Kona Snorkeling: Beat the Crowd to Kealakekua Bay
Description
Skim across the waves on an exciting Big Island Zodiac tour to Kealakekua Bay, site of the Captain Cook monument and Hawaii's finest marine sanctuary. Snorkel with a rainbow of tropical fish among beautiful coral gardens in the bay's clear, crystal waters. Enjoy the delightful picnic snack provided before you head out again. Our Zodiac rafts allow us to hug the shoreline and get into areas where other boats can't. Join us to explore vast sea caves, lava tubes and the rugged beauty of the coastline.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Minimum age is 4 years
- Not recommended for participants with back or neck problems
- We apologize ahead of time but due to the bouncy nature, pregnant individuals are not allowed
- Recommended to bring: reef-safe sunscreen, a towel, water bottle, and maybe a dry bag if you’ve got one
Reviews(244)
Sandy and Jada were incredible! They made us feel so welcome and were very inviting! The sights were beautiful and the snorkeling was so fun!
Mahalo for sharing your fun experience with Captain Sandy and Jada! We love to hear that you felt welcome and had a great time on board. The Kona coast and snorkeling Kealakekua Bay is magical so we're happy to hear you loved it just as much! We hope to see you again on your next trip to Big Island!
This is my first real snorkeling experience (bobbing and puking in the Gulf of Mexico didn't count) and this was genuinely my favorite event out of my 8-day trip. It was unbelievably peaceful on the thrilling boat ride, looking at the great blue. We saw spinner dolphins, flying fish and even a sea turtle at the dock. As someone not confident on the sea, the bay where we snorkeled was calm and friendly to beginners. The corals were not picture-perfect colorful but wow, we saw so many different kinds of fish. It was magical being on top of the fish hanging around the corals. Captain Gabe was humorous, knowledgeable and down-to-earth. He knew how to drive the Navy boat and gave us a spin! After I threw up as expected, he thoughtfully gave me a cup of water to rinse. The simple but special touch of care made me feel welcome! Tip: Book directly on the phone with Captain Zodiac! You may get a price adjustment if lucky. ;)
Aloha! Mahalo for your review and we couldn't be more excited to hear your snorkel tour with Captain Zodiac was a highlight to your Hawai'i trip! Kealakekua Bay is beautiful and it's always a treat when the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins make a guest appearance. We are also happy to hear Captain Gabe and crew helped to ensure you felt comfortable and safe, both in the water and out. We hope you see you again on your next trip back to Kona!
We had an amazing day on the water! Captain Rick and DeVante were a blast, kept us entertained and safe the whole day. We learned a lot and enjoyed being on a smaller and more agile craft. The lunch was perfect. Highly recommend!
Mahalo for the wonderful recommendation! We're thrilled you had such an amazing day on the water with Captain Rick and DeVante. It's great to hear you enjoyed the fun atmosphere, learned about the Kona coast, and appreciated the adventure of exploring aboard our small, agile Zodiac. We're also glad the lunch hit the spot! Thank you for recommending Captain Zodiac—we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable Kona snorkeling adventure at Kealakekua Bay soon. Aloha!
The Zodiac was a great ride. We saw whales, dophines, and sharks. Our Captain Gabe was very willing to share his history and love of the sea. Liz is also a great tour guide. We had plenty of time to snorkel a Captain Cooks memorial. I recommend this tour.
Aloha, Mahalo for taking the time to share your experience! We're so glad you enjoyed your Zodiac adventure and had the opportunity to see whales, dolphins, sharks, and the incredible marine life that makes Kona snorkeling so special. Captain Gabe loves sharing his knowledge of Hawaiʻi's ocean and history, and Liz will be thrilled to hear your kind words. We're happy you had plenty of time to snorkel at beautiful Kealakekua Bay near the Captain Cook Monument. Thank you for your recommendation—we hope to welcome you back aboard Captain Zodiac for another unforgettable Kona adventure!
It’s a long and rough boat ride there and back but you saw a lot of the shoreline. The snorkeling was great and the crew was great. The bonus was the sharks and dolphins that the crew summoned up at the end!
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're so glad you enjoyed the incredible snorkeling, beautiful Kona coastline, and the company of our crew. Our Zodiac rafts definitely provide an adventurous ride, but they also allow us to explore sea caves, lava tubes, and remote stretches of coastline that larger boats can't access. What a treat to encounter dolphins and sharks at the end of the trip! While we can't take credit for summoning them, we're always excited when Hawaii's amazing marine life decides to make an appearance. Mahalo for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back aboard for another Kona snorkeling adventure soon!
