We went on a snorkeling and whale watching tour with Liquid Hawaii for our wedding anniversary, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. Matt, the owner, was incredibly knowledgeable about the island's history and marine life, and he was kind enough to honor our tour even though they didn't have the minimum group size of four passengers that day. That alone says a lot about the kind of business he runs. He also made our anniversary feel extra special by providing a fresh seafood lunch with fish he had caught himself, which was such a thoughtful and unexpected touch. The tour was about 3.5 to 4 hours total. From the marina, it was roughly a 10 minute boat ride to the snorkel spot. The ride itself was very comfortable. There is some shade on the boat, but it's not fully covered, so definitely bring solid sun protection. A long sleeve rash guard or sun shirt is a good idea. On the way out, we saw a few whales in the distance and once we were in the water, we could actually hear them singing. It was surreal and honestly kind of magical. The snorkel location itself was beautiful, with several sea turtles, tons of fish, and colorful coral. There was only one other boat nearby, so it felt remote and almost private rather than crowded or rushed. Hunter, our snorkel guide, was relaxed and helpful, and we were able to move at our own pace which made the whole experience feel unhurried and personalized. We didn't get to see any whales up close unfortunately, they just weren't cooperating that day, but even hearing them underwater was something we won't forget. Matt was friendly, down to earth, and clearly passionate about what he does. He offers both land and water tours, and we appreciated the local perspective woven throughout the experience. If you're looking for a more intimate, locally run excursion instead of a large crowded boat tour, I would absolutely recommend Liquid Hawaii. read more

Liquid Hawaii - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Our group of 9 family members (5 kids ages 7 to 12 and 4 adults) had the best experience night swimming with the mantas with Liquid Hawaii. Captain Vasi and Azure were amazing and fun throughout our excursion. Their love and respect for the mantas came through and was contagious. My 9 year old daughter was feeling anxious about jumping into the water off the boat and they were both patient and kind. She ended up loving the experience! Bucket list experience for us all! read more

HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Manta Ray Night Snorkeling! We were warm (a fear before I went) and dazzled by the beautiful, gentle, giant manta rays. Guides Vassi, Gil were super knowledgeable and taught us so much about these magnificent creatures. Guide Azure also shared some amazing photos and videos of our experience. We were in peaceful bay without the crowds of Kona and saw many manta rays right in front of our eyes. LIQUID HAWAII IS A MUST DO!!! read more

Liquid Hawaii - comfortable snorkeling gear - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Our manta ray night snorkel was honestly disappointing from start to finish. Trips had been canceled all week due to high winds, and in hindsight, this night should have been canceled too. It was extremely windy and choppy -- even the boat captain & guide commented, "this is windy," which didn't exactly inspire confidence. We didn't see a single manta ray, and the conditions made it hard to even enjoy being on & in the water. The ride back was rough, freezing, and completely soaked us. It felt more like surviving the ocean than experiencing it. I understand wildlife sightings aren't guaranteed, but guest safety and overall conditions should come first. I wish the company had made the call to reschedule rather than pushing forward in clearly poor weather. read more

We had such an amazing experience with Liquid Hawaii! Captain Vasi and Gill were absolutely incredible from start to finish. They were friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and truly made the entire experience so much fun. I was honestly a little nervous going into the experience, but they made me feel comfortable and safe the entire time. You can tell they genuinely care about their guests and love what they do. Their energy and personalities made the experience even more memorable! This was definitely one of the highlights of our Hawaii trip and an experience we will never forget. If you are considering booking with Liquid Hawaii, DO IT! And if you get Captain Vasi and Gill, you are in amazing hands. Highly recommend! read more

We had a great experience with our guides Vasi and Mikena. They were knowledgeable and informative and also had some great stories. We went on a whale watching/snorkeling tour and saw dozens of whales, unfortunately a huge wind kicked up and we were not able to snorkel which was a huge attraction and disappointment for us. But it was unsafe to stay out longer with the wind getting more and more intense and the ride back to the harbor was more like surfing than riding in a zodiac, at first a little terrifying but Vasi was so expert at riding the waves that I joked we got an extra unexpected thrill ride. As we were headed in a whale appeared very close to the boat and surfaced a couple times before humping and throwing its tail and diving. It was really exciting to see so close up. We discussed options with the owner and decided on a partial refund as high winds and swells could be expected for the remainder of our trip. We paid for a 2 hour whale watching tour instead of the combo, so I felt the owner was more than fair as we were out closer to 2 3/4 hours out on the water. If I ever return to the big island I wouldn't hesitate to book with Liquid Hawaii again. I will post a video of the whale after editing when I get home. read more

