A Snorkeling + Cruise experience by Sea Paradise. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: Sail to two of the best snorkeling spots on the Kona coast with a spacious 50 foot catamaran. Breakfast & Lunch are included on this tour from from Keauhou. You will see the vibrant reefs of the Marine Sanctuary of Kealakekua Bay and "Red Hill", with underwater lava archways and lava tubes.
Large photoGetting into the water from the Hoku Nui is easy. Either by jumping of the front (shown here), or by using the staircase that drops into the water on the other side of the vessel. Image credit: Sea Paradise
Tour Highlights:
- Step aboard a luxurious 50 foot sailing Catamaran
- Snorkel at two of the best snorkeling spots of the island
- GoPro rentals available to take your own awesome (underwater) videos and pictures of the day
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth | Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $165 | $110 | $55 |
Tour Provider: Sea Paradise
Activity: Snorkeling + Cruise
Tour start time: 8:30 am
Duration: 4.5 hours
Departure from: Keauhou Harbor
Pick-up available? No
Included: Breakfast, lunch, snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins), flotation noodles, life jackets, and fish identification cards
Cancellations: Cancellations require 24 hour advance notice on regular bookings and 72 hour advance notice on private charters. You must call (800) 322-5662 or 808-322-2500 to cancel your tour. No refunds will be issued if you do not call to cancel in the required time prior to your scheduled check-in time.
Read more: about snorkeling in our Big Island snorkeling guide.
The Hoku Nui is a 50 ft (16 m) catamaran with a spacious design that allows guests a 360 degree view of the stunning Kona coastline. Shade is provided by the bimini top over the main cabin. Wide steps with hand railing allow in water access.
Please don’t forget to bring yourself: swim wear, a cover-up, sunglasses, reef safe sunscreen, a hat, towel, and camera.
Typical snorkeling itinerary:
The Hoku Nui sets sail from Keauhou Bay at 8:30 am and you are served a tropical style breakfast while you sail past the beautiful Kona Coast. After about 45 minutes the boat arrives in the Historic Kealakekua Bay where you can see the Captain Cook Monument.
The Hoku Nui catamaran in front of Kealakekua Bay. Image credit: Sea Paradise
Before entering the water the crew will give you a site briefing and basic snorkeling instructions. Life jackets, flotation noodles, and viewfinder boards as well as masks, fins, and snorkels are provided and crew members will help you enter and exit the water if needed.
Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is a Marine Sanctuary and one of the best snorkeling locations on the Big Island (it’s in our top 3!). Make sure to bring an underwater camera to capture the colorful schools of fish and the landscaped ledges of ancient lava flows. Pods of spinner dolphins are also commonly seen in the bay. If you don’t have an underwater camera but would like to take videos and photos you can also rent a GoPro with 16GB SD card that you can take home afterwards.
Red Hill
After about 1 hour of snorkeling time lunch is served and the boat sets sail to the second snorkeling destination of the day (weather permitting): Red Hill. The Red Hill area is home to unique underwater lava formations such as archways and lava tubes, and more snorkeling with schools of vibrant sea life.
After yet another hour in the water you return back to Keauhou Bay arriving by ~1 pm.
Check-in procedure:
You will receive directions to the boat at Keauhou Bay after you sign the e-waiver presented during the online booking process.
Sea Paradise is an original manta ray tour expert in Hawaii, helping its guests get up close and personal with these majestic creatures since 1985.
They are a valued member of the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawai’i and dedicate a lot of resources to environmental conservation and community service projects. For example, they donate and volunteer for the Surfrider Foundation and the Hawaii Wildlife Fund.
We are affiliate partners with Sea Paradise and any booking on this page you make is made directly with Sea Paradise. We receive a percentage from the activity provider for each successful booking made through our website but this happens without any additional charge to you. (read more on the use of those links on our website here).
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