The crew met us on time and were reasonably friendly, the boat looked well kept, and the wetsuits were clean. Everything felt safe and there were free sodas and snacks on the way back to the harbor. It's about 30 minutes from the harbor to the site where the mantas feed, and we got there pretty early so the crew was able to secure a good anchor spot amongst the dozens of other boats. Once it was dark enough we jumped in the water and held on to the raft attached to the boat. A light was shone and a few mantas swam up to feed on plankton near the light. We felt lucky to have them come to our boat because I'm sure with so many boats, other tourists may have struck out. After 30 minutes the captain told us we were leaving which was disappointing because we were still enjoying the show, and our boat was the first to leave. It felt like the crew was tired from a long day and wanted to get home, so our tour was shortened for their convenience. Overall I'm glad we did it but it could have been better.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/28 |
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The guys at Dolphin Discoveries made it so much fun. Simply float and enjoy the mantas swimming super close to you. This should be on everyone's bucket list.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/16 |
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Our family of 4, with twin 11 yos thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Trevor and Tamae went above and beyond making sure everyone was taken care of. We saw Manta Rays galore!! It was the most unforgettable experience. I highly recommend it!
Aloha Alyssahsieh,
Thank you for joining our Manta Ray sunset Tour!
Yes, it is very exciting that Manta Ray flies so close!!
Please come again with your friends and families.
Mahalo
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/11 |
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I really loved the snorkel session and so did my mom. At first he was a little nervous about getting in at night but the staff were very nice and accommodating to help her in.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/09 |
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Trevor, Kaimani, Alex, and Captain Wayne were amazing. Our five year old was a little scared, and Trevor took such good care of him. The manta rays are incredible and the crew made it that much better.
Thank you for your review.
We are happy that we could help you and your family fun snorkel with Manta Ray!
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/07 |
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This is once in a life time experience, nobody should miss it!!! Swimming inches away from Manta Rays was unbelievable!
Mahalo for the 5 star recommendation! Our manta rays are so impressive and we love what we get to do every night! Mahalo for choosing us! We do hope we can see you next time!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/01 |
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I love the crew and the service. My friends and I had a very wonderful time enjoying the sunset as well as seeing many manta rays yesterday. We would love to come back for a dolphin/whale trip in the future with you guys! Thank you!
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/23 |
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Kellie and Shelly were incredible hosts!!! Extremely knowledgeable. We were the only ones they had five manta Reis under our board because of their expertise!! Their fun attitude was contagious!
Mahalo for the 5 star recommendation! We also appreciate your shout out to your captain and crew. We are so happy to hear that you had a fun time out with us! Please come and see us again soon!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/21 |
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We had so much fun! I believe we saw 4 or 5 Manta Rays. One kept doing flips and brushing against us. It was a great experience, and the crew was extremely nice and fun.
Aloha Tori,
Thanks for joining us and taking the time to review us. They are truly magical marine species. We are thrilled to hear you had a great experience with us. We hope to see you soon!
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/15 |
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There was no sailing on this trip.The Manta rays are close to where the boat goes in the water. I thought we would have a nice sail while the sun was setting and then get in the water but that was not the case. This experience was both boring and exciting. You are in the water for 45 minutes lying flat with arms outstretched holding onto the handle on one of several connected "light boards"while you have your snorkeled face in the water, and are balancing a noodle under your ankles. You brush up against the people on either side of you.The motion of the ocean gets to be a bit much for many people. I heard a crew member say to another "at least no one puked this trip". I have never been sea sick but started feeling queasy and did get out with about 10 minutes to go. You can raise your arm and be escorted back to the boat at any time.You are provided with a half wet suit but still you get chilled. If you have any shoulder problems I would think twice about doing this trip. All that being said it was so cool when the Mantas did show up and swim right past you! There weren't many but I got some good video and stills with a camera that I borrowed from a friend. Maybe there is a better time of day or year to see more mantas? If you're positioned on a middle light board you have time to get the camera set because you will hear the people at the ends of the the light boards ooh and aah and cheer! I probably would not do this trip again but notice I didn't say never! The boat was nice , the crew was fine.
Aloha Mae,
We are so sorry to hear you found your experience less than stellar. We appreciate your feedback. We often do try to do some sailing prior to heading to the Manta Ray Village, however factors of getting the best viewing spot for our guests may have disrupted the sailing part as many times through out the year we'll have northern boats come down to view the manta's if they haven't been seeing any at their usual location. Our best recommendation for hanging on to the light rafts would be to not be tense, this can make for an unpleasant experience for anyone, including people with shoulder problems. It's best to relax and go with the flow of the ocean rather than against it. Although we are sad to hear you didn't enjoy your whole time with us, we are happy to hear you enjoyed the stars of the show. They are truly magical. We hope you'll give us another try on a return visit to the islands. Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2021/04/19 |
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We loved the experience! Saw 6 to 8 mantas swimming near our little surfboard. They made multiple backflips just inches from us. Nice captain and guide.
