The 12 Best Sailing and Yacht Snorkel Trips in Big Island of Hawaii

1.Afternoon Sail & Snorkel to the Captain Cook Monument

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 722 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $136Our pick

Leave Keauhou Bay at 1:45 pm for a three-hour sail along Kona’s lava coast. Snorkel near the Captain Cook Monument with provided gear, flotation noodles, and a guide, then return with fruit, chips, drinks, and possible dolphin sightings. Crew members may include Shannon, Eddie, or Captain Patty.

“Excellent experience- well-organized, great and knowledgeable guides, very clean, nice snacks, lovely boat ride and snorkel”

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2.Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook Monument) Snorkel and Sail Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 695 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $189

Join Kona Style for a four-hour morning sail aboard a 50-foot catamaran. Enjoy Kona coffee and breakfast, learn local history from the crew, snorkel for about an hour at Kealakekua Bay, then return with lunch, drinks, and time on the sunny bow nets.

“Capt. Dan and crew were amazing. Great service, very informative and lunch was great. Would book again and highly recommend.”

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3.Deluxe Sail & Snorkel to the Captain Cook Monument

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 535 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177

Sail from Keauhou Bay along the Kona coast with Sea Paradise, then snorkel at Red Hill and Kealakekua Bay near the Captain Cook Monument. The crew provides gear, flotation noodles, reef-safe sunscreen, meals, and fish charts. Captains and crew members such as Troy, Eddie, Fernando, and Kamaile may share local stories.

“Excellent Crew! Helpful and knowledgeable. Capt TRoy, Beau, Denali, Bailee, and Noe were the best, so much so that I will book another trip!!!”

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4.Deluxe Sail & Snorkel to the Captain Cook Monument

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 472 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $179

From Keauhou Bay, Sea Paradise takes you by catamaran to Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument. You get two main snorkel stops, a possible third at Red Hill, breakfast, lunch, gear, reef-safe sunscreen, and friendly safety guidance from an attentive crew.

“We had a wonderful time! Ship, the crew, and the experience were all amazing! Would definitely recommend!”

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5.Afternoon Sail & Snorkel to the Captain Cook Monument

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 246 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $136

Leave Keauhou Bay at 2 p.m. aboard a trimaran for a three-hour sail to Kealakekua Bay. Snorkel near the Captain Cook Monument with provided gear, flotation noodles, reef-safe sunscreen, snacks, and drinks. The crew offers safety help, island history, and a respectful Hawaiian welcome to the bay.

“The 3 girl crew was awesome. Very informative and fun. They made even the newbies feel comfortable to be willing to try.”

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6.Waikoloa Catamaran Snorkel Sail Including Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 105 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $189

Sail from Anaehoomalu Bay aboard the Spirit of Aloha for about three hours. Hawaii Nautical provides snorkel gear, flotation vests, lunch, drinks, shaded seating, and in-water help. Expect tropical fish, coastal views, and a chance, not a promise, to see turtles, dolphins, or whales.

“The crew were amazing, the vessel was meticulous! We did not see any dolphins 😞 The snorkeling experience was great. Snacks, sandwiches and drinks were perfect.”

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7.Kona Catamaran Snorkel Sail with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $169

Join Hawaii Nautical’s Spirit of Aloha from Honokohau Harbor for a three-hour Kona sail with reef snorkeling, lunch, and a full bar. Captain Mike, Keith, Nicole, and other crew members have earned praise for hands-on help in the water. Bring exact directions and allow time to find the boat.

“The Captain and crew take wonderful care from start to finish! Saw lots of fish and boat trip was amazing. Drinks, chips and sandwiches hit the spot. Price was very reasonable and uber got us from ship to tour and back.”

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8.Big Island: Morning Snorkel Sail to Captain Cook’s Monument

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 49 reviews · 4h 30m · from $178

You sail aboard the Hoku Nui from Keauhou Bay to Kealakekua Bay, with breakfast, lunch, snorkeling gear, and English guidance included. Captain Eddie and crew members such as Noe, Sierra, and Myrissa share local history and help swimmers of all levels. Expect two snorkel stops, about 45 minutes each.

“Capt Eddie and crew (Noe, Sierra, and Myrissa) were great. They made you feel like family. The boat is single level, but pleanty of space for the number of people. The bathrooms (heads) were roomy and clean. There was pleanty of food on the morning tour we were on, including lunch. The snorkeling gear was very good, with noodles and life jackets available too. They even provided reef safe sunscreen. Stories about Kealakekua bay and Capt Cook added to the experience. My wife and I are in our 60's and we had a fun time. We highly recommended Sea Paradise.”

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9.Kona Luxury Catamaran Yacht Snorkel & Sail

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $449

Set out from Honokohau Harbor at 9:00 am on a luxury catamaran limited to six people. Snorkel at spots such as Pawai Bay or Makalawena, watch for dolphins and whales, then enjoy lunch, drinks, shaded seating, private changing areas, and fresh-water showers.

“Perfect day! Brooke and Liz cannot be beat as seawomen. They are seasoned sailors and managed the catamaran beautifully. We went to a quiet cove with a plethora of fish. We had plenty of time to soak up the sun and coincidentally saw an active pod of dolphins too! An experience not to be missed. Well worth the money. I highly, highly, highly recommend this very professional company and their employees, who all provide first rate service!”

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10.Waikoloa Catamaran Snorkel & Sail Adventure with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 39 reviews · 3 hours · from $189

Sail from Anaeho‘omalu Bay aboard the Spirit of Aloha for reef snorkeling, Hawaiian green sea turtles, and views of Mauna Kea and Hualalai. Your crew supplies gear, instruction, lunch, drinks, shaded seating, restrooms, and a freshwater rinse. Non-swimmers should choose another outing.

“We had 8 people ranging from age 4 to 73 - everyone had a fantastic experience. It was the highlight of our stay in Hawaii. The snorkeling was great and the whale watching was spectacular!!!”

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11.Kona Turtle Snorkel Sail with Lunch and Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $169

Spend three hours aboard the Spirit of Aloha, sailing from Honokohau Harbor along the Kona Coast to a clear-water snorkel site. Swim among Hawaiian green sea turtles, reef fish, and coral, then relax with lunch and drinks from the full bar. Crew members help first-time snorkelers in the water.

“The crew was incredibly! We ended up being the only people on the tour, they upgraded our boat and came out snorkelling with us! We seen so many cool things including an octopus and some dolphins! We would do this tour again in a minute!!”

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12.Hawaiian Sail and Snorkel in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $125Best value

Join Eka Canoe Adventures at 8:00 am for a 2.5-hour sail and snorkel from Keauhou Bay. You’ll cruise south aboard Kini Kini, a traditional Hawaiian double-hull canoe, then snorkel for 50 to 60 minutes with a guide in the water and a maximum of 12 people.

“We had a great time with Eka canoe. The guys were super welcoming and seemed to really enjoy working there. We really appreciated the Captain sharing his knowledge on the islands history. It's a special place and it was very cool to see it from that angle.”

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