Our plane landed in Hawaii earlier than scheduled. Kona is a small airport, so it took a bit for a gate to open up. As I was sitting on the plane, I overheard a local talking with a visiting family. “You must swim with the manta rays while you’re here.” I listened a bit more. She went on to explain that Kailua Kona is one of the only places on earth that allows you to swim alongside the gorgeous animals. “If you ever have the chance to do it, don’t hesitate.”
Her words stuck with me. When I got settled in, I did a bit of researching to find out how I could take part in swimming with these beautiful animals. While I was researching “things to do on The Big Island” I never ran across this activity. Was this some big secret adventure? Are travelers not doing this? I immediately texted Caitlin, and of course, she was all for it.
After experiencing the swim, I can honestly say, it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Sometimes eavesdropping pays off. I’m so excited to share my experience with you, and I hope you are thinking of adding this to your list of “Big Island MUSTS.”
I mentioned in a previous post that I would have to break up my Hawaii trip by the days because there was so much going on! Today, I’m blogging about our adventurous Monday on the Big Island. Waking up just knowing that I was going to be swimming with Mantas had me so excited! If you’re wondering what we did on Sunday, we adventured down to Green Sand Beach! You can read all about our experience here! 
We were both still on East Coast time. We sat around drinking coffee at the house during the early hours of 5 am. I kind of liked being up that early because my days felt much longer and I got a lot of stuff done. Waking up before the sun has a way of making me super productive.
Caitlin and I drove Kona (the sweet goldendoodle I was watching for my friends) to his doggy daycare so he could play with his friends, and then we headed to our activities. I spent the morning doing what I love, playing tennis! I’ve had serious tennicize withdrawals since being home. Caitlin took the yoga mat by the water to do some stretching. 
After our activities, we were both hungry! We stopped at one of the best places in Kona, Daylight Mind. The food here is so fresh and unique. The views are pretty breathtaking as well. I had eaten here numerous times, and it never gets old! This was Caitlin’s first time, and she was instantly hooked. I did yoga upstairs and had breakfast here the week before (read here)!
Instead of ordering coffee again, I decided to try their kombucha flight. The colors were so pretty, and I loved the glasses they served them in. I tried the beet, ginger, and lilikoi. Surprisingly, the beet was my favorite.
For my meal, I had the avocado mash with a poached egg on top of fresh spinach, tomatoes, and fresh fruit on the side. The mangos are out of this world this time of year! I could have licked the plate clean because of how delicious it was. I like that they don’t use a ton of seasonings in their food. It’s cooked so perfectly that it doesn’t need anything to coat it. 
We decided to let our food digest and spend the rest of the day relaxing at the beach. We headed to Manini’owali Beach! It’s a white sands beach not too far from the Kona airport, and it’s a gorgeous spot for white sands and crystal clear water. It’s much less crowded and a lot larger than Magic Sands Beach.
When I was a kid, I swam all the time in the Hawaiian water. I was never scared of sea creatures or anything, but as I got older, I created a fear of the ocean. I’m sure my obsession with shark week had something to do with it, but I stopped getting in the water. Even when I go to Folly Beach, I only get in up to my ankles.
I figured since I’d be swimming with the manta rays, snorkeling, and surfing, I better just suck it up and swim in the damn thing. Caitlin is fearless, and so her confidence swimming in the water definitely helped. I’m so glad I did it because we had so much fun just going up and down with the waves. Plus, I’m still alive to tell you all about it.
I’m obsessed with this hat I found at Target. I love it because Kyle and his mom always tell me that I remind them of a mermaid. I’m sure it’s because my hair is always messy like one. 😉
Before I headed to Hawaii, I wanted to pick up some new shorts.
All of my denim shorts were too short, and I’m at an age where I just feel uncomfortable wearing short shorts. While I was browsing online, I was surprised to find that Abercrombie had the best denim at an appropriate (for me) length. I was really shocked at how everything at Abercrombie has changed. I bought a couple new denim shorts, some rompers, and a swimsuit. These shorts are so comfortable and don’t shrink when you wash them. The front is a lighter was and the back is a darker wash. The secret to buying shorts is to always go a size up! Jeans are fine when they are fitted, but shorts feel better when they are loose. 
