Kona

The single must-do underwater experience on Kona is the manta ray night dive — a fact that remains true for first-time Hawaii visitors and the man who leads the dives three times a week for scuba center Jack’s Diving Locker. Keller Laros, dubbed “The Manta Man” by the Discovery Channel, became hooked on the magic of these bichromatic gregarious megafauna — think pandas or orcas — back in 1985. He stays because each dive provides the chance for him to witness new behavior, even after 31 years.

“This past Monday, one of the females was inverted, swimming upside down like a kid goofing around,” says Laros of a recent visit to the site, called Garden Eel Cove. Find the site along a stretch of Makako Bay, roughly 35 feet deep, on the island’s western coast.

Related Reading: The Allure of Night Diving

What is perhaps more mesmerizing is that mantas seem to enjoy petting their air-breathing audience.

• Watch this awesome video to see what the manta night dive is like

“When they’re feeding, they come up and rub on your head — they actually touch you,” says Laros. “We don’t want divers touching mantas, but it’s quite all right for mantas to touch you.”

Laros isn’t surprised at all that rays relish the physical contact they initiate. “Humans generally do,” he says.

If You Dive in the Daytime

During the day, Jack’s Diving Locker will visit the same site where night feeds occur: Evening odds of manta encounters are 90 percent, but they’re lowered to about 50 percent in the daytime.

The spot isn’t Laros’ favorite for daytime excitement. Rather, it’s Suck ’Em Up Lava Tube. The site itself is shallow, 20 feet deep, but sits near a massive drop-off and much deeper water — bringing big passersby, from whale sharks to whitetips.

And if big stuff doesn’t excite you, try edging through the lava tubes. One spans 70 feet, narrowing from 15 feet wide to 5, where the water flowing out the smaller exit creates a funneling effect.

Says Laros, “You get shot out like a waterslide.”

Related Reading: A Land-and-Sea Tour of Hawaii's Big Island

DIVE CONDITIONS: Many divers need only a swimsuit with summer water temperatures around 84 degrees F. Winter water temps dip to 75 degrees F, so plan your neoprene wardrobe accordingly. Bring at least an extra hooded vest.

INSIDER TIP: For those in your party who don’t dive, or for those who simply want to spend more time near the rays, Laros suggests a meal or cocktail at Rays on the Bay, the open-air restaurant belonging to Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay. It’s on the beach next to one of two manta-feeding spots. The hotel also houses the Manta Learning Center, backed by the Manta Pacific Research Foundation.

FOR MORE INFO: jacksdivinglocker.com

5 Other Great Night Dives:

• Fiji

• Indonesia

• Bahamas

• Maldives

• Red Sea