Gil and Vasi were amazing! Very friendly, knowledgeable and fun for my 13 year old boys. We saw so many manta ray. Speechless. The whole experience was unreal and amazing. A must do if you visit the big island. We'd definitely recommend Liquid Hawaii to all of our friends and family. Thanks, guys, for an unforgettable experience! read more

What a great day! We are early for Whale watching season, but they have been seeing them and opened up their tours. It did not disappoint. While there only a handful of whales, we did see a baby whale breach, along with several tail fin and back sightings. Heck, the breaching whale, right in front of the boat mind you, was worth the price of admission. Kirin was great. He truly enjoys showing people the whales! Will definitely look him up the next time we return to the big island. read more

Liquid Hawaii - Breaching humpback whale. - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Would highly recommend the night snorkeling with manta rays with Liquid Hawaii. Location was convenient to get to from the Mauna Kea/Westin resort areas. It also meant we were removed from the crowds of Kona where we've seen photos of lines of boards lined up. The only two boats in the entire bay were from Liquid Hawaii which made for a quieter more intimate experience. Captain and crew were great with our kids and made sure my youngest had a good time despite deciding not to get in the water. Recommend bringing a waterproof camera if you have one to capture the moment. read more

You could get lucky but for the view / shots I wanted we spent 1/2 the 2 hours racing up and down the coast. When we finally got quite close to two large males breaching our captain was still going full tilt and I barely even saw the event even though one of them breached twice. The other boats seemed to sit patiently and just wait, it worked well for them "this time". I'm pretty sure a two hour tour is not enough time, it's a bit of a waiting game. So close but no cigar. Not sure about the experience level of the captain who was very sweet, at guiding a tour. The seating is marginal, I can't imagine that boat with 12 people. read more

Liquid Hawaii - And all I got was a little tail! - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Amazing tour 10/10 recommend. They were so great with my 8 year old first time snorkeler. Snorkeling we saw so many tropical fish, turtles, and even a shark. The best part was cruising back with a school of 100s of dolphins. read more

Liquid Hawaii - Dolphin - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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We had a great time today with the crew! They were very nIce and informative. We saw whales and they did a good job looking and trying to find more for us to see. We would most definitely recommend this group for a water adventure in the future. Thanks for all of the information and insight. I would make sure and bring your own binoculars if you need help seeing farther away. read more

Kieran and team are top notch, thoughtful and responsive. They did their best to ensure we had the best experience possible, even letting us know when waves were a little too big to enjoy our Manta ray experience. We rescheduled and had the best time watching the rays the next evening. When my wife left her sunglasses on the boat, Kieran was super helpful and responsive in helping us get them back. Even though I'm sure he was very busy! Highly recommend! read more

Swimming with Manta Rays is a must do. Kieran was a fantastic captain and Azure was an extremely knowledgeable first mate. They made the experience relaxing, exciting and fun. Seeing the manta rays up close and personal was something that we won't forget. If you have the chance, definitely book an excursion through Liquid Hawaii. read more

The Manta Ray Snorkeling tour was absolutely amazing! The staff was very knowledgeable, friendly and put us at ease snorkeling with the Manta Rays. It is a bucket list adventure that you will always remember. read more

Great experience! Very nice people and immediately saw a manta ray. Very knowledgeable! Highly recommend! Wish we booked our snorkeling tour with them. Will next year for sure! read more

We did the night manta ray tour and had a wonderful experience! We had two separate boats, but the guides worked together. When the other boat spotted the first manta, they moved us over and we connected. It felt like we were a small group and not part of a massive group. We went out by the Mauna Kea resort so there were not as many boats. Guides were very knowledgeable! They explained everything before we got in the water and were super friendly! You can tell they cared for the mantas and got along with each other. Also, not sure if this happens nightly, but a guide took videos and shared them after the trip so I could truly experience the trip and not worry about holding a phone. I had heard this before and it was a big reason why I picked this company! The overall experience was well worth it. Seeing the mantas in that element and that close was a magical experience! read more

The staff were the best! We had (my spelling may be wrong) Vassi and Kiana and they really took care of me and my parents. Felt very safe due to the structured smaller group size and educated about what we were doing and the wildlife. My dad also got really sea sick and they handled it great! Recommend this company! read more

