Booked a whale-watching trip at the last minute (less than an hour before launch) online with this…read morecompany. We hadn't planned to take such a tour and hadn't researched companies, but just decided to be spontaneous. This was an epic adventure. The staff (including Captain Bryce and two other people who were super helpful) was funny, welcoming, and reassuring about our safety. We stayed out for over 3 hours (maybe 3.5) and every minute was a delight. We first saw spinner dolphins who seemed to be surfing in our wake (accompanied by the song "Surfin' USA"). Then we saw so many whales (or maybe it was just two whales we kept seeing?) that I almost got "bored" with the whales. (Not really, but by the time we headed back, seeing whales seemed like a normal thing for people to do on a Friday afternoon). So much fun. Music was great, staff was awesome, didn't get seasick, so comfortable on the boat... I would recommend them over anyone else. They had some bags of chips, Sprite, and water, plus some granola bars in case anyone was hungry.

We took the first daytime (8 am) snorkel trip to Captain Cook Monument Bay…read more Captain Jacob is a great boat operator; the customer comes first. The crew was excellent, supporting the passengers and the captain for a very enjoyable 35-minute voyage to Kealakekua Bay. Stopped just outside of the harbor to watch Spinner dolphins swimming with the boat, breaching and spinning. Have about two hours to snorkel. First off the boat, last to be back it it turned into a party boat with people jumping off the second deck and using the water slide. Great playlist and an excellent onboard lunch served. Excellent ride, shade, head, drink, food and a fun atmosphere. The crew was very friendly and personable and Capt Jacob gave 150% effort for a good time.

We had a great day out searching for Whales! The staff was great with communication and answering…read morequestions before the trip.

We had a wonderful time with Tyler and Captain Alan. Really nice, down to earth people. We got…read moretwo swims at lovely coves and a spin To Kona. Highly recommended. A memorable day.

Great and fun! We did the "newer" tour (2/26) that's faster and more adventurous. I searched Yelp…read morefor this and couldn't find so wanted to post. Since it's a smaller boat u can go faster and get maybe closer to the action. The drawbacks compared to a more traditional "ferry" type wld be ferry has bathrooms and comfy seats and shade. This one we did had saddle seats which were ok but comparable to a padded bike seat. Not so comfy for males especially perhaps. If u go, u can bring your own waterbottle, make sure to wear copious amounts of sunscreen and bring more to reapply. I (female) was happy I wore a long sleeved rash guard and long light colored leggings. Can wear any shoe that cld get wet, tho we did not get wet. Could wear sneakers if ur ok if they get somewhat messy. Wish I wore water shoes for the grip and the sun protection bc my feet got so much sun exposure in flip flops and not much grip. We left most of our stuff in the hotel room safe and just brought keys and drivers license. Wish I had brought cash for a tip for the driver and tour guide. Can bring phone for photos. If u are the first to arrive to the dock, you may be able to snag the seats right in front of the driver, which would be the way to get any sort of shade. Wear a hat, preferably with a chin strap or affix a baseball hat to your ponytail (ladies) or flip cap backwards as a guy when the boat goes fast so not lose hat. Wish I had had some more neck protection. Drink water. Reapply sunscreen. You'll be fast then will stop to look around so there's time to stand up, reapply etc. Great and informative narration by Dennis. Captain driver was also great. Wld recommend but again consider your needs for shade, seating, and can't go to the bathroom for three hours. Nice bathrooms at the harbor tho, flushable booklets, water and soap. Hope this helps!