Kona was happy to see me! Look how adorable he is flying out the door? I miss that boy! Kona and Grumples got along so well and played for hours in the backyard when I had him down in South Carolina. I wish he could have met Leo because they act so much alike!
I had leftover vegan salad and almond quinoa from Island Naturals for dinner before we headed out for our manta ray swim. I wanted something light since we were going to be swimming. I figured I’d have an egg later in the evening if I was still hungry. 
After searching for the perfect manta ray swim experience, we came across Big Island Divers. We read some great reviews, watched some videos, and decided we would book with them. If you haven’t found a place to book with yet, Big Island Divers should be it! It’s reasonably priced, our guides were amazing, and everything ran smoothly.
We headed to the Big Island Divers shop to check-in and get sized for our gear. That took about ten minutes, so we had some extra time to spare before launching. 
What’s the best way to kill time? Coffee.
I think Kona Coffee & Tea had some of the best coffee on the island. I stopped in here by accident a few days before to use the bathroom. Of course, you have to buy a pity coffee before using the restroom, so I ordered a small coffee to go. I took a sip and holy moly! I was not expecting it to taste that good.
We decided to have some coffee before heading to downtown Kona. 
The coffee shop is really cute inside. I love modern design mixed with the island details. They offer smoothies, small bites, and delicious pastries.
I loved the coffee so much and just had to buy some for us to drink during the week. You can actually purchase their roasts online, and I’m totally making another order once the second bag I purchased on the last day runs out! It’s a unique flavor with rich cocoa and earthy tones. I also want to mention that each time I went in there, the staff was so friendly and helpful! Amazing customer service for sure.
We took our coffees to the downtown area to hop in a bar. We watched some of the NBA game while Caitlin had a beer. I don’t even remember which bar we stopped into, but it was a hot one. We were sweating like crazy in there. 
We made it to the harbor where we’d be launching!
It’s a gorgeous time of night to be at the harbor. The sun setting behind the boats is breathtaking. 
When you get there, you’ll meet up with the other swimmers and your guides. You’ll learn everything you need to know before going out! And if you have any questions, they’ll most likely be able to answer them.
All of my doubts and fears were demolished after hearing these guys out. Here is what I heard the loudest “there will be no sharks”, “mantas cannot hurt you”, and “humans are the biggest predator to the mantas.”
Once the sun started to set, we took off for our manta ray adventure! We headed about five miles out.
While our guides were giving us an introduction and telling us the story of the mantas, they mentioned taking Dramamine for motion sickness. I’ve been on boats all of my life, taken long road trips, bumpy plane rides, jumped out of planes, and never experienced motion sickness. I didn’t give the Dramamine any thought. You may be a lot like me and have never experienced it, but do yourself a favor, take it. Even if you don’t ever experience the motion sickness, take it. Every person on our boat felt the motion sickness, and a lot of it had to do with floating on a raft with your face down into the water. I didn’t feel the motion sickness until our journey back, but it didn’t go away until the next day, so learn from my mistake! They had some on board for anyone that wished to take it. 
The sun went down fast! You’ll definitely want to pack water, a sweater to wear on the boat ride back, and an underwater camera if you have one. I use an Olympus Tough Camera on all of my water-focused trips. I’m excited to share the snorkeling footage I shot with it on my last day in Hawaii. It’s a pretty good camera!
Some of us were just snorkeling, but there were also certified divers on our charter. I think it was so cool to see them swimming on the bottom of the ocean floor below us. There was one young kid that was diving that just inspired me! He was so adventurous and made me want to get a diving certificate.
The boat was swaying so much that it was pretty impossible to get a non-blurry photo. This was the best of the 20 taken. 
So how do they get the mantas to show up?
