Kaimana Ocean Safari: A Tailored, Intimate Wildlife Experience Along The Kona Coastline
4.9
206 Ratings
Kailua-Kona
Embark on a tailored and intimate wildlife experience along the Kona coastline with Kaimana Ocean Safari. Discover diverse marine life and create lifelong memories on our small-group tours.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 74 Kealakehe Pkwy - The adventure begins the moment you set foot on our vessel! Our tours are set up safari style which means from the start of the tour we are going to be scanning the gorgeous and dramatic coastline of Kona for any type of wildlife to observe and interact with. With the rapid and deep drop off of the sea floor along the coast, we have the potential to see shallow water animals as well as pelagic (deep, open ocean) marine life. While nature is unpredictable and we cannot guarantee any specific interactions or observations, we have the potential to see sea turtles, various fish species, dolphin and whale species, sharks, and manta rays. We’ll have four hours on the water to provide you with the best experience imaginable. Please note we go into deep water for open ocean wildlife on nearly every tour & the search for pelagic life can take some time. Please note you should be able to swim, have a degree of athleticism, & climb up a ladder to participate in the water. This may not be the tour for beginners or some children. *Please review our cancelation policy & if you are joining from a cruise ship you need to confirm with them 24 hours prior they will let you off of the ship.
What's Included
  • Snacks
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
  • Bottled water
What's Not Included
  • Towels, rash guards, sun protection are not included. Please bring reef safe sunscreen (zinc only).
Additional Information

Join us at Kaimana Ocean Safari for a curated oceanic adventure with our trained ocean ecologists, boat operators, and marine photographers. You’ll explore the vibrant Kona coastline and interact with a variety of marine species. With a maximum capacity of 6 guests, our tours far outdo the impersonal experience offered by larger tourist vessels. Our excursions operate on a ‘safari’ model, covering expansive portions of the coastline on our vessel in pursuit of diverse marine life. The thrill of the chase is part of the adventure we offer, letting nature dictate the course of your journey. Embark on an unforgettable expedition with us and create memories that will last a lifetime! Please check out our Instagram pages to get a glimpse of the possible sights. A kind reminder, we do not assure sightings or offer refunds in the event of no sightings. We strive to explore as much as we can as marine life is unpredictable in nature.

  • We have a 4ft height limit for children
  • We have an in-water weight limit of 300 lbs- must be able to climb ladder
Location
74 Kealakehe Pkwy
Kealakehe Parkway
Tours meet at Honokohau Harbor north side bathrooms 15 minutes prior to departure. Enter Kealakehe Parkway from Queen Ka’ahumanu Hwy, Make your first right & turn left after the gas station on your left. Park at the bathroom pavilion & meet staff.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(206 Ratings)
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Joel
May 30, 2024
Great morning exploring the Kona ocean. - Great start to an extended Hawaiian vacation. Enjoyable, relaxing and also interesting introduction to the ocean environment around Kona. Very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable staff who pointed out various marine life both in and out of the water. Also provided great video of the trip. Highly recommend to spend a morning on the water with Kaimana.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W577etkarenh
May 12, 2024
Even as a rider only- awesome time - Had an amazing time. I went as a rider only - my husband snorkeled- still saw the whales and sharks from the boat. Even if you’re not comfortable in the water I highly recommend going as a rider - they were great - so much fun
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A6724vtjenniferf
May 11, 2024
*The* HIGHLIGHT of our time on the Big Island! - In the words of our hard-to-please teenager: "write them the BEST review!" Take her word for it, and book this ocean safari! Four hours on a small, intimate boat (our family of 5 essentially got a private charter), was so much more memorable for us than being among 20 - 30 people on commercial boat. It affected the presence we had in the water, so that we didn't disturb some amazing animals, which would have likely taken off if we were a larger group. Devon and Kay were extremely knowledgable guides, who could spot a shark in the water from >100 ft away (all five of us were scanning the gorgeous blue waves but it was always Kay or Devon who spotted the tiger shark, hammerhead, and pilot whales!). They had snacks, drinks, and explained exactly which species we were and were not allowed to get in the water with under state law, and why. As a result, we were extremely fortunate to swim with turtles, pilot whales, and even oceanic white tip sharks! An INCREDIBLE trip! (And get the Go Pro package! Devon's footage was a wonderful keepsake)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lindsay
May 10, 2024
