Sea Paradise Manta Ray Night Snorkel Review

I’d done a night snorkel with manta rays before, but booking with Sea Paradise meant I got to experience it all over again—this time with my friend. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her, and doing it from a catamaran seemed like the best way to go.

From the start, the crew was incredibly welcoming and helpful (especially when I got seasick). They had drinks and ginger chews on hand; small, but thoughtful touches that made a difference.

And since we left from Keauhou Bay, we spent less time motoring out than time in the water with the mantas.

Here’s my full review of our Sea Paradise Manta Ray Night Snorkel!

I noticed a group at the Fair Winds entrance wearing blue shirts, so I asked if they were Sea Paradise. 

Nope—not them. 

One more wall over, I found a cluster of people waiting next to Hoku Nui, and there, finally, was a Sea Paradise crew member.

Others stayed onboard as ride-alongs.

The steps and ladder leading down into the water were easy to navigate. 

We were handed pool noodles to tuck under our arms until a guide in the water took them, sliding them beneath our feet. The noodles kept us in a Superman pose, floating flat on the surface—perfect for peering below without accidentally kicking the mantas as they swam by.

➡️ Book Sea Paradise Manta Ray Tour Here!

The swim from the boat to the light-up boards was short but a little further than I’d expected. Reaching the board, I was told to scoot down until I reached the person before me. 

The metal pipe handles on the board were a little slippery, making it a bit challenging to grip, but I made it work.

Once everyone was in position, holding on to the board, we waited. 

It wasn’t long before the guides spotted the first manta ray and called out to us that one was incoming.  

With faces in the water, we caught it gliding below us. It did a one-time pass, as if to scope us out. 

I’m pretty sure I was the only one cheering through my snorkel. I was just so excited for the “show to begin”.

A few more minutes went by as I patiently waited for another sighting, watching plankton drift past my face. 

Then the guides called out again: another ray was approaching.

Oh boy! Here we go again!

➡️ Book Sea Paradise Manta Ray Tour Here!

It passed below us, looped back, and did a belly roll RIGHT in front of our faces. Like, if I had breathed deeper my chest might have bumped it!

My friend popped her head out of the water and gave me the thumbs up for that one!

At this point, I was convinced we were in for a nonstop manta ray parade. 

But as we kept waiting and waiting for another pass… nothing. 

20+ minutes dragged on (it’s hard to tell time when you’re in the water, it was either an eternity or no time at all).

The sea was getting rougher, waves jostling us into each other.

The guides kept telling us to relax our arms and have a loose grip on the board or we’d tire out way too fast. But it was taking all the strength I had to hold onto the board so the waves wouldn’t throw me off (my arms were sore for two days afterwards). 

On top of that, keeping the pool noodle under my feet was an additional mental and physical workout. It was a lot of effort to keep it in place as the waves kept trying to yank it away.

There were a few times when someone would call out “Noodle! Noodle!” (as instructed to us earlier) to indicate that they had lost theirs and a guide would have to snatch it before it was swept out to sea.

It was exhausting, splitting my focus between gripping the board for dear life and wrestling the noodle with my feet. 

I was hyperventilating, extremely exhausted, and slightly delirious. I gave up fighting it and called out to one of our guides to help me back to the boat.

Once onboard, I got myself another ginger chew and ginger ale. I layed on my back on the floor of the boat, because I thought that was the standard way to help seasickness. 

But a crew member told me that it actually makes it worse. She suggested standing on the bow of the boat, looking at the lights on shore and counting them. 

It helped a bit, until my legs got too weak and I had to lie back down on the floor. 

Soon, everyone else climbed aboard, after about 45 minutes in the water. They never saw any more mantas after those initial sightings. 

➡️ Book Sea Paradise Manta Ray Tour Here!

We headed back, and a crew member helped me get off first as soon as we docked at the pier. 

I had to wait for crew members to empty the shoe totes and lay out everyone’s shoes on the dock before grabbing mine and beelining it for land. 

Surprisingly, for how sick I felt, I never actually felt nauseous, which I attribute to the Dramamine. But I had every other seasickness symptom.

🤢If you’re easily prone to seasickness, definitely take precautions. Take Dramamine and/or use wristbands or patches. Even if you feel miserable in the moment, trust me: your memory will only remember the thrill of seeing manta rays, not the temporary queasiness. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience—don’t skip it!

📸 If you can, bring a waterproof camera or GoPro (also available for rent). Otherwise, you won’t have any pictures of the manta rays from your trip. As far as I am aware, no manta ray tour provides a photo package with someone else taking the photos for you.

All in all, Sea Paradise delivered an unforgettable night. I would choose them again—just with a better game plan for the waves!

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