There are lights placed on the bottom of the ocean floor and underneath our raft that attract the plankton. Mantas are practically filters that love eating the plankton.
See the light in the middle of the water in the photo above? That’s what we floated above. 
See the hotel offshore? This is where it all started.
The lights shining off the hotel into the water attracted the plankton, which attracted the mantas!
Getting yourself to jump into the water is the hardest part. Maybe its just me, but I’m not about swimming at night. But it’s all worth it because what you witness down there is unimaginable, and no blog post or youtube video will be able to match what its actually like in real life. I have no words to explain how incredible it actually is, I’m just here to persuade you to do it.
Our guides have done this so many times that they have named the mantas that come and can tell them apart. It’s pretty cool. There have been a couple times where the professional divers have helped save the mantas from fishing lines. 
They can’t predict how many or if any mantas will show up. They said we’d be lucky if four showed up, but we hit the jackpot. They counted eleven mantas on our trip! Guys, ELEVEN! 
This is what it’s like to snorkel with the mantas. You’ll float on your stomach while holding onto a raft. You don’t want to tread water because you’ll end up kicking or bumping into a manta ray. They come right up to the surface! 
This photo is a great example of how it all works.
That light is attracting the plankton and the manta ray glides up to eat it. See how close we are to him? 
And of course, we are super good looking in our underwater snorkeling pics.
It was such a privilege to be able to swim with these manta rays. They don’t have any fear when it comes to humans, and they’ll rub right against you. It’s pretty breathtaking. 
The mantas can get up to 22 feet wide and up to 3000 pounds, yet they are so graceful and delicate in the water. Their mouths are three feet wide but have a tiny throat. They don’t plan on eating you, so don’t worry! They can’t if they tried because they don’t have teeth. And their tales? No stingers and or threat at all. These giants are gentle and harmless. 
I read somewhere that it is almost impossible for a manta ray to survive in captivity, which is why we don’t know as much about the manta ray as the other ocean animals. That made me feel even more privileged to be able to join them in their environment. 
There are so many mysteries about the manta rays that are left unknown. I think that’s what makes them special.
This was Kyle’s favorite photo from my trip. Hope you enjoy it too! 🙂 
It’s important not to touch or pet the manta rays because of the mucus that covers their skin. You can let them touch you, but don’t touch them! The mucus layer protects them from bacteria and microorganisms. 
It’s taken biologist many years to figure out what family they belong to, but apparently, it’s the sharks. 
This manta was so close to me. I couldn’t take photos of a lot of them because they were gliding on my stomach. It was unbelievable. 
Scientists believe that manta rays can live longer than fifty years, but they are unsure. They don’t even know if they are an endangered species. The first citing of a manta ray documents all the way back to 1798! 
See the spots on their bellies? That is how the manta rays can be identified. 
Our underwater selfie turned out great… 
If you do not have an underwater camera, you can actually rent equipment from the Big Island Divers! 
The divers are down there swimming with the mantas. They are fun to watch as well! 
We had so much fun and there were so many moments that had us cracking up so hard that I probably drank a gallon of salt water. Luckily, there was fresh pineapple on the boat to chase it all down! 
The motion sickness kicked in a bit on the way back, but I drank my water and tried to focus on one spot. 
This was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, and I hope you plan your trip to the Big Island to swim with the mantas soon!
Questions for you!
- What surprised you about the mantas?
- Will you be adding this to your bucket list?
- Do you have a fear of ocean water?
So, so, so exciting! ❤️ I’d love to swim with manta rays myself. It’s nice to see you trying new things, Taralynn! What a wonderful thing to experience! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Thanks for reading, Charmaine!
I think you’d love it!
xo
This looks so amazing! Do you do it during the day at all or is it only a nighttime thing?
I think (not positive) they have a day swim, but the chance of seeing the manta is a bit slimmer. You can check their website, but I believe they do have a day swim!
Looks like you had a wonderful time!
I was so surprised that they can weigh up to 3000 pounds!! Holy moly!! I can’t even imagine how amazing it was to see them!
