Dolphin Encounter: Kona's Marine Life Adventure

Experience manta viewing on one of the finest rafts available. Perfect for children and those who cannot swim. Enjoy the comfort of a 45 ft Zodiac. Hawaii is renowned as the top destination globally for observing manta rays.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy - Experience one of the finest rafts for manta viewing, perfect for children and non-swimmers. Enjoy the comfort of a 45 ft Zodiac. Hawaii is renowned as the top destination globally for observing manta rays. In Kailua Kona, the manta rays have learned where to find an easy meal each night, feeding on plankton attracted by…
What's Included
  • Suitable for kids and non-swimmers
  • Professional captain and crew
  • Snorkel gear (RX Masks available)
  • Wetsuits, Flotation Devices
  • Snacks and refreshments
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc.
Additional Information
  • Minimum age is 5 years
  • For adults who prefer not to snorkel but just ride along, pricing is the same as a child
  • Weight restriction: 275 lbs
Location
74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy
Kealakehe Parkway
Check in location is on the north side of Honokohau Marina.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(16 Ratings)
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1 star
Simonyii_j
Jul 6, 2025
Majestic Manta rays - After a difficult start, the meeting place might be very easy to find during the day but a problem at night. It is extremely dark although if you actually follow the directions it is easier. The tour itself was life changing the crew is excellent. Everything is explained and made completely clear. I felt safe despite diving into darkness. The experience of seeing multiple mantas huge yet so graceful, well it is hard to find words. It is unbelievable and unforgettable. A true bucket list item. I would return and highly recommend. I’ve forgotten names but the whole crew was amazing
Review provided by Viator
Nicole_a
Jun 24, 2025
Best Manta Snorkel for kids - This is the best manta snorkel with kids. My 9 year old got scared and was able to spend the rest of the snorkel on their specially designed float. If you have kids, book this company. The staff was absolutely amazing and very knowledgeable. Just went I started to get cold, the expedition was over. The timing was perfect.
Review provided by Viator
Ann_h
Jul 2, 2023
Loved it!!! - This was AWESOME!!!! The crew was wonderful. We saw a bunch of dolphins, then went snorkeling in two different locations. LOVED it all!
Review provided by Viator
Lorinda28
Jan 9, 2023
excellent snorkeling cruise - We had a wonderful time on this tour. The captain and crew were excellent. The captain was informative and fun. He was even willing to modify the schedule a bit upon request even though this meant the tour was longer than planned. The boat ride was great and the snorkeling was fantastic. The lunch was fine, hotdogs and chips. We highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashley_b
May 13, 2022
Entertaining and magical - Great experience! Snorkeling was amazing. Crew was fun and experienced. We saw dolphins playing. I highly recommend this excursion!
Review provided by Viator
Jonathan_w
Jan 20, 2020
Best trip of our vacation - The Captain was fantastic! He knew exactly what he was doing. He asked us what we wanted to see and do and then he delivered! Sharks, Dolphins, Whales, and reef snorkeling! Very personable and plenty of contact prior to our trip to ensure the best experience! I would absolutely recommend Kris Henry!
Review provided by Viator
Skycaptain220
Oct 29, 2019
Best experience - My wife and I booked the activity but had some issues with the date I originally picked. Mar was so amazing and help me change the date. The crew on the boat were very funny and interactive. I highly recommend it!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lizletsch
Aug 6, 2019
An amazing excursion with an even more amazing tour guide! - We recently went on the dolphin snorkel excursion with Kris as our tour guide and had an excellent time. It was a small intimate group of 6 which was perfect, so we could take our time and Kris catered the tour to our liking. We were able to snorkel with the spinner dolphins first in a different bay and then headed to Kealakekua Bay for more snorkeling. Kris allowed us to snorkel for a long time, and on the boat ride back, he gave us some more history of the island. We also were able to see some lava caves/tubes from the boat while munching on a light lunch which consisted of deli wraps, fresh pineapple, chips, cookies and beverages. The whole experience was really nice and Kris was also really great with my 7 and 10 year old kids. We've been on many different excursions over the years, and we can honestly say, he is the best tour guide we've encountered- very professional, welcoming, and hospitable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yipsel
Jul 29, 2019
Amazing experience - Really nice crew and overall experience. Was able to see dolphins, and the amazing life on the coral reef. Even saw a reef shark! Definitely recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristenamelia90
Oct 26, 2019
Good tour, but misleading - It was a good tour, but we felt really cheated because we specifically paid for this tour to swim with wild dolphins like the photos show, and we were not ever allowed to swim with dolphins. The boat is really nice and relaxing, has a bathroom, the crew is great and picked us up directly from the cruise port. We started by going to the bay and watching the dolphins from the boat. The crew tells us the bay is protected and we can't swim with dolphins there so I assume we will stop at a second location later. We snorkel by Cook Monument which has colorful fish. It is shallow and packed with boats that can't anchor so no chance of dolphins coming by there. We join the boat again for sandwiches and snacks. We do some more dolphin watching in the bay. We see a sea cave. Then we're back at the dock. They have a great tour for dolphin watching from the boat, but you'll be disappointed if you buy this excursion with the expectation that you'll swim with dolphins like the photos show. You only snorkel over the corals around Cook Monument and see dolphins from the boat :(
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $139
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).