Page 16) Things to Do in Big Island in 2026 – Tours & Activities

Kailua-Kona Sunset Cocktail with Free Drinks - Honi Olani Catamaran

Great trip with Dolphins and a sunset

Reviewed by: JaDev

These guys were fantastic. The boat had plenty of room, good food and drink, and the crew were fun to talk with. We had a calm trip, got to see the coast, a sunset and even travelled near some dolphins! Had an Al around fantastic experience.

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Rating:
Packages:	Sunset Cocktail Cruise
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/05/24
Activity Date:	2022/05/20

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

Amazing tour

Reviewed by: Cindy Z

Amazing tour with superb crew. Once in a life should do it to see manta ray. I saw two mantas because of seasick, I had to return the boat at earlier time, but my daughter really enjoyed it and saw a lot of mantas. The girl of three crew was really nice, she stayed with us when she knew we were first time snorkeling, and carried me back to the ship when I felt nausea and showed her that I would like to go back. Definitely recommend this tour to my friends. Just remind to have seasick pills ready if you worry about it.

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Rating:
Packages:	Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/05/17
Activity Date:	2022/04/25

Kailua-Kona Sunset Cocktail with Free Drinks - Honi Olani Catamaran

Amazing experience on a great boat with a great crew!

Reviewed by: Chuck

We had a great trip! We were celebrating my parents' 40th anniversary and the captain and crew were all very kind - they congratulated them, helped us get comfortable, served us drinks, all the good stuff. It was a wonderful time and I would definitely recommend it to all!

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Rating:
Packages:	Sunset Cocktail Cruise
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/05/11
Activity Date:	2022/05/04

4.5-Hour Sea Paradise Premium Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour with Breakfast & Lunch

The best adventure of my Hawaii trip!!

Reviewed by: Patricia Ponce

First time in Hawaii and snorkeling chose the best crew to experience this adventure with. The whole crew was awesome very knowledgeable and the nicest people I have ever come across in the whole world. Captain Eddie help me with my dizziness advice best way to feel better so I could continue to enjoy our trip. Loved the whole experience and I would recommend this crew to anyone and everyone if they truly want to enjoy their trip.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Patricia,

Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed the company of the crew. We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the near future!

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Rating:
Packages:	Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with Lunch - Group of 6 or More [4.5 hours]
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/05/11
Activity Date:	2022/05/09

Oceanfront Royal Kona Resort Luau Voyagers of the Pacific Show - Dinner, Drinks & Fire Knife Dance

Loved it!

Reviewed by: April

Had seating for 5 and was awesome to get our photo taken so if we wanted, we could purchase after the show. It rained in the beginning for half an hour but they had ponchos for everyone. Finally the rain stopped and the music was cool. We got to eat and the show started. Loved everything about the host and how he explained everything like a story teller. My family enjoyed the food and the show. The luau was great and we left happy! Photos and memories! I recommend for sure. Mahalo!

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Rating:
Packages:	Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package
Attended as:	Families with Young Children
Posted on:	2022/05/06
Activity Date:	2022/05/04

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Such a cool excursion!

Reviewed by: Maegan & Liz

Bryce and the crew were amazing!! We weren’t able to see any rays the first trip, so they had offered to bring us back to the later scheduled ride that evening, and we were able to see them then! This was such a cool excursion for us, we truly enjoyed every second of it. We will definitely be back!! Thank you guys :)

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Maegan & Liz!

We love to hear all the positive feedback about our captain and crew! Mahalo for joining us and we hope to see you again soon, we offer a 20% discount for repeating customers.

Best,
Team Iruka Hawaii

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Rating:
Packages:	Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as:	Friends
Posted on:	2022/05/05
Activity Date:	2022/05/03

Big Island Whale Watching Cruise from Waikoloa - Hawaii Nautical [Dec-Mar]

So nice to be on the water

Reviewed by: Shauna

This is a wonderful catamaran! We didn't see any whales this trip but I love being on the ocean so I didn't care. As a bonus if there are not any whales you can go back for another trip. I recommend this to anyone going to The Big Island.

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Rating:
Packages:	Afternoon Whale Watch Cruise [Sailing Catamaran]
Attended as:	Solo Travelers
Posted on:	2022/04/30
Activity Date:	2022/04/07

Mauna Kea Summit Adventures Sunset & Stargazing Guided Tour with Transportation

Amazing!

Reviewed by: Linda

This tour was magical. We highly recommend using Mauna Kea stargazing Tour and Sunset Adventure. The entire experience was incredible from start to finish. Our tour guide, Gage, was excellent, very knowledgable and had great energy. We learned all about Hawaii's history, landscape, and culture, this was much more than just watching an amazing sunset at the summit of Mauna Kea and stargazing. This tour should definitely make your list of things to do while visiting the Big Island!