I could say that I would like to add them to my bucket list, but I am probably too chicken to actually do it, lol!
I do have a fear of ocean water. More so the ocean waters that tend to be darker (that you can’t see to the bottom), but I will go in pretty far if I can actually see what’s in there!
It really was amazing, Nicole!
They didn’t seem like they weighed up 3000 pounds! They were so graceful!
OMG don’t be! Driving in a car is more dangerous than swimming with these beauties.
You can actually see the bottom with all the lights where we were at if that makes you feel better! xo
This looks amazing!! Definitely adding it to my bucket list. I don’t really have a fear of the ocean water or water in general, but I hate touching seaweed or anything on the bottom haha. I actually had never even heard of manta rays until your blog post! So everything surprised me basically.
Wow really?
I actually thought they were just another name for giant stingrays so I’m in the same boat!
Lol I don’t like touching seaweed either!
This is by far one of my favorite posts. One! Because I needed an underwater camera and Two! My husband and I are heading to the Big Island next week. I’ve never heard of diving with the manta rays and this has me excited to sign up. I made a reservation as soon as I clicked the Big Island Divers link! Thank you so much for the photos and insight on your experience. I will let you know how it goes for us.
I am also afraid fo sharks!
Hi, Stacey!
I am very excited for you 🙂
Please keep me posted on how it goes.
Taralynn
Wow, just wow!! You just gave me a crash course on manta rays. I thought they were just like sting rays, not that they can be so huge! And those mouths, oh my. I think I’d definitely be scared to swim with them, but know that a little persuasion will make me do it. I’m going to Maui, not the BI but this amazing experience is definitely on my bucket list! (P.S. how can the diving instructors absolutely say there will be no sharks alongside the manta rays? . . .)
I love the ocean, but it does scare me especially because of sharks that swim in it! I plan to spend plenty of time on multiple beaches, but will likely not go in past my knees. And I’m OK with that 🙂
And OMG I can’t stop laughing at Kyle’s “favorite” picture, haha! You are such a sport to share with us all!! and I mean that in the most complimentary way 🙂
Hi, Susie!
I also thought they were just like giant stingrays! They are much bigger and more graceful! They even got them wrong in the new Baywatch movie when the Rock said that a manta ray would jump out of the water and stab you or something like that! lol I think he meant “sting ray.”
The divers have never seen a shark for the years that they’ve done these trips. I think with all the lights and people and boats, the sharks stay away. They are actually afraid like us 🙂
You won’t find many sharks coming that close to the shore, so you’ll be fine! Clear water helps for sure! lol
hahahhaha glad I could share that gem!
This sounds like so much fun!! I have a huge fear of sharks too but I love snorkeling. Last year I swam with nurse sharks and it freaked me out! I have always wanted to snorkel at night and now I want to see manta rays!
I think I’d do the mantas over the sharks! You’re brave lol
What a blast!
Hi, Cait! It really was 🙂
Hi Taralynn!
I have never been to Hawaii before but OMG your posts are making me want to book a flight right now!! Thank you so much for sharing your mantra ray experience! This looks soooo cool and I never even knew this was a thing. I can’t wait to read more of your Hawaii posts!
P.S. Definitely in the market for some new shorts as well, may just go with the Abercrombies 🙂
Hi, Kelly!
I hope you do! Hawaii is amazing and the flights are pretty inexpensive right now!
Thanks for reading and all the kind words!
Um. YES! You must check out Abercrombie!
Did it tickle or feel weird when they came up to you!?
Not at all! I was wearing a wetsuit, so it felt like a rush of water, but nothing weird! Just magical 😀
What underwater camera do you have
Olympus Tough! I linked it up in the post if you want to to check it out 😀
I’m terrified of the ocean but forced myself to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef when I used to live in Australia.
You are 100% correct. Even if you think you won’t get seasick, take the medication! I’ve spent my life on boats, but got really seasick and couldn’t eat any of the delicious looking food they had for us!
