A Snorkeling + Cruise experience by Sea Paradise. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: You reach the reef below the Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay only by boat or a two-mile paddle from Nāpōʻopoʻo. Sea Paradise’s afternoon catamaran drops you there with crew who stay in the water for the whole snorkel.
Aerial view of the Hoku Nui at one of the snorkeling spots. Image credit: Sea Paradise. 
The Hoku Nui catamaran in front of Kealakekua Bay. Image credit: Sea Paradise Getting into the water from the Hoku Nui is easy, either by jumping off the front (shown here) or by the staircase that drops into the water on the other side of the vessel. Image credit: Sea Paradise The 50-foot Hoku Nui catamaran off the Kona coast. Image credit: Sea Paradise.
5 Tour Highlights:
- Snorkel the reef below the Captain Cook Monument, reachable only by boat or a two-mile paddle from Nāpōʻopoʻo
- A State Marine Life Conservation District since 1969, with dense coral and heavy fish life in clear water
- Crew that stays in the water for the whole snorkel and names the fish for kids and first-timers
- Spinner dolphins on the sail south, and humpback whales along the coast from December through April
- Trade-wind sailing on the return leg north to Keauhou Bay; the run south is often under motor
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth | Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $125 | $75 | $45 |
Tour Provider: Sea Paradise
Activity: Snorkeling + Cruise
Tour start time: 1:45 pm
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Kealakekua Bay
Pick-up available? No
Included: Snorkel gear: mask, fins, snorkel, flotation noodle, and life jacket. Fish identification cards. Water, soft drinks, and local juices. Light snacks (pupu) on the return leg. Fresh-water rinse station on deck. Alcoholic drinks available for purchase (credit card, after the water portion). BYOB not permitted.
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.
Read more about this tour
You reach the reef below the Captain Cook Monument only by boat or by a two-mile paddle across the bay from Nāpōʻopoʻo. Sea Paradise runs the Hoku Nui, a 50-foot sailing catamaran, there from Keauhou Bay each afternoon on a 3 hours round trip.
Aerial view of the Hoku Nui at one of the snorkeling spots. Image credit: Sea Paradise.
The crew stays in the water with you for the whole snorkel and points out and names the fish for kids and first-time snorkelers. Before anyone gets in, they run a site briefing. On a recent trip one of them called out a spotted eagle ray as it crossed under the group.
The Hoku Nui leaves Keauhou Bay at 2:00 pm and covers about four miles of Kona coastline to the bay, roughly 45 minutes. The leeward water is usually calm in the afternoon, so the crew hoists the main sail but motors much of the way south. The trade winds pick up on the return north, and the boat sails that leg. Snorkeling in the bay runs about an hour.
Kealakekua Bay has been a State Marine Life Conservation District since 1969. The reef has dense coral and heavy fish life in clear water. Over the coral you’ll see yellow tang, Moorish idols, moray eels, and humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa, the reef triggerfish. Spinner dolphins turn up on the sail south often enough that the crew watches for them, and humpback whales pass this stretch between December and April.
The Hoku Nui is licensed for 49 guests, and a full boat can feel crowded. Sea Paradise says it usually runs closer to three quarters of that, so full afternoons are the exception. Full-face snorkel masks aren’t allowed on board, a safety rule. It’s a shoe-less boat, so bring sandals you can slip off. The tour isn’t accessible for guests with mobility limitations.
Where to meet the boat at Keauhou Bay
Check in at the finger pier at Keauhou Bay about 15 minutes before departure; the crew wears blue shirts. Parking on Kaleiopapa Street is free and a 3-to-5-minute walk from the pier, and public restrooms sit at the east end of the lot and on board.
The Hoku Nui departs at 2:00 pm and is back by about 5:00 pm. Allow extra drive time, since Kailua-Kona traffic slows on the way to Keauhou. Bring swimwear, a cover-up, sunglasses, a hat, a towel, and reef-safe sunscreen.
What comes with the tour
Everything you need for the water is included: mask, fins, snorkel, a flotation noodle, a life jacket, and fish identification cards. Water, soft drinks, and local juices are poured throughout, and light snacks, or pupu, come out on the return leg. A fresh-water rinse station on deck washes off the salt after you get out.
Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase with a credit card once the water portion is done; BYOB isn’t permitted. GoPro rentals are available on board, and the 16GB SD card is yours to keep.
The tour is $125 for adults and $75 for youth; infants are $45. Cancellations need 24 hours’ notice, or 72 hours for private charters and groups of ten or more.
[Video] Video about the Afternoon Sail & Snorkel Tour to Kealakekua Bay
About Sea Paradise
Sea Paradise has run boats out of Keauhou Bay since 1985 and belongs to the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaiʻi. The company supports the Surfrider Foundation and the Hawaii Wildlife Fund, both of which work on the reefs and marine life this tour visits. We list them because the crew stays in the water with guests and knows the bay.
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