Big Island of Hawaii

Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling Tour - 4 hour Kona Zodiac Adventure

Kailua-Kona, United States
Zodiac Raft and Snorkel Adventure

From USD 151.33

Select Date and Travellers

Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
  • 4 hours
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Splash into the crystal-clear waters of Kealakekua Bay on this Big Island snorkeling adventure! Dart in and out of sea caves and explore the gorgeous Kona coastline in an agile Zodiac raft. Snorkel among colorful tropical fish, and keep an eye out for other marine life like whales, dolphins and sea turtles. Along the way, learn about the island’s geologic history and local legends from your expert guide, and see the spot where Captain Cook first landed in Hawaii.
  • Raft and snorkel adventure on Kealakekua Bay
  • Visit Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook monument
  • Fantastic coastal views
  • Close encounters with tropical marine life
  • Look out for spinner dolphins, green sea turtles, manta rays and humpback whales
  • Explore the geology of Hawaii through lava tubes and sea caves

What's Included

  • Rafting expedition
  • Use of snorkel equipment including masks and flotation devices
  • Potato chips, cookies, water & soft drinks. Offered on the 8:00 AM & 12:45 PM tour
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pick up and drop off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • Captain Zodiac Snorkeling and Whale Watching tours
    74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy #16, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA

    After turning onto Kealakehe Street make your first RIGHT and second LEFT look for a blue roof buildings parking lot surrounded by chain link fence and pink/orange flowers. We are the first office on the right.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Teeming with vibrant marine life, the protected waters of Kealakekua Bay off the Kona coast make for an ideal snorkeling destination. Begin your adventure at Honokohau Marina just north of Kailua-Kona, where you’ll meet your captain and climb aboard a 24-foot (7-meter) inflatable Zodiac raft — an agile, rigid-hull vessel used by the US Coast Guard and Navy SEALs.

As you cruise south along the beautiful Kona coastline, learn about the island’s fascinating history as your guide shares local facts and legends. See the Captain Cook monument, where the first European made contact with Hawaii, and keep an eye out for local marine life including spinner dolphins and humpback whales (during winter). Explore the Big Island’s volcanic history as your raft darts in and out of sea caves and past rocky lava tubes. 

Slip on a provided snorkeling mask and fins and plunge into the warm, clear water to swim among schools of electric-colored fish and intricate coral gardens. After approximately 1.5 hours of snorkeling, climb back aboard the raft and refuel with a fresh Hawaiian snack and beverages (or picnic-style lunch on the 10 am departure).   

Continue along the spectacular coastline back to the marina, where your 4- to 5-hour adventure concludes. 

Please note: Due to the bumpy nature of the raft ride, this tour is not recommended for those with back or neck problems, or pregnant women.

Captain Zodiac Raft Expeditions

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Honokohau Marina & Small Boat Harbor

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Kailua-Kona

30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Kealakekua Bay Marine Preserve

1 hour 30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

The Captain Cook Monument

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park

1 hour 30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Kailua-Kona

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Minimum age is 4 years
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
  • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
  • Most travellers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 112 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

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Featured review
Stephanie_H
Captain Chuck and B were fabulous, friendly, and so accommodating. They showed us a superb time on the way to and from the marine sanctuary along with some history and local information about areas in the Kona coast. Would take this trip again. Recommend for anyone who loves snorkeling.

