Kona snorkeling advice

[debr]

Anyone have any feedback on the two snorkeling excursions Island Princess offers in Kona, one is a catamaran and the other is a zodiac raft? From what I've read the zodiac goes to a better snorkeling area. Anyone know for sure?

 

How about Kauai excursions, anyone been to Waimea Canyon? Is there any shopping within walking distance of the pier?

 

Thanks

 

Debr

[queeng]

I live in Kona. Do you know the names of the companies Princess uses? The best snorkel cruise in Kona is the “Fairwind”. It is far superior to The Body Glove or any of the others that leave from Kona. They do have a zodiac tours too called the “Orca”. I much prefer the comfort of the catamaran and you get a great lunch. You can contact them directly. I know they get lots of business from the cruise ships. You won’t be sorry. We take all our guests out on it and haven’t had a bad time yet!

 

Aloha,

 

Ginger

[debr]

I live in Kona. Do you know the names of the companies Princess uses? The best snorkel cruise in Kona is the “Fairwind”. It is far superior to The Body Glove or any of the others that leave from Kona. They do have a zodiac tours too called the “Orca”. I much prefer the comfort of the catamaran and you get a great lunch. You can contact them directly. I know they get lots of business from the cruise ships. You won’t be sorry. We take all our guests out on it and haven’t had a bad time yet!

 

Aloha,

 

Ginger

 

Ginger,

 

Thanks so much for responding. Princess does not list the name of the catamaran sail company. The reason I'm leaning toward the zodiac (Captain Zodiac) trip is that it goes to Kealakekua Bay (suppose to be better snorkeling?) and the catamaran goes to Pawai Bay. They both leave from Honokohau harbor, I think. If you feel the Pawai Bay has the same snorkeling, I'll go with the catamaran for comfort and lunch, since they are the same price.

 

Thanks

 

Debr

[Dlhappy29]

Go with Zodiac there tours are thrilling

[debr]

Go with Zodiac there tours are thrilling

 

Thrilling is good, but I'm really looking for the best snorkeling!!!!

 

Debr

[RvrCrzr]

I'm also interested in snorkeling KONA, and finding a nice beach to pass some time.

[queeng]

Kealakekua Bay has much better snorkeling. The other bay isn't really a "bay" at all and sometimes it is choppy. if that is you choice choose Kealakekua for sure. I still vote for "Fairwind".

Ginger

[spleen93]

I agree ... Kealakekua Bay is certainly better known that Pawai for its snorkeling. :)

 

Spleen

[bankofdad]

I live in Kona. Do you know the names of the companies Princess uses? The best snorkel cruise in Kona is the “Fairwind”. It is far superior to The Body Glove or any of the others that leave from Kona. They do have a zodiac tours too called the “Orca”. I much prefer the comfort of the catamaran and you get a great lunch. You can contact them directly. I know they get lots of business from the cruise ships. You won’t be sorry. We take all our guests out on it and haven’t had a bad time yet!

 

Aloha,

 

Ginger

 

I second this! We loved the Fairwind, and found the snorkeling at Kealakekua To be the best we've ever experienced in Hawaii

[debr]

Kealakekua Bay in the "raft" it is -- thanks Ginger and Spleen!

Kealakekua Bay has much better snorkeling. The other bay isn't really a "bay" at all and sometimes it is choppy. if that is you choice choose Kealakekua for sure. I still vote for "Fairwind".

Ginger

[CRUZGAL53]

We are currently booked on the Catamaran Sail and Snorkel trip (through the cruise line) which goes to Pawai Bay...both the am and pm tours are sold out...the other tour offerred is the Captain Zodaic rafting and snorkeling adventure to Kealakekau Bay. This tour still has space available. The catamaran does include deli sandwiches...the zodaic includes light snacks. I have read good things about both places...will we possibly see green sea turtles, manta rays and dolphins at one more than the other?

We are really confused as usually the trips that sell out are the better places to snorkel and in this case it sounds like the opposite.

Any help you can offer would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

Joyce

[bankofdad]

JoyceC,

 

What time does your ship tender in Kona?

[queeng]

I don’t think either of these tours is the best way to see all you want. As I have said Fairwind is the best snorkel tour hands down in Kona. I have seen dolphins and many kinds of fish and eels and all manner of beautiful coral. I have never seen a turtle there but they are all around the harbor area and at the National Park which we call Turtle beach. If however, you must pick one of the ships tours then you want to go to Kealakekua Bay rather than Pawai. Now if what I am getting is right, the only way to do that is in a Zodiac that is a consideration too. I guess my one experience with Capt. Zodiac in Kauai wasn’t a good one and I am not a big fan of traveling on them. (We left off the Napali coast in big surf and I was in the last seat on the pontoon, which made for a scary day!) So you have to decide which is the best way for you.

Ginger:)

[rjscott]

We spent a week on the BI in Kona last year. We took a Zodiac snorkeling trip and it was fabulous. Not only did we go to Kealakekua Bay, but we also made a stop at Pahoehoe, where there were lots of turtles. We also saw some sea caves, which was cool.

