2.5 hours · Evening · Ages 6+
Manta Rays Snorkel or 1-Tank Dive
Lit boards at the surface, tanks below.
| Per person | $250 |
|---|
Editorial spotlight · Honokohau Harbor, 74-380 Kealakehe Parkway, Kailua-Kona
2026 Golden Lei Awards nomineeBest Dive Operator
Kona Ocean Adventures
Look for the boats with octopus tentacles painted on them. Captains Danny and Laure run a small outfit at Honokohau with three boats, mixed groups of six to eight, and a schedule that covers most of what the Kona coast does: mantas after dark, Kealakekua in the morning, two-tank dives, first-timer scuba, and the blackwater drift for divers with fifty logged.
- Manta night
- $250
- 2-tank dive
- $295
- Tripadvisor
- 4.9
- Kona rank
- #2 of 207
Editorial spotlight. Kona Ocean Adventures is a nominee in the 2026 Golden Lei Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The company
A boutique boat with a dive locker
Kona Ocean Adventures calls itself a small boutique company and says private charters are its specialty; the mixed-group trips run six to eight guests on boats certified for more. Owners Danny and Laure are both licensed captains; Tripadvisor lists the business as veteran-owned and women-owned, and the crew works in English, French, Japanese and Spanish. Captain Danny's homemade salsa gets its own line on the About page.
The boats carry shade, a marine head, a hot handheld shower for after the manta swim, oxygen, and LED light boards for the night trips; they are Coast Guard inspected quarterly. Instructors hold PADI, SSI and SDI cards. Tripadvisor has given the company its Travelers' Choice or Certificate of Excellence every year since 2012.
“We are not just another tour. We are a true adventure at every turn!”
Owner and captain
Capt. Danny
Owner and captain
Capt. Laure
Captains Troy and Scott, dive instructor Kate, and crew Hana, Jana, Joe, Hailey, Justin and Marc are named in recent reviews.
The one to book
The manta night snorkel or dive
Two and a half hours after sunset at the manta site off Kona, where more than two hundred individually identified reef mantas feed on the plankton that the lights pull in. Snorkelers hold a lit board at the surface and the mantas roll underneath; certified divers go down with a tank. Wetsuits, gear and the boards are included. Ages 6 and up in the water.
Hot shower and hot cocoa on the boat afterward. The same price covers snorkelers, certified divers and ride-alongs.
| Snorkeler, diver or rider | $250 |
|---|
Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026. A later 8 pm departure runs on some nights.
Check AvailabilityThe boats
Three boats, tentacles on the hull
The company does not publish lengths. Mixed-group trips run six to eight; private charters carry up to 12.
All three
- Aboard
- Shade, marine head, hot handheld shower, oxygen, LED manta boards
- Inspection
- USCG, quarterly
- Group size
- 6 to 8 mixed; 12 private; 7 divers on a 2-tank
Book it
Trips
Per person unless marked. Groups need four booked to run. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026.
4 hours · 7 am and 11 am · Ages 3+
Kealakekua and Captain Cook
Two and a half hours in the water at the monument.
| Per person | $295 |
|---|
4 hours · 4 pm · Snorkel or 2-tank dive
Afternoon Reef and Manta
A reef stop, then the mantas at dusk.
| Per person | $295 |
|---|
4 hours · 7 am · Certified, max 7
Morning 2-Tank Dive
Two Kona reef dives with free digital photos. October dates were not open at this check.
| Certified diver | $295 |
|---|---|
| Ride along | $295 |
4 hours · 7 am · Ages 10+, no card
Discovery Scuba
First dive with an instructor at two to one.
| Discover Scuba | $425 |
|---|---|
| Ride along | $265 |
4 hours · 7 am · Ages 7+
Off Shore Ocean Adventure
Blue-water snorkel for pelagics and dolphins.
| Per person | $295 |
|---|
2.5 hours · 8:15 pm · Advanced, 50 dives
Pelagic Blackwater Night Dive
Tethered at 50 feet over 2,000 more, two miles out. Dates from January at this check.
| Advanced diver | $310 |
|---|
2.5 hours · Dec to Apr · Hydrophone
Whale Watch
Humpbacks with the engine off and the hydrophone down. Dates from January.
| Per person | $250 |
|---|
4 hours · Up to 12
Private Charter
The boat, a captain and a snorkel guide; the listed price covers six.
| Whole boat, 6 included | $2,300 |
|---|
The private sunset cruise for up to ten is priced by phone: (808) 930-9861.
Before you go
Know before you go
Where to check in
Honokohau Harbor, 74-380 Kealakehe Parkway. Enter the harbor from Highway 19, first right after a quarter mile, past the deli, then left toward the ramps; the boats are along the fence on the left. Blackwater checks in 45 minutes early.
Included
Wetsuits, snorkel and dive gear, reef-safe sunscreen, light boards on night trips, a hot shower after, and food or cocoa depending on the trip.
Bring
Towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a waterproof camera, a reusable bottle, a rash guard. No dangling jewelry on manta trips.
Minimums
Four guests to run a mixed trip. Kids 10 to 12 on Discover Scuba need a private instructor.
Cancellation
48 hours for parties up to six, 72 hours for seven or more and private charters. Weather cancellations are rebooked or refunded.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.9Tripadvisor2,280 reviews as of September 30, 2026
- #2of 207Boat tours and water sports in Kailua-Kona, Tripadvisor
- 2012SinceTravelers' Choice or Certificate of Excellence every year
Reviewers write about groups small enough to feel private, crews named one by one, the hot shower and charcuterie after the manta swim, nervous swimmers talked into the water, and whale watches that idle longer so everyone can hear the hydrophone.
Questions
Good to know
How big are the groups?
Six to eight on mixed trips, seven divers on a two-tank, twelve on a private charter.
Can non-divers come on the manta trip?
Yes. Snorkelers hold a lit board at the surface; divers go down. Same price either way.
Do I need to be certified?
Not for snorkel trips or Discover Scuba. Two-tank dives need a card; the blackwater dive needs an advanced card, 50 dives and a dive in the last six months.
What does it cost?
Manta $250, Kealakekua $295, two-tank dive $295, Discover Scuba $425, blackwater $310, private charter from $2,300. Checked September 30, 2026.
Where is it?
Honokohau Harbor, between the airport and town, on the ramp side. Look for the tentacles.
Mantas tonight
Small-boat snorkel, dive and manta trips from Honokohau Harbor.
Check Availability