Mahalo John for the 5 star review! WOW that is a lot of mantas. We are so happy that you had a great night. Mahalo for the shout out to your captain and crew too! We hope that we can see you again on your next visit!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/05 |
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This is an amazing experience and it's so easy, you barely need to know how to swim. You just lay w/ your face in the water and the mantas come to you. Actually they come to feed on plankton which are attracted by the lights that the crew shine in the water. It's a super-cool experience and the crew on our boat were awesome. Highly recommended.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/03/19 |
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The captain and crew were very welcoming and calm. They were big on everyone having a fun & safe time. The manarays were AMAZING. There were at least 5 that continued to do somersaults within inches of my face.
Thank you for joining our tour!
We are thrilled to know you enjoy it! The night was amazing and we were happy to host you guys.
Please come back in the future.
Mahalo!"
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2021/04/05 |
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An incredible experience, had no idea they were that big and they’d get as close as they did. We took all four of our kids ages from 11 to 20 and they all loved it!
Mahalo Heather for the 5 star review! We really appreciate you taking the time to let us know about your experience. We are so happy that you all had a fantastic time on our manta ray night snorkel. Please come see us again on your next visit!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2021/03/26 |
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Nick, Liz and the other girl whos name I can't remember were amazing! They accommodated all our needs and beyond. Sea Quest is awesome. They charged my phone for me while we went out, because my battery was almost dead. Came back and had 74%. Thanks so much to our Captain, our mermaids lol and the rest of the amazing team, for an amazing time and for an unforgettable memory
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2021/01/04 |
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What a privilege to be in the water with these magnificent, graceful creatures, the small group ( max 6) made for a very personalised tour, Keith and Cassie were so knowledgeable and passionate about the mantas, knowing them all by name! I would highly recommended this tour operator, they have a deep respect for ocean and the sea life in this beautiful part of the world while providing a fun and outstanding experience. Highly recommended.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2020/01/22 |
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Great experience all around. We arrived, check in process was super efficient and we got onto the boat and in the water on time. The crew was well coordinated and found the optimal spot for us to view some mantas.
We saw two total, one passing by several times and very closely (belly almost touching our light board).
Really special experience.
Thanks Sea Quest!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/12/30 |
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Lovely time on a light board looking at Mantas. We saw three of these beautiful creatures and many other local fish. The underside of the ocean at night was amazing.
It is a bit chilly and the water can be choppy.
The mantas were not abundant or very close to us on the night we were out because of an anticipated swell the next day.
Great fun though and I will try again in the future.
Aloha,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your time with us and were able to some underwater life, despite the choppy water. We hope you'll adventure with us again soon
Mahalo and hope to Sea you soon,
Sea Paradise
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2019/12/30 |
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Disappointing. Few manta rays far away.
Arms were aching outstretched hanging onto raft. Crew was not very friendly. Snacks were unavailable and drinking water not there. Had to ask for a cup of water 2 or 3 times.
Regretable experience. Let down.
Aloha,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are so sorry to hear your experience was less than stellar. We truly love sharing the beauty of Hawaii with guests and hate to hear when we don't live up to expectations. We would love to hear more about your experience and how we could've improved.
Mahalo,
Jamie Van Pham- Forth
General Manager
Sea Paradise Inc.
78-6831 Alii Drive Ste. 144
Kailua Kona.HI 96740
P. 808.322.2500
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/11/20 |
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This was an amazing experience. We had the boat all to ourselves and the sunset cruise was unforgettable. The manta rays were so beautiful and you got so close to them! Worth the money and I’d go 1000 times again.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2019/11/29 |
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Lovely staff, great experience - didn't get to see as many manta rays as I had wished though, but overall would recommend for anyone coming to Kona to have this experience! :)
Aloha,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your time with us and hope you'll come again.
Mahalo and hope to Sea you soon,
Sea Paradise
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2019/10/22 |
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今回初めてのハワイ島旅行、話題の夜のマンタツアーに参加しました。いくつかある同企画の中からこちらのツアーを選んだ理由は、ウェットスーツ込みの価格が比較的リーズナブルなこと、岸からポイントまでの乗船時間が短いこと、非遭遇時の7日間保証があることです。
当日、自分で事務所へ行き受付を済ませ、かなり離れた乗船ポイントまで行きます(車で5分)。そこでウェットスーツやシュノーケルセットを借りられます。主人は度付きのゴーグルを貸してもらいました。夕焼けの中、出航。すぐにポイントに到着。私達夫婦以外は全て外国の方。全部で30人位参加していました。説明は英語オンリーでしたが、特に困ることもありません。スタッフの方達はとてもフレンドリーで、楽しませてくれました。
夜の海はとても神秘的です。浮き具につかまり下を覗くと、すぐにマンタがやってきてくれました。50分程の間に5〜6頭やってきては、華麗な舞を披露してくれました。可愛くて、時間の経つのも忘れ、みんな大興奮‼︎ 主人はそろそろ上がりたかったみたいですが、私はいつまでもいつまでも見ていたかったです。帰りも5分程で船着場に到着。心配していた寒さも感じず、大満足の夜でした。
Mahalo for your review!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/18 |
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PLEASE READ, IT WILL HELP! Truthfully I was skeptical when the tour started, we were the last boat to the area and the last in the water and you could see everyone getting a little edgy seeing other groups experiencing the odd Manta whilst we were still on deck. The staff kept telling us to relax, it would be great. When we finally got in the water we waited a short while for the first Manta and it is exciting, however we didn’t know what was to come. Their plan worked a treat, the other boats all started to leave as they are
On strict timeframes (although we didn’t realise this with our heads down) and we were swarmed by Mantas. The crew counted 7, I thought there were more but perhaps that was my excitement. These giants come so close you can’t believe they don’t touch you belly to belly as they barrel roll. THIS IS AN UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE. The crew are very careful not to damage the environment with their anchor placement and so respectful of the Mantas. I cannot recommend this experience or this operator enough.