 

For a beach snorkel, Kahaluu Beach (about 15 min. outside Kona) is the best, and there is a huge variety of fish and lots of turtles there. However, you will have to find your own transportation to/from there. You might look into the Ali'i Shuttle for this.

 

Becki

[CRUZGAL53]

Ginger, thanks for your advice...have you heard of a company called Kona Sea Sports (the boat is the Shogun)? We met someone who has this reserved and it will take us to Kealakekua Bay with only 6 people...a much more private tour and it does include lunch. Let me know what you have heard about this company.

Thanks again...Joyce

[queeng]

I have never heard of them. :confused: It sounds like a dive boat to me not a big tour boat. It could be fun! Kealakekua Bay is beautiful and you will enjoy it. I will ask around tomorrow and see if I can find out anything more.:)

[spleen93]

Isn't the Shogun the deep sea fishing boat that Aloha Jackie used?

 

Spleen

[Lando]

Yup .. she caught her monster Marlin on the Shogun.

[spleen93]

Thanks Lando! Maybe Jackie will chime in about the Shogun .... (or others who have chartered the Shogun)

 

Spleen

[Lando]

I'm looking for somebody to join my future wife and I on a Shogun Charter October 4/05 if anybody is interested? I can't afford to charter the whole boat for just the two of us.

[CRUZGAL53]

We will probably go for it...I like the fact that it's such a small group that goes. Anything further would be great to hear. Joyce

[socialworker]

I am also looking for the best snorkel excursion in Kona. We're arriving via cruise ship (tendering begins at 8:00 am) so I'm unsure if Fairwinds would be an option for us. Where are they located and how would we get there? Our cruise isn't offering a catamaran snorkel excursion, which is what we'd be interested in.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Judy

[bankofdad]

Hi Socialworker,

 

A taxi ride to the dock where Fairwinds resides is about a fifteen minute ride. You're right, getting to Fairwinds based upon an 8AM tender would be cutting it close if the tenders don't go out right away. In our case, our ship arrived for a 7AM tender (which actually started leaving the ship around 7:20AM). We were on the second tender, caught a cab right away, and made it to the Fairwinds just before 8AM. In your case, I wouldn't chance it if it were me.

[socialworker]

Thanks, Bankofdad. However, I was in error about arrival time. Info actually states arrival at 7:30, which means we might be off ship by 8:15 or so. If Fairwind sails at 9:00, would we have time to get there via taxi for check-in?

[bankofdad]

With a 7:30 arrival, I would go for it if it were me. I'd just make sure you're on one of the first tenders. Here's an extract of my trip review on Fairwinds:

 

Thursday was Kona day. This is an absolutely beautiful port, with the clearest water I’ve seen in the parts of Hawaii I’ve experienced. This is a tender port, as most of you know. NCL shore excursions have priority for the first tender(s). For all others, tender tickets were distributed in the Aloha atrium, deck 7, near the bar. The NCL rep distributing the tender tickets arrived at about 6:45AM. BY then, there were about 7-8 people already waiting to get tender tickets. For your entire group (regardless of the number in your group) only one person needs to be present to pick up tender tickets for the group.

 

Tendering began around 7:15AM at deck three, forward. NCL has it’s own tenders, and I would guess each one holds about 75 passengers. They have three of these that run continuously throughout the day. The first tender of the morning was packed with NCL shore excursion customers. We held tender ticket numbers 35 and 36, and were able to get on the second tender leaving the ship. As we were boarding the second tender, we noticed that the third tender was already boarding. The boat ride to shore is only about 5-10 minutes long, and we were on shore by 7:40AM.

 

We had selected Fair Winds Cruises for our Kona excursion. This boat goes out to Kealakekua Bay from Keauhou Bay, which is about a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the pier. Several taxis were waiting at the pier when we got off of the tender, and a $20 taxi ride later, we were at the Fair Winds office (around 8AM). In the past, I’ve heard that many POA passengers were afraid to book this tour because the check in time is at 8:30AM, departure at 9AM. I can say you will have plenty of time to get there if you make an effort to get an early tender pass. Four Winds were still checking passengers in right up until the 9AM departure.

 

Kealakekua Bay is recognized by many of the guidebooks as the best snorkeling spot on the Big Island, and I can’t argue that. It was by far and away superior to any other spot I’ve ever been to on the islands in terms of water clarity, marine, and coral life. Absolutely fantastic. The boat is also extremely well maintained, very well professionally staffed, and very easy to move around on. We had approximately 100 passengers on board, and it still felt spacious and uncrowded. Along with Dolphin Express on Oahu, this was a real “dive in” highlight for our trip.

 

After we finished with Four Winds, we had our return cab drop us off at the Kona Brewing Company, which is just a short walk from the pier. For beer lovers, they have about 12-15 local brews they make there, and for the non-beer drinkers, the menu is very tasty and generous. This was a great way to spend the remaining afternoon before tendering back on board.