Discover Kona’s Marine Life: A Snorkeler’s Complete Guide
The waters of Hawaii’s Big Island are teeming with marine life. From dolphins to sea turtles, Kona offers some of the best snorkeling spots on the entire island.
Imagine gliding through the dark ocean as manta rays dance around you, soaring gracefully through the water. Discover the necessary safety precautions to interact with these gentle giants, and uncover the prime locations in Kona for viewing them all year round!
1. Snorkeling in Kailua Kona
Snorkeling in Kailua Kona is an unforgettable experience and a must for every visitor to the island. With its pristine coral reef and wide variety of fish species, the Kona coast is a great place to explore marine life. It is also an ideal spot for watching dolphins, whales, and spinner dolphins. If you’re lucky, you might even see a sea turtle!
One of the best kona snorkeling tours spots in the area is Honaunau Bay. The bay is located within Pu’uhonua O Honaunau State Historical Park, which contains several ancient cultural sites. The name means “Place of Refuge,” and the area was indeed a sanctuary for Hawaiians who had been defeated in battle or had broken kapu (sacred law). In addition to the fascinating history of the site, Honaunau Bay offers spectacular snorkeling.
Its coral reef is expansive and full of vibrantly colored fishes. You can also find schools of yellow tang and trumpetfish here. There is a good chance that you will be able to see spotted tobies and Moorish idol, too! Several other fishes can also be found at the beach, including Christmas wrasse and sharpnose mullet.
Honokohau is also a great location for seeing dolphins! The beach is directly south of the Honokohau Harbor, which means that dolphins frequently visit the area to hunt at night.
In the mornings and afternoons, you might even see them swimming in the surf! The beach is also a great place to relax and sunbathe. If you are hungry, there is a restaurant at the beach. And the bathrooms and showers are right nearby!
Another fun option is Kamakahonu Beach, which is a popular snorkeling beach. This beach is a little rocky but the water is usually calm and there are lots of corals to see. This beach is close to many conveniences, and it is an excellent choice for families with children. The area around Kamakahonu is also home to a beautiful reconstruction of King Kamehameha’s personal heiau (temple).
2. Kamehameha Bay
When snorkeling in Hawaii, you can see a multitude of marine life, from bright schools of angelfish to lizard fish and more. You can also encounter octopus and eels, as well as different varieties of coral, including hard and soft corals. If you’re lucky, you may also spot whales!
You can experience the incredible marine life off Kona’s coast on a dolphin and whale watching tour. With the help of a knowledgeable captain, you can swim through lava rock arches and soar above sea caves as you search for dolphins, humpback whales, and other wildlife. You’ll get an intimate view of the ocean and its inhabitants from a comfortable, safe, and secure vessel, with experienced guides and a friendly crew.
There are many great spots for snorkeling in Hawaii, but not all beaches are the best for it. A sandy beach is often better for relaxing, but if you’re hoping to swim with marine life, you want a place with lava or reef that protects the water.
One of the best places to snorkel in Kona is Kahalu’u Beach Park, known as “Kids’ Beach” or King Kamehameha Beach. This tiny beach has a fringing reef, which makes it a perfect location for snorkeling in Hawaii. It’s also a safe swimming location, with lifeguards on duty and food trucks nearby for your hunger pangs.
The reefs at this location are home to a variety of marine life, from yellow tangs and yellowtailed coris to needlefish, sergeant majors, manini, and black triggerfish. You can also see saddleback wrasse, threadfin butterflyfish, and Moorish idols. If you’re fortunate, you might also spot a sea turtle or two! Just remember to respect these animals and give them 30 feet of space, so they can swim and breathe freely.
3. Honokohau Bay
The small pretty bay of Honokohau is a snorkeler’s secret gem on the North shore. Also known as Boulder Beach, this is a great spot to go snorkeling during the summer months when the ocean is calmer. The rocky shore of the bay can make it a challenge to access the coral but once you do you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful reef to explore. Honokohau is part of a marine conservation district which means that no fishing is allowed (and neither is touching or collecting the natural marine life or rocks). This was a common practice for the early Hawaiians who were superb stewards of their natural resources and it’s important that we follow their lead today.
Honokohau is a great place to spot dolphins as well. If you’re lucky enough to visit during the humpback whale season, it’s even more likely that you’ll see these magnificent creatures frolicking in the bay’s waters.
The reef here is home to a variety of fish species as well. You’ll find parrotfish, octopus, goat fish, taape (blue striped snapper), and vibrant corals. The bay is also one of the best spots in the world for seeing Hawaiian green sea turtles.
If you want to experience the thrill of a lifetime snorkeling in Honokohau Bay, book a tour with a reputable company like Hawaii Nautical. They’ll take you on an unsurpassed luxury yacht and choose the ideal snorkeling location based on conditions that day. This may include Pawai Bay noted for its swim-throughs and caves or Makalawena offshore of Captain Cook monument.
Aside from being an expert in Hawaiian history and culture, your experienced captain will know the perfect location for the best marine life encounters in the area. They’ll be able to help you identify all the different species of marine life that call Big Island’s waters home. From the majestic tiger sharks, Laverne, to the undulated moray eels like Frank, this is a Big Island adventure you won’t soon forget. And, of course, you’ll have the opportunity to swim freely with manta rays.
4. Kailua Bay
Many of the beaches on the Kona coast are known for their beauty and marine life. With pristine coral reefs, sea turtles, eels, dolphins, and more, these waters are the perfect setting for snorkeling and other water sports.
For an unforgettable experience, book a snorkeling tour with a guide to help you spot marine animals. You can also rent your own gear at local snorkeling stores, but a guided tour can be a more immersive and informative experience. Plus, you don’t have to worry about finding the right gear!
Kailua Bay is a stunning snorkeling destination with a wide variety of marine life. In addition to the normal reef suspects such as yellow tang, saddleback wrasse, and manini, this site hosts several species of butterflyfish, including the lovely lined butterflyfish. It’s a popular spot for sea turtles, as well, but be sure to respect their space and don’t swim too close to them.
The waters here are incredibly clear, making it easy to see the marine life underneath. Snorkelers typically enter through a natural rock formation that forms two steps, thus the name Two Step Beach. From here, swimmers can follow the seawall to the left and explore the reef or swim down the swim lanes set up by the buoys. The reef here is largely soft coral with a few harder coral structures in deeper water.
If you’re lucky, you may spot a reef manta! These gentle creatures are filter feeding fish, using their two cephalic lobes to scoop up zooplankton from the ocean surface. Reef mantas are a common sight in Hawaiian waters, and they can be seen at any time of the year.
Whether you’re exploring hidden coves on a kayak tour, snorkeling among the vibrant coral reefs, or gliding across the water on a paddleboard, you can find your inner explorer in Kona’s crystal-blue waters. With expert guidance and top-of-the-line equipment rentals, you can get the most out of your time on the water in this beautiful Hawaiian paradise.
