Page 8) Things to Do in Big Island in 2025 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com

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All Reviews for Snorkeling Cruises & Tours in Big Island

Overall Rating

4.66 4.66 / 5

Reviews

1719 reviews

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

Great Experience!

Reviewed by: Nathan

The crew, the equipment and the atmosphere were fantastic. But all topped by the giant Manta Rays that we saw on the trip. Once in a life time experience and was one of our favorite things we did while in Kona!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Nathan,

Mahalo for sharing your experience with us, repeating customers receive a 20% discount on all future bookings!

Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/10/17
Activity Date: 2022/10/10

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

Night Manta Ray Experience

Reviewed by: Peter Hauanio

We had an amazing experience, the mantas were huge and plentiful. Seeing the amount of plankton, no wonder the mantas stays in that area. The crew was awesome, the hot chocolate was great. Finding Sea quest was easy, and getting out to the swim site was quick. The only downfall was when water would get into the mask, and you go to readjust the mask, because there’s a lot of plankton around, could there be a possibility that you may have swallowed some as well, or may have gone up your nose. My friend had a serious sinus infection the day after our tour. She’s doing ok now. Otherwise, we had a blast and will cherish this moment forever. Thank you for the experience.

  • Mahalo Sea Quest

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Swim with Mantas
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2022/10/12
Activity Date: 2022/10/09

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

Must Do!

Reviewed by: Kara

This experience was awesome and you dont even need to be a great snorkeler!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kara,

Mahalo for sharing your experience with us, repeating customers receive a 20% discount on all future bookings!

Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2022/10/12
Activity Date: 2022/09/24

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

Not great!

Reviewed by: Unknown

It was OK. Nothing was explained well. Water was cold and did not expect to be hanging by the side of board for half hour to watch them coming at you! Very inconvenient, cold and ill-explained activity. Although staff was helpful. Wished they listened to the individual difficulties to understand. Could have enjoyed better with help.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2022/10/11
Activity Date: 2022/09/15

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

Manta Ray Snorkel!

Reviewed by: Rob

The crew was fun, safe and respectful as well as extremely fun! We saw a minimum of 3 and a max of well… it was 7 or 8 at once. We were all so pleased with this even and I highly recommend going at sunset.
The rays were magnificent and gentle for such large creatures. They truly are a sight to see.
Will do this again on our next visit.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/10/09
Activity Date: 2022/10/05

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Such a cool experience!

Reviewed by: Stephanie

The canoe was a very cool option and keeps the number of people in the group low. The boat sailed a very short distance to the manta viewing area- great for me as I tend to get motion sick. The water was warmer than I thought- again great for me bc I think I’m allergic to cold water. I wore my own wetsuit but they provided everyone with a proper wetsuit top. I wore both and was fine. Our 12yo said he was cold but didn’t complain.
We were all provided snorkels and masks. We all got into the water and held onto a floating device equipped with an underwater light. There we’re several mantas in the area and a few of them swam within inches of us! One touched my arm with its belly. We were in the water about 30 minutes at best guess which was plenty of time in my opinion. I specifically booked a shorter tour for fear of getting sick or freezing but none occurred.
Overall it was a very cool experience and our guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful! Definitely recommend this adventure!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/10/07
Activity Date: 2022/10/05

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

Magic night

Reviewed by: Marie D

The journey was well organised and on time. The team was really cheerful and fun.
We could see Manta Rays swimming below us all along our time in the water. I liked to learn about Manta Rays while seeing them. It was one of the best moment on the island, Magic!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Marie D,

Mahalo for sharing your experience with us, repeating customers receive a 20% discount on all future bookings!

Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/10/07
Activity Date: 2022/10/05

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Best excursion ever!

Reviewed by: Connie C

We had a great time. The Manta Rays gave us a great show! I was a little worried about getting in and out of the water but that was no problem with a little help from our guide. I highly recommend this tour.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/09/30
Activity Date: 2022/09/19

Hilo Black Sand Beach Guided Snorkel Tour at Sea Turtle Lagoon

Fun time snorkeling, but we miss the boat.

Reviewed by: SJ Bass

We signed up for a snorkeling trip online. Mind you, we’ve done these trips before where they take us out on a catamaran and find some secluded bay where we can go and check out the tropical fish and coral reef and maybe a chance at a sea turtle.

