Page 9) Things to Do in Big Island in 2025 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more here

All Reviews for Marine Life Tours & Cruises in Big Island

Overall Rating

4.56 4.56 / 5

Reviews

794 reviews

Keauhou Bay Manta Ray Night Dive Tour & Snorkel Adventure from Kona - Sea Quest

Manta rays

Reviewed by: Boele

Crew, equipment, boat, customers and experience were all AWESOME

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Swim with Mantas
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/01/01
Activity Date: 2021/12/30

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Great experience with awesome crew

Reviewed by: big island lover

We took the cruise last Thursday. The cruise time from the harbor to the site was a little long but worthful. The sunset view was beautiful. And we were so lucky to see a group of dolphins. The two girls were super nice and very helpful. Also, they offer a different price for people with ride-only. It was a great experience. I regret for not giving tips because my wallet was left in the car. I hope they could accept Zelle/Apple pay of tips later.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/12/29
Activity Date: 2021/12/23

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Phenomenal experience!

Reviewed by: Suzie

The manta ray night snorkel was AMAZING! Our guides were so friendly and knowledgeable. They took the time to meet each one of us individually. Being in the dark ocean with these amazing creatures is a breathtaking experience that can’t be put into words or explained with videos. You just have to do it. We have 5-6 rays that barrel rolled under us continuously for about 20 minutes.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal)
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/12/29
Activity Date: 2021/12/27

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

One Word: Disappointed

Reviewed by: Chris

I paid for and experienced the sunset Manta Ray Night Time Snorkelling on Dec. 23, 2021. I completely understand that these are wild animals and that it's extremely unpredictable whether or not you'll get a good chance to see them up close and personal. That said, that is what this company is selling and what we are paying extremely good money for. if you are going to charge for it, then every effort should be made to deliver on that experience.

The crew overall did a decent job, but once we arrived at the area where the Manta Rays were supposed to be, I was surprised to see a huge number of boats of various sizes and setups. I then realized that perhaps our setup was not ideal. I noticed that some arrange the snorkelers in a circle or square formation, making it more likely for everyone to get a good view of the Manta Ray if it shows up. Our setup was just some floating paddle boards, and our particular location was not ideal. I would say all of us on our particular paddle board barely caught a glimpse of a Manta Ray, whereas others I believe based on what they said got a much better view. This was extremely disappointing. I'm sure those who did catch a good shot will talk about a different experience, but all of us who were on the boat paid good money, not just those who got a good view of the Manta Rays.

This makes it hard to recommend this particular outfit to others

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Chris, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback as we are always looking for ways to improve our tours. We are deeply sorry that your encounter with the Manta Rays fell short of expectations on our tour. Our captain and crew went to great lengths to provide a memorable experience, but the unpredictability of wildlife and ocean conditions can sometimes pose challenges. We hope you can join us again in the future to restore your impression of our tour and see more Mantas up close. Mahalo

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/12/28
Activity Date: 2021/12/23

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Met Expectations and then some

Reviewed by: Greg

Was thrilling and informative. The crew were friendly and helpful and made every effort to make sure the experience was enjoyable. The mantas were so close and very impressive. Also saw dolphins as a bonus.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/12/25
Activity Date: 2021/12/23

Big Island Whale Watching Cruise from Waikoloa - Hawaii Nautical [Dec-Mar]

Great experience with Hawaii Nautical

Reviewed by: Irina

We saw two whales during our trip! We went on a tour in December, when the whale watching season just started, yet we were lucky to encounter two whales. The tour departed from Waikaloa, which was a bit of a drive from our place in Kona. However, it is supposed to be a better area for spotting whales. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Buy One, Get One FREE! Afternoon Whale Watch Cruise [Sailing Catamaran]
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/12/20
Activity Date: 2021/12/19

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Manta Ray night snorkeling

Reviewed by: Awale Farah

The experience was amazing. A big ray came so close touched my elbow.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2021/12/16
Activity Date: 2021/12/14

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Amazing Manta Ray Excursion

Reviewed by: Susie

Our entire family had an amazing evening swimming with the Manta Rays, it was magical. The crew, with Captain Bryce were fantastic, knowledgeable, and fun. Highly recommend this trip!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha!
Thank you for sharing your great experience!
We are very happy to hear that.
Yes!! Guests will experience a magical night with Manta Ray and our crews;)

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/12/03
Activity Date: 2021/11/30

Hawaii Glass Bottom Boat Scenic Cruise from Waikoloa by Ocean Sports | Kids 0-5 Ride for Free

Great for kids!

