Reviewed by: Kathleen B
We went on the afternoon tour with 8 in our family ranging in age from 4 to 65. Most had no snorkeling experience. Everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The crew were so friendly and helpful! We were impressed with their safety precautions, including all of the crew being certified lifeguards and were watching out for everyone the entire time we were in the water. The water was pristine and we saw so many varieties of fish and even saw an eel. The coral was beautiful, too.
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Packages: | Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [3.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/06/22 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/20 |
Reviewed by: Isabella
The boat ride was so much fun and such an adrenaline rush. The waters were beautiful and perfect temperature for swimming. The captain and crew were so friendly and had so much information about the land. Would definitely do it again and you get so much for the price!
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Packages: | 3-hour Captain Cook Cruise (1 Snorkel Stop) |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/06/18 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/16 |
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: 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!
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/29 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/27 |
Reviewed by: G-Rex
Great experience! This was a fun time on a very nice, new catamaran with a crew was friendly, knowledgeable and informative. Tho food was great and the snorkelling at the stop by Captain Cooks monument was awesome!
Aloha G-Rex,
Mahalo Nui Loa for joining us and sharing your lovely photo. We hope to see you soon!
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Packages: | Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/27 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/25 |
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!
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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/04/23 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/21 |
Reviewed by: hq66
One 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/04/20 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/18 |
Reviewed by: JLC
This 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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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/04/17 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/13 |
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: Michelle
We are typically do-it-yourselfers and were initially skeptical about going on a guided tour. This tour turned out to be so worth it! Captain Brendan and crewmember Tuliz were very knowledgeable, competent, and friendly. We happened to see whales at close range along the way, and our guides made the most of it. The snorkeling at Captain Cook is magnificent. A fantastic experience all around!
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Packages: | 3-hour Captain Cook Cruise (1 Snorkel Stop) |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/04/14 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/12 |
Reviewed by: Or Peretz
Great crew, beautiful bay. The cruise ship was super equipped with everything you need to have a great time. The food was delicious, the snorkeling gear was great and the restrooms were clean. We highly recommend this tour!
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Packages: | Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [4.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/04/13 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/08 |
Reviewed by: CGB
Delightful crew. Simple food always available. very well organized. Had reef-safe sunscreen available. Even had prescription goggles for me. Captain told great stories. A great morning's adventure.
Aloha,
Mahalo Nui Loa for taking the time to leave us a review. We hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with 2 Snorkel Stops, Breakfast & Lunch [4.5 hrs] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/12 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/09 |
Reviewed by: reneec
The crew made the cruise fun and enjoyable for people of all ages.
Snacks were included, but you may not want to est if you get seasick easily.
As part of the experience, they even took some pictures during so we could just enjoy the experience ourselves.
Note: If it's the right season, you may even be able to see other wildlife on the Sunset cruise like we did!
Aloha! Thank you for joining our manta ray tour. We appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to hear that you had a great time. Come back soon, Mahalo
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/01 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/09 |
Reviewed by: Megan
We had the best experience with our two five-year olds! They were both got a little nervous about the snorkeling and the crew patiently offered different options until they agreed to the kick boards with lenses. A big hit!! We saw a variety of fish and enjoyed the beauty (and history) of Cooke Cove The slides were also entertaining as the kids watched different people (including mom and dad) zoom down!! If you are concerned about the all veg breakfast and lunch, don’t be. As meat eaters, we all agreed the food was outstanding. To top it off, the Captain’s historical knowledge and witty comments made the ride to and from the coral reefs a lot of fun. We highly recommend tour!
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Packages: | Morning Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [4.5 hours] |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/03/31 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/29 |
Reviewed by: cassandra15
Check in was pretty simple and easy. Trainers were super friendly. Great adventure for families.
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Packages: | 30-min Encounter Deluxe (Ages 5+) |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/03/28 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/27 |
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: Coartney
Great Capitan + crew! Beautiful views! Very clean and organized! Loved the history given by crew members! Would definitely recommend!!
Aloha Courtney,
Mahalo for sharing your beautiful pictures and for your wonderful recommendation. We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the near future!
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Packages: | Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with 2 Snorkel Stops, Breakfast & Lunch [4.5 hrs] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/03/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/16 |
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 |
Reviewed by: Phil
We had an amazing time as the crew was incredibly prepared and accommodating. They were able to fit all of us on board and bring us out without a problem. The guides were very knowledgeable and were helpful in getting in and out of the water. They work together with the other tours in the same space to attract as many rays as possible. We ended up seeing 10 or more rays with a near constant show. We had my 65-year-old mom and dad, my 40-year old self and wife, and our eight and 10-year-old with us, and it was never a problem. A great activity if your kids can stay up a little later and recover the next day.
It's a short boat ride out, but the darkness set off a little of my motion sickness, So if you're prone to that be sure to take some medication ahead of time. I also had a little issue being in the waves and going up and down in the darkness. One of the other participants got fully sick away from the boat but the crew handled it very professionally.
I would absolutely recommend them!