Well, this trip was not quite the same. We did find a secluded bay that had a nice cool reef and tropical fish but we got there by use of a Ford expedition (which had no AC by the way). We then traveled to a second spot by car, where we did get a chance to see a sea turtle, but not much else.

Our snorkel guide was very kind and considerate and made sure that everybody in our small group of four was safe. But it seemed like he was working with one arm tied behind his back, because he had to hunt out the two places for us to dive.

  • Our snorkeling guide was great!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Hilo Beach Snorkel – Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/09/24
Activity Date: 2022/09/22

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Great experience!!

Reviewed by: Nin

Amazing experience for the four of us (mum, dad & two teenage boys!). The crew has the right balance of humour, sensitivity & business like manner! The snorkelling experience was just phenomenal, one of the best experiences of our lives! Captured on go-pro, so a memory we can re-live time & time again!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/09/17
Activity Date: 2022/08/26

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

Awesome

Reviewed by: Chelsea

This was an amazing once in a lifetime experience. Highly recommend going on this tour. The moonlight tour would be my recommendation because there are less boats in the cove. The crew on this trip were great and very helpful the entire trip. They had drinks and snacks available when on the boat. The mantas were constant the entire time we were in the water and I was able to get great footage on my GoPro!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal)
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/09/13
Activity Date: 2022/09/03

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

Really great trip

Reviewed by: Andy

Everything is as promised. Great and professional crew. Catamaran was very clean and safe. Beverages always available at no additional cost (except alcoholic). Good continental breakfast and lunch with extra snacks available. We always felt safe and secure both onboard and while snorkeling. Crew added historical info throughout the trip. I highly recommend this trip.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Andy,

Mahalo for choosing Sea Paradise for your snorkeling adventures! We are happy to hear of your feedback and recommendation. We hope to have the pleasure of you joining us in the near future!

  • Snorkeling area near monument

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with 2 Snorkel Stops, Breakfast & Lunch [4.5 hrs]
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/09/13
Activity Date: 2022/09/11

Aloha Kona Tours Private Boat Charter - Kealakekua Bay Snorkel & Dolphin Watch

Two fantastic private cruises! Thank you Aloha Kona Tours!

Reviewed by: Jim Nicholl

We prefer private charters and snorkeling trips and Aloha Kona Tours did not disappoint. We had such a good time on our Sept 9th cruise we booked a night time Manta Ray cruise the very next day!

On our first cruise we got to see turtles and dolphins and actually got to snorkel with a 25 foot whale shark. It was outstanding! The Captain is excellent and the Crew is very friendly and knowledgeable! The Captain was accommodating to our request for our outing to make the trip very personalized.

On our second night Manta Ray cruise we enjoyed a stunning sunset cruise and tour of the city from the water. Then we snorkeled with the Manta Rays for about 30 minutes. They have all the gear and the Crew was so accommodating. Three of us got in the water and swam with the Rays and our fourth person was a little shy but the Crew made sure she got to see the Rays up close without leaving the boat.

Both trips were truly unforgettable and amazing! The boat is beautiful and comfortable.

Thanks Aloha Kona Tours,

Jim, Jodi, Debye and Larry

  • Here is the Whale Shark!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: 4-Hour Private Morning Snorkel Charter (up to 6 passengers)
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2022/09/12
Activity Date: 2022/09/09

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

Amazing experience for young and old

Reviewed by: familytour2022

We had an amazing time on this tour, the guides were knowledgeable, funny and accommodating. My 3 year old got to ride on the party pit and loved seeing the mantas up close. Really appreciated all the extra care the staff took to make sure everyone was supported and felt comfortable. We saw at least half a dozen different rays and our biggest challenge was not touching them when they swam right up to us! Can not recommend this tour enough

Reply from activity provider

Aloha!

Thank you for the positive comments about our team, we're glad your group felt safe and satisfied! We do offer a repeater discount of 20% off, so please keep us in mind for future travel plans.

Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/09/12
Activity Date: 2022/09/06

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

One of the Best Experiences on Big Island

Reviewed by: Kara

These ginaromous creaters are as sweet as puppies! So fun

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/09/05
Activity Date: 2022/08/31

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

Great trip!

