Unique Abilities
West Hawaii Today
Paddling in the same direction
Surf For Special Needs and Anelakai Adventures help children paddle out Saturday evening to view manta rays.
Testimonials
My two sisters and I LOVED our experience seeing the mantas. There were so many of them, and they were inches away from us! They are magnificent creatures! Being in a canoe made us feel so connected to the ocean...so much more meaningful and special than chugging out in a smelly boat! It was fun to paddling the canoe.
The owners, Eco and Hollie, and their staff are beyond fantastic! Caring, dedicated, knowledge and fun! They go way out of their way to make sure the experience is perfect.
I am a quadriplegic, and getting into a boat is impossible without someone helping me. Ok...lifting me! Other companies refused to take me. Then I saw Anelakai Adventures website and read a review by a man who was also paralyzed and had had an amazing trip to the mantas in the canoe. I called and was treated with such kindness, enthusiasm and assurance that I signed up on the spot!
Best time ever! These guys do it for the love. They love the mantas and they love life and they love people. You feel like you’re with your favourite cousins! They truely gave me the most wonderful experience I’ve had in years. Literally ....I could not have done it without them!
I’ll be back!
- JulieDC
"I recently returned from a trip to Kona. I loved the Big Island but the highlight of the trip was snorkeling with Manta Rays.
Being a quadriplegic (limited function in all four limbs), getting in the ocean hasn’t been a realistic option for years. That changed thanks to the incredibly helpful staff at Anelakai Adventures!
The paddle board they outfitted for our purpose was only inches off the water so transferring me aboard was a breeze! With a few strong strokes we were gliding along without disturbing the nature we were there to see. The proximity to the surface also provided an extraordinary view of the Rays even before getting in.
I was tentative to submerge at first, but the crew had already proven this wasn’t their first rodeo. So, after witnessing a famous Hawaiian sunset, in I went! My trust in them was rewarded. Their guidance and care made me comfortable the whole time (80 degree water didn’t hurt either!).
The Manta Rays were beautiful, exotic creatures. Their size was a bit breathtaking (7+ foot wing span) but soon I was close enough to see their mouths were toothless and tails had no barbs. Watching them feed and play was a surreal sight everyone should see for themselves.
Getting me out of the water was the obstacle I imagined being the most difficult. I would be lying if I said I knew exactly how they managed such a graceful maneuver out of deep water but before I had time to worry, I was gingerly lifted and back in my seat! I’m not convinced any of this experience could have been accomplished with a different vessel and it’s incredible that a company would have the foresight and experience to know precisely how to accommodate my level of mobility.
The crew’s experience was evident in how they handled every aspect of my unique situation. They were encouraging but never pushy, supportive but never patronizing and effortlessly tended to the technical elements of a Manta swim while exuding the relaxed charm that is synonymous with the islands.
Simply put, it was amazing! I strongly encourage anyone with or without limited mobility to try it if you have the chance. You will be in good hands for an unforgettable experience. I cannot recommend Anelakai Adventures enough!
Side note: My wife, mother and sister (all three are vehemently protective of my wellbeing) were with me and rested easy, confident that I was safe throughout. That alone may be the best endorsement I could give!"
- Gabriel Twining
"We saved the best Hawaii adventure for our last evening and it was AWESOME! I have some mobility issues, knew I wasn't going to snorkel, but hoped my husband and I could see Mantas together. Boy did we see them. I had called Anelakai before booking and they were very helpful, listening to my concerns and answering my questions. A couple days before our tour we popped down to Keauhoe to see how easy it would be for me to get into the canoes. The crew was so helpful. They answered questions and helped figure out what the tides might look like and how high or low the step into the canoe would be for our tour. The night of our 6:30 tour, they came prepared to help me in and made sure I was comfortable. Captain “Donut” and Mana’o were a great team: instructing how to paddle, entertaining with jokes, educating us about Mantas, giving local restaurant tips. The dive spot is just outside the harbor and you suit up and are in the water within the first 10 minutes. We lucked out with prefect weather, calm seas and a warm night. Once they turned on the lights the plankton started to gather and then the mantas immediately came to scoop them up. They fed continuously the whole time we were out there. We saw at least 7 different individual Mantas which the crew knew by their markings. The lights are placed in between the two canoes so if you are unable to get into the water you are just as close as the snorkelers…you just don’t get wet. You are not allowed to touch them but they were that close. Those in the water had mantas swimming and brushing against them. So amazing. We had so much fun. Thank you for being the only company that made it possible for me to experience the mantas on the water."
