Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka
Overall Rating
4.87
Wow!!
Reviewed by: Kara, 2024/07/21Gentle giants for certain!! What amazing creatures to get to play around with in the water
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2024/06/28 |
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Just do it, amazing experience!
Reviewed by: Isabella ferreira , 2024/07/20The crew was really nice, and we have such a great experience. I was scared at first, but swimming with the mantas was really cool. This is definitely a must do in your trip to Kona.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/07/18 |
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Great time!
Reviewed by: Brian, 2024/07/11The evening manta ray tour was amazing!! Crew was great, Trevor, Scott, Mitch were all top notch. Diego? Well, okay, he was great too! Ha! Seriously, fun crew, AMAZING manta rays, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/07/09 |
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Great experience, fun crew!
Reviewed by: dces, 2024/07/10Great experience, fun crew! Everyone in our group loved it and if the opportunity ever presents itself we'd do it again!
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2024/06/11 |
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Loved this!
Reviewed by: Kara, 2024/07/06We were a bit nervous about being in the water at night, but not to worry as the guides make the whole evening experience comfortable!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/04/12 |
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Once in a lifetime
Reviewed by: Kara, 2024/07/06It was such a fabulous and unreal experience, the scared part left my body right when we started seeing the rays as they are so gentle!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/04/08 |
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Wonderful Time With Manta Rays
Reviewed by: Lydia, 2024/06/24My 8 year old grandson was taught by Mitch how to snorkel so he could enjoy the manta rays. The grandkids
said it was awesome and I agree! It’s a must to do. The crew was extremely professional and safety conscious.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2024/06/22 |
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Spectacular snorkeling experience!
Reviewed by: Kirk, 2024/06/03We attended the 9pm experience and it was absolutely worth every cent as well as the late hour. We were completely surrounded by manta rays, there were at least a dozen feeding within inches of the group. There were bottlenose dolphin hunting at the edges of the lighted area and we were even visited by a small shark. Everything a Hawaiian night snorkel should be!
The guides were professional and knowledgeable and truly provided an outstanding experience.
I would recommend a light jacket for the 20 minute boat ride to and from the dive sight if you get cold easily. I was in swim trunks and a long sleeve rash guard and I was fine, but my wife was a bit chilly on the trip back.
We would 100% do this experience again!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/05/26 |
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a must!
Reviewed by: Kara, 2024/04/01great evening swimming with these giant gorgeous creatures, we got lucky with the abundance who came around to play!
Aloha Kara! Thank you so much for joining our Manta snorkel tour! We are happy to hear that you had a great time swimming with the manta rays. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/01/10 |
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Exhilarating Night Adventure Watching Manta Ray Under Your Feet
Reviewed by: LarryC, 2024/02/28Are ready to try an adventure that is unique? Water activities are great but what about doing something at night, in the water and mysteriously fun? You must do this! A night time viewing of majestic Manta Rey fish! Oh boy, so fun. The day came, I drove down to the facility early (good thing I did, I got lost) and introduced myself to the host. Maybe her name was Iruka, but a very friendly girl greeted me and accommodated any questions I had. She offered a wetsuit fins and mask/snorkel combo however, I bought and brought my own (because I know what it means for things not to fit right). We took off on time with about 13-15 people out into the abyss. Light was shimmering off the water as the sun was setting down. Very beautiful to see it on a boat. We took a short ride to the spot where other boats were anchored and the crew pulled out a square like raft. It had special lights in the middle to draw fish and Manta Ray. The special lights draw the plankton towards the light and the fish eat it right away.
Everyone slowly dropped ourselves over the side and crew members helped us swim to the floating raft. We had to hold a small rope handle and given floating noodles to place under our feet to make everyone horizontal. This is to keep our feet from kicking underneath the raft and scaring the fish. This also kept everyone relaxed, well until we started seeing strange fish.
So much fun! The ride back was scary fun. Traveling through the dark without any lights but the moon illuminating on the water in front of us Wow! This is something you'll never forget. Highly Recommended.
