With a 90% sighting success rate, Manta Heaven is slightly less consistent with ray sightings than Manta Village. Manta Heaven is conveniently located just offshore from the Kona International Airport, near the northern coast of Kona. If guests want to learn even more about these majestic animals they can stop by the learning center to discover more information about their anatomy, life cycle, and behavior. The Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa is also home to the Manta Learning Center. The area is home to a range of local tours and charters that provide visitors with everything they need to successfully and safely swim with manta rays. While some tour operators offer daytime dives after sundown is the best time to visit Manta Village. See also 15 of the Best Resorts in Kauai for Families The lights from the nearby resort attract plenty of marine plankton to the area, making this an extremely popular feeding location for rays after dark. Since becoming the original manta ray dive location in the 1970s, Manta Village has remained a fantastic option for anyone looking for an up-close encounter with Hawaii’s manta rays. Charters at this feeding location boast a success rate of 96%, with an average of four manta ray sightings a night. While there are plenty of sites where you can spot manta rays throughout Hawaii, Manta Village offers the most consistency and reliability. This feeding spot is located about seven miles south of the Kona coast and is one of the most popular manta viewing locations for visitors today.

Located just off the coast of the Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay, Manta Village is one of the best spots for manta ray sightings in Hawaii. There are three main feeding stations off the coast of Kona: Manta Village, Manta Heaven, and the Kohala Coast near Waikoloa Village. When you go on a nighttime dive in Hawaii, tour operators will shine bright lights into the water to attract manta rays to the plankton, offering visitors an up-close experience with these incredible creatures swimming and gliding through the water as they eat. The plankton draws a large congregation of manta rays to specific locations once the sun goes down. Off the coast of Kailua-Kona, the bright lights from hotels and resorts attract plankton, manta rays’ main source of food. The best places to swim with manta rays in Hawaii are at one of several feeding stations. With a wingspan of up to 14 ft, these extraordinary animals provide a thrilling underwater adventure for any snorkeler or diver. Big Island Divers Manta Night Snorkel Charter.SeaParadise Sunset Manta Ray Snorkeling Tour.

Best Tour Options for Swimming With Manta Rays.

Where To Swim With Manta Rays in Hawaii.

Here is your guide to everything you need to know for the best experience swimming with manta rays in Hawaii. If you want to discover manta rays through a unique snorkel or dive experience, it’s important to know where to look and what to expect. No matter when you’re planning on being in Hawaii, you can find a time to swim alongside these gentle giants with a nighttime manta ray tour. While most manta rays migrate during a specific time of year, the reef mantas in Kona can be found in the water year-round. With so many of these beautiful and awe-inspiring creatures just offshore of the island, a visit to Hawaii offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience an up-close encounter with manta rays. The Kona coast of Hawaii is home to over 240 unique manta rays. From sea turtles to dolphins and humpback whales, the Big Island has plenty of wildlife for both visitors and locals to explore.īut if you’re looking for a truly unforgettable experience during your trip to Hawaii, swimming with manta rays is one of the most exciting and memorable activities you can find. The Kona coast of Hawaii is home to some of the most incredible and exciting marine life on the planet.

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