Don’t hesitate to book with Kaimana! - We had an incredible experience with Kaimana! We snorkeled off a reef where we saw an eagle ray, green sea turtle, white tipped reef shark, and even a massive tuna! They then worked hard to find us some pelagic creatures - swimming in the brilliant blue open ocean was so cool! We were lucky enough to swim with a pod of short finned pilot whales and then some bottle nose dolphins for a short time. There were also some nocturnal spinner dolphins, but it’s illegal to swim with them. But it was still very cool to see them from the surface! The ladies at Kaimana (all female team 💪🏻) were so knowledgeable and amazing! They work hard to give back and protect the ocean and its inhabitants 💙 and they even provided us with yummy snacks and drinks 🤤 @mermaid.kayleigh @camgrantphotography
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kbowiemom
May 10, 2024
Best Thing We Did on the Big Island - If you do one thing on the Big Island, I would do this! We went in March with my my kids ages 15, 13, and 8. We didn't actually have any major expectations other than hoping to see some sea life and maybe get in some snorkeling that would be a more private experience that the giant snorkeling cruise boats. This FAR exceeded all our expectations and my kids keep talking about "when we go back to Hawaii we have to do this again!!!" First of all, the Kaimana staff are professional, knowledgeable, experienced and will keep you safe! They will make sure you have a great time! (Just a bonus that they offered us great hospitality and fantastic pineapple and snacks!) We had the amazing opportunity to see a baby whale breaching over and over and playing, we swam with a pod of pilot whales, and with oceanic white tip sharks. My son even had a blue marlin jet by him! We did get in the water near a hammerhead but it was shy and swam away. Also while in the water we heard the whales singing underwater and it was absolutely amazing!!!!! None of us will ever forget this experience and will certainly book again when we come back one of these days! Keep in mind what you "see" will be dependent on ocean conditions and time of year, etc. I would never hesitate to recommend Kaimana to anyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kendra_b
May 10, 2024
If you do one thing in Hawaii, do this! - This review is about 3 months overdue! If there is one thing to do on the Big Island, this is it! My husband and my 3 kids ages 15, 13, and 8 booked this excursion hoping to see whatever sea creatures we could and we had the BEST experience. The crew are amazing naturalists and are interested in educating you about the ocean animals and keeping you safe with them. We were a bit adventurous and had the opportunity to swim with a pod with pilot whales, some oceanic white tip sharks, and for a moment with a hammerhead that swam away quickly. We heard the sounds of a whale underwater which was amazing (couldn't see it but just hearing it was so cool). We saw a baby whale breaching over and over and while in the water a blue marlin swam right by my son. My whole family agreed we needed like another day to spend with this wonderful crew! Thank you for making us feel safe to try such an amazing thing as swimming with sharks! Your hospitality was outstanding. We couldn't stop talking about it! (FYI pictures were too large to upload here).
Review provided by Viator
Eddie_h
May 7, 2024
Excellent Crew amd Excursion - What an amazing crew and experience. Very friendly and professional from start to finish. While snorkeling, we got to see rays, turtles, a large Tuna, shark, and multiple whales including a mother and her calf - all due to the knowledge and experience of the guides. Outstanding excursion at Kona!
Review provided by Viator
Inspiration658316
Apr 26, 2024
Best way to explore Kona marine life !!!! - Cannot recommend this enough! If you’re solo, with a partner or group it was such an educational, fun, thrilling experience and being in the water with professionals just makes swimming with wildlife so much more enjoyable and fun! Love love love
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fraserkelly
Apr 1, 2024
Incredible day. - Stop scrolling and book your excursion with this highly professional, family-owned and operated company. With your safety and respect for the ocean (and its inhabitants) at the forefront, this knowledgeable team will get you and your group out to all of the amazing spots on the Kona coast. We had an amazing crew help us get the most out of our day. Capt Cam was able to locate a pod of Pilot Whales and we were fortunate to have a once in a lifetime experience in the water with these beautiful and thoughtful animals. Always wary of “fast movers”, our crew kept a lookout and ensured our safety at every stop along the way. We will not take our good fortune for granted. Give this company a follow on social media, along with @mermaid.Kayleigh on IG.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ryanti1973gy
Apr 12, 2024
Pompous guides - Instagram influencers with a boat who love sharks. Although some of the information they shared felt like they made it up- they seemed to be decently educated, but one girl was from Montana so I’m not too sure lol... Price is worth it if you have a unique encounter with wildlife, but we didn’t see much besides basic stuff. I could see how this could possibly be a great experience for adventurous ocean lovers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 6 guests
1
Adult
June 2024
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