Video https://youtu.be/t4VJHokd3DI
Aloha Larry!
Thank you so much for joining our manta ray tour on the big island of Hawai'i! We are happy to hear that you had a great time with our awesome crew and in the water with the manta rays! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! Your videos and pictures are amazing to see. Come back soon, mahalo
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2024/02/13 |
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Awesome once-in-a-lifetime experience
Reviewed by: Veronica, 2024/02/25My family did the sunset cruise and it was amazing! We got to watch the sunset in the water and got to see dolphins and look for whales before heading to the snorkeling spot. I have kids ages 12 and 9. While my 9 year old struggled a bit with the snorkel, my 12 year old had no problems at all. The crew was super fun and engaging, dancing to music and generally infecting the crowd with their great attitude. Snacks and drinks were provided as well as hot chocolate afterward. They also took videos for us and were happy to airdrop them to anyone that wanted them. I would definitely recommend this experience and this company!
Aloha Veronica!
Thank you for joining our manta ray tour and for sharing your amazing experience. We are thrilled to hear that you and your family had a great time on our boat and snorkeling with the manta rays. We hope you come back soon for more fun, mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2024/02/02 |
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pretty good experience
Reviewed by: joe pang , 2024/01/18wonderful and first experience of my life. i 'll want to there again soon, this is my dream.
Aloha Joe! Thank you so much for joining our Manta Ray tour. We are so happy that you had a great time and that is was a dream come true. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2023/12/20 |
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AWESOME EXPERIENCE!!!!
Reviewed by: Mary H, 2023/10/31We attended on Monday October 16. The 4 guys did such a fantastic job making it fun for all of us. It was a unique and exciting experience. I can not say enough good things about it. I highly recommend it and would even go so far as to say it is a MUST DO on the Big Island!!
Aloha Mary! We are so happy that you enjoyed our Manta Ray tour. Thank you so much for joining us. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/10/16 |
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Amazing guides, lots of mantas and fish, beautiful scenery, and fun learning experience.
Reviewed by: E & C Flores-Montoya, 2023/10/27My husband and I booked this tour for our honeymoon on the island. It was truly amazing to see the many fish and mantas in their natural habitat! I was that person who forgot their motion sickness meds. If you get motion sick/sea sick definitely take them so you can enjoy the whole experience without feeling queasy. If you come from colder climates you may not need wet suits. My husband and I didnt get them as we come from a cold climate and did fine temperature wise. The captain and his crew, Diego, were very knowledgeable and friendly. They also helped out a bunch when I wasn't feeling well. Would recommend this tour to anyone!
Aloha! Thank you so much for joining our Manta Ray tour and for choosing Iruka! It makes us so happy to hear that our guests are loving their experience. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/10/25 |
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An absolutely unforgettable time!
Reviewed by: Kristen, 2023/10/21We are SO glad we booked this tour with Iruka; we had an absolutely incredible time with tour guides Trevor, Diego and Tamaya (so sorry if I'm misspelling your names or missing anyone) who were so knowledgable and accommodating. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island; a bunch of the rays got so close to us, we felt super safe and loved the hot chocolate afterwards!
Aloha Kristen! Thank you so much for joining our Manta Ray tour and for sharing about your experience. We are so glad that you enjoyed your time with us. Please come back soon! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/10/12 |
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awesome!
Reviewed by: Stefanie Säuberlich, 2023/10/10We always felt safe. The support was great. We were there with our 2 sons (4 and 11 years old). Everything worked great and everyone was very attentive. We were able to enjoy it completely as a family. Seeing the manta rays was an unforgettable experience.
Highly recommended!
Aloha Stefanie! Thank you so much for choosing Iruka and for sharing about your exciting experience. We are so happy that you enjoyed your time on our Manta Ray tour. We hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2023/10/08 |
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10/10, would recommend. Manta rays are a must see!
