We spent an awesome morning on the water with Evan. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and even…read morewent the extra mile (fathom?) while free diving 40 feet to find an octopus so that we could have an encounter with one. We saw lots of turtles getting their spa day while tropical fish cleaned them. Within an hour or two, we received an email with two dozen high quality photos and videos that Evan took with his GoPro. A pretty big value add to the tour! I was a little apprehensive about exiting the kayak but he made it a safe, easy and fun experience. If you're thinking of joining a huge group tour organized by one of the resorts, book a trip with Evan and his guides instead. You won't regret it!

Excellent experience. Evan and Don where great. They both were very knowledgeable of the ocean and…read moretook us to a great place to snorkel on the kayaks.

We loved this so much! Our entire family had the best time. Great people, so many turtles. SUPs…read moreare so cool and unique. Felt totally safe. We will be back for sure! 10/10!!

Highly recommend! We initially found LightSUP on Yelp at the top with all its stellar reviews and…read morewith SUP on my check off list, we booked it. I talked to Kelly on the phone and she was amazing ! and very patient answering all my questions, I had a lot lol since this was our first time. Looking at weather and surf conditions, she assured us Tuesday would be a great am for lessons. We drove down to Kona from Waikoloa ~30 min drive. Meet up was near a wharf, where we found free 2 hour parking off of Ali'i drive. Met up with our instructor Mark 830 am - a super friendly and understanding dude and he made us feel at ease. He went over some instructions with us regarding the board, how to, safety, and possible route. He warned us, looking at the windsock, it was a little windy, waters might be rough, but that we could make it work. Life vests were available, I wore one since I'm not the greatest swimmer. The boards were really cool, with the upper half containing a clear glass portion for views of marine life in the ocean. In the evenings, they offer lit up SUP boards. When I got onto the water, the waves were soooooo choppy, I immediately felt seasick- nauseous and dizzy, I was only able paddle for less than a half hour. Hubby was able to stand up a few times, but soon was washed off the board due to the waves. Mark noted that it was definitely advanced waters kinda day. We weren't able to enjoy as much as we had liked to or be out the two hours allotted. But, he made us feel comfortable and was so kind. He shared with us all the videos and pics he took of our am. He called and left a message with Kelly, the owner, of our uneventful morning. I messaged Kelly as well, and she did not charge us. Mahalo! We definitely tipped Mark for his time, kindness, and patience : ) This is a wonderful small owned company that cares about its clients! Check them out!

Wow! Wow! Wow! What an experience! 6 of us and a captain/tour guide went on a Wa'a (Hawaiian…read moreOutrigger Canoe). 6 got us a private tour so it was fun going as a family! Unfortunately, we didn't bring phones or had water proof cases so I didn't get pictures or video of the expereince. First, booking and communication was great! I called a couple days before and the staff member was nice and helpful. On the day of, we arrived and they welcomed us and confirmed everything. They provided with a safe spot so we can put all our phones, wallets, shoes, etc. When it was time, our guide brought us to the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe and started with a history lesson of the Islands, the canoe and the people that traveled from island to island. Then he showed us how to canoe and the traditions of the chants and timing. As we started to go out, he would continue providing us with history. It was fun, safe and educational. I would highly recommend doing this!

Ted and Grant were awesome - friendly, funny, helpful and no pressure when talking about excursions…read moreor renting equipment. Our family used snorkel equipment and paddle boards to enjoy the Kailua Bay. Grant was our guide for a morning magic kayak, across Kealakekua Bay to snorkel and return. He patiently led the group across and shared his knowledge of Hawaiian history relating to the bay. Once near our landing site he noticed some other kayakers who were in the water needing assistance. Grant paddled over, got into the water to right their craft before helping assist them back in. He patiently got our group into the water, assisting those needing more time or help, also freely answering questions from the public. All our equipment worked well. Got to see some interesting fish and beautiful coral. Our family had a fun and memorable experience! Great guide!

Loved the experience! The staff was very friendly (at the beach and on a boat). The vessel was…read moreclean so we could see everything clearly. Boat crew made sure we encountered every creature possible so they had to "chase" manta for a bit. Pretty good value! Highly recommend!

Buddy was the rudest, most insulting employee I've encountered at any type of Company, let alone a…read morehospitality business in the last 30 years. Zero stars merited.

I almost never write reviews, but this experience absolutely deserved one…read more I accidentally booked my 8-year-old daughter's private surf lesson for the wrong Friday. I called the day before the lesson I thought we had booked, expecting there was no chance they could fit us in. Ben, the co-owner, couldn't have been kinder. He immediately said, "No problem," rearranged things, and even taught her lesson himself. From the moment we arrived, I knew we were in great hands. The safety instruction was clear, thorough, hands-on, and incredibly well done. It was obvious that every instructor has years of experience and genuinely cares about keeping students safe while making sure they have an amazing time. The entire atmosphere was calm, welcoming, and laid back. As a parent, I felt completely comfortable watching my daughter head out into the water. Harlowe is naturally a little shy, and Ben met her exactly where she was. He built her confidence from the start, made her feel comfortable every step of the way, and somehow had her smiling, laughing, and catching wave after wave. She had an absolute blast. I've taken surf lessonsp over the years, and this was, without question, the best experience we've ever had. If you're looking for surf lessons on the Big Island, this is the place. Professional, patient, safety-first, and genuinely fun. Thank you, Ben, for making one of Harlowe's favorite memories of our trip. We can't wait to come back!