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Rating:
Packages:	Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/27
Activity Date:	2022/04/25

Oceanfront Royal Kona Resort Luau Voyagers of the Pacific Show - Dinner, Drinks & Fire Knife Dance

Fun for the family!

Reviewed by: Kara

My kids had a blast seeing all the amazing dances and atmosphere!

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Rating:
Packages:	Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package
Attended as:	Families with Young Children
Posted on:	2022/04/26
Activity Date:	2022/04/25

Kona Morning Makalawena Snorkeling Cruise to Puu Alii Bay - Ocean Encounters

Liked this trip!

Reviewed by: Cari

The crew was excellent. We saw dolphins on the way out. Only disappointment was we were expecting to go to Kealakekua Bay for snorkeling as advertised, but due to weather conditions, they chose to go north of the airport. We went to a beach area that you can only access with 4 wheel drive or by boat. Beautiful location. The crew took us to shore, and took us over to the queens bath for a bit. Nice time over all.

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Rating:
Packages:	Morning Snorkeling Cruise (4 Hours)
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/25
Activity Date:	2022/04/18

Island Breeze Luau at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel with Show, Dinner & Drinks Included

The Luau

Reviewed by: Bob

The show was enjoyable and the actors interacted with the audience. The luau food was very good and had a great variety.

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Rating:
Packages:	Ohana Package
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/23
Activity Date:	2022/04/03

Keauhou Bay Manta Ray Night Dive Tour & Snorkel Adventure from Kona - Sea Quest

Good easy experience

Reviewed by: Nikki B

They were very nice. I did expect more manga rays but honestly didn’t know what I was expecting. Got to see a shark though so that’s cool.

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Rating:
Packages:	Swim with Mantas
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/23
Activity Date:	2022/04/21

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

A very exciting and entertaining adventure!

Reviewed by: Juliann

Trevor, Allie and Diego were excellent hosts, both informative and entertaining. They provided all safety info in a clear manner, all the manta ray facts you could wish for, and a good laugh as well! We saw so many rays!! Allie was helpful with participants having trouble with positioning, Diego took great photos and shared them, and Trevor kept us all afloat and played great tunes. Would recommend, would go again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Juliann!

We love to hear all the positive feedback about our captain and crew! Mahalo for joining us and we hope to see you again soon, we offer a 20% discount for repeating customers.

Best,
Team Iruka Hawaii

Helpful

Rating:
Packages:	Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as:	Friends
Posted on:	2022/04/23
Activity Date:	2022/04/21

Oceanfront Royal Kona Resort Luau Voyagers of the Pacific Show - Dinner, Drinks & Fire Knife Dance

Luau was great!

Reviewed by: Ali

We had a wonderful time at the luau. The food was great and drinks were yummy. The entertainment was just amazing. Very talented dancers, band and host was funny. The entire family had a great time.

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Rating:
Packages:	Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package
Attended as:	Families with Young Children
Posted on:	2022/04/17
Activity Date:	2022/04/15

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

Perfect beginner's snorkel adventure

Reviewed by: Bruce L

Our family did the Captain Cook snorkel trip in early April. The boat takes less than 15 people (11 on our trip), it is a small but stable inflatable type. The water was a little choppy for our trip, but not enough to prevent the go-ahead. We had to hang on as the boat jumped and rolled its way through the waves making hte journey unexpectedly exciting. We had a relaxed, informative and personable captain and one other crew member. The boat zipped out towards the Captain Cook monument area which has excellent snorkeling. Pretty much everyone on the boat was snorkeling for the first time. Sea Quest supplied full snorkel gear including prescription masks for one of our party. Inflatable Snorkel vests and pool noodles were also made available for those who prefer a little extra buoyancy. We stopped a couple of times on the way to check out a large pod of spinners dolphin and for an overview of the Big Island as viewed from out at sea. Once we got to Capt. Cook, we had about 1.5 hours to snorkel. The snorkeling was outstanding - clear calm water, tons of fish & coral. Sea Quest supplied snacks and drinks. Everyone had a great time and a lasting fun family memory was made. Great work Sea Quest!

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Rating:
Packages:	3-hour Captain Cook Cruise (1 Snorkel Stop)
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/16
Activity Date:	2022/04/07

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

Great excursion fun staff

Reviewed by: Michael T.

Skylar and Aerial were awesome. The trip was perfect. We were even fortunate enough to see a hammer head shark on our way back. These guys do it right!!!! Highly recommend booking with them as me and my family will remember this for a lifetime.

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Rating:
Packages:	5-hour South Kona Expedition with Lunch (3 Snorkel Stops)
Attended as:	Families with Young Children
Posted on:	2022/04/16
Activity Date:	2022/04/14

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Definitely recommend this manta ray experience

Reviewed by: J. Williams

The manta rays definitely put on an amazing show for us, so I would give them five stars. More importantly though, we would give the crew five stars. They put in a lot of effort to make sure everyone was informed and comfortable, and they were very efficient. We would certainly recommend Iruka for this manta ray experience.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha!