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
Hi, Brooklyn!
Omg, the Great Barrier Reef is my goal! I think that would be amazing and I’m sure it was breathtaking!
YES YES YES to the medication! Lesson learned.
Girl, you are really loving your coffee! Have you ever tried Nespresso coffee? What are your thoughts and what is your favorite flavor?
Hi, Linda!
I’ve always loved my coffee 😀
I do have a Nespresso machine and always go for the Bestspresso Lungo pods!
They do this at Nusa Lembongan in Bali, Indonesia. I’ll be heading over to do it in August… except I’ll be a scuba diver. I got my PADI ticket 5 or so years ago and never looked back. It’s so easy to get it, you should do it!
That sounds amazing!
They actually have a diving company here in Charlotte that you can get certified at! I may look into it.
You’re going to have so much fun in August!
Daylight Mind looks delicious! What is that white thing on top?
It was so good!
That’s a poached egg 😀
How late are you out on the boats? Is there an age limit?
Hi Jessie!
It’s about a 30 minute ride out to the spot, about 45 minutes in the water (seems like a long time) and then 30 minutes back! We got home around 10:30pm
How long does it take to get a diver certifications?
I actually have no idea!
I don’t know a lot about the process, but I heard it’s pretty easy. You can always look for a diving company in your area 😀
We are going to do this in December! I’m hoping to see some dolphins. Did you see any on the ride out there?
You’re going to have so much fun!!!!
We didn’t see any out there, but I saw some on my snorkeling trip at Captain Cook! There were SO MANY of them!!
I had no idea manta rays were so large!
I don’t like getting in the water but I would do it for this.
Thanks for sharing a great post.
Thanks for reading!
I agree. I had no idea how large they were either! Such magical creatures.
I know your instructors said there are no sharks but I still don’t think I could do it!
Lol shark fear is real 🙂
We did this on our last trip to the big island! The flight attendant on our plane told us to try it and I’m so glad she did, because I hadn’t read about it anywhere. I also loved waking up at 5am (feeling refreshed too! lol) and having the whole day ahead of you. You are making me miss Hawaii so much! We just came back from Maui – have you been to all the islands now?
Hi, Steph!
Thank goodness for the flights!:) I lived in Oahu for four years, and that’s the only other Island I’ve been to! Island hopping is on my list!
Oh that’s awesome! Oahu is next on our list so I’ll have to hit you up for suggestions when the time comes!
Cool!
😀
Do they provide gear? or did you pack your gear in your luggage?
Oh, no! They provide everything you need 😀
This is SO COOL! Seriously, the second I saw this I added it to the bucket list. Having the opportunity to experience animals in their natural habitat is one of my favorite things in the worst and this about takes the cake for that!
I already knew a lot about the mantas but I was surprised at how close they come to you guys! Ahhhhh!
I’m just like you in that when I was little I would play in the ocean for hours, go super far out, and have no worries at all. Now, I’m super scared of it! And I also blame my fear on too much shark week and River Monsters. When Ben and I went to Hawaii he loved going out on the paddle board and laying in the ocean but I refused and now I regret that. This is such a perfect way to get over that anxiety!
Thank you for sharing this, I’m all kinds of travel inspired right now!
Hi, Susie!
I’m so glad you added this to your bucket list!
It was breathtaking to be so close to them, and they felt comfortable enough with us. They are wonderful animals.
Lol glad I’m not the only one that let the discovery channel get the best of me!
If you do go back, make sure to go surfing!! I think you guys would love it!
xo xo
Do you have to use a memory card that’s waterproof for that camera?
The slot locks, which keeps all water out, BUT the camera comes with a great waterproof memory card just incase!
Hi Taralynn – I’ve been reading forever and never comment. I’m a happy lurker 🙂 However this post is so cool and I am so impressed that you conquered your fear, not only going all the way in, but going in again AT NIGHT! Go girl! I also wanted to say dooo it to getting scuba certified! I am still kind of scared floating on the top of the ocean but being completely submerged with a 360 view really puts you on an even playing field with everything else in the ocean – I find it so calming and so magical. Also, the only thing you can hear is the rhythm of your breath, it’s almost meditative. I think you’d love it!