Ben was awesome with my 7 & 10 year old boys. His enthusiasm made them feel more comfortable and…read moreconfident. They caught a bunch of waves even on a small day

Great options of adult and kids swim clothes. Very friendly and helpful service. They also rent…read morebeach chairs and umbrellas.

This review is for a weeklong "high performance" surfboard rental. I wanted to chime in here for…read moretwo reasons: first, because other reviews don't discuss the weekly or high-performance rentals. And second, because this place has some less-than-stellar reviews that I feel might not be totally warranted. The staff members I spoke with during pick-up and drop-off were both super friendly-- way more so than I expected. The board itself was not exactly "high performance" compared to my favorite boards back home, but it was definitely better than the Wavestorms and NSPs you commonly see for rent on beachfront stands. Can you do better elsewhere? Maybe, probably, if you put some legwork into finding alternatives. But there aren't that many other options if you're on the northwest side of the Big Island. Anyway more about the rental itself: The boards are epoxy but somehow the one I got was not as chattery and stiff as other epoxy boards I've used in the past. They're not exactly "real" hand-shaped (or even hand-finished) boards you would get from a "core" surf shop, but they seem a lot better than the average mass-market pop-out. They also said I could come and swap out for a different design during my rental period if I wanted as well. There were short boards, mid lengths, and longboards. Thrusters, single fins, and 1+2s mostly. Not gonna replace my quiver back home, but a totally fine experience all around.

Such a wonderful experience. Tony, Jessa and the stroker were amazing. They made the experience…read moreso special and made us feel like family. Highly recommend them and will definitely be using them again on our next trip to the island.

Had a great time kayaking through Kealakekua bay with Evan and Steve and then snorkeling near…read moreCaptain Cook's monument. This was our second time and it was just as fun, if not more! The early morning kayaking through the bay is soothing for the soul. We also got lucky and saw some dolphins. The snorkeling is out of this world with such clear water and variety of colorful fish of all sizes. Evan and Steve were both very attentive to all the kayakers and super knowledgeable as we learned a bunch about Hawaiian history, Captain Cook's arrival (and demise), and the lasting legacy of that episode on Hawaii's history. After all the snorkeling, the sandwich lunch hit the spot. It also came with a souvenir water bottle! I had a last minute dietary request and they graciously accommodated. Even though this was our second time, we still had fun and actually learned new details about the history and conservation efforts happening in the area! If you want a fun, yet respectful and ethical experience, this is it!

I was a true beginner surfer.. Eric was kind and really encouraged me to go for it. Explained…read moreeverything clearly, gave me the push I needed.. highly recommend!!

An amazing experience for my daughter! She had so much fun and learned a lot. Hana was the best…read moreinstructor. He was encouraging and gave clear directions.

My family and I took a kayak tour from Sian and his wife last winter and it was amazing. They are…read moreknowledgable, safe and patient. We saw whales and had a blast! This year we took advantage of kayaking and trying our hand at stand up paddle boarding and had a fantastic time! I highly recommend this outfit!

We had purchased a kayaking & snorkeling tour for 2 and were looking forward to enjoying this as a…read morehoneymoon activity. We were told to show up for check in at 9, and arrive promptly at 8.30am. 9am came and went with no tour organizers showing up. We called Expedia whom we bought the tickets through. And they responded quickly to our voicemail. The excuse provided by Kohala Kayak was that an emergency came up, which I'm fine with, but the fact we had to do the chasing instead of them calling us left a bad impression. You simply can't run a business with this low service quality. We adapted for the rest of the day, but purposefully had left our camera at the hotel so missed some great photo opportunities. Do yourself a favor and pick another tour or activity that is more assured.

Keona was amazing! We did the the underwater scooter and it was sooooo fun! I have Lived on island…read morefor 10 years and very versed in snorkeling and diving and the scooters were a great new experience I would highly recommend. Good vibes, fun times and knowledgeable operators! Can't wait to come out again! Cheeeeehooooooo! Do it y'all. You won't be disappointed!

Went on an excursion and rented equipment from Ona, the experience was amazing. Once in a lifetime…read more We hiked to a secluded beach, no one was around, we paddled and snorkeled. Ona is extremely knowledgeable about the ocean, and the culture in Hawaii. She showed me how to use the equipment properly, and I felt completely safe. I rented a paddle board for a week there after. The equipment was flawless, she was amazing and I was able to contact her at any time with questions and suggestions. I wold absolutely rent and go on another excursion with her.