There are several companies that offer a snorkeling trip but cannot recommend this particular trip more. You are on a smaller more adventurous boat where they take you out into the ocean to try and see some wildlife BEFORE the snorkeling and then hug the coastline on the way back to the marina where the beautiful water is crashing into the rocky lava shortline. Even before we left the snorkeling we were able to see a large pod of spinner dolphins (from the boat). The up close view of the shoreline was spectacular! It is a longer excursion and you need to know that it is going to be bumpy in the smaller boat (which is fun!). There is no shade so be sure to wear plenty of (reef safe) sunblock before you even get on board. Liz and Gabe are hilarious and kept us laughing the whole time.
Mahalo for the fantastic review and recommendation! We're honored that, among the many snorkeling options in Kona, Captain Zodiac stood out as such a memorable experience for you. Our rafting adventures are designed to be more than just a snorkel trip, and we're so glad you enjoyed the wildlife searching, the chance to see a large pod of spinner dolphins, and the incredible views of Kona's rugged lava coastline. Exploring sea caves, lava tubes, and dramatic shoreline formations from a Zodiac raft offers a perspective that few visitors get to experience. Thank you as well for mentioning the adventure aspect of the ride. You're absolutely right—the smaller rafts provide an exciting, up-close experience with the ocean, and we appreciate you sharing helpful tips about reef-safe sunscreen and being prepared for a fun, bouncy ride. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Liz and Gabe. They love sharing their enthusiasm, knowledge, and humor with guests, and they'll be thrilled to hear they kept you laughing throughout the day.
Captain Rick and his mate Mischelle were amazing. They were very knowledgeable and kind. There was a special needs little girl with is and he made sure that she was comfortable the whole time. He caters to your groups needs for sure! 100% would recommend them! And riding a zodiac boat was a lot of fun!
Thank you so much for leaving such a kind review - it makes our day to hear you loved your time on the water with captain Rick and crew Mischelle! We love our passengers and know that everyone on board has different needs so we'll always do our best to make sure everyone on board feels safe, comfortable and has fun! We're glad you enjoyed the zodiac experience as well! We hope to see you again for another Kealakekua Bay snorkel excursion or marine mammal watch on your next trip back to Kona!
The staff was wonderful. The place we went snorkeling was like a giant aquarium. We even saw a pack of dolphins! The boat is a very wild ride, though, we’ve never been on a zodiac before and don’t think we will again. Our bottoms were so sore for two days from all the bouncing on the way home.
Mahalo for sharing your experience with us! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the snorkeling and got to experience the reef “aquarium” along with a pod of dolphins — those are always such special moments on the Kona coast. We’re also glad our crew helped make your adventure a positive one. We truly appreciate your honest feedback about the ride as well. Zodiac boats are definitely adventurous and can be a bouncy, high-energy experience depending on ocean conditions, which is why we try to clearly communicate the physical nature of the tour before guests book. While the ride may not be for everyone, we’re grateful you joined us and experienced a unique side of Hawaiʻi that larger boats often can’t reach. Mahalo again for choosing Captain Zodiac and for taking the time to leave a thoughtful review. Aloha!
It was a great trip. We saw dolphins, so many kind of fish and even had an Albatross land right beside us in the middle of the ocean. Captain and guide were great, had snacks and sawndwiches ready for us after snorkling. Overall 10/10
Mahalo for joining us and for sharing such a wonderful review! We’re so glad you had an unforgettable experience out on the water—from spotting dolphins and a vibrant variety of reef fish to that rare and special moment with an albatross landing right beside the boat. It’s great to hear the captain and crew took good care of you, and that the post-snorkel snacks and sandwiches hit the spot after your time in the water. We truly appreciate the 10/10 and hope to welcome you back for another adventure along the Kona coast!
We had such a fun time. It was only my family and one other family. Our captain was Shelby and our guide was Kim. Shelby was so funny and Kim was fun. We saw some whales. Then we went snorkeling. The coral was beautiful and the fish were so big and colorful. Then I went to go get some chips and a turkey sandwich. Then I went back out. I saw an octopus. Then we went to captain cooks monument. We went to rocks and Shelby talked about the history of the rocks. We also saw dolphins. I think the 5 hour ride is worth it.
We're so happy to hear you had an exciting snorkel excursion at Kealakekua Bay and witnessed incredible wildlife sightings! We love to hear that you enjoyed our amazing crew as well! We hope to see you again on your next trip to Big Island to explore Kona's beautiful coast.
