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!

Fantastic experience with Kona Boys for the Morning Kealakekua Bay Kayak & Snorkel Tour. When we…read morearrived at the shop at 7 am for orientation, Frank was friendly and prompt with greeting us at the shop and giving the orientation talk, and Paul outfitted us with gear and made sure we knew how to get to the launch site. The shop dog and cat were also very friendly. Our guide for the morning was Grant, who was fantastic. He was engaging and extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, language, geology, flora, fauna, and many other topics. He was also communicative, attentive, and helpful to other people. Overall, I liked that our early start meant that we arrived before the other large commercial boats did, so we got to enjoy paddling and snorkeling the bay with fewer people. I highly recommend Kona Boys as an eco-friendly option with top tier service.

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!

Second time renting from this place and it certainly won't be my last. The snorkel rentals here are…read morevery reasonably priced which I appreciate in such a touristy area. Additionally the staff is super helpful in making sure your gear fits correctly and answering your questions regarding all your snorkeling spot options or even just cool places to check out on your visit. I'm glad I found a reliable place to rent gear every time I'm on island.

Amazing snorkeling! Free parking within walking distance…read more Our son loved the tide pools. You'll see so much ocean life here. Not too busy either when we went, this was a very family friendly spot!

Snorkel spot. Get it done. No sand, no beach just lava rock and reefs with lots of fish and sea…read moreurchins. Proceed with caution but once in the water it's pretty amazing down there. Watch for the signs that tell you where to get in and out of. There is actually a slimy step to use. Coming out I accidentally slipped and cut my finger on the slimy rock. Scared me as I thought I might have touched a sea urchin. Parking is interesting but we were lucky and found a spot on the street. You are greeted with signs that say Pharmaceuticals detected in the water please use restroom before entering water. Ewww yuck! That kind of freaked me out.

Love the people who work here. Super helpful when I was looking for something specific and just the…read moremost kind. Great options in all price ranges.

I've had a few trips where I hired surf coaches. And Austin is the best surf coach I've ever had…read more With Austin this is the first time I truly learned something insightful and memorable. Austin is very friendly, communicative and detail oriented. Before the lesson he made sure that he could prepare for equipments based on my body type and measurements. He likes to keep his class (if group class) very small so everyone gets to have more time to learn directly from him. What's more, Austin likes to keep his class fun and relaxing. He knows when he should be pushing the students hard to practice more, and when to rest a little with stories and jokes so keeps the students motivated. Also most importantly, Austin likes to bring depth to his class. He's very knowledgeable of sharing different ways of standing up, paddling. And he likes to share his insights on the pros and cons and when to use which. I found it extremely helpful. I found with this trip I can come home not only knowing how to stand up, but how to truly surf. In all, Austin is the best surf coach I've ever had and I strongly recommend you book lessons with him.

Great quality and value! We rented snorkel equipment and a…read morecooler for our trip and it was definitely worth it. Danny was great and made for easy pick up and drop off!

My sister had made a reservation online and I was going to pick it up, I had the confirmation email…read moreshe had forwarded me. she called the shop ahead of time and asked them if I could pick it up, they said "yeah it's no problem". I got to the shop and told them I had a reservation, they said "oh we don't do reservations or hold anything, give me your name I'll set you up". I was confused, because why even have the option online if it won't be honored in the store? So I pushed back and told them that my sister had already done it online. One of the men said "it would take longer to look the number up than to just do it this way so just give him your last name". I was still taken aback and hesitant because this wasn't the plan I had agreed to and the other man said "what you don't know your last name?" Had it not been for the fact that the kids we were with had been really excited to have boogie boards, I would have walked out. The men were rude, condescending, and I felt bullied into making the reservation. If there was an actual reason for why they do it the way they do, that would have been helpful to know instead of them just talking over me and demanding my information. Also the explanation of "it would take longer to look up your reservation number" honestly just communicates laziness to me. So there IS some sort of reservation database you COULD pull it up from, you just don't want to do it? Again, if there's a legitimate reason for that, maybe explain that instead of treating customers like they're dumb and then maybe don't have it as an option. Super unnecessart

I am 70 years old. Always wanted to try surfing and what better place to learn than here in Kona,…read morewhile on vacation. Had a blast with Jae. He made the whole experience fun. Learned so much about the sport and even stood up once or twice. He is a true professional coach and made sure I was safe at all time. He did all the hard work and set me up for each wave so I didn't have to think about anything other than "catching the wave." Spending time with Jae out on the waves was one of the most fun and memorable times of our very memorable vacation. Thanks, Jae!

We had a great time with Jae and his crew! I found Jae by looking up safe surf lessons for kids in…read moreKahalu'u, and this certainly did not disappoint. Starting with communication.. Jae made sure we were only booking on a good day for waves... very easy to talk to, he wants a good experience for all! With a 5, 6, and two 8 year old boys who are good swimmers but never surfed, it was great having the instructors each with the little boys on the boards.. I felt very safe with these professional surfers! The 8 year olds were doing great with one instructor. And all the boys caught so many waves! Now all they want to do is surf! The adults were able to tag along and float with everyone, and try to catch some waves too.. it was great for all of us! Highly recommend and we will be back!

