There's a strong breeze blowing as a new moon rises over Hawaii's Keauhou Bay. The ocean is unusually rough but the choppy current belies the serene – and surreal – show about to take place.

I'm with my six-year-old son and four others on board a replica of a Hawaiian sailing canoe, the Kini Kini, and we're headed for a night-time encounter with the manta rays that glide through the waters off Kona.

Captain Kalani Nakoa steers his canoe a short distance offshore as our guide Glenn Craig hands out snorkelling gear, and then – against my better instincts – we swing our legs over the side and slip into the dark water.

It's only a short swim to a specially designed surfboard with rope handles and bright LEDs underneath, but I'm having trouble grabbing on as my hair floats in front of my mask and small waves push me around.

"Make sure you keep your legs floating on top of the water with the noodle," Glenn calls out. "Too much kicking will scare them away."

Finally, with everything in place, I hang on to the rope with both hands and look down into the depths.

A shy manta ray scoots past, checking us out before disappearing into the dark. A few minutes pass. Then out of the silent blue comes a creature as wide as a car, it's triangular fins moving slowly up and down as it sweeps towards me.

I can peer deep into the manta ray's open mouth as it scoops up plankton attracted by the lights on the surfboard.

"Is it really true they don't have teeth?" I think, but I'm overawed as the harmless ray changes direction at the last moment and swims past my face.

The manta ray is a fish with no bones and is technically a type of stingray – although its tail doesn't have a barbed stinger. It's the largest of the ray species and can grow up to six metres wide.

From my up-close view I can see intricate webbing lining the space under its gills and a unique pattern of airbrushed black spots on its underside.

Another ray follows and soon there's at least five of them backflipping and circling below – wide mouths agape, long tails trailing, black fins rising and falling like slow-motion butterfly wings.

My son is mesmerised, taking deep breaths and viewing the animals through his own set of swimming goggles.

Eventually, I look up and catch the eye of a bearded, fifty-something Californian named Cowboy who's floating opposite me. "Oh man, this is life!" he says.

Amazingly, manta rays can sense minute electrical fields produced by living organisms and it's this ability that tells them to swing away just as they seem about to collide with us.

They also love swimming near pregnant women.

"The only thing we can think of is that they're attracted to the two heartbeats," Glenn says.

Forty-five minutes later, everyone is silent but ecstatic on the cruise back to shore.

The Sheraton Kona Resort at Keauhou Bay on Hawaii's Big Island is a renowned gathering place for manta rays as they seek out plankton attracted by lights from the shore.

They're fascinating up close, and they glide within sight from the balcony of a fabulous restaurant within the hotel called Rays on the Bay, and a special public viewing area at Paakai Point.

The hotel is about 10km south of Kailua-Kona Village and is on the black lava flow at Kaukulaelae Point, which is also the name of a temple that once stood there. Further along the point, on the bay side of the hotel, is a seemingly random collection of rock formations that Cultural Director Lily Dudoit explains are the remnants of an old Hawaiian village.

Twice a week, Lily leads free, guided walks along the shoreline to show visitors the remains of a canoe shed and slipway, a cattle pen and a dry-stone house platform, while explaining the rich history of Keauhou Bay.

Polynesians have lived here for hundreds of years – followed by missionaries – and many significant events took place nearby, including the 1819 battle of Lekeleke that abolished the kapu (taboo) religious system in favour of Christianity.

It's also the birthplace of Hawaii's longest-reigning monarch, King Kamehameha III, who was said to be stillborn at the head of the bay but came to life when placed on a stone. At the end of the tour, Lily sings to her Hawaiian ancestors to give thanks for allowing us to be there.

Later, we rent snorkelling gear and drop into the warm ocean via a ladder just near the old village. A lazy turtle swims past, while Bluestripe Butterflyfish hide behind red sea anemones and a moray eel peeks out from under the coral.

Looking over the bay, we can see things have certainly evolved in this place of the "new current" – the Hawaiian meaning of Keauhou – but these days it's the stunning and mysterious marine life that's attracting a new wave of visitors.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE: Jetstar flies six times a week between Sydney and Honolulu and up to three times a week between Melbourne and Honolulu. A new non-stop service from Brisbane starts on December 15, 2014. (www.jetstar.com)

Hawaiian Airlines flies daily between Sydney and Honolulu. Flights between Honolulu and Kona on the Big Island take 40 minutes and operate every hour. (www.hawaiianairlines.com.au) Qantas flies three times a week between Sydney and Honolulu and will add an extra service on December 14, 2014. (www.qantas.com.au)

STAYING THERE: The Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay has rooms from $US179 ($A203) plus taxes. (www.sheratonkona.com)

PLAYING THERE: Night-time Manta Ray snorkel tours on the Kini Kini sailing canoe operate Monday to Friday and cost $US99 plus taxes for adults, $US89 plus taxes for children. (www.ekacanoeadventures.com)

Free guided walking tours to historic sites around the Sheraton Kona Resort are available Tuesday and Thursday at 9.30am.

Kayaks, snorkelling gear and stand-up paddleboards are available to rent at Keauhou Bay Adventures, just near the Sheraton. (www.keauhoubayadventures.com)

* The writer travelled with assistance from Hawaii Tourism.