We signed up for both whale watching and the night manta ray snorkel with Hawaiian Adventures Kona;…read moreboth experiences were phenomenal and a MUST-DO if visiting the Big Island! Captain Andrew and Olivia were excellent guides, they had great energy and humor while sharing information about the wildlife. Their boat, the Artemis, is the "Rolls Royce" of whale-watching boats that I've been on; clearly designed for optimal wildlife viewing and passenger comfort. We saw multiple humpback whales, three species of dolphin, and many manta rays during our trips with them. The crew is clearly very knowledgeable about the local wildlife and did a fabulous job finding animals, as well as positioning the boat for viewing them. On the manta ray night snorkel... DO IT! It exceeded my expectations tenfold and I would reckon it's one of the most unique ocean experiences anyone could have. You get to float effortlessly (with a board and pool noodle) while watching these majestic animals feed all around you! The boat is a great platform for this too, as there is a hot water rinse available to you when you get out of the water. I will book trips with this company EVERY TIME I visit Kona in the future! Both experiences were completely awesome and I can't wait to be back.

Morgan and Morgan made our experience AMAZING! We chartered KOLEA for a 4 hour trip. We had a…read morefamily of 10 (including one 5 year old, and one elder). They showed care for everybody and made us all comfortable. Besides that, using their expertise, they made sure we saw whales, dolphins, AND plenty of fish at PAWAI! 10/10 recommend

What a fantastic way to start our trip. We saw dolphins, snorkeled in some beautiful areas and had…read morea peaceful sail. Julia and Mike were awesome guides. So knowledgeable about the island waters. They were pleasant and nice. They took us out to areas they were not crowded which was awesome. We loved having a private catamaran, such a treat. This was the best water tour we have ever been on. Highly recommended over and over!!

The trip was great with only two other families on this charter besides us. Went in early and…read morestayed in the water since 5:30. Haven't dived in a long time. So, nice relaxing in the water. The lights were turned on around 6:30 and the mantas were swarming the plankton around us. Would definitely recommend this.

10/10!!! We say mantarays, dolphins, AND A WHALESHARK!!!!!!! 100% recommend!!!!!!!!!!read more

Had a great day snorkeling with Erin and McKenzie. We saw several dolphins and group of 3 whales…read morevery close by the boat. The snorkeling was amazing; so many fish, a turtle, and perfect weather. Lovely lunch and a lot of great information.

We had an incredible whale watching tour today with Captain McKenzie & Ally! They were the best of…read morehosts on the water and educated us all on marine life and Hawaiian culture. They were also wonderful with our 3 young children aboard. While we weren't sure if we would see whales, as it was the tail end of the whale season here in Hawaii, we hit the jackpot on our tour today! So much activity - humpbacks breaching, spinner dolphins, bottle nose dolphins, manta rays, and eagle rays. Both Ally and McKenzie had an incredible eye for marine life and everyone on the boat left grinning from ear to ear! Thanks for spending the afternoon with us! This tour does not disappoint!! (I should also mention that we had to reschedule, as our original booking had to be rescheduled due to rough seas. I was appreciative of the cancellation as I would not have enjoyed the experience while feeling sea sick. Ali'i was very accommodating to rebook at a time when conditions would be better)

We just did a tour with Captain Zodiac in Kona and it was honestly such a special experience. Our…read moreguides, Ashley and Alec, were incredible. They were so knowledgeable and friendly, and they really took the time to answer every single question we had. Both Ashely and Alec have researched whales in Alaska and Hawaii, so hearing specific researcher knowledge was really cool. Ashley was also just so enthusiastic. She really made us understand how special it was to be out there witnessing these animals. The water was a little rocky at times, but we still saw so many whales, including one that got within 30 yards of our boat. The best part was actually on the way back. We were already at time for the tour, but Ashley noticed a group of boats congregating and went to investigate. It ended up being a whale shark that came right up by the boat, which the guides told us is an incredibly rare event. It was just an awesome thing to see. You can really tell they have so much reverence and respect for the whales. If you have any interest in seeing these animals up close and hearing from specialists who work with them full time, this is the company to go with. We have so much respect for the work Ashley and Alec do.

Rick and Davonte were amazing!!!! Their knowledge and humor kept the group entertained all…read moreafternoon. Highly recommend this Kona experience.

This was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of our Hawaii trip. Mitch and Riley made…read moreit absolutely perfect from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, they made sure our wetsuits and equipment fit properly and that everything was clean