The location was perfect. Easy to find parking , great waves and very helpful instructor, who was…read morevery patient with my nine year old. They provided us with everything we needed (surfboards, shoes, leashes etc) and gave detailed helpful instructions. If you are looking for family surfing fun this is an awesome surf company to use.

Two years ago, my son (9 years old) took a private surf lesson with Kona Surf Company. The teacher…read morewas amazing. He was patient and very knowledgeable. We loved the surf class so much we brought friends with us this time. We signed three 11 year old kids up for a semi-private class. We were texted the night before the class and asked if we could move our 9:00 am class to 11:30 am. I said sure, no problem. The next day, we had one kid drop out. We had a new instructor. He was nice but didn't prep the kids for surfing (irresponsible). After an hour and a half, the instructor brought the kids back and said the office should have contacted me about the new class time. Classes are no longer two hours, the new times will be reflected on the website. I called the office for a week, no one answered and the voicemail was full. No one responded to my email and I texted the number that texted me for the time change with no luck. The website says a TWO HOUR surf lesson, it has not changed. I feel cheated and no one has contacted me.

Our first visit to the Island of Hawai'i was memorable and not just because of Tropical Storm Lala…read more The Manta Ray Night Snorkel was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. There are many tour operators in Kailua-Kona, but we chose Anelakai Adventures because they take a more environmentally conscious approach to ocean tourism, respect the marine ecosystems, and avoid using motorboats. It's important to note that parking is limited in the area near the boat ramp, so it's best to allocate extra time to park your vehicle. We were greeted by Anela, and I did not realize until after our experience she is likely the inspiration for the tour company name. We met Kapono as we boarded the canoe which seats a max of 6. Together using paddle power we made it out to Keauhou Bay, and we were given the option to stay in the canoe or hang from the hulls of the canoe and snorkel in the water. As advertised on their site, it was an intimate manta ray experience and we saw the mantas closer than we expected! It was unfortunate the waters were choppy and we got seasick. I recommend bringing something like Dramamine if you're prone to getting sick like I am. It says a lot that even after hurling, I would still rate this experience as high as I did and that's thanks to Anelakai and Kapono. They were the best tour guides, super knowledgeable about the mantas, and they took excellent care of us after we got sick. Mahalo to them and Anelakai Adventures!

Everyone RAVES about the manta ray experience. However, it's the manta ray company you choose that…read morewill determine if you want a personalized, memorable trip where you actually learn about manta rays versus float in a big ring in the ocean staring at them. We chose the first option. Smaller size (6 people max), ecofriendly, and kid friendly. Anelakai crew is exactly that! Personable! Wealth of knowledge! Professional, yet fun! I believe it's the only company where you get to paddle out on a canoe to view the manta rays. Nothing to fear! It's a super easy paddle out and back! If my 9 & 10 y/o kids can do it, so can you! It's very ecofriendly. The exhaust from the neighboring boats was nauseating. It's too bad they haven't followed suit. The crew took care of the kids 100%. From helping them with snorkel masks, assisting getting in and out of the canoe (my 10 y/o freaked out a little and they calmed her down in an instant), and just teaching them (and all of us) all about manta rays! The viewing was amazing. I couldn't keep track of how many we saw, but we do recall seeing Big Bertha, Greyson, and Queenie. Yes! They have names! And the crew will identify them for you and how they got their names! Props to: Kono, & the younger guy (forgot his name) Thank you for the wonderful tour! If we're ever back on the island, we'll pay another visit. The kids can't stop talking about Big Bertha and Queenie, all the backflips the manta rays take, seeing plankton up close, and paddling their first canoe IN THE DARK WITH A FULL MOON. You've inspired one of my kids who has a love for marine animals to one day work closely with them AND/OR if ever so lucky...to identify a new manta ray (if not in the database) and name it "6 - 7".

We had such an incredible snorkeling experience in Kona! From the moment we got on the boat,…read moreCaptain Bambi made the whole trip fun, relaxed, and memorable. She's knowledgeable, energetic, and clearly loves what she does -- which makes the entire experience even better. One of the things we loved most was the smaller group size. It made the trip feel much more personal and allowed for a really relaxed, intimate experience out on the water. Captain Bambi took the time to point out marine life, share local knowledge, and make sure everyone felt comfortable and confident in the water. The snorkeling itself was amazing -- beautiful reefs, tons of fish, and just an overall unforgettable Kona ocean experience. You can tell this crew truly cares about both their guests and the ocean. If you're looking for a fun, friendly, and more personal snorkeling tour in Kona, this is absolutely the one to book. And if you get Captain Bambi, you're in for an extra great time!

Local, Professional and very knowledgeable. We were able to see things other companies do not show…read more The limited size of the group makes for a very personal experience. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

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!

Our family of four had an excellent experience working with the Kona Boys Surf Shack, located on…read morethe beach behind the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. We signed up for a private outrigger canoe tour on Kailua Bay. Tommy and JP were fantastic with our kids (even when my son got a little upset mid-way through the tour) and provided a truly fun and memorable experience for all of us. The outrigger canoe tour was part tour and part history lesson of the Kona area, and was very nicely done. As guests at the hotel, we also worked with the Kona Boys to receive the beach gear items we were entitled to with our resort fee. All was great on that front too. Thank you and keep up the great work!