Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [157]
Sea Quest (329-7238, 888-732-2283; www.seaquesthawaii.com; morning cruise adult/child $92-109/75-89, afternoon cruise $72/62) Sea Quest has four rigid-hull inflatable rafts that take up to six or 14 passengers. All half-day cruises visit Kealakekua Bay, while two morning cruises add more sites and stops, like Honaunau Bay. Departs from Keauhou Bay.
For catamarans, try the following:
Fair Wind (345-0268, 800-677-9461; www.fair-wind.com) The Fair Wind II, a scrappy 100-passenger catamaran with two kickin’ 15ft slides and a BBQ, sails daily to Kealakekua Bay (adult/child $75/45, including meal adult $109 to $119, child four to 12 years $69 to $75). Cruises on the luxury Hydrofoil catamaran Hula Kai (per person including meal $125 to $155) are longer and look for the day’S best, most crowd-free spots. The Hula Kai also does a night manta trip (snorkel $89, dive $120 to $135). Divers are accommodated. Book in advance, as Fair Wind does the area’S highest volume. Departs from Keauhou Bay.
Kamanu Charters (329-2021, 800-348-3091; www.kamanu.com; adult/child $80/50) Snorkel without crowds at Pawai Bay, just north of the protected waters of the Old Kona Airport State Park. The 36ft catamaran, which motors down and sails back, takes a maximum of 24 people. Has a night manta snorkel ($80), and boat can be privately chartered. Departs from Honokohau Harbor.
Sea Paradise (322-2500, 800-322-5662; www.seaparadise.com; adult/child snorkel cruise incl 2 meals $99/59, manta snorkel $89/59, 2-tank dive $145, manta dive $110) Highly recommended Sea Paradise offers morning snorkel cruises to Kealakekua Bay, dive trips and a sunset dinner sail on a classy 46ft catamaran with a fun and professional crew. The manta night cruises include James Wing, a manta ray expert and professional videographer, and are the area’S best. Departs from Keauhou Bay.
Diving
Near the shore, divers can see steep drop-offs with lava tubes, caves and diverse marine life. In deeper waters there are 40 popular boat-dive areas, including an airplane wreck off Keahole Point.
One well-known dive spot is Red Hill, an underwater cinder cone about 10 miles south of Kona. It has beautiful lava formations (including ledges and lots of honeycombed lava tubes) as well as coral pinnacles and brightly colored nudibranchs (mollusks).
Two-tank dives range from $110 to $160. One-tank night dives and manta ray dives cost between $100 and $130. The larger five-star PADI operations offer certification courses for $500 to $650.
See the list of snorkel outfits, Click here, as some accommodate divers; conversely, some dive companies accommodate snorkelers. Kailua-Kona’S dive operations are numerous, and largely have great reputations:
Aloha Dive Company (325-5560, 800-708-5662; www.alohadive.com) A personable small company run by local Native Hawaiian Mike Nakachi and Earl and Chris Kam. Groups are limited to six on the 28ft boat.
Big Island Divers (329-6068; www.bigislanddivers.com; 74-5467 Kaiwi St) Personable staff with expansive shop; all boat dives are open to snorkelers. Specializes in night and manta dives, including black night dives.
Dive Makai (329-2025; www.divemakai.com) A small, friendly operation run by a husband-and-wife team with a 31ft boat. In business for nearly three decades, they provide thorough predive briefings, have a diver-to-guide maximum ratio of 6:1 and keep dives unstructured. Offers night and manta ray dives.
Jack’S Diving Locker (329-7585, 800-345-4807; www.jacksdivinglocker.com; Coconut Grove Marketplace, 75-5813 Ali’i Dr) One of the best outfits for introductory dives and courses, with extensive programs for kids. Housed at a 5000ft-deep facility, with a store, classrooms, a tank room and a 12ft-deep dive pool. Offers boat and shore dives, as well as night manta-ray dives; snorkelers welcome on many trips. Its five boats (from 23ft to 46ft) handle groups of six to 18 divers. Jack’S has a reputation for preservation and setting up moorings.
Whale Watching
The season for humpback whales usually starts around January and runs to March or April.