Reviewed by: Hawaii Visitor

Perfect activity for kids or those with limited mobility. Great crew and fun experience.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha -- thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that you enjoyed the trip and your interactions with our crew.
We look forward to sharing more adventures with you the next time you're in "our neighborhood".
Mahalo

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Waikoloa Glass Bottom Boat Cruise
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2021/11/28
Activity Date: 2021/11/26

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

The crew really went out of the way to make it a great experience

Reviewed by: JCarter

Pirate Wednesdays - Would highly recommend. You get a comedy show as well as the manta rays

Reply from activity provider

Aloha! Thank you for joining with us.
We are glad you enjoyed our tour!

A Hui Hou:)

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/11/26
Activity Date: 2021/11/24

Kona Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour - Small-Group Adventure from Keauhou Bay

Manta Adventures

Reviewed by: Kevin&Lorrie

Tour was professionally done, we saw to many Mantas to count...was such a beautiful experience:). Hot tea and good discussion afterwards was great! Thank you so much!!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Night Manta Discovery Adventure
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2021/11/23
Activity Date: 2021/11/20

Kona Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour - Small-Group Adventure from Keauhou Bay

Awesome

Reviewed by: fyr

We saw so many mantas!!!! It was amazing and awesome!!!! The hot tea was nice as well. Thank you!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Night Manta Discovery Adventure
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2021/11/22
Activity Date: 2021/11/20

Kona Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour - Small-Group Adventure from Keauhou Bay

Manta Ray Night Snorkel

Reviewed by: K Fox

This Manta Ray Night Snorkel was near the top of my husbands life list! It was very well organized and the guides were very informative. We saw at least 5-7 Rays. Many came up quite close to check us out. We would definitely do this again, but next time we will bring the camera! I felt very safe the whole time and for me, 45 minutes was just the right amount of time.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Night Manta Discovery Adventure
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/11/18
Activity Date: 2021/11/16

Atlantis Kona Submarine Tour & Undersea Adventure - Descend up to 100 feet

Good Experience

Reviewed by: Kara

It was a smaller boat, so I felt a little bit squished, but I guess that is how submarines must feel!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Kona Submarine
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/11/12
Activity Date: 2021/11/10

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

MUST DO

Reviewed by: Kara

Learning about the manta ray and watching them feed was amazing! The crew is hawaii is always so helpful assisting me and caring for us! I would recommend this to anyone and love all my excursions here- MAHALO!!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/11/11
Activity Date: 2021/11/09

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Amazing!!!

Reviewed by: Barbara

Everything went very smoothly. Our crew was wonderful & very helpful. I had trouble getting into the boat after climbing the ladder & Trevor was so kind to help me in the boat. We had a wonderful time. The Manta Ray experience will be hard to top! So great of them to share pictures they had taken from below!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Barbara,

We are very glad you spend a great time with us!
Please come back with your friend and family again!

Mahalos

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/11/01
Activity Date: 2021/10/21

Kona Glassbottom Boat & Guided Coral Reef Tour with Marine Naturalist

Amazing Marine Naturalist

Reviewed by: Parrot Fish poop

Not only could we ask her about anything going on 'under the sea', she could tell us in English OR Hawaiian. Wish I could retain a smidge of all that excellent info!

Reply from activity provider

Mahalo for such a wonderful review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the information that the narrator shared with you. Aloha!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Kona Glass Bottom Boat Cruise from Kailua-Kona Pier
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/10/25
Activity Date: 2021/10/21

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Manta swim

Reviewed by: The Sullivan Family

The crew were fabulous! We all would do it again!

Reply from activity provider

Yes, please come back to see Manta Rays and us!!
A hui hou

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/10/23
Activity Date: 2021/10/21

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Awesome experience.

Reviewed by: Katy C

The entire experience from start to finish was amazing! The sunset cruise was a fun addition to swimming with the Mantas. The staff is super fun, helpful and knowledgeable. The Mantas are breathtaking- we were in awe of them! I’m so glad we did this tour, definitely a major highlight of our week in Kona!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha,
We are grad you had a great time with Manta Rays,
They come so close and flip flip flips..it's really amazing!
Thank you very much for your nice pic ;)
Mahalo

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/10/13
Activity Date: 2021/10/11

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Beautiful!

Reviewed by: Evelia

This experience was amazing!

We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and we can't stop talking about how cool this experience was.

We got to see BIG and BEAUTIFUL mantarays and they were really close too.

The guys from the crew were also super nice, funny and told us lots of interesting facts about the marine life.

Reply from activity provider

Congratulation on your wedding !
We are happy to spending such a special time with ​you.
Manta rays make a beautiful sight very close to us.
Wish you happiness!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/10/02
Activity Date: 2021/09/09

Kona Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour - Small-Group Adventure from Keauhou Bay

Simply magical, but easy to get cold

Reviewed by: John

Really enjoyed this experience, the manta rays even touched me!