Reviews

5.0
434 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-10 of 434 reviews
BEST TOUR IVE BEEN ON!
Joey_R, Sept 2023
This tour was the best part of my trip even though I’m staying for a few more days. Captain Chuck and Marco were super cool, funny, and very informative. The boat seems scary at first but when you’re actually on shredding through the water you can’t help to laugh and smile. The fear of flying off the boat during “high speeds” quickly diminishes due to Captain Chuck’s experience navigating through the water. After getting to the snorkel spot Marco noticed my wife and I brought our own freediving fins and offered to show us tips in the water. We learned so much about freediving from Marco in 10 mins. The bay had great visibility with an abundance of wildlife. After our swim the crew offered us snacks and drinks. I don’t want to say anything more and risk spoiling your experience but I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS TOUR!
Had a wonderful time....
Dan_A, Sept 2023
Had a wonderful time. Office Gal and Captain were very helpful and knowledgeable. Awesome all around
Great experience, saw many beautiful fish
Paul_H, Aug 2023
Captain Rick made it a fun experience and on the morning tour made sure we got out swiftly. We spotted sharks on the way there and he stopped to observe them. We were among the first ones there and were done before it got a bit crowded. Captain Rick cut us some fresh fruits to energize for the way back where we stopped at a few noteworthy spots. Great experience.
Best day ever!
Kris_A, July 2023
Watching my kids have a blast on the”high speed” boat. Also swimming and snorkeling in the ocean and doing cannonballs off the boat.
Response from Host, July 2023
Kids have so much fun on the tour! Most love the high speed, bouncy ride but now we know that fun can continue on the raft while in the bay with cannonballs. Mahalo for including us on your family vacation! CZ
Left with nothing to do
Tommy_H, July 2023
My trip was canceled and was disappointed. Last minute cancelation left us scrambling to find something to do on our last day here
Response from Host, July 2023
Our sincerest apologies for any and all inconvenience the cancellation caused. We do advise in our confirmation email that if the passenger minimums are not met we will need to rebook or, if unable to rebook, cancel with a full refund. Hopefully you enjoyed all that the Big Island has to offer while you were on island! CZ
Best adventure snorkel tour
Mandy_H, June 2023
This was the tour NOT TO MISS! We had a lot of fun seeing the sites and snorkeling the beautiful waters, but the real treat was the fun adventure ride on the speedy boat. Captain was a blast and made sure we all had a good time. You won’t be disappointed, book it!
Response from Host, July 2023
The bay is beautiful, but the boat is the most fun and adventurous part! We are so glad you enjoyed your time out on the water with us and appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Hope to see you again next time you’re on island! CZ
Memorable trip
Raja_P, May 2023
Davante and Rick made the trip much more worthwhile. I am not a swimmer and though I drank some water, they both encouraged me to press ahead and it was definitely a wonderful experience
Response from Host, June 2023
Mahalo for taking the time to leave a review and for shouting out the crew you had that day. Those guys provide a lot of laughs. We always love hearing when guests have a great time on the water! Especially when trying something new like snorkeling. CZ
AMAZING experience!
Riley_K, May 2023
This was an incredible experience! The crew on the ship was so knowledgeable and because we went on the afternoon tour we had the bay almost entirely to ourselves, another large boat pulled up right as we were leaving and I was so glad to be with a small group of people. Would absolutely book this tour again if I was ever back in Kona!
Response from Host, May 2023
Aloha, thank you for joining us! A small group size is definitely one of the perks of coming out with Captain Zodiac, and we pride ourselves on our knowledgeable staff :) We hope to see you next time you're in town!
Fun, fish and family
Nancy_C, May 2023
This is the second time with captain zodiac and once again we had the time of our lives. The crew was wonderful, helpful and funny. We will be back again and highly recommend captain zodiac to anyone that wants to have a great time in the water!
Response from Host, June 2023
Mahalo for joining us on another tour! It is always a pleasure to take honorary pirates out on the water. Look forward to seeing you the next time! CZ
Snorkeling was so amazing.
Czarina_A, Mar 2023
I think our tour guides were really welcoming! I also had so much fun looking at the fish. Very memorable!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thanks for sharing about your experience with us. We are so happy that our Captain and Crew made you feel at home on your tour, that's our goal!