STILL SMILING
Thanks for coming out with us Adam and for taking the time to write this great review! Sounds like you had a fantastic manta showing, we're happy to hear it. We appreciate you noticing all we do to provide this experience to the public as safely and respectfully as possible. We hope to get the opportunity to have you out with us again sometime soon.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/15 |
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Great experience knowledgeable guides. Whole operation runs smooth. Definitely touristy but there is a reason it’s so popular! Book it! 10/10 would recommend. Beautiful experience. Such great animals.
Thankyou for the kind review and getting to experience this with us, we hope you can join us on your next visit. Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/17 |
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夏の海、サンセットもみれて、そんなに冷たくない海で45分つかります。
海ではずっとライトをつけてくれるのでたくさんのマンタが近くを通ってくれます。
目の前でくるくる回ってくれたりサービス精神旺盛でした。
船では飲み物やフルーツ、チップスなどの軽食サービスもあります。
英語オンリーですが、わかりやすいし楽しいです。
船酔いしやすい人は酔い止め必須です。
ケアウホウベイはかなり遠いので、シェラトンの人は隣でいいけどそれ以外の宿泊の人はレンタカーが必要ですね。
Thank you for joining us and taking the time to review your manta tour. Mahalo
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/17 |
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One of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island was jumping in the water after dark and watching these enormous, graceful creatures emerge from the blackness, do a few plankton-catching loops and then disappear back into the darkness. Can't recommend it enough!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/10 |
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45分シュノーケルを付けて浮き輪につかまって浮いているだけです
すごく冷えるので、体力が無い方や小さい子にはキツイかもしれません
マンタは観れて大迫力でしたが、45分で6匹くらい、、、海もあまり綺麗じゃありませんでした
一応マンタ観れたので、星3です
因みに、ヌードルは海に入る前に渡される棒状の浮き輪の事です笑
We appreciate you taking the time to write a review. We're glad you got to see the rays. It can get a little chilly, which is why we supply shortie wetsuits. Ocean conditions change constantly when booking you can always call or email into the office to discuss forecast prior to your tour. Aloha!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2019/08/09 |
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We had an amazing time on our tour! We saw wild goats (kau) climbing along the coastline, Cassie taught us some history about Queen Ka’ahumanu, and we saw several mantas up close (hit my snorkel gear close), including Amanda and Big Bertha. We booked the small group tour and it turned out we were the only two - what luck! Would love to do it again!
Mahalo for taking the time to submit a review of your Kona Ocean Experience Sunset/Manta tour! We're so pleased to hear that you had an amazing tour, that you got to learn about some of our Hawaiian culture and history , as well as seeing mantas including 16 ft. Big Bertha! Hope you have a chance to come join us again sometime! Aloha
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/07/10 |
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My family and I greatly enjoyed this experience! Even my in laws who just stayed on the boat and watched from above enjoyed the view. These creatures are majestic and beautiful! We saw 8 rays and almost all of them got within a foot of me! I would recommend doing this activity for anyone just remember to take motion sickness meds as sometimes the water is choppy....
Thank you for joining us and taking the time to review your manta tour. We're glad the family both on board and in the water got the chance to experience the rays.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2019/05/25 |
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本当にマンタが目の前でぐるぐる回ります。手を伸ばせば触れるくらい、というか、水中メガネや手に持っていたカメラに、マンタからぶつかってくるくらいです。大迫力のツアーでした。難点は英語。日本人は私たち夫婦のみで、説明はほぼ分かりませんでしたが、それでも大丈夫、何とかなります。それと、結構寒いです。夜の海は冷えます。周りの人たちはそうでもなかったので、寒がりじゃなければ大丈夫でしょうか。ホテルでバウチャーを見ていると、16時に電話で確認というのを見落としていましたのに気付きました。18時にショッピングセンターにある店にチェックイン、18時半に現地の港に各自集合となっていましたが、元々ショッピングセンター近くで早めの夕食をとる予定で、電話は英語力に自信がなかったため、直接16時前に店に行き、その時にチェックイン手続きもしてくれました。シェラトンに宿泊している人は、ホテルから歩いてすぐの港から出発しますので車がなくても大丈夫です。
Thank you for joining us. We're happy to know you enjoyed the manta tour.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2019/05/01 |
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Mahalo nui for the 5 star recommendation! We are stoked to hear that you had a great time with our crew and the mantas ;) We do hope that we can see you again next time!