#Swimming with giant manta rays Patch

Plus, you’ll get even more fun for the whole family with the resort’s multi-level fantasy pool - with a 200-foot water slide! - and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.īook a manta ray night snorkeling adventure to swim alongside these gentle giants of the sea. Stay at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa for easy access to this magnificent, memory-making excursion. Perfect for kids (of all ages), you’ll get to see these creatures in Keauhou Bay and learn about their habits and habitats, what attracts them to the Kona shore (hint: it has to do with minerals) and how ocean currents affect their patterns. You can also try daily manta ray viewings at dusk and talks at Outrigger’s Manta Center. You get to swim alongside these ocean giants as they embark on their mesmerizing waves of filter feeding. Overcrowding of cleaning station and feeding sites with poor in-water human behaviour (e.g. Giant Freshwater Stingrays only reach a little over half that. As snorkelers’ flotation devices light up the surrounding plankton, nearby manta rays are drawn to the light and congregate for feeding time. The largest manta ray ever is the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray (Manta Birostris), far larger than any species of Stingray and boasting a huge wingspan of up to 29 feet, measured between the tips of the wide pectoral fins. With Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa's Manta Ray Night Snorkel you’ll get to swim with rays under the night sky in what’s known as the Manta Ray Village, just off the Kona Coast. You can get up close and personal with these gentle creatures for a little dinner swim, too. Then a unique set of “gill rakers” sift through the water to leave behind a nutrition-rich plankton dinner. As it swims, the plankton are funneled into the ray’s cavernous mouths. Noticeably, the mantas possess wide cavernous mouths and a large wingspan of up to 12-14 feet ( reef mantas) / 22 feet ( pelagic mantas ). There are many misconceptions when it comes to these marine animals, mainly due to the sheer size and shape of their body.

#Swimming with giant manta rays Patch

First, a ray will approach a large patch of plankton-rich water with its mouth wide open. At Manta Ray Advocates, we refer to mantas as the ‘gentle giants of the sea’. Manta rays’ eating habits are fascinating to watch: they feed on tiny, free-floating organisms called plankton via a highly efficient “filter-feeding” method. Their harmless demeanor and habit of being comfortable with divers and snorkelers have made them highly sought-after “swimming” partners. This sea creature’s distinctive “body-wings” propel them, acting as a modified fin that lets them glide through the water with dancer-like grace. Reaching up to 22 feet in wingspan - and weights of over 2,000 pounds - manta rays have earned the nickname “gentle giants of the sea.” The Big Island, is truly a destination for all things nature. But one of the most magical experiences may lie in the crystal-blue ocean itself: manta rays.