Reviewed by: Maggy, 2023/09/18This was such a breathtaking experience! Trevor and Diego were excellent captain and crew, with a great sense of humor too. They ensured I felt safe which was huge because I had never snorkeled before. I would recommend this company to anyone who asks, they provide everything you need including prescription goggles which was an amazing surprise. Diego also gave us manta ray facts as we were snorkeling and we loved it. The night began with a sunset boat ride, leading into the manta ray snorkel, and then a quick boat ride back to the harbor with snacks and hot cocoa. I will never forget this experience.
Aloha Maggy! We are so happy that you had fun on our Manta Ray tour. Thank you so much for joining us. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/09/15 |
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Great Evening
Reviewed by: Kara, 2023/09/18We were happy we got to see some mantas, it was so fun to have a night experience!
Aloha Kara! Thank you for choosing Iruka and for sharing your positive feedback. We are so glad that you enjoyed your time on our tour. We hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/08/04 |
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Epic Experience!
Reviewed by: Alex, 2023/09/02The boat crew went out of their way to make sure each and every one of us was taken care of and having a good time. The mantas were surreal. This is something everyone needs to experience!
Aloha Alex! Thank you so much for joining our tour and for sharing about your experience. We are so glad that you enjoyed your time with us. Please come back soon! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/08/31 |
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Fun evening
Reviewed by: Kara, 2023/08/13We got lucky and got a few mantas so the night was worth it!
Aloha Kara! We are so happy you were able to experience the magic of snorkeling with Manta Rays! Thank you for joining our tour, we hope you come back soon. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/21 |
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Great experience
Reviewed by: Sreedhar, 2023/08/05- crew was very helpful
- had a good evening boat ride with sunset view
- crew explained the instructions clearly
- great experience watching manta rays up close
- crew helped my kids getting into and out of water
Aloha Sreedhar! Thank you for choosing Iruka and for sharing your positive feedback. We are so glad that you enjoyed your time on our tour. We hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2023/07/10 |
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10/10 would do it again!
Reviewed by: Diane, 2023/07/30This was a great experience for my family I clouding kids as young as 8. Bryce, Joe, Diego, and Tamae were so kind to the guests and very knowledgeable about the manta rays. We got a bonus of seeing a dolphin on our way to the snorkel site as well as a beautiful sunset. Mahalo!
Aloha Diane! We are so happy that you had fun on our Manta Ray tour and were lucky enough to see dolphins! Thank you so much for joining us. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/07/23 |
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Memorable Experience
Reviewed by: Belinda, 2023/07/18Arriving shortly before 6:30 p.m., we were greeted with welcoming smiles and thank-yous for choosing them.
During the 30-minute boat ride to the manta ray sighting, the crew offered us snacks and beverages. Captain ?Louie? showed us a beautiful sunset while waiting to "anchor" until another boat saw a manta ray (we liked it that he wanted to give us the best chance of seeing manta rays). I was feeling a little seasick by then. Once the boat stopped, the crew gave us helpful instructions.
As we jumped into the water, the staff provided help to any who needed guidance to the lighted raft. Not being the best swimmer, I was one who Tamae kindly guided.
Minutes after setup, we saw our first of 6-7 manta rays for the evening. The manta rays were amazing, even though they chose to stay close to the bottom of the ocean that evening!
During the experience, the raft kept bumping my head and shifting my mask (another in my party had the same experience, so the crew should try to avoid giving the corner spot of the raft to anyone), so I had to hold onto the raft rope with one hand and prevent the raft from bumping my head with the other. The combination of the boat ride and the raft bumping caused my motion sickness to literally erupt. Diego and Tamae compassionately led me toward the boat. Diego comforted me, saying not to worry, at least one person each trip became ill. Because I started feeling better, I was able to return to the raft for the last 10 minutes.
Climbing up the ladder into the boat wasn't the easiest thing to do, but both the captain and crew were there to help.
The ride back was breezy but not too cold with a towel wrapped around our shoulders. I'm also glad there was a small bucket for me to use with my motion sickness.