We love to hear all the positive feedback about our Manta Ray Experience! Mahalo for joining us and we hope to see you again soon, we offer a 20% discount for repeating customers.

Best,
Team Iruka Hawaii

Helpful

Rating:
Packages:	Manta Ray Snorkel with Transportation
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/15
Activity Date:	2022/04/13

Oceanfront Royal Kona Resort Luau Voyagers of the Pacific Show - Dinner, Drinks & Fire Knife Dance

Great first luau experience

Reviewed by: Heather B

We had a great time at the Royal Kona Voyagers of the Pacific luau. The dancers and musicians were wonderful, the setting was stunning and the food was very filling. I would recommend planning on getting there a bit early as parking does get crowded and you do have to wait in line to check in, but the process was quick and very smooth.

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Rating:
Packages:	Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/13
Activity Date:	2022/04/11

Kailua-Kona Sunset Cocktail with Free Drinks - Honi Olani Catamaran

Pricey But Enjoyable Cruise

Reviewed by: Sniblette

For what it is, the cruise seemed pricey to us. You board the boat and then sail along the coast for about 45 minutes before heading back in. We were relieved to find that though our cruise was scheduled to end at 6:30, we stayed out on the water long enough to watch the actual sunset—the whole point of the cruise for us!

The crew is small but nice. We were a bit dismayed to arrive and see a large number of young children booked on the same cruise. Maybe it's just us, but who drags infants and toddlers onto a sunset cocktail cruise?!? Predictably, a number of the children wound up getting sick (gee, who didn't see that coming?), and many puke buckets were passed out. While I can't fault the company for that, I wish they would limit the sunset cocktail cruises to adults only (or at least offer it on a number of nights). There are plenty of other boats that parents can drag their children onto in Hawaii. And if you can afford to bring your kids to Hawaii on vacation, you can afford a sitter for a few hours while the adults go have fun. (Note to the crew: Unless every passenger on the boat is puking their guts out, don't suggest heading back early just because some parent decided to introduce their 2 year old to sailing on the open ocean and the kid got sick. I'm sorry the kid is sick, but I paid for a 1.5 hour cruise and I expect to get what I paid for.)

The snack offering was decent; cocktail options were more limited and (of course) watered down, but I think that's expected on something like this.

All in all, we enjoyed ourselves but overall felt it was overpriced and saw many areas for improvement.

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Rating:
Packages:	Sunset Cocktail Cruise
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/12
Activity Date:	2022/03/27

Deluxe Captain Cook Snorkeling Tour at Kealakekua Bay - Fair Wind Cruises

Fun Time in a Historic Setting

Reviewed by: Okiman60

The Fairwind crew is very professional, for they stress safety and they are helpful. In addition, the captain highlighted dolphin sightings and the historical information regarding ancient Hawaiian culture. He also gave facts about the Captain Cook Memorial.

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Rating:
Packages:	Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [3.5 hours]
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/09
Activity Date:	2022/04/07

Hawaii Manta Ray Sunset & Night Time Snorkel Experience from Kona - Iruka

Amazing experience

Reviewed by: Eric

We booked our tour not knowing quite what to expect. We were absolutely blown away. The staff was knowledgeable, professional, and hilarious. I was new to snorkeling and nervous (i had approximately 1 hour practice messing around on a local beach) but i immediately knew i was in good hands with the crew and there was always a crew member close enough so i could relax. Words cannot explain seeing these amazing creature swim inches from you. The rays were super active the night we went and put on quite a show. I think the topper for me was a few days after our tour we saw a crew member at a local farmers market and he remembered us and came up and spoke to us about our experience. I absolutely recommend doing this because we will do it again next trip.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Eric!

We love to hear all the positive feedback about our captain and crew! Mahalo for joining us and we hope to see you again soon, we offer a 20% discount for repeating customers.

Best,
Team Iruka Hawaii

Helpful

Rating:
Packages:	Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/09
Activity Date:	2022/03/18

Kona 2-Stop Snorkel Tour & Premium Ocean Raft Dolphin Watch Safari with Lunch

Fun in the sun!

Reviewed by: June

We had a great time swimming with the dolphins. Wish we had not gotten sea sick and enjoyed the trip more but we did have fun!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha June! We are so happy that you enjoyed our Kona dolphin watch tour. Thank you so much for joining us. We hope to see you again soon. Mahalo!

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Rating:
Packages:	Snorkel Cruise & Dolphin Watch Experience
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/09
Activity Date:	2021/05/16

Oceanfront Royal Kona Resort Luau Voyagers of the Pacific Show - Dinner, Drinks & Fire Knife Dance

Fantastic Experience

Reviewed by: Selina

Had a fabulous experience at the Luau with my family. It was the first luau experience for my daughter and she enjoyed it. Thank you.

