Dolphin Watch & Snorkel Captain Cook Monument Big Island Kailua-Kona Hawaii
4.8
319 Ratings
Kailua-Kona
Experience the thrill of Dolphin Watch & Snorkel at Captain Cook Monument in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Get up close and personal with dolphins in their natural habitat and learn about their fascinating lives in the ocean's ecosystem.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- 78-7138 Kaleiopapa St - Join us to see the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin as they should be, Wild and Free! Let our naturalist guides take you on a journey that your whole family will enjoy and talk about for years to come. Including getting some great photo opportunities as the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins leap and spin out of the water and snorkeling a pristine reef at the Captain Cook Monument. As we search for these beautiful creatures in the warm tropical waters, our crew will share their knowledge about our Dolphin’s life cycle, habitats, and behaviors. Nearly every day, year-round, we are able to encounter these beautiful animals in their natural habitat. You may glimpse their torpedo-shaped bodies darting smoothly through the waves, swimming and rolling in formation, like synchronized swimmers. Or you may observe a pod in the distance, leaping high into the air. After we’ve spent time viewing the dolphins we’ll cruise the coast line looking for other marine life. You’ll see sea caves, sea arches and learn Hawaiian History. We’ll end our day snorkeling at one of the best snorkeling reefs in the world, Kealakekua Bay, home of the Captain Cook Monument. Snorkel participants must have swim experience.
What's Included
- Includes all snorkeling gear: mask, fins, snorkel, and flotation aids
- Expert naturalist guides at your service
- Refreshments provided: snacks, fruit, juice, and bottled water
What's Not Included
- Gratuities for your crew always appreciated
- Please bring towel, cover-up & easy to remove shoes
- Use reef safe sunscreen only (zinc based recommended-no oxybenzone or octinoxate, lotion, NO spray)
Additional Information
Benefiting from extensive experience, our skippers and team members will guide you to a thrilling encounter with dolphins. As we navigate the balmy tropical seas in pursuit of these stunning beings, our onboard experts will impart their wisdom about these extraordinary creatures, their lifestyles and their significance in the marine ecosystem. Almost each day, throughout the year, we witness these magnificent creatures in their wild setting.
- Minors must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum age requirement is 6yrs old
- Must be comfortable swimming in the ocean
- Electronic Waiver required to be signed prior to tour
- We do not offer refunds in the event we do not see dolphin as they are wild animals.
- Must be under 285lbs
- Must be able to climb up a metal ladder to get back in the boat
- Our vessels are RHIBS (zodiac style boats; seating is on a pontoon).
- We have full discretion to refuse service to guests based on attire, behavior, physical fitness & condition
- Restroom facilities not available on boat
- Not recommended for travelers with neck problems
Location
78-6831 Ali‘i Dr
Ali‘i Drive
To Check in: Keauhou Shopping Center, 78-6831 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i 96740,
Space F-146. Located in courtyard behind Tropics, KTA & Bianelli's. From there, you will
drive to Keauhou Bay where the crew will greet you for the tour.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(319 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Jing
Apr 11, 2024
Dolphin tour - Great experience. Captain and crew are friendly! We have a great time! Definitely recommended! We’d like to go to their manta tour if we can stay longer time here.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chriskurtgabel
Apr 10, 2024
Great private charter experience with Captain Denis - We booked a last minute private charter to see the Kona coast line. Right from the start Dolphin Discoveries was responsive and super helpful. The excellent service continued for our check in and then onto our boat. We had Captain Denis on our boat for the four of us (2 adults & 2 children). We could not have asked for a more accommodating and knowledgeable guide. He took us to all the best places and know so much about the marine biology and Hawaii history. We managed to see turtles, a whale and dolphins plus a great snorkel adventure for all. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maurab931
Mar 28, 2024
First class experience - The tour far exceeded our expectations. The scenery and snorkeling is world class. Our guides, Tim and Warren were incredible. They were super fun, knowledgeable and offered a great experience overall. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pris_b
Feb 2, 2024
Fun Dolphin Watch and Snorkel - Snorkeling and watching my six year old grandson and his father and uncle snorkel in the ocean! Our captain and assistant were excellent; knowledgeable and shared info on dolphins, volcanos, the habitat and Hawaiian history. They kept careful watch over us all on the boat and in the ocean!
Review provided by Viator
279cameronl
Jan 14, 2024
Awesome!! - Excellent trip. Water wasn’t calm but hey, what can you do. Brent, the zodiak captain, made it fun. Actual snorkelling spot was very calm in spite of going through 2 -3 metre swell to get there. Saw tons of fish!
Thanks for the great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meredith_d
Jan 7, 2024
Fun, educational excursion - The tour guides were well prepared and provided explanations and descriptions as needed. In addition to seeing dolphins we were able to see whales. The snorkeling location was great and easy for everyone in our family and extended group.
Review provided by Viator
Brooked216
Jan 1, 2024
Gorgeous coral reef and fish experience - This is a really great snorkel tour. From the boat, you see gorgeous waves crashing against the lava rock cliffs and a lava cave. At the monument, the snorkel experience is awesome. The massive coral reef provides a fabulous encounter with the colorful fish. We saw tons of bright, colorful fish. My kids had a great time discovering new sea life. We loved every minute.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vinaykumar_p
Dec 28, 2023
Whale Sighting - Our Tour Guide Brent made the ride fun and informative. We were lucky to spot humpback Whales and Flying fishes. We got enough time to snorkel near the Captain Cook Monument. We had great fun time.
Mahalo
Patil Family
Review provided by Viator
Lingette
Dec 13, 2023
Fantastic snorkel trip! - We did the 7:30 AM snorkel trip to Captain Cook and it was fantastic! The captain and crew were on time, very pleasant and well versed on the area. We snorkelled for about an hour at the Cook monument and never felt rushed. The captain took his time on our return trip and stopped at some historical sites and provided us with some ancient Hawaiian history. We highly recommend this company! You get good value for the cost of the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michele_c
Oct 13, 2023
Seth and the captain that... - Seth and the captain that took us out were great. We had plenty of time to snorkel and they took us to several locations to look for wildlife. Initially, we thought we weren't going to see any dolphins, but they appeared at the very end. We saw both the spinner and bottlenose kind. Plenty of snacks were provided as well. Would definitely recommend!
Review provided by Viator
More activities from this operator
