We are headed to the Big Island next month and are looking for advice on which tours to book. Captan Dan McSweeney's tours look like a great choice for whale watching, but we'd also like to see (and s
We are headed to the Big Island next month and are looking for advice on which tours to book. Captan Dan McSweeney's tours look like a great choice for whale watching, but we'd also like to see (and swim with if possible) dolphins. I've read there's a good chance of seeing dolphins at Kealakekua Bay. We are planning on renting a kayak and heading out there on our own to snorkel near the Captain Cook monument. Any thoughts on if it's better to go on a snorkeling boat tour instead?
Would also love recommendations on surf lessons and best luaus. Thanks for your help!
If you get a chance snorkle the tide pools in Kapoho. You have to time it for high tide it is very unique. Take a day to spend over in this area (Kahene beach, Pahoa , Red Road-Kapoho-Kalapana Road (county route 137) ) to name a few are all great. We stayed in Kapoho and drove over to Kona twice but spent the majority of our time on the "other" side of the island.
Book a tour to the top of Mauna Loa . Small buses take you to the top of the 14000 ft mountain for a spectacular sunset. then go to complete area of darkness to see stars like you've never seen them before. Only caution of the effects of thin air. Also go on you own to see Kilauea erupt in the park by day and at the oceanside lava tube by night.
I HIGHLY recommend Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures. My husband & I went on this charter with our 6 y/o daughter in Sept2011. It was her early birthday gift but I think I was more excited than she was! It was amazing!!! Only having 6 "guests" on the boat allowed Capt Ron the flexibility to follow the dolphins! We also made a stop to see Manta Rays, which was incredible! Capt Ron was also excellent at watching for and helping anyone with equipment issues or problems. They even had a wetsuit on board that fit my daughter like a glove!
Highly recommend! Don't hesitate! It's worth the price for the experience!
One of the best experiences of our lives was the Night Dive/Snorkel with the manta rays! We went with Coral Reef Divers, and like the other poster said, Captain Ron took really good care of us! There were six of us adults, and three crew members, so we had great service. On the way to the dive site, we stopped many times to watch the whales, including a mama and her baby--what a fantastic bonus! Three in our group are divers, and three are snorkelers, and we all equally enjoyed being with these giant creatures! Words can't express what it's like to be inches away from them. We did this trip in early Feb, 2011.
Hawaii Forest and Trail offers amazing guided land-based tours of the island. We had visited the Big Island several times before, and took the HFT tours of Kilauea Volcano and Mauna Kea summit on our last trip. Well worth the price - we saw and learned so many new things even as Big Island veterans!
They also have tours of the North Kohala waterfalls, birdwatching, and rainforest adventures.
Thanks so much everyone for the very helpful recommendations! So many amazing things to do! With all of the tour companies, activities, and sites on the island, this is really helping us narrow it down and plan what I hope to be an incredible trip! :)
There are two new designated Hawaii Scenic Byways on the Kona side, one called Mamalahoa Kona Heritage Center, and the other called Royal Footsteps along the Kona Coast. They are lovely, and you can get free drive guides provided from the state at www.hawaiiscenicbyways.org The guides provide detail natural, scenic, cultural, architectural, recreational and historic information along the drive.