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Rating:
Packages:	Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package
Attended as:	Families with Young Children
Posted on:	2022/04/07
Activity Date:	2022/03/29

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

So many beautiful creatures

Reviewed by: Robin

This was a great snorkel adventure. We made 3 stops and saw tons of beautiful coral and underwater creatures. It was a long half-day, but it went by so quickly. Would definitely do this again.

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Rating:
Packages:	5-hour South Kona Expedition with Lunch (3 Snorkel Stops)
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/06
Activity Date:	2022/04/02

Luxury Private Boat Charters from Kona - Daytime & Sunset Cruises aboard No Wiki

Great Crew

Reviewed by: Robin

We had so much fun hanging out on board with the captain and his first mate. Interesting people with interesting stories. Great service and a beautiful boat!

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Rating:
Packages:	Private Charter: Sunset Sail Cruise
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/06
Activity Date:	2022/04/04

Kona Sunset Dinner Cruise to Kealakekua Bay with Live Entertainment | Body Glove

This is the best excursion

Reviewed by: Kathy

We travel to Kona every other year. We discovered the dinner cruise the last time we went and loved it so we definitely booked it again last week. This year was even better. The crew were ready to help anyone needing help. We were waited on and spoiled. The food was tasty. The historian did a great job as did the music entertainment. We took the cruise at the end of March which should have been too late to view a whale. One popped up right beside the boat. The captain steered the boat to try to follow the whale so we could get another view. It started raining later and once again the captain did what he could to take us out away from the rain. We will definitely do this the next time we return to Hawaii.

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Rating:
Packages:	Dinner Cruise
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/03
Activity Date:	2022/03/31

Ocean Encounters Manta Ray Snorkel Tour - Sunset & Moonlight Cruise from Kona

One of the coolest things we have ever done!

Reviewed by: Michele

Such an awesome experience! We were surrounded by Manta Rays! So very cool, and the crew were helpful, very good at their jobs! Would love to do it again if we are ever back in Kona.

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Rating:
Packages:	Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as:	Couples
Posted on:	2022/04/03
Activity Date:	2022/03/09

4.5-Hour Deluxe Kona Snorkel Tour & Dolphin Watch with Lunch - Body Glove Cruise

Beautiful cruise

Reviewed by: rvaldovinos

The staff is wonderful and provide top notch service. Unfortunately, the day we went out we saw no dolphins.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha,

Mahalo for taking the time to leave such a kind review.
We agree that it's unfortunate that you did not see dolphins; we sure wish you did!
Thank you for joining us! We hope you can join us again in the future.

Best wishes,

Margie Park
Sales & Marketing Manager
Body Glove Cruises

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Rating:
Packages:	Deluxe Snorkel & Dolphin Watch Cruise
Attended as:	Friends
Posted on:	2022/04/02
Activity Date:	2021/06/08

Kona Sunset Dinner Cruise to Kealakekua Bay with Live Entertainment | Body Glove

Amazing cruise!

Reviewed by: Winnie

We had such a good time on this dinner cruise. The food was good, the DJ and our tour guide was excellent. We ate, danced and enjoying the beautiful views from the ocean of the Big Island. The sunset view is a most see!!

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Rating:
Packages:	Dinner Cruise
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/04/01
Activity Date:	2022/03/17

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

A 3 hour tour.

Reviewed by: Shelly

The crew was great, helpful and fun. The little bit of history was enjoyable. We loved seeing the different marine life. The water wasn't too cold either. Our ride back was fantastic, Thanks Loren 1, 2 and Alex.

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Rating:
Packages:	3-hour Captain Cook Cruise (1 Snorkel Stop)
Attended as:	Families
Posted on:	2022/03/30
Activity Date:	2022/03/28

Things to Do in Big Island in 2026 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com

All Reviews for Kailua-Kona in Big Island

Overall Rating

Reviews

Great trip with Dolphins and a sunset

Amazing tour

Amazing experience on a great boat with a great crew!

The best adventure of my Hawaii trip!!

Loved it!

Such a cool excursion!

So nice to be on the water

Amazing!

Fun for the family!

Liked this trip!

The Luau

Good easy experience

A very exciting and entertaining adventure!

Luau was great!

Perfect beginner's snorkel adventure

Great excursion fun staff

Definitely recommend this manta ray experience

Great first luau experience

Pricey But Enjoyable Cruise

Fun Time in a Historic Setting

Amazing experience

Fun in the sun!

Fantastic Experience

So many beautiful creatures

Great Crew

This is the best excursion

One of the coolest things we have ever done!

Beautiful cruise

Amazing cruise!

A 3 hour tour.

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