Reviewed by: TRK

A smooth sail and comfortable ride. The crew was very professional and knowledgeable. I didn't think I'd want a pool noodle...but get the pool noodle. It helps alot unless you plan to free dive. The food and drinks were good and sandwiches are fine for a boat trip. Don't expect fine dining. Plenty of room on board, even if you feel it might fill up with guests. The crew was there to keep the boat clean as well. I'd recommend getting there early for parking, as there's only street parking and you might have to walk to get to the launch. Beautiful boat. Enjoyed the trip! Thanks!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha,

Mahalo Nui Loa for sharing your experience with us! We do also agree with taking as many pool noodles as you would like. It's called a "vacation" for a reason. We hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island! Until then, A Hui Hou and safe travels!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with 2 Snorkel Stops, Breakfast & Lunch [4.5 hrs]
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/08/28
Activity Date: 2022/08/02

プライベートチャーター ケアラケクア湾シュノーケリング+イルカウォッチングツアー!GoProレンタルあり<午前/日本語ガイド>

Excellent! I will be in your care again. 最高!またお世話になります。

Reviewed by: Haru

It was amazing!
The service was excellent.
Their experience and knowledge were abundant, and I learned a lot.
I will definitely rely on them again next time.

最高でした!
サービス内容が素晴らしいです。
ご経験、知識も豊富で勉強にもなりました。
次もまたお世話になります。

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Helpful
Rating:
Packages: 4時間
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/08/27
Activity Date: 2022/08/07

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

10/10 Amazing Experience

Reviewed by: Mayra Mateo

The crew was awesome! They made sure everyone was safe and made accommodations for those that needed it. I hope those that needed a little extra help also appreciate them because they did an amazing job! We saw at least 7 mantas that night. It’s one thing seeing them at the zoo and another snorkeling with them. Towards the last 10 minutes of the session, we had 4 mantas doing flips under our floating matt. It was so mesmerizing! Such beautiful creatures! Would definitely do it again in the future! 10/10

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 Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/08/27
Activity Date: 2022/08/25

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

Perfect ocean day!

Reviewed by: Jess

Our guides were wonderful! They were knowledgeable and very friendly which made our experience that much better. The snorkeling spots were on point, and they give clear and concise directions on how to proceed at each location. Our group was small and intimate which I found ideal.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: 4-hour Deluxe Morning Adventure (2 Snorkel Stops)
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/08/19
Activity Date: 2022/08/17

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Excellent

Reviewed by: EGrE

This is an intimate and friendly canoe trip. I enjoyed it with my three kids and the crew was helpful and patient with my littlest one who had never snorkeled. We got an incredible education about the Mantra Rays and saw them within inches of us. I can’t recommitting enough. I really liked having a smaller group and special type of boat.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/08/18
Activity Date: 2022/08/16

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

Awesome experience, must do.

Reviewed by: Kecia

Overall i would say it's a must-do on the big island.
The crew was fun and helpful.
That particular night was somewhat cold and light on mantas but you get what you get. Crew doesn't control the animals.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha! Thank you for joining our manta ray snorkel and for leaving such a positive review. We hope to welcome you back onboard in the future! Mahalo

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/15
Activity Date: 2021/10/15

Sea Quest Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour & Rafting Sea Cave Expedition

Amazing experience

Reviewed by: Laurie H

I went on the deluxe snorkeling trip with my husband and five of my young adult children. We all loved it! Captain Steve did a fantastic job showing us sea caves and other interesting sites. We ended up in the midst of a pod of dolphins and saw some pilot whales. For all of us it was our first time snorkeling and Captain Steve and his crew made our first experience incredible. They even helped my son who can’t swim get comfortable with snorkeling using a life vest and noodle so by the second snorkeling stop he was a pro. We saw so many fish, eels, and a few sea turtles. I truly can’t say enough good things about the crew and the whole experience. One of the best of my life! I will definitely return!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: 4-hour Deluxe Morning Adventure (2 Snorkel Stops)
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/15
Activity Date: 2022/08/13

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Manta Ray Trip

Reviewed by: Paul

Our canoe boat trip was great. We loved the smaller boat experience - only about 12 of us - vs. the big catamarans. The captain and crew of two were friendly and fun. In the water we saw lots of Manta Rays. Our young lady crew member filled us in on lots of info about manta rays while in the water. My son took lots of GoPro videos and images. One hour was just right, since the trip out to the viewing spot only took a few minutes.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2022/08/11
Activity Date: 2022/08/07

Hilo Black Sand Beach Guided Snorkel Tour at Sea Turtle Lagoon

Great snorkel and guide.

