Night dives can be unfamiliar for many divers used to morning dives. Scuba diving at night is very different than diving in the day. Learn more about manta ray night snorkel here. Instead of diving under water, on the snorkel tour you’ll be on a floatie and stay at the surface to look down at the manta rays. Manta ray night snorkel tours are incredibly popular in Kona, and a great option if you don’t have a scuba diving certification. However, there are also manta ray night snorkel tours if you’re not certified. If you have zero dive experience, you can do a Discover Scuba experience in Kona but not the manta ray night dive. The manta ray night dive in Kona is beginner-friendly, but an open water certification is required from PADI, SSI or any other official scuba program. You need an open water certification to scuba dive with manta rays in Hawaii. You’ll be led by a dive master, so should you turn around and find Frank on your shoulder, there’s no need to panic.įrank is friendly (think of him as that kooky neighbor) and your dive master will help you safely remove the eel. You can easily spot Frank the Eel hanging out by the underwater lights, or sometimes even wrapped around your BCD vest! In the day typically moray eels only poke their heads out of rocks, but on this night dive Frank the Eel may come out to snack on fish drawn to the same underwater lights. The dive site (Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven) is known for a local undulated moray eel named Frank who has a reputation of showing up to the manta ray party. The beauty of night dives is that you may see animals you aren’t likely to see during daytime dive. They will bring you to another dive site or explore the area to see other marine life so you will have a fun experience regardless. Many Kona dive operators have a contingency plan for nights when no manta rays show up. If you don’t see mantas in Kona, don’t worry - you’ll still have fun. Keep in mind that this dive is popular, so you may want to keep your trip itinerary flexible just in case you need to reschedule and fit the dive shop’s schedule. To compensate, some dive shops will allow you to reschedule for another manta ray night dive at no cost, provided they have room on the boat ride and the weather cooperates.įor that reason, I recommend scheduling your dive early in your trip to increase your flexibility for re-booking the dive later, just in case you’re unlucky the first time around. While it’s highly likely you’ll see manta rays any time of the year in Kona, it’s not guaranteed. However, there’s no 100% manta guarantee. Other divers told me they saw almost 20 mantas the night before!Ģ. While I had to grip rocks to avoid bumping into other divers, I still had a blast seeing 7-8 mantas “dance” above me as they gulped up plankton inches away from my face. I did my Kona manta ray night dive in late January, during a strong swell. Overall, the dive still an amazing experience year-round. Kona tends to be less crowded in January and September. The other thing to consider is crowds, if you prefer fewer scuba divers in the water and easier scheduling with dive shops. January through March yields rougher waters, which can make diving less pleasant or have a higher chance of cancellation due to storms. The best time to see Kona manta rays is around summer onwards (June-November), since they thrive in warmer waters. That said, some times of the year are better than others. This is why all Kona manta ray dives take place at night time. You can find manta rays in Kona at any time of year.ĭive operators set up underwater lights that attract plankton - the main food source for manta rays - which makes manta ray viewings fairly consistent. What to Know Before Your Manta Ray Dive in Kona 1. Is the manta ray night dive for beginners?.How deep is the Kona manta ray night dive?.Where can I see manta rays at night in Kona?.Why are there so many manta rays on the Big Island?.What type of manta rays will you see in Kona?.What’s the difference between a manta ray night dive and manta ray night snorkel?.What should I bring for my manta ray dive or snorkel trip?.What is the best time to see manta rays in Kona?.Frequently Asked Questions About Seeing Manta Rays in Kona.There are many other epic dives in Kona - so give yourself plenty of time. Not all dive operators are created equal. Prepare accordingly if you tend to be cold. There are three manta ray viewing sites, but one main site for scuba divers. However, there are also manta ray night snorkel tours if you’re not certified.What to Know Before Your Manta Ray Dive in Kona.
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