The nice thing about this tour is it's not as popular as the tours down South near Kona. This means that there's a good chance it will be only your tour group, and the intimacy can be nice. They supply drinks, snorkel equipment, and wetsuits on the trip. It should be noted that 2/3 of our party were on the skinny side and felt very cold while in the water as the wetsuits are 3/4. The downside of this trip for us was the amount of time we spent out on the water bobbing up and down in waves reading from a book about whales and manta rays waiting for the sun to go down. I understand that there is always the possibility of seeing a whale, which is more than likely one of the reasons for choosing this location. I did not however find the information interesting. I believe the other reason for this part of the tour being included was to make you feel like you were getting something for the amount of money we spent ($189 per person). While the staff read enthusiastically from a book, they didn't feel like they truly knew the material and it felt like they were painfully bumbling through it. I would have much rather suffered this on a dock where my group could have avoided becoming seasick. This whole ordeal unfortunately left my group feeling green and vomiting up their lunch. While the captain was very gracious in cleaning it up and providing ginger ale, it unfortunately meant that much of my group was to weak and cold to participate in the manta ray portion we had paid for. The remainder of the 35 minutes was spent vomiting, shivering, and waiting in the dark for the rest of the tour group who were not sick and enjoying the manta rays. My advice for the tour guide is skip the presentation, or vastly improve it where you don't feel like you are being read to. My advice to tourist is to consider beach approach tours if sea sickness is a concern (several people from the resort we parked 30 yards in front of just snorkelled out to where we were for free...$600 savings). Also, if you don't mind the crowds, the southern tours near Kona draw bigger manta rays (this was my 3rd tour), and manta rays here were about 10 ft, compared to 14 ft near Kona. Finally, many of the tours which are more established near Kona are cheaper and offer guarantees of manta ray sightings ($139 for adults and $109 for kids). read more

Here's a polished version of your message that maintains your excitement while adding clarity and flow: --- Had an absolutely amazing time--10/10 experience! The guides were fantastic, everything felt super chill, and it was well worth the cost for the small group setting. We had the water to ourselves with no other boats around, which made the encounters even more special. We spent about 45 minutes in the water, and when our kiddo decided not to go in, the team was incredibly kind and understanding. Couldn't recommend it more! read more

Matt IS Kona, Hawaii. You have not fully experienced the Big Island until you have taken one of Liquid Hawaii's phenomenal tours. From off the beaten path adventures, to up and close experiences- you will be in for a TREAT. Matt grew up on the Big Island and is a native, which leads to priceless special corners of the Big Island and things you can not experience without Liquid Hawaii's expertise. Amazing tours and knowledge is all included with Liquid Hawaii, and memories that will last months past your vacation. I would trust them with anything or any special requests! read more

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This was an adventure not a tour. Kieran and Amy took great care of us for our 4 hour snorkel where we saw spinner dolphins, a "turtle cleaning station", and one friendly octopus. This crew knows what they are doing and are super knowledgeable about the ocean and the history of Hawaii. This isn't your Mai Tai, float it is a fully immersive ocean adventure. read more

We've been on many whale watches over the years and Liquid Hawaii is at the top! Captain Kieran is an expert in whale behavior and finding whales, which he did in abundance. We also were able to listen to the song of the whales around the boat from the hydrophone in the water. That was amazing ! In addition to being experts in finding whales Captain Kieran and first mate Vossie (sorry if I spelled that wrong) were very friendly, shared lots of whale info (some we'd never heard on any other trip) and Hawaii history including many stories of the Hawaiian gods. It was extra special to have such expertise in local culture and history. They will be our new go to whale watch in Hawaii! read more

Kieran and Genevieve delivered a glorious whale watching & snorkel trip for our family today! Kieran knew all the right spots to find whales, dolphins & sharks and Genieve spotted an octopus by recognizing the species of fish that was nearby. Hawaii is a very special place on planet earth - I highly recommend a boat trip to experience the ocean creatures who live here and learn more about them from this knowledgeable crew! read more

Matt and team have created something special like no other. Kieran and Mikena are extremely knowledgeable and great to voyage with! read more

Liquid Hawaii - The Elbert Family had an amazing time. Mikena and Kieran are awesome! - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

We really enjoyed our trip with Liquid Hawaii. We had or 8 and 6 year old with us and they gave them extra attention and made them comfortable in the water. Plan on booking them again for the nighttime manta ray tour. read more