You can bring your own GoPro but it might be hard to film and hold on at the same time. You're not swimming, you're horizontally floating with a pool noodle at your ankles and your hands gripping a light bar that attracts plankton upon which the mantas feast.

It can get cold when you're in the water, so don't be afraid to bring dive boots, gloves, and your own wetsuit. You'll get a shorty top only and I was pretty chilly, even for a New Englander!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Night Manta Discovery Adventure
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/09/15
Activity Date: 2021/09/13

Hawaii Glass Bottom Boat Scenic Cruise from Waikoloa by Ocean Sports | Kids 0-5 Ride for Free

September 13 2021 Omori

Reviewed by: Diane Omori

Kai and Mika were great. So educational and informative. We had a great time. We are glad that we went on the glass bottom boat while visiting Hawaii. We live in L.A., and don’t really have this kind of thing near us. Thanks to the boys on the boat. They were great.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that you enjoyed the cruise and the information provided by our Captain and Crew. We hope we'll get to share more adventures with you the next time you're in "our neighborhood".
Mahalo and a hui hou!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Waikoloa Glass Bottom Boat Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/09/15
Activity Date: 2021/09/13

Kona Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour - Small-Group Adventure from Keauhou Bay

unforgettable experience

Reviewed by: Ivy

It was a lifetime experience to see so many manta rays. The captain and crews tried to give everyone the best experience. Unfortunately the waves for that evening was so high that made the boat ride an unpleasant trip.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Night Manta Discovery Adventure
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/09/13
Activity Date: 2021/08/22

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Manta Ray Night Snorkel

Reviewed by: Rachel Hunter

My husband and I went on this manta ray night snorkel and had a great time. The crew and captain were very helpful and knowledgeable. A once in a lifetime experience we recommend.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal)
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/09/04
Activity Date: 2021/08/14

Kona Sunset & Moonlight Wild Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Wahine Charters

Fantastic creatures

Reviewed by: Alma S.

Nice ride in the ocean at night, beautiful skyline and warm ocean.
Rays pass by few inches from you, possibly enjoying themself as well.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Moonlight Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2 hours]
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2021/08/28
Activity Date: 2021/08/07

Kona Sunset & Moonlight Wild Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Wahine Charters

Nice people, no Manta Rays

Reviewed by: CHZ

Tour guides were great, nice, and informative. Sadly did not see any manta rays on our cruise. They said this was highly unusual but still disappointing to not see any. They offered for us to go back on a future tour, but we were leaving the island and they do not offer any refunds.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Moonlight Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2 hours]
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/08/22
Activity Date: 2021/08/01

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

I didn't enjoy it but you might

Reviewed by: Denis

We left late and were, as far as I could tell, the last boat to arrive. The place was pretty packed with people from the other boats. The ocean is pretty big so I'm not sure if we were so clustered because there's one particular spot that is best or because of some other reason. For the safety of the manta rays and possibly for your own safety, you don't actually get to swim in the water but rather your entire group are always holding on to a shared flotation device. It's not a good thing or a bad thing but something you should be aware of before signing up.
We saw one manta ray, which was a nice experience. Right after we saw it, the crew packed us up and headed back to the harbor. These are wild creatures so it's not like you're guaranteed to see them but I was expecting the crew to keep us there a bit longer. Anyway, my kids liked it, but I still wouldn't recommend this experience.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2021/08/22
Activity Date: 2021/08/20

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Loved it!!!

Reviewed by: Karen

Not quite what I expected as you don’t get to snorkel around but breathtaking and amazing to watch those beautiful creatures at night in the light, it’s like they are dancing for you!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/08/21
Activity Date: 2021/07/30

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Love the crew

Reviewed by: Angimono26

Super fun boat ride with great boat crew. Mata rays were fun adventure

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2021/08/14
Activity Date: 2021/07/24

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Only saw a few manta, waited too long in the water before sunset, family all got too cold to enjoy the experience.

Reviewed by: Ang

Nice people running the boat, but there were SO many boats out there, and other boats had bigger/brighter lights - so they were all "oo-ing" over manta at their sites, and we were on the outskirts, only saw a handful flying by. No barrel rolls under us.

The worst part is you have to take such a long boatride to get out there, and we had to then get into the water and line up on a raft thing waiting at least 10 minutes in the cold water just waiting for sunset to get dark. We could've at least waited until closer to when out it was dark and the rays would come.

Plus my son and I also got seasick, since the waves were so bad - and it wasn't even the ocean that caused it, it was the motion of all the boats coming in. At least 10 other boats out there, figthing to see the manta.

Would definitely not do it again, for the torture in the process.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2021/08/13
Activity Date: 2021/08/11
  Top Destinations

Hawaiian Islands

Big Island Categories