My Kona Adventures

We are on our honeymoon and needed last minute reservations for a night manta dive. Nick the manager accommodated us with a trip for just the 2 of us at the regular rate. They have a different way of viewing the mantas where they install a light in a boogie board and you hang on to handles at the edge of the board. Brandon our guide swam us over to the perfect spot and the manta show began. I went once before and never saw anything like it, for an hour the mantas continued to dance in front of our faces. They liked this lighting so much they bumped into us a few times! My Kona Adventures leaves from Keauhou bay so it’s only a 5 min ride to mantas whereas other boats that leave from Honokohau Bay mean you spend 45 min just getting to mantas so it takes up your whole night. My husband had never been snorkeling in the ocean before and now he can’t wait to go again!

My boyfriend and I had the most amazing experience seeing manta rays!!! When I called and they were all booked, they called a captain to ask if he was willing to come out and they made a second charter just for us. Not only that but it ended up being a private tour with just my boyfriend and I at group ticket prices!!! You can tell the people working there are full of the aloha spirit, everyone there was so kind!!! also if you are kamaaina don’t forget to ask about discounts. And I’m pretty convinced this is the best scuba tour for manta rays because websites describe the mantas as swimming below us, but because of the way they rig the lighting, we were getting bumped by mantas and got to look right into their beautiful tiny eyes as they glided around for plankton. it was magical. I’m 100% confident this is the best touring company on island!!!

My husband really wanted to do the night swim with the manta rays and I was very hesitant but didn’t want to hold him back from doing it. The ocean freaks me out, and the thought of being in the ocean at night really freaks me out.
End result: We decided to call Nick to reserve two spots. They put us in the water near other groups doing the same thing which illuminated the water around us making the view much larger. The presence of other people and the 5 or so boats in a close circle made me feel a whole lot better. I would highly recommend this company and would do it again the next time I visit. It was an incredible experience that we will never forget.

Corey and Nick were amazing! We called, day of, as a spur of the moment adventure before leaving the big island. They told us to come around 8:30 so we assumed it was a full house… it was just us, Corey and Nick and three young girls. We set out and within 5 minutes we were moored and in the water. Now, I was more then a little worried about plunging into the ocean in the dark but the guys made us feel very safe. After a few minutes of a few fish a large manta ray swam into the lights and was with us for half an hour! These creatures are absolutely beautiful and you forget about everything else when you see them dancing within inches of your mask. An absolute must while in Hawaii and I cannot recommend Corey and Nick more highly. Great service, great experience and very reasonably priced.

Ok, so these guys don’t have the logos or the hotel connections that other companies have but they are SOOOOO much better than any of the other tours/​experiences. Not only because they gave us both the manta AND the dolphin experience of a lifetime (they’ve been doing this for 10 years and know just where to go and when) but because they’re cool guys who are nice to be around. They took us out to see the dolphins a couple of hours earlier than what they normally do for an hour shorter than what they normally do so we could make our flight the last day; just for me and my boyfriend! Super accommodating and easy to deal with. We had an AMAZING time with the dolphins. We got so close we could almost touch some of them! I think it must’ve been a couple of hundred of them swimming by us/​surrounding us. I’m beyond happy I got to experience it. The night before they took us out to see the mantas at night which was also incredible. There were only 3 of us hanging off the raft and the manta kept swimming so close I swear we were almost touching. Also ;I don’t know what other peoples experience of Hawaiian locals are, but at the end of my stay I would say that they generally don’t really care for tourist. And maybe we were just unlucky, but from staying here for a week and doing a lot of activities, these guys were the only ones who seemed happy for us to be there and wasn’t just trying to rip us off. I guess it’s because they actually seem to like what they do. Oh also; they both film and take pictures under and above water and will send it to you after. Pretty good right?

This review is for the Manta snorkel
The four stars are for the service and Nick trying to ensure we had a good time. Unfortunately, our trip was a bust even though we went out two times.
They definitely provide a more intimate setting with bright lights on a modified surfboard. Definitely something I preferred. It was just our family the first night which was nice. The second time (because the first night we saw a manta go by and that was it) had an additional couple. They were a mess. For the record, it is not a good idea to try a night snorkel if you have not snorkeled before and you are afraid of the water.
Both nights by the Sheraton were really a bust. We were extremely disappointed. You can blame it on nature, but you are paying for a particular offering and are expecting a result. Think about how many items you would be willing to pay for something with the hope of an outcome and be satisfied. Therefore, I would not recommend the Manta dive at all. The only experience I’ve had of all the activities that I was unhappy with while in Hawaii multiple times. This has nothing to do with this company and was affecting all of the Manta snorkel companies. Even though it was dark, other companies were not seeing them either. Other reviews indicate some of the larger companies would have counted what we saw as a sighting, so definitely avoid them as that would have made me really pissed.
If you are going to do it, use these guys. But we warned you may be throwing money away like we did.

Swimming with the mantas was such an amazing experience, they are beautiful! Mike and Nick were great too, the small group of people ensured everyone’s needs were met. This is a must do when coming to the big Island.

My husband and I went on the manta ray snorkel with our friends last night and were lucky enough to have Nick and Mike as our guides. They were wonderful, helpful, and knew exactly where to take us to see the BEST manta ray show! The experience was incredible, unlike anything we expected! Thanks so much to the guys for giving us such a wonderful honeymoon experience!