We did the Manta Ray night tour. It was an amazing experience. We ended up being just a party of three, which was very unexpected, and we were very lucky. The crew were extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They taught us not only about the manta rays but also about the history of the island. We had a Ray swimming and flipping in front of us in no time. The GoPro caught amazing videos that we have watched over and over in awe of what we experienced. We had a nice amount of time in the water compared to other tours. To anyone considering this tour-do it, you won't regret it! read more

Liquid Hawaii - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Ulua Matt, Capt Voss and deckhand Kyle were the best. Very educational and amazing time in the water. Don't hesitate to book a trip with Liquid Hawaii. 100/10! Memory of a life time for my daughter. Mahalo nui loa and Aloha Liquid Hawaii. read more

Matt and his crew provided an incredible manta ray snorkeling experience. They were friendly, fun, very knowledgeable about manta rays and the history of manta sightings around the Big Island. And of course they delivered an outrageously cool time floating inches above the enormous dancing mantas. Highly recommend Liquid Hawaii, particularly for anyone staying in a hotel north of Kona (eg. Fairmont), as they're the only crew that sails from a harbor near those hotels. This means you not only have a shorter drive, but you get the mantas to yourself (instead of being surrounded by a dozen other boats). Word of caution - The water can be choppy, so anyone who gets seasick might have a tough time. read more

Heading out of the harbor we stopped almost immediately to listed to a singing whale - Kieran seems to have developed a relationship with this one as he knew the song, and when the song would be over. We saw spinner dolphins on our quest to find whales, a few babies from a distance, a few full breaches from a distance - but the star of the show - four humpback males chasing a female. Kieran put us right in the middle of it! Absolutely amazing, never seen whales move so fast, chaotically or sound so loud! Under the boat around the boat etc. we were even 45 mins late getting back. Awesome experience! He even shared some of his underwater footage. read more

Went on a Whale Watching Tour mid-morning on Sunday - February 2, 2025. Beautiful day with calm seas. We went straight to a location not far from the marina to listen to a whale singing. We then headed south where we observed several whales off in the distance. Captain Kieran dared his knowledge and experience with whales. We also observe a large pod of spinner dolphins that played in the boat's wake. Coming upon the two hour's on our tour, our captain Kieran got the tour group's okay to extend the tour to find a closed up whale experience. He found a "heat rush" where 4 males were pursuing a female. Observed the "heat rush" for about 15 minutes in close proximity and even under our boat. It was a very memorable experience. Highly recommend Liquid Hawaii. They made our tour enjoyable and memorable. Taking the extra effort and extending the Tour was very appreciated and paid off with a big reward. Mahalo to Captain Kieran and Deckhand Azure. read more

My daughter and I went on a night snorkel Manta Ray trip. There were only 7 of us in the water and we were the only boat out there which is very unusual and extremely fortunate for us. What an amazing experience! The captain and leader both care very much for their passengers and the environment. What an amazing experience in the water! Huge manta rays come up from below right at you, turning over just inches away from your face as they feed on the plankton floating all over. You get to see these beautiful, gentle creatures extremely close up and view every part of them. We also got some nice tips from the captain Kieran for other fun things to do on the island after we docked. I definitely recommend Liquid Hawaii for this experience. read more

We had the most spectacular experience on this snorkeling trip and couldn't recommend this family-owned business more highly! We swam beside sea turtles and above a manta ray, held an octopus, and saw whales (a mother and her calf)! This experience was SO worth it. There were 8 people on our boat, so we had plenty of time with the guides whenever we had questions. We were given very clear instructions for getting to the launch spot and returned to land right on schedule. They also provided snacks and beverages, which was a very nice touch. If you're not sure which company to snorkel with, choose Liquid Hawaii! If we ever make it back to the Big Island, we'll definitely snorkel with them again! read more

My Sister-in-Law found this company online and I am so glad she did. We were all a bit nervous about this, but it was a once in a life time experience. We had kids with us from 7-15 years old and they all had a great time. Their staff was great. They were funny and knowledgeable and made all of us feel at ease. One of the kids was very nervous, but they were so good with her and she had the best time. We had great luck and had 3 different rays very actively feeding and giving quite a show. I highly recommend this company, you won't regret booking this trip! read more

