Hawaii·United States
Photo: dronepicr · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Off the Kona coast of the Big Island, reef manta rays gather each night to feed on plankton drawn by dive lights, performing barrel rolls just above the divers. By day, the lava coast offers arches, caverns, clear water and spinner dolphins in Kealakekua Bay.
In season: Year-round · Peak: Apr–Oct
Calm, clear water on the sheltered west coast, with easy shallow sites and deeper lava formations. The manta dive is a stationary night dive on the seabed, suitable for newly certified divers.
Mantas feeding in the lights, a few metres away
Clear water, spinner dolphins and a protected reef
Lava formations and the site of the manta dive by day
Base in Kailua-Kona and book the manta night dive with a local operator, several of which also offer snorkel versions. Add day dives at Garden Eel Cove and a boat trip to Kealakekua Bay.
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