Frequently Asked Questions

The name was inspired by my honeymoon. My husband and I stayed at Fafarua Lodge, a private island in Tahiti. Fafarua is the Tahitian word for manta ray. When it came time to name the agency, it felt like the right call: a nod to the trip that started it all, and to the kind of travel we set out to create for our clients - authentic, luxury, culturally immersive.

Yes, and here's why... Crafting a truly exceptional trip takes time, expertise, and an enormous amount of behind-the-scenes work that simply isn't visible on the surface. From researching properties and vetting suppliers to building a detailed itinerary tailored specifically to you, our planning fee reflects the professional service you receive — not just a booking. It also ensures that we can dedicate the time and attention your trip deserves from the very beginning. Full details on our planning fee are outlined in our Terms & Conditions, which you'll receive via email following your complimentary consultation call.

We keep things simple and personal from the very first conversation. Here's how it works:

Step 1 — Complimentary Consultation Call. We start with a relaxed, no-obligation call to get to know you, understand your travel dreams, and gather the details we need to get started — including the names, birthdates, and contact information for all travelers in your party.

Step 2 — Terms & Conditions + Planning Fee. Following our call, we'll send you our Terms & Conditions along with a secure credit card authorization form to collect payment for your planning fee. We ask that you review and complete both at your earliest convenience.

Step 3 — Your Proposal. Once your planning fee is received, we get to work. We'll dive deep into crafting a personalized travel proposal built around your preferences, your people, and the experiences that matter most to you.

From there, we handle the details — so all you have to do is look forward to the trip.

When you book online, you're on your own — and you're choosing from whatever an algorithm decides to show you. When you work with Manta Ray Getaways, you get a dedicated expert who knows you, knows the destinations, and is personally invested in making your trip extraordinary. We have access to preferred rates, exclusive amenities, and supplier relationships that simply aren't available to the public. And if anything goes wrong before or during your trip, you have someone in your corner fighting to make it right. No hold music. No chatbot. Just us.

We specialize in luxury travel experiences that are thoughtfully designed around the people taking them. Our clients include honeymooners and couples celebrating milestones, high-net-worth individuals seeking privacy and exclusivity, adventure and experiential travelers who want something beyond the ordinary, and multi-generational families creating memories together. Whether you're dreaming of a private island escape, an African safari, a superyacht charter, or an immersive cultural journey, we craft every itinerary from scratch — nothing off the shelf.

In most cases, no — and often you'll pay less. We have access to preferred rates, exclusive packages, and added-value amenities through our supplier partnerships that aren't available to the public. Many of our hotel partners offer complimentary upgrades, resort credits, early check-in, or breakfast inclusions exclusively for bookings made through advisors like us. When you factor in those benefits alongside the time you save and the expertise you gain, working with Manta Ray Getaways consistently delivers more value than booking on your own.

No. Supplier commissions are paid to us by the hotels, resorts, cruise lines, and tour operators — not by you. They come out of the supplier's margin, and your price remains the same whether you book through us or directly. In fact, because of our preferred partner relationships, the price you pay through us is often lower, and almost always comes with additional perks on top.