- 868barbarab
"Anelakai Adventures gave my daughter the opportunity to see the manta rays in Kona. This would not have happened had she been on the usual boats that are used to view the mantas at night. Her physical disability as well as intolerance to the cold would have kept her from experiencing this wonderful activity.
Our daughter, Maddie, is 25 and has cerebral palsy. She is usually confined to a wheelchair, but with the great canoe set up provided by Anelakai Adventures, she was able to stay inside the canoe and view the mantas as they came up under the boat. A light under the canoe gave her the perfect vantage point. Because of her disability getting her in and out of the water is difficult. In addition, she has a low tolerance for cold, and it can get chilly in the water at night.
Thank you Anelakai Adventures for providing this unique experience for those who would otherwise be left on shore."
- Kathy Scarangella
"First thing first - let me thank Anelakai Adventures for making my seemingly impossible dream come true.
Ever since watching a manta ray video online, I was obsessed with the desire to see them swim in real life. They are so beautiful and mysterious. The only problem - I am a disabled person in a wheelchair. I contacted several tour companies about manta ray observing for people with limited mobility before and after flying to the Big Island. I was always told that they didn’t have the right equipment for the disabled to do this. Frustrated and ready to give up, I continued to ask around after arriving at the island. One afternoon, I rolled into Snorkel Bob’s and met Holly and her helpers who suggested Anelakai Adventures.
Anelakai Adventures uses Hawaiian double-canoes to take people out to observe Manta Ray. In order for me to get into and out of water easily, they prepared a large raft with a lawn chair securely tied down. Anelakai Adventures’ guides lifted me out of my wheelchair and gently put me into the lawn chair on the raft. With other adventurers on two other canoes, we all paddled out to the spot where manta ray was expected to show up. The water was cold after a while but the show put up by the Manta Ray was unforgettable.
Anelakai Adventures’ guides are very friendly, considerate and helpful. Jane stayed by my side the whole time to make sure I was safe. She helped me get into and out of water with ease. I am very grateful for the effort that was put in to make this adventure possible for me. Anelakai Adventures has the right equipment and knowledge to help the disabled people experience this otherwise impossible adventure. I can’t thank them enough."
- Chorng Lin
"I cannot say enough great things about Anelakai Adventures. My son Ben, who is 15 and has Down syndrome, went on this adventure after someone recommended it to us. I have wanted to do an evening snorkel manta ray excursion but had been hesitant due to the length of time, larger crowds and just the uncertainty as to how my son might do. He is not a fan of wearing snorkel gear and can get scared in overstimulating environments. I was told this was a double hull canoe (which typically holds 6-8-perfect) that went out for 1 ½ hours. (and again perfect, not too long). When we got there, Holly and Iko met us and explained the process which helped put my mind at ease. My son and I went out with another couple. We had such an awesome experience. Ben started by just hanging out on the canoe but after seeing the other couple get in he decided he wanted to give it a try. Iko was very reassuring that he could get out at any time. Ben got in and loved the experience, as did I. It was so fun and relaxing with such a small group. There were lights so you could see the mantas when they came and swam by you. When Ben was ready to get out we were able to spend a few minutes on the canoe and saw some Mantas from that perspective, which was also wonderful.
Whether you want to swim with the mantas, or just have an awesome experience on a double hull canoe and view the mantas from on top, this is hands down one of my favorite, most memorable activities I have done on the island.
A huge mahalo to Iko and Holly for making this such a great night."
- Margaret
Big Island Activities
