Captain Cook Snorkeling Tour in Kealakekua Bay

The Captain Cook snorkeling tour is an excellent adventure for beginner snorkelers, couples, families, friends, and groups that want to experience snorkeling in a marine sanctuary. This adventurous retired Navy Seal boat will have you zipping down the coast to Kealakekua Bay in no time.

Experience this Captain Cook Monument snorkeling tour by swimming through the warm clear waters among schools of golden yellow tangs. Hover a few feet above the well-preserved rainbow-colored reef.  This is widely considered Kona’s Best Snorkeling, Kealakekua Bay!

The ride to the bay can be exciting, and sometimes bouncy, time out on the water depending on ocean conditions.  Sometimes the ocean is like glass and sometimes has a bit more oomph to it, especially during the winter.  Those that are pregnant or have recurring back and neck issues should sit this tour out.

• Basic swimming skills – must be able to swim or float unassisted
  • Non-swimmers are not permitted to enter the water

Please be aware that snorkeling can be physically demanding and may pose serious health risks for certain individuals. This activity is not recommended for those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, severe asthma, obesity, limited mobility, recent long-haul travel, or elderly individuals.

It’s a good idea to let us know if anyone in your party carries an EPI pen, uses an inhaler, or is diabetic. Please bring all required medication with you, as indicated. Failure to do so may require you to reschedule with a penalty or forfeit your spot.

Please read the Snorkel Safety Study and Conclusion to educate yourself on snorkeling risks.

• Mask, snorkel, fins, additional flotation
• Snacks, juice, sparkling water

• Swimsuit (please arrive in it)
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Sun-protective cover-up
• Reef-safe non-aerosol sunscreen – Please read for further info on choosing safe sunscreen (toxic sunscreen is illegal in the bay)
• Towel
• Waterproof camera (GoPro’s avail to rent)

Storage space is limited on the vessel.

When you put your face in the water, you’ll be amazed at all the beautiful and colorful life that lives just beneath the surface. Get your camera ready to film bright schools of fish, octopus, eels, as well as see the different varieties of coral found in Hawaii. The marine life includes angelfish, lizard fish, schools of butterflyfish, and many other species. The protected *Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins will come into Kealakekua bay to sleep in the morning. You may see them in the distance doing their spinning jumping aerial tricks. The large cliffs that make up the dramatic scenery of Kealakekua bay have a history of their own and make for a dramatic backdrop to one of the best snorkeling spots on the Big Island. This Captain Cook snorkeling tour is one of Kona’s most varied and impressive. Most of the best coral is in 5 to 20 feet of water. This means you can easily see it from the surface of the sea. Young kids and novice snorkelers will still have a great experience at this magical one-of-a-kind location.

There are many places to snorkel along the Kona coast but none like the Captain Cook Snorkeling experience. The dramatic cliffs, protective bay, steep drop, and shallow reef combined with the historic Captain Cook Monument make for an intoxicating combination you won’t ever forget. Add in the occasional marine life sighting and you and the family will always fondly remember your trip to Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, Hawaii.

**Please note that the spinner dolphins and whales are protected under the marine mammal act and we can only observe from the designated distance.  If dolphins try to engage we have to take evasive measures to disengage from them.

We set out on an exhilarating cruise along the Kona coast, keeping a watchful eye out for the protected Hawaiian spinner dolphins in their natural habitat as they head to protective coves and bays to rest after a long night of hunting. We will then cruise out into the blue in search of pelagic animals like bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, spotted dolphins – you just never know what the ocean will deliver – maybe even a whale shark! During the winter months we often encounter Humpback whales with their calves and their escorts spouting, tail slapping, and sometimes if we’re lucky, breaching!

Finally, we will continue down the coast to Kealakekua Bay, a marine sanctuary and home of the Captain Cook Monument. You will be snorkeling in one of the top-rated places in the world where you can expect to see numerous types of fish, beautiful coral, and many other underwater creatures. This Captain Cook snorkeling tour is noted for its beautiful colors and shallow reef snorkeling. The monument is easily accessible by sea and can be easily seen from the water. We will provide snacks and drinks while our crew recounts the final moments of the famous explorer.  You’ll have an hour or more of snorkeling time.

On the way home, we will explore the dramatic cliffs and coastal sea caves made by old lava flows and entertain you with fascinating Hawaiian history myths and legends.

We now offer a mid-day tour to miss the crowds – beginning July 2023

Are you interested in another memorable encounter? Perhaps something you won’t get anywhere else in the world? Look no further, Kona Snorkel Trips offers the world-famous manta ray snorkel. Snorkeling with manta rays is like nothing else available in the world. These massive rays are graceful and harmless. They are undaunted by humans and can come within a few inches! You won’t believe it until you find yourself giggling with giddiness at the sheer amazement you will experience having a creature this large do a slow-motion flyby underneath your face.

On the way to Kealakekua bay during this Captain Cook Snorkeling tour, you may see whales, from December – April, but another great way to see whales, and not have to get wet, is our Wildlife Watching & Historical Sightseeing Tour that Kona Snorkel Trips offers. We specialize in finding different species of whales and we do our best to give you the best viewing experience we can. Keep in mind they are wild animals and you never know what they will deliver. Whale-watching Kona can be hit or miss with some days being epic and others where the whales are more elusive. We are lucky enough to be able to run our whale charters year round because of the many different species that frequent Kona, Hawaii.  Our favorite time of year for wildlife watching and whale watching is Humpback Whale season!

Refundable Ticket:
Cancellation: Full refund if canceled up to 48 hours before the trip.
Rebooking: Free rebooking up to 48 hours before the trip.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing at least 48 hours before the trip’s start. Reservations made within 48 hours are not eligible for a refund.

Non-Refundable Ticket:
Cancellation: No refunds.
Rebooking: Rebooking allowed up to 48 hours before the trip.

Trip Protection for Refundable Tickets
If you purchased trip protection, your cancellation window has been extended up to 12 hours before the start of the tour. You’ll be fully refunded for the ticket (minus the trip protection and fees). Request should be made by email.

No Shows and Late Arrivals will not be refunded.

We commit to our employees and other guests and adhere to our cancellation policy regardless of circumstances.  We suggest traveler’s insurance for any issues such as illness, weather delays, and other circumstances that prohibit travel or participation on your part for any of your travel plans.

What if we cancel?

We reserve the right to cancel for any reason, including, but not limited to weather, ocean conditions, passenger count, mechanical issues, safety for you, our guests, and our crew. We’ll do our best to reschedule your trip based on availability or you’ll be issued a refund in full.

We are not responsible if we can not contact you for important information regarding the charter. We do not call international numbers.