In lieu of Matt, we were guided by Kieren and Oscar - both were personable, knowledgeable, and loved their jobs. Hold your questions cos Kieren will pull out a binder and answer almost every question that comes to mind. And, NO these aren't the kinda Rays that Steve Irwin "met." Small group (6 total), 15 minutes away from Waikoloa Beach Resorts, and short ride out to Manta Ray area were the major reasons we opted for this tour and SO glad we choose wisely! It's a tad more $ than going Kona, but so worth it. Bonuses were beverages provided and footage (both pics and vids) of our encounter w/ the Mantas (we saw 4 in all) was airdropped to us. This is a MUST do and as you exit the water, you can't help but say, "That was F**KING amazing!!!" Plenty of parking. Only tip, when you come to the fork, go left towards "dead end" and you'll easily spot the Aloha sign where you make the right to the ramp. If you go other way, you'll end up on rollercoaster road to Hapuna Beach. read more

Liquid Hawaii - Ride out - perfect sunset - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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Best water tour I've been on! Bigger companies tend to take you to the spot and you head back. Liquid Hawaii was mo bettah! Kieran & Amy made sure I felt comfortable & are extremely sweet and knowledgeable. They took their time explaining as they showed us around. I saw species that I had not encountered before, each more fascinating and vibrant than the last. Liquid Hawaii really stands out because of their exceptional service. They even captured underwater pictures that otherwise would have only been memories for me. I recommend them to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience on the water. read more

Liquid Hawaii - ask and you shall receive!! i wanted to see an octopus and Liquid Hawaii made it happen! - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

What an amazing experience! From our first introductions at the boat ramp to our return after seeing these magnificent animals we can't thank Kieran and Allie enough for the wonderful adventure. Kieran spent some time educating us all on the Manta's and his passion for the ocean comes shining through. We were so thankful to have found this company and both of us agreed that we will 100% do this same tour when we return next year. Mahalo. read more

Liquid Hawaii - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

The team at Liquid Hawaii are the best of the best! Though this was our first time snorkeling with the rays our family is an off shore fishing/water adventure family. So we know a knowledgeable crew when we see one. The entire process from reservations to the end was so organized and clear. As soon as we got on the boat the team was already providing education and putting some of the more nervous people in the group at ease. They got us out to the location very quickly, which allowed more time for education and suiting up. This was nice because we didn't feel rushed and it allowed for a better understanding of what we were about to experience. The team also CLEARLY loves these mantas. It was so special hearing all the stories they have about their history and behaviors. Again, this team went above and beyond! Once in the water, Amy was amazing. She caught plenty of footage so we didn't have to worry about a thing. She made everyone so comfortable and kept the communication going. It truly was the experience of a lifetime, and I can't recommend Liquid Hawaii enough! I also have to note, don't be turned off by the fact that they are a bit more expensive than some of the other companies. This team and location of the snorkel was well worth the cost, and they were the OG company in this location. Don't skimp out on an experience like this! You won't regret it. Mahalo Liquid Hawaii team. We will be back! read more

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A few weeks back a friend and I were staying on the Big Island and we wanted to do the manta ray dive we had heard about. Luckily we were given Liquid Hawaii's name and the concierge helped to set up a time for us to go. These people are top notch. Kieren was our captain and I can't remember the name of the young woman who was the crew, but she was very friendly and helpful. Both were very knowledgeable and I loved the fact that we learned so much about the manta rays when we were sitting on the boat before we got into the water. Including how a baby manta ray is born and why you shouldn't touch manta rays or other sea creatures and how to be still so you get the best show when you are in the water. If only everyone paid attention to directions. One woman kept kicking and then in one of the videos she actually reached down and touched the manta ray who jerked away. People, they can become really sick by having us touch them, is that what you want to have happen??? Anyway, it was an awesome evening and I highly recommend being in the water with manta rays. It was totally magical. We both walked away from it saying it was the highlight of our trip. And we had an awesome trip! After talking to a family that had gone on a day snorkeling tour with Liquid Hawaii, I definitely have that in my things to do for future trips to that area. It sounded amazing. I have been telling all of my friends about this company because they just really were worth the money due to their caring about the sea creatures and the way of life there. So inspiring! read more

This is an amazing event; Matt and his crew did a great job in giving us the experience of a lifetime. The boat was small and intimate there were 5 of us on board and he limits to 6 people, so we got to know everyone on board. They provided a great lesson and information about Manta Rays and wet suits, so we were not cold while we floated in the water and watched them feed just below us. It is very safe and anyone who might have concerns about being in the ocean in the evening has nothing to worry about. read more

Liquid Hawaii - One of the many Manta Rays that we saw during the evening. - Snorkeling Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii