun, safe, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Thank you to the whole team for an incredible evening!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This small Kona manta ray boat tour was hands-down one of the best experiences I’ve had in Hawaiʻi. From the moment we arrived, the crew made us feel safe, welcomed, and genuinely cared for. You can tell they are passionate about the ocean, the mantas, and doing things the right way. The smaller boat made a huge difference, it felt personal, calm, and never crowded. Once we were in the water, the experience was absolutely surreal. The mantas came so close, gliding gracefully right beneath and around us. It was breathtaking and humbling all at once. The crew was knowledgeable, professional, and attentive the entire time, checking in with everyone and explaining what we were seeing while respecting the animals and their environment. Everything felt organized, respectful, and well thought out. If you’re on the fence about doing a manta ray tour in Kona, do it and choose a small boat tour like this one. It’s an unforgettable experience and easily a highlight of our trip. I would recommend this to anyone without hesitation. Mahalo Cassie and Lauren!

This was a great experience. The boat only had 4 for out time slot and even if full would have only had 6. Jenny was a great guide. She was extremely knowledgeable about the Manta Rays and seemed to actually enjoy the experience as much as we did even though she does this regularly. If you want a great manta ray experience, I definitely recommend Kona Mantas for your trip.

We had the best tour with Kona Manta. Started with incredible hospitality from Jennifer with the last minute booking. Then our tour guides, Lauren the Captain and Cassie our superwoman guide in the water. The tour sizes are small (6 max) and intimate unlike all the other tour groups you’ll see out there. We got lucky with just the two of us so it was fully private and personalised. Once we were in the water, Cassie manoeuvred us around so that we could see the mantas. Not only did we see them, we saw 7-8 and baby ones too!! And they had a full show. Flipping around and dancing with each other. I read lots of reviews which said it was the best thing ever to do in Kona. I was skeptical and nearly didn’t put this on the itinerary. Or tried to say, watch it from a jetty. I am now converted. Do the manta tour and do it with these guys!! So knowledgeable as well, and felt incredibly safe and comfortable. Thank you ladies!!

My family and I went out with Kona Mantas and had the best time. It was a really amazing experience swimming with the mantas. The whole crew was great and Cassie our guide had a lot of info about the mantas and our surroundings. Such a cool time in the ocean! I would highly recommend and hope to do it again!

The owner Jennifer is so nice and accommodating. The experience was amazing. Only 6 people to the boat, it is a completely personal experience. I saw so many boats with 20-30 people on them and I was so glad I chose this company. The captain and the guide were amazing and friendly and I haven't even talked about being in the water and seeing these giants up close. I completely recommend this company!

They are the best - seemingly smaller then their competitors but.. - Most affordable - Smaller group so more attentive to our needs. - 45 mins of water time!! (Compared to standard 30 min) - FREE GoPro footage included - FREE ankle floats included - MOBILITY (The guide made sure our group had the best accessibility with the Mantas. Other groups were just trying to follow us - Responsive via text Would 100% recommend and after looking in-depth at 8+ companies I was stoked I found these guys. Mahalo!!!

It was the absolute highlight of the entire trip, must do. The best part is that it’s only a 3 minute boat ride to the snorkeling location. The meet up point was very close to Kona, as soon as we found our guides (it was not the easiest thing to find people you have never met in darkness, though they did provide detailed meet up instructions) everything was so smooth and professional. The ladies were very flexible and accommodating with our needs with a young kid. The length of the time we were in water was perfect, long enough to fully absorb the magical moments with the rays, but also not too long that we get too cold or exhausted. Would do it again!

Lauren & Cassie made the trip experience exceptional! Was highly thrilled! Both exhibited a good amount of knowledge, arrived on time, and found us a PERFECT spot AWAY from all the other boats. Spot was so perfect our lil group seemed to be the only ones screaming with excitement as we were swarmed with Manta rays!

Incredible experience with a top-notch crew! Our group of 6 had an amazing time—it felt like a private tour just for us. The team was incredibly professional and accommodating when we weren't fully prepared, handling everything with great communication. Seeing the manta rays was breathtaking. Highly recommend!

The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our big draw to them was their small group offering - our family of 5 had our own outing with their team of 3 that accompanied us. Some of the surrounding outfits felt (and sounded) like frat party boats. We appreciated the small and more professional vibe. Lastly, their price was tough to beat, especially in light of the experience they provided.

Such a magical experience! A must do! Kona Mantas offers a small group of 6 with a very knowledgeable guide who knows all the mantas names and facts about them. You get to spend 45 minutes in the water which is longer than others offer.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! This experience is exactly what it should be. The staff was extremely knowledgable and spectacular! Our boat, gear, board and floats (ankle floats*** vs pool noodles) were in top notch condition and seemed to be newer compared to the other groups we saw. Having the smaller group was the best way to go, our guide was able to maneuver us easily through the water to multiple locations with different rays and create an up close and very personal experience. We were blessed to have been given not one, not two but 6 kisses from these gentle giants!!! This was a phenomenal adventure that we plan on repeating every time we make this trip!!!!!

I’ve been on several manta ray tours over the years because the manta experience in Hawaii is truly magical. A “must-do” every time I visit. Out of all the companies I’ve tried, Kona Mantas stands out in the best possible way. What I loved most was the small group size. It made the entire experience feel personal, peaceful, and so much more immersive compared to the larger, crowded tours. The short boat ride was another huge bonus — quick, smooth, and absolutely no sea sickness. Instead of spending time traveling, we were in the water enjoying the mantas almost immediately. The crew was kind, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. You can feel how much they respect the ocean and these incredible animals, and that makes the experience even more meaningful. If you’re looking for a manta tour that is intimate, comfortable, and truly unforgettable, Kona Mantas is the one. I’ll be choosing them again every time I come back to the Big Island.

Captain Cassie and our guide Laura were amazing. They dealt with some windy conditions like pros and got us out on the water quickly and later in the boat safely. They found a great spot on the water and right away the mantas appeared. They swam so close I thought they’d brush my face. Would do it again with this dynamic duo!

Such a cool and fun experience! Would do this again in a heartbeat! Jen was amazing to work with and made the experience overall easy and fun. The captain and guide were super knowledgeable and made us feel safe. The best part was seeing so many Manta Rays! Highly recommend!

Jennifer and her crew were exceptional right from the start! Quick to respond, and clear communication. She was early for our pick up but was t irritated when we were a little late. She was full of info about the island on our 45 minute trip. We stopped and picked up our gear and everything was extremely clean and well organized. We were on our way to the harbour quickly and our captain and tour guide were all smiles and ready to go when we arrived. Cassie was full of knowledge and both her and Eric made us feel comfortable and well taken care of. Seeing the Mantas was absolutely the highlight of my trip and being so well taken care of by this crew made it even more special. If you’re on the big island, seeing the manats is a must and booking with Jennifer and her crew is a hell yes!

Absolutely Incredible Experience Hands down one of the most magical things I’ve ever done. We saw about 14 mantas that night, and several brushed right up against me. It was unreal. You could feel their grace and power up close, and it’s something I’ll never forget. What really made it special was the crew at Kona Mantas. They were so warm, patient, and genuinely passionate about what they do. They shared fascinating details about the mantas, answered every question, and made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable the entire time. If you’re thinking about going, do yourself a favor and book with a smaller, more personal crew like Kona Mantas. You’ll get so much more attention, care, and connection to the experience than you would with the big tour boats. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.