GUIDELINES FOR A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE HAWAII MANTA RAY DIVE
An intimate encounter with any wild animal can inherently be as intimidating as it is incredible. With the best manta ray dives being facilitated by experienced captains and boats on the Big Island of Hawaii, you are ensured a safe and guided meeting with these gentle giants.
While most manta ray night snorkel tours in Hawaii are totally safe adventures, there are still some important things to note when planning your trip to keep yourself and the marine wildlife safe. Here are our top tips on how to book the safest and most fun tour as well as some useful guidelines to ensuring a great trip!
Make Sure You Book Your Night Snorkel in Kona with an Accredited Tour Group
With the increasing popularity of a close encounter with manta rays in Kona, there are bound to be many different “experiences” that crop up in your Google Search while trying to plan the day. The best way to start your hunt for the best experience is through a quick internet search for key terms like “Hawaii manta ray night dive”, from there check which companies are “near you” and if they are ones that come highly rated, they will clearly display their reviews across platforms, the full scope of what you can expect from that experience, and an easy booking feature.
One thing to keep in mind when completing your online search, is with the popularity of these tours, you may find that they book up fast. If you are traveling to the Big Island during one of the more popular tour seasons, you may want to book in advance to secure your spot aboard one of the highly rated boats.
Equip Yourself with a Wetsuit and Snorkel in Manta Village
When you book your night manta ray dive while on the Big Island of Hawaii, there are a few non-negotiable things you need to make sure you have to ensure a successful trip. The boats will head out near or just after sunset in most cases, meaning that you might not be wearing sunscreen; however, if you choose to wear sunscreen either earlier in the day or at all when diving into Hawaii’s tropical ocean, be sure that it is a certified “reef safe” brand.
More “must haves” on your manta ray adventure include a wetsuit, mask, and snorkel. These will be provided by the tour boat that you book with for your nighttime adventure, unless otherwise noted. You will likely have time to put on the wet suit and get comfortable with a well-fitted mask for your time floating at the water’s surface. Be sure to wear a swimsuit to go under your wetsuit and bring a change of clothes as you may be cold getting out of the water when you are back ashore.
How to Keep Yourself and the Manta Rays Safe When Snorkeling
The number one rule when it comes to any interactions both passive and direct that you may be having with oceanic life is to never touch. This goes for anything ranging from giant whales to coral. This will not only keep marine life safe and healthy, but you as well.
Almost 100% of the time, the greatest accidents that happen in the ocean which involve humans and marine life are because the sea creature was scared or felt threatened. While manta rays are gentle animals who don’t have the same anatomic makeup as well known ocean predators, it is best to make sure that you pay attention and heed any instructions your captain and in water guide gives you and keep your hands on the flotation device provided. This is how you will not only have an amazing time but keeping the Hawaiian tropics safe and healthy for generations to return to.