10-24-2016, 10:46 AM
While you are on the Kona side you should do the “Manta Ray Dive”. You don’t need to scuba dive. We went with Jack’s (though there are others) and they take both divers and snorkelers. For my money, the snorkeling was actually a better option. It doesn’t cost as much, it’s easier and you don’t miss out on anything.
When we went, they took us out right before sunset. At that point, we snorkeled and the divers set out lights while they were down. The snorkeling in the area isn’t really that great, but it was good for an introduction to the area and to get the “lay of the land."
After dark the mantas showed up and we all went back into the water. The divers were at the bottom at about 20 to 30 feet and the snorkelers were on the surface. With the bright lights, you could see everything. The mantas do a loop de loop type of dance as they gobble up the plankton attracted by the lights. They come so close that you actually have to be careful not to contact them. (They are completely harmless though.)
We did this about 8 years ago and still rank it as one of the best experiences we’ve had in our almost 20 years of coming to the big island.
When we went, they took us out right before sunset. At that point, we snorkeled and the divers set out lights while they were down. The snorkeling in the area isn’t really that great, but it was good for an introduction to the area and to get the “lay of the land."
After dark the mantas showed up and we all went back into the water. The divers were at the bottom at about 20 to 30 feet and the snorkelers were on the surface. With the bright lights, you could see everything. The mantas do a loop de loop type of dance as they gobble up the plankton attracted by the lights. They come so close that you actually have to be careful not to contact them. (They are completely harmless though.)
We did this about 8 years ago and still rank it as one of the best experiences we’ve had in our almost 20 years of coming to the big island.