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Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/02/28 |
Activity Date: | 2023/01/30 |
Reviewed by: Shawn
We could not see any and also the ride was so bumpy
Aloha Shawn,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We extend our deepest apologies for the experience you had on our tour. We would like to hear more details about it. Could you email us at info@hawaiidolphin.com and elaborate further? We would like to rectify this situation. Thank you.
Best,
Iruka Hawai‘i ‘Ohana
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/02/26 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/24 |
Reviewed by: Spittstop
My 10 yo daughter and I did this excursion during a recent trip to the Big Island. It was an incredible and highly memorable evening and I feel privileged to have been able to do this.
We saw humpback whales and dolphins en route to the Manta Ray swim spot, and that made the excursion worthwhile, even before we'd seen the rays.
The crew were knowledgeable and fun and although the activity requires you to jump into the ocean at night without any light, I always felt safe and confident that the crew was looking after us. Having my daughter with me made that essential.
We floated for about 15 mins before we saw the rays, but when we did it was really breathtaking. We had around 30 mins or so floating before we got back on the boat for the ride back to port.
The crew took videos and photos and shared them with us which was a really lovely touch.
Wetsuits were a must as it does get cold. For those with younger children, there was a larger float that they could sit on safely, but older children were able to float in the water alongside adults.
I really couldn't recommend this highly enough. Maybe leave an extra 15 mins to find the dock as we struggled a little as there are quite a few trips leaving from the same marina at similar times.
Aloha! Thank you so much for choosing Iruka Hawaii Dolphin for your Manta Ray snorkel adventure. We are so happy that you and your daughter had such a great experience with us. We hope to see you soon, mahalo
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/02/25 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/19 |
Reviewed by: Maja
This was an amazing experience—the dolphins were incredible. We got to hug them, touch them all over, and swim next to them with our hand on their back but not holding on to them. Maddie, our guide, was so warm and informative. I would recommend bringing goggles (swimming or snorkeling) so that you can put your head underwater with your eyes open to see the dolphins swimming under you. I’m surprised that isn’t recommended. Digital photos are VERY expensive ($170 for all of the photos they took, or $55 for one digital photo). That said, it’s a once in a life time experience, so you’ll probably want some photos.
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Packages: | 30-min Encounter Deluxe (Ages 10 & Over) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/02/16 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/14 |
Reviewed by: Jim
We saw lots of Mantas. I can't wait to come back and do it again.
Aloha Jim,
We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the company of the manta's. 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: | 2023/02/04 |
Activity Date: | 2021/10/23 |
Reviewed by: Jim
Sea Paradise did a great job. We saw six mantas. I thought the boat trip would be a bit longer. Just a short ride out from shore. So it's not about sailing. But the mantas make up for it.
Aloha Jim,
Mahalo for taking the time to leave us a review. We do offer a shorter boat ride for those who are prone to getting sea sick/don't want to be on the boat for too long. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your manta tour.
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkeling [Early Evening Tour] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/02/04 |
Activity Date: | 2021/11/07 |
Reviewed by: Linda
We had such a fun time snorkeling with the mantas. We didn't realize how close they come to you in the water. One of them belly-bumped me by accident. Such graceful sea creatures.
Aloha,
The mantas are truly amazing. Mahalo for choosing Sea Paradise for your manta adventures. We hope to see you soon!
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkeling [Early Evening Tour] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/02/03 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/30 |
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: | 2023/02/03 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Jim
We weren't sure what to expect with this dolphin interaction but it was amazing. You can tell the care the trainers have for the dolphins and it was a very well run operation helping to build awareness about the local conservation efforts to protect Hawaii's marine life.
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Packages: | 30-min Encounter Deluxe (Ages 5+) |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/02/03 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Nikki Clark
First of all, WOW. From beginning to end, this experience was one for the record books.
For $10 this crew sets you up with a wet suit (recommended), and then a snorkel set at no additional charge. Once we boarded, we were met with a warm welcome, and a good belly laugh. Excellent staff! They were informative, safe, and most importantly, knew how to have fun!
During the boat ride we were met with bottle nose dolphins and a humpback whale sighting! The dolphins were curious and playful, and swam all around our boat! I may or may not have shed a tear of joy. It was seriously rad.
Once we got to our destination they gave us a noodle for floating, and set up a large, square floatation device for everyone to hold onto while we watched the mana rays. They are huge! They’re giant, friendly, and bring their appetite for plankton. You’ll also see tons of fish while you snorkel.
After our time was up, and we boarded, they passed out cups of hot chocolate.
The entire experience as a whole was one we will never forget. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS while you’re here!
Thank you so much for the experience of a lifetime! Keep up the good work, guys! Mahalo
Aloha Nikki,
Thank you for the amazing comments about our team, we're glad your group felt safe and satisfied! We do offer a repeater discount of 20% off, so please keep us in mind for future travel plans.
Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii
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Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/01/31 |
Activity Date: | 2023/01/29 |
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Aloha Brian! We thank you for choosing Iruka and leaving such kind feedback! We hope to see you again in the future. Mahalo