Itinerary
We offer three different times, each being 3 hours long. These trips provide the longest snorkel times at Kealakekua Bay with an average of an hour or more of snorkel time. This adventure promises views of 100’s of different varieties of tropical fish along with an occasional “Honu” (Hawaiian green sea turtle). Your Captain will share Hawaiian History and get you up and personal with sea caves and lava tubes. If you are new to or have never snorkeled before this is the ideal choice! Great for families with younger children or swimmers who aren’t certain if they are “seaworthy” enough for one of our longer trips.
7:00 a.m.: Beats the crowds to Kealakekua Bay and Captain Cook Monument. We are often the first boat in the bay and guests get time to enjoy the reef with limited interruption.
11:30 a.m.: Designed for those who want a later start and enjoy the warmest part of the day. With the sun fully overhead, you’ll get to see the reef and it’s most vibrant at Kealakekua Bay.
12:30 p.m.: Geared for those who want to escape the crowds. This lazy afternoon snorkel is a more relaxed adventure to the best snorkel spot along the coast.
Snorkel participants must have swim experience.
Stop At:
• Dolphin Discoveries, 78-7138 Kaleiopapa St Keauhou Bay, Boat Launch Ramp, Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, HI 96740
• The Captain Cook Monument, Kealakekua Bay, Captain Cook, Island of Hawaii, HI 96704
• Kealakekua Bay, Honaunau-Napoopoo, Captain Cook, Island of Hawaii, HI 96704
See Availability.
78-6831 Ali‘i Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
4 hours(approx.)
Returns to original departure point
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Minimum age requirement is 6yrs old
Must be comfortable swimming
Electronic Waiver required to be signed prior to tour
Must be under 285 lbs
Must be able to climb up a metal ladder to get back in the boat
Our vessels are RHIBS (zodiac style boats; seating is on a pontoon).
Minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times
We have full discretion to refuse service to guests based on attire, behavior, physical fitness & condition
Restroom facilities not available on boat
Not recommended for travelers with neck problems
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 28 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Rosamaria_L
The most memorable is that we saw a shark on the sea floor and dolphins around the boat. The hosts were very spirited and offered us a nice local fruit arrangement and snacks during the ride.
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Posted On : 2024-05-14
Posted By : Andrii_I
It was a great experience with captain cook bay and other sights that. Sprain Robert showed us on a way back (lava tubes)
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Posted On : 2024-05-13
Posted By : Pamela_M
I love the information about the coast and the Island on the way back. The snorkeling was very good with lots of different fish to see. They made sure that we were safe. The snacks were hard to get to from the front of the boat and couldn't even get to the fruit, so we didn't get any. It would have been nice to have some. They also need a sign at the marina for the meeting point. We looked all over, but there is no sign. They said to meet at the building with the green roof, which was the actual restrooms. That would have been nice to know.
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Posted On : 2024-05-13
Posted By : Tracie_B
The snorkeling was fun, but our favorite part was the boat ride back where we made several stops to see amazing sites and learn a little history.
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Posted On : 2024-05-11
Posted By : Karin_G
Boat ride was fun, snorkeling very family friendly. Great information from the guides. Recommended to all.
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Posted On : 2024-05-11
Posted By : QQQTravel
We booked the 7am tour and got really lucky that the other couple didn't show up. So we ended up with a private tour on this big boat with Captain Dennis. It was a fantastic experience.
We started by stopping by Dolphin Discoveries' location in a shopping mall to get fitted with wetsuits, fins, and snorkels. It's been a few years since I snorkeled. They now have goggles with prescriptions. Even though I didn't remember my prescriptions, they were able to find me a perfect pair. What a game-changer!
Our friendly (and funny) Captain Dennis shared a lot of interesting Hawaiian historical stories with us on the way to and back from Kealakekua Bay, which we really appreciated. We were the 2nd boat reaching the bay that day and were able to enjoy snorkeling before 7 other boats and a huge crowd showed up a little later. We saw so many beautiful and interesting-looking tropical fish. Although it was a nice day, we were glad that we rented the wetsuits because I got a little cold after a while. Captain Dennis was keeping an eye on us in the crowd the whole time. When my husband got a leg cramp, Dennis quickly saw he needed help and pulled the boat over to get him out of the water. He had also already prepared fresh pineapple and orange for us and offered us drinks and chips.
We learned about Hawaiian culture, observed interesting geological formations, saw colorful fish, and enjoyed a beautiful morning. Everyone we met at Dolphin Discoveries was experienced and professional. It was a perfect start to our Big Island trip.
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Posted On : 2024-05-10
Posted By : tancew
Wonderful crew on a good boat. Made sure we had plenty of time to snorkel and see the sights along the way there and back. They circled around so we could all see the hammer head sharks!! The snorkeling had good visibility and a good variety of fish and corals. The crew was very helpful getting us in and out of the water, providing drinks and snacks, and answering our questions. Highly recommend this group.
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Posted On : 2024-05-10
Posted By : Clara_H
Snorkeling was beautiful! Clear boundaries identified for our safety. All equipment provided fitted prior to boarding, including pool noodles for flotation.
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Posted On : 2024-05-09
Posted By : Martha_F
Snorkeling was a great adventure. The fish and coral were amazing - I could not believe my eyes! The narration of other sights along the way was great, and we even happened upon a few people cliff-jumping. That was very exciting to watch.
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Posted On : 2024-05-07
Posted By : Alfred_H
The staff were helpful and friendly. There knowledge of captain cook’s history was a nice add touch to our trip. Excellent snorkeling. Would recommend and book again.
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Posted On : 2024-05-07