Cheers and thanks for your always positive outlook! xoxo
Hi, Meg!!
Thanks so much for stopping by to read and commenting.
I couldn’t let that fear keep me from doing some pretty awesome things! I may have to definitely get scuba certified before going back to Hawaii! That sounds AMAZING!!
You have me convinced to do it!
xo
I think I would be terrified to do this! I don’t even like swimming in lakes!
Me either, but it’s not as scary as it may seem!
I am so jealous!! Swimming with a Manta Ray is on my bucket list! This looks like it was amazing and I’m so glad to know I don’t need to travel far to have this opportunity! Also, I love love love your blog. I’ve been following it for years now and I’m always so inspired by your healthy, adventurous lifestyle. I’m going to have to plan a trip to Hawaii just do this! ❤️
Hi, Beverly!
Thank you so much for the kind words! 🙂 I hope you definitely plan a trip there!!!
Thank you for this great travel write up!
Thanks for reading!
Where is your red v neck from?
Hi, Hannah!
I got it at Jcrew last summer.
Um don’t sharks feed at night?
lol im not sure! I think they feed all day.
If you don’t mind me asking, how much did it cost?
I think it was around $130! And you’ll want to bring cash for a tip.
The only thing that scares me is the seasickness. Did you see any sharks while you were in Hawaii?
Yeah, the sickness was sucky! I should have taken the medication though. Next time 🙂
No sharks!:D just dolphins.
Hi Taralynn,
You always have the most colorful pictures! Thank you for always sharing your adventures. Question, what camera do you use to make that makes all your pics so colorful? Especially on your Instagram? I swear I read what camera it was recently, but can’t seem to find where I read it. Do you mind sharing (sorry, I am sure you get asked this over and over…). 🙂
Hi, Lee!
I use all sorts of cameras, but I edit them to make them pop!
I usually use Lightroom and bring up saturation, brightness, blacks down, shadows up, highlights down, and sharpen 🙂 And I use C3 for my favorite filter!
Does your hair get dry from salt water? I can’t seem to go into the ocean because of my hair.
Definitely! I find that using Pureology and letting my hair air dry helps though! I always put a leave-in conditioner in my hair if I can’t shower right away. I’ll bring it in my beach bag with me.
When you were first beginning on your journey to a healthier life, where did you start to learn about nutrition and understanding whats good and bad and what to eat and what not to eat? I just don’t even know where to start! Please help!
So cool Taralynn!! I have swam with sting rays before.. but never Mantas! Definitely adding this to my bucket list 🙂 Also, thanks for teaching us more about Manta Rays, I definitely learned a lot about them from this post!
That is so awesome!
I bet swimming with the sting rays was amazing 🙂
xo
You are so adventurous!
I’m just surprised that you are able to swim with them! And that even though they’re so big, they are scared of humans!
Heck yes! I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii and this is something unique that I’ve never heard of before! I also loved the green beach you mentioned in a previous post, too!
I have no fear of water! My mom said that I’ve been a fish since I was born 😉
I feel like I’ve been so bad on commenting. I’ve been so busy but I promise I still read every post! HAHA. Have you ever been to the outer banks? I’m headed there over 4th of July week and didn’t know if you’ve been there or had recommendations if you have!
Lol sometimes size doesn’t mean anything:) They are just so gorgeous!
You MUST make a trip here. I know you’d love it! Especially since you love the water!
Oh, girl! You’re fine! I love catching up on your comments!
I NEEEEEEEED to make it to the outer banks! You’ll LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I hear amazing things!
Have a wonderful trip!
I added this to our Hawaii agenda. We are flying from Oahu to the Big Island just for this!
You will NOT regret it!!
Have fun 😀
I would be terrified!
I was at first!
Your bedroom turned out so cute!
Thank you! 😉