Reviewed by: Rich(Lawrence KS)
I was not sure what to expect but I was very pleased with this experience. The crew was very pleasant, patient and knowledgable. They were very patient with some older guests and made sure they were safe and comfortable.
We ended up meeting several other boats so we had a lot of plankton for the Manta. Those beautiful fish did not disappoint! Although touching the manta is prohibited, they come close enough to touch! Bring your underwater camera for some great pictures and video memories!
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Packages: | Moonlight Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2 hours] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/12/06 |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/04 |
Reviewed by: Big Bertha
This 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!
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/21 |
Reviewed by: Brian Van Wie
Diego, 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/27 |
Reviewed by: Molly L
MUST 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/23 |
Reviewed by: Happy snorkeler
The 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/23 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Really 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/05/06 |
Reviewed by: Sreedhar
- 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/07/10 |
Reviewed by: Kara
We 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/21 |
Reviewed by: Belinda
Arriving 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/22 |
Reviewed by: Kara
We 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/04 |
Reviewed by: Alex
The 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/31 |
Reviewed by: Diane
This 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/07/23 |
Reviewed by: Maggy
This 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/15 |
Reviewed by: Stefanie Säuberlich
We 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/08 |
Reviewed by: Kristen
We 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/12 |
Reviewed by: E & C Flores-Montoya
My 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/25 |
Reviewed by: Mary H
We 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/16 |
Reviewed by: Jim
I was a little nervous about snorkeling at night but I'm so glad I went. It's less of a snorkel and more of a snorkel float where you hold onto a floating mat with LED lights underneath. The mantas were swooping underneath us eating the plankton. It was so calm and magical. Highly recommend.
Aloha Jim,
We appreciate your recommendation! It is more of a uniform snorkel and typically not to strenuous. We agree, they are truly magical! We hope to see you in the near future!
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkeling [Early Evening Tour] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/10/28 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Jules
The crew was great, the manta turn out was amazing, and the boat ride is short (which is ideal for when you’re cold and ready to get warm again haha). We got lucky that it was a small group so there were plenty of options to sit and have a lovely view of the sunset while heading out. 10/10 would do again.
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Packages: | Evening Manta Snorkeling Adventure |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/10/01 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/29 |
Reviewed by: Kathy M.
We couldn't have asked for a better trip. I especially appreciated the small group size - eight people - which meant that we were able to watch the mantas without getting in each other's way. My sister and I were at the end of the line, opposite each other. This meant that as the manta rays turned over and swam upside down just under the light board - only a few inches away from us - we could look right down their throats. I was amazed at how clean and empty their large mouths were. It was fascinating to see their gills from the inside as well as the outside.
It was wonderful to watch the mantas swim. They move so smoothly they hardly seem to be propelling themselves. The patterns on their backs fluoresce in the light, so they're easy to see.
We watched by lining up on either side of a board, holding on to it and floating stretched out away from it, with flotation devices like pool noodles under our ankles. This keeps our bodies away from the mantas, which is for their protection, not ours. (The mantas are harmless. No teeth, no sting. They eat plankton, not people!)
Two tips:
1. The staff had us put the pool noodles under our ankles, but in that location, it's easy to lose the noodle. Try putting it just below your knees instead. It's much easier to keep in place that way, and if your knees are at the surface, the rest of your legs will be also.
2. If you do lose your noodle, don't panic or kick. Keep your head down, relax, stay as flat as you can, and allow the water to support your body. Staff members will retrieve the noodle and slip it under your legs again. Kicking disturbs the mantas, and the stress is bad for them.
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Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/09/23 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/07 |
Reviewed by: Mandy
We had a blast and seeing the manta rays was amazing. We also saw a bristle worm, which was cool too. The team was fabulous and knowledgeable. We will do again next time we swing into Kona. We recommend this excursion 100%. You won’t be sorry. If you get seasick, take the anti nausea medicine first. It can be a bit harder on your stomach in the dark.
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Packages: | Sunset Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/09/16 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/23 |
Reviewed by: Diana P.
It was a once in a lifetime experience. The manta rays came right up to us and almost brushed up on us. It was so beautiful as well as seeing all the glowing plankton and other fish. the staff on the boat were friendly and informative. at the end they gave us hot chocolate and soup to warm us up. definitely recommend this company.
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Packages: | Evening Manta Snorkeling Adventure |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/08/26 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/18 |
Reviewed by: New2Hawaii
Best crew ever! They were kind and helpful and overall awesome! Would definitely use again
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Packages: | Sunset Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/08/11 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/09 |
Reviewed by: CJ
We had the best time with the Wahine Charters crew. They were very kind and welcoming! 10/10 recommend!
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Packages: | Sunset Cruise & Evening Manta Snorkel Tour [2.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/07/10 |
Activity Date: | 2023/07/08 |
Reviewed by: Chris Mak
People in bite me were very friendly and fun!
Highly recommend to join their tour!
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Packages: | Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/06/04 |
Activity Date: | 2023/05/13 |
Reviewed by: P Burke
This is a great outfit to take you to see Manta Rays. The boat is a medium size so the group size is much smaller than the big boats. Crew are very professional and knowledgeable in the Manta Ray habits and behaviors. The boat ride to the site is short (<15 min) then it's into the water.
On our trip a single manta showed up after about 5 minutes in the water. As the sky darkened the plankton seemed to multiply and the show really began. The single ray made several passes within inches of our masks. Then another showed up and it was like a graceful dance being performed right beneath you. Another two rays showed up and things really got interesting. What fun watching that ballet!
Afterward, hot soup and warm drinks helped fuel the conversation with the other participants. A most delightful and memorable experience.
P. Burke
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Packages: | Evening Manta Snorkeling Adventure |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/05/15 |
Activity Date: | 2023/05/10 |
Reviewed by: Johanne
Excellent adventure, was very well organized. We enjoyed it alot and definitely recommend this excursion. The excursion was on time the staff was super friendly and informative.
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Packages: | Evening Manta Snorkeling Adventure |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/15 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/22 |
Reviewed by: Steve712
If you do one thing on the west side of the big island this is it. Words and pictures don't do the experience justice. The crew of the boat was safety conscious and the captain ran a tight ship. As a passenger we felt in good hands. Do your homework about what this tour involves. If you cannot swim and/or are afraid of the water this is NOT FOR YOU!!!. This tour had 1/2 a dozen non-swimmers on the tour. They were miserable and the crew had to spend an inordinate time catering to them.
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Packages: | Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal) |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/03/25 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/22 |
Reviewed by: Jenny
We arrived slightly late and the crew kindly waited a bit for us. There was only 4 of us which made the experience felt a lot more enjoyable - it was not crowded or noisy! No jostling of people.
Once out there, we got in the water smoothly and saw 2 rays, 3 times. Unfortunately, the ray sightings have reduced in recent years so we considered ourselves lucky! Highly recommend it all round!
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Packages: | Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/03/18 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/24 |
Reviewed by: L Family
Eka snorkeling with manta rays was amazing. The small, personalized tour is a great way to see the rays. Loved the classic canoe. This was perfect for ray family and I can recommend this tour group highly enough. Kai was great - he is so knowledgeable about the rays and he calmed my 9 y.o.’s fears -he on spectrum and they were very flexible in how we got him into the water and to the board. My son can’t stop talking about how great this experience was-he can’t wait to go again. Book this tour - you won’t regret it. The entire group was accommodating and friendly and made this the best adventure of our Hawaiian trip. Thank you Eka.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/03/07 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/05 |
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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