Amazing snorkeling adventure
Desmond_P, Feb 2023
Excellent snorkeling trip. The guide was very knowledgeable about the area and helped us not only see dolphins but also humpback whales too. The fish and reefs were amazing.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Amazing! There is lots of marine life out there so we are glad you got to see a good bit of it. Hope to see you on your next vacation to Hawaii. Mahalo!
Amazing experience!
Molly_H, Feb 2023
This was so fun. Captain Adam was the best! We took a speed boat out on the coast, even caught a little bit of air a few times! We saw breaching whales, a pod of dolphins, and a turtle! We even got to listen to whale songs for a while too. So worth it!!
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Our Zodiac’s are a unique way to explore the coast. They allow you to see a lot in the day, as well as get you closer to some of the beauty Big Island has to offer (specifically the sea caves)! We are so glad you enjoyed the day with Captain Adam!
Just book it.
cknecht13, Jan 2023
One of the best experiences of our vacation. Captain Chuck and B were the best tour guides and so knowledgeable. My friends and I (26-32 year olds) had a blast. Seriously just book it.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Mahalo Knecht family!!!! We loved having you all out with us! I'm sure Chuck and Brenna enjoyed having you out on their snorkel tour! Hope to see you all again on your next Hawaii vacation!
It was kick in the pants fun!
Elizabeth_O, Jan 2023
Whales, spinner dolphins and a bumpy ride! So much fun and not for the faint of heart. The snorkeling was awesome even while the bay had too many boats
Response from Host, Jan 2023
The bay can get quite full but hopefully you got down there first with our fast boats to enjoy a little time by your selves. Hope it made a top list of things to do in Hawaii, hope to see you again. Mahalo, CZ
Morning Marine Sanctuary Snorkel trip
Stephanie_H, Jan 2023
Captain Chuck and B were fabulous, friendly, and so accommodating. They showed us a superb time on the way to and from the marine sanctuary along with some history and local information about areas in the Kona coast. Would take this trip again. Recommend for anyone who loves snorkeling.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Mahalo! We love the marine sanctuary and all it has to offer for fish life! Happy to hear Captain Chuck and B (not A but B -Brenna) were great to you guys. We hope they made a good impression and will come back out with us again. Mahalo, CZ
Snorkeling tour included dolphin and whale sightings
Kristen_E, Jan 2023
Captain Adam made the boat ride entertaining. Beautiful spot where we snorkeled by Captain Cook memorial
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Kealakekua bay is the top spot to snorkel here in Hawaii, we are glad you enjoyed the snorkeling and the boat ride! See you again.
Great fun way to see the...
stacy_n, Dec 2022
Great fun way to see the island. It’s a fast ride, which makes it fun for everyone. The dolphins were my favorite part.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Dolphins always steal the show, but great snorkeling in Kealakekua bay takes a close second. We hope you remember them and took lots of pictures while you were here.
Best water excursion in all of Hawaii
Nicole_P, Dec 2022
Hands down the best water excursion we’ve done in both trips to Hawaii that we have been on! The captain was so fun and knowledgeable. We saw everything there is to See on the water, including 2 whales. Having the small boat and small amount people made it a one of a kind experience. I cannot wait to go back out with them again. If you’re looking for snorkeling and fun and to see everything hawaii waters offer, look no further!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Mahalo for sharing about your tour! What an incredible experience to see the whales. The smaller group sizes definitely help to make sure everyone has a good view of the marine life. We are looking forward to seeing you the next time you are in Kona. CZ
Great experience
tamibairyahoocom, Dec 2022
Our trip could not have been better. The crew were helpful and informative. The snorkeling was great.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed the 4 hour snorkel tour to Kealakekua bay! Hope to see you again.
Captain Chuck was the...
Joel_R, Oct 2022
Captain Chuck was the perfect guide for the trip and Will was extreamly helpful with all our needs That was our 1st snorkeling experience and it will not be our last thanks to Chuck and will Mahalo
Response from Host, Jan 2023
We are glad our crew was able to provide a great first snorkeling adventure for your group. Hopefully we will remain a highlight of your Hawaii vacation.
...

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