Absolutely Amazing! Cassie and Mike were so friendly and helpful. I took my Neice and it was the most exciting thing we have ever done! The first time we didn’t get the chance to swim with the Dolphins (we were that 2%!). But they took us out again at no charge! They wanted to make sure we got what we paid for. We got so close you could almost touch the Dolphins. It was a nice being in a small group just one other couple and the crew. Again from booking the trip with Nick on the phone and the trip with Cassie and Mike the experience was 5 star all the way! If you want a great experience use these guys! Won’t be disappointed.

While hanging out at our hotel pool, we decided to book a last minute trip to see the manta rays. My husband looked up some reviews and Nick was able to accommodate us on the same day. Were pleased to find we (my husband, me and teenage daughter) were the only ones on that evenings tour. Took off timely for the short trip out to the location. Got into our wetsuits and into the water quickly. Floated on top of the water for a while and didn’t see anything but the bottom of the ocean. Nick then announced «Get ready» and out of no where we had several manta rays twirling below us. Was an incredible sight. But unfortunately my daughter and I experienced motion sickness and had to get out of the water after a short time. Nick and my husband continued on with the adventure while we dealt with the symptoms of motion sickness off the edge of the boat. Even though our daughter and I got sick, it was a incredible to spend some time watching the beauty of the manta rays below us. Nick was very accommodating to our situation of dealing with two sick customers yet giving my husband the experience he was looking for. We will be back on the Big Island some day and will look to do some of the other tours My Kona Adventures have to offer… but will take my bonine the night before!

Wow! What an amazing adventure! The mantas were soo beautiful. Nick and Mike made this adventure special. My mom and aunt were very nervous but Nick and Mike were both so patient and kind with them. They eased them in the water and guided them throughout the trip. Because of our small group (5 people) we were able to get individual help and attention from Nick and Mike. We saw the bigger groups with other companies in the water and they all looked like they were floating helplessly with no one to guide or help them. We will definitely be recommending My Kona Adventures to everyone and I can’t wait to take another trip with them!

Excellent adventure! Small boat-​just 4 of us and crew. Mike and Nick were excellent and extremely helpful! We had at least 12 Manta Ray encounters! They had wetsuits for us and snorkel gear (bring your own if you have a difficult fit). Such a special trip!

My wife and I booked kona adventures for a night swim with the manta rays based on recommendations from friends and were not disappointed. The crew were knowledgeable and helpful. Within a few minutes we had multiple mantas swimming up to us and it was an experience you have to see to believe. Would highly recommend booking a manta night snorkel with my kona adventures!

Our night manta ray snorkel was incredible! I would have been happy to see a few of them but our experience far surpassed my expectations. These guys took great care of us to make sure we had the best close encounters with the mantas. An experience I will never forget!

These guys are awesome! The night-​snorkeling with manta rays was an amazing experience, and then we went out the next day for the dolphin experience and it was even more amazing. These guys definitely made a good vacation into a GREAT vacation. They’re fun to talk to, they’re helpful, it was fantastic service, and their equipment was all in good shape – loved every minute of both tours! Don’t visit Big Island without booking some adventures through My Kona Adventures – seriously!

We had a great experience with my Kona adventures. My sister was visiting from the mainland so we decided to give it a try! Hands down the best money I’ve spent on any touristy activity in the year we’ve lived here. Highly recommend my Kona adventures, great price and great people!

My wife and I were on our 10 year anniversary. We wanted to swim with the manta rays. And boy did we… they take us to the best spot. They were right underneath us opening their mouths eating plankton. Doing back flips over and over it was a once-​in-​a-​lifetime experience thanks to the crew and the captain for the greatest time ever. I would suggest this boat over any other just because the crew was just dealing with you and not 50 other people. thank you I can’t wait to come back next year.

Our experience with the manta ray snorkeling at night was unforgettable! Everyone was very nice, and their instructions were clear so we felt incredibly safe on our trip. Unlike the bigger charters, we were able to move around a lot more in the water to have more manta ray opportunities. I about lost my mind when a 13 footer decided to do circles right underneath me. Fortunately on the video they give you afterward they muted out my screaming and David’s laughing. It was a really unique experience that we would definitely recommend to others.

I will be eternally grateful to Nick and his wonderful crew at My Kona Adventures. They took good care of me from start to finish. I was very nervous about this adventure. Nick knew this and he was right by my side as soon as I jumped off the boat. He made sure I felt safe and I was completely able to relax and have one of THE most amazing experiences of my life! We had our own show with a gorgeous ray. She got so close to us; it was beyond thrilling. I hope to be able to return to Kona and bring my husband and kids with me to share this incredibly fantastic adventure. My mind was officially blown!

What an unreal experience! I’m not a swimmer and avoid most water adventures when possible, but I felt completely safe and comfortable with Nick and Captain Will during our night snorkel w/​the manta rays. With a max group size of 6, Nick had full control to move us closer to the manta rays and was right next to us the entire time. Would definitely recommend, especially for those needing a little extra attention. ;) Looking forward to more Kona adventures with Nick and Captain Will!