Reviewed by: Tim H

It was a rainy warm trip but had a lot of fun. Devon was a great guide and although we did not see any turtles we saw plenty of fish and coral. Also learned a lot about the local area and history. Very helpful for getting our son, who is not a strong swimmer and new to snorkeling, into the water. Our guide explained everything very well and emphasized safety and respect for the land, sea and marine life.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Hilo Beach Snorkel – Sea Turtle Lagoon and Black Sand Beach
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/10
Activity Date: 2022/08/08

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

Outstanding experience

Reviewed by: Natalie

A fantastic experience - would do it again in a heartbeat!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Swim with Mantas
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2022/08/10
Activity Date: 2022/07/30

6名限定!ハワイ島 野生のイルカウォッチング+ケアラケクア湾シュノーケリングツアー<午前/英語ガイド/軽食付>

That's unfortunate. 残念

Reviewed by: kkk

I couldn't see any dolphins at all; in fact, I'm not sure if they were even included in the tour. We just ended up snorkeling for two hours.

イルカは全く見れなかった、むしろツアーに含まられていたか怪しい。
2時間シュノーケリングして終わりました。

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Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/08/08
Activity Date: 2022/08/06

Big Island Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour Adventure on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe

Manta ray with EkA Canoe

Reviewed by: Michael

Can’t recommend highly enough!! So much fun, the equipment, boat, and crew are great.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/05
Activity Date: 2022/08/03

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

Excellent experience!!! Once in a lifetime

Reviewed by: Joe

Wonderful experience. It is family friendly. Very entertaining

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Joe,

We're so glad to hear all the positive things you had to say about your trip with us, all returning customer's receive a 20% repeater discount if you folks plan on returning!

Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii 'Ohana

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/03
Activity Date: 2022/07/31

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

Fun Manta Ray Tour

Reviewed by: Yvonne

The guides and the captain were all very friendly, knowledgeable, approachable, and helpful, which made the tour extra enjoyable and fun! We saw schools of little fish and minnows right in front of our eyes (they also occasionally ran into our hands and faces) and definitely saw a couple huge manta rays! Overall a fun tour.
Quick tip: wearing the wetsuit helped a lot, as the water got really cold when it got dark, and longer you stay in the water, the colder it gets. Also, would not recommend going the day you get off the plane, as my boyfriend and I got extremely seasick towards the end of the manta ray viewing. However, our guides and the captain gave us many tips on how to feel better and fed us with snacks and drinks.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Swim with Mantas
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/08/02
Activity Date: 2022/07/07

野生のイルカウォッチング&シュノーケリングツアー <朝食・昼食付き>

First time on the Big Island 初めてのビッグアイランド

Reviewed by: toru

I couldn't see any fish while snorkeling. When I experienced it on Oahu before, I was able to see a lot.

シュノーケリングで魚等が見ることができなかった。以前オアフ島で体験した時は沢山見ることが出来ました。

Reply from activity provider

ご参加いただきありがとうございます!
私たちは、脆弱なサンゴ礁を保護するために、約25〜30フィートの水深で停泊します。ゲストがボートの近くにいると、残念ながらオープンウォーターでは魚が少なくなります。
安全ブリーフィング中に、クルーはゲストに対して、サンゴや魚が豊富な約10〜15フィートの水深で岸に近づいて泳ぐように指示します。

Thank you for joining us!
We moor in about 25-30 feet of water in order to protect the fragile coral reef. When guests stay near the boat unfortunately the fish are less plentiful in the open water.
During our safety briefing our crew instructs guests to swim closer to shore in about 10-15 feet of water where the coral and fish are plentiful.

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Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/07/31
Activity Date: 2022/07/09
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