The entire crew was fantastic, helping us all to experience watching the manta rays! Tamae also offered free actual video footage of our adventure.
Thanks for our memorable experience!
Aloha Belinda! Thank you so much for choosing Iruka and for sharing your positive feedback. We are so glad that you enjoyed your time on our Manta Ray tour and with our amazing crew. We apologize for any discomfort you felt from the sea sickness. We are so happy to hear that you still were able to have a good time. We hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/22 |
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Great Evening
Reviewed by: Kara, 2023/07/01Really good water conditions, we got to see a good amount of the rays and the experience was breathtaking!
Aloha Kara! We are thrilled to hear of your amazing experience on our manta ray tour. We hope you come again soon! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/05/06 |
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Fantastic
Reviewed by: Happy snorkeler, 2023/06/26The tour was wonderful , the crew engaging, helpful, humorous, and knowledgeable , the equipment was fine, thoughtful snacks/drinks provided, and of course then there were the rays.it was a dreamlike experience.
Aloha! We are so happy to hear that you had such an amazing time on our Manta Ray tour. We love to hear about our guest's positive experiences. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/23 |
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Best family excursion!
Reviewed by: Molly L, 2023/06/25MUST DO-Our family comes to Hawaii every summer and this is by far the most magical experience we've ever had on an excursion!!! There were four manta rays swimming around us-truly awe inspiring! Our kids are 16, 14, and 10...ALL LOVED IT and said it was the highlight of our trip! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Aloha Molly! Thank you for joining our tour and leaving such positive feedback! We are so glad that your family enjoyed your time with the manta rays. We hope to see you again in the future! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/23 |
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Saw lots of incredible Manta Rays!
Reviewed by: Brian Van Wie, 2023/04/29Diego, Trevor, and Tamae were incredible! They were fun and upbeat and super helpful. We got in the water and we say more than a half dozen different manta rays swimming around right beneath us! It was an experience we’ll never forget!
Aloha Brian! We thank you for choosing Iruka and leaving such kind feedback! We hope to see you again in the future. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/27 |
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SO MANY MANTAS
Reviewed by: Big Bertha, 2023/04/23This trip was great. Outstanding crew constantly catering to our every need and ensuring the best experience. Captain Trevor, first mate Diego and Joe and everyone else were so accommodating to all. Would love to come back and visit the mantas again!
Aloha! We are so happy to hear that you had such a fantastic time on our Manta Ray tour. We thank you for choosing Iruka and leaving such positive feedback. Come back soon! Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/21 |
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Top 5 Experience of my life
Reviewed by: hq66, 2023/04/20One of the top 5 experiences of my life! A must do on the big island. Captains Trevor and Diego were helpful. Storm was coming in so water was choppy. Climbing out of the water was the hardest part.
Aloha! We are so thrilled that you had such a great time on our Manta Ray tour! Thank you so much for choosing Iruka Hawaii Dolphin. We hope we have a chance to welcome you back on our boat soon. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/18 |
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Incredible, not to be missed, experience!!!
Reviewed by: JLC, 2023/04/17This was such a great adventure! The crew was super nice, friendly, knowledgeable and gave us all the important information ahead of time. I am glad we rented wetsuits (the long sleeve, short legs version - $10), because the amount of time we stay in the water and specially at sunset, made it for a very cold attraction.
Nonetheless, we saw at least 4 manta rays, they were swimming around and under us for the entire time and it was such an incredible experience!!!
When we got back to the boat, we were treated to some really yummy hot chocolate.
Tamae, one of our guides, also had some pictures and videos that she shared with us!!
Aloha! Thank you so much for joining our sunset Manta Ray tour. We are so glad you had a great time and were able to see the mantas. We hope you have a chance to come back soon for more fun. Mahalo
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/13 |
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ALOHA Kirk! Thank you for sharing your kind words, experience. We're so glad hear you have met dolphin and small shark during Manta ray snorkel as well. We looking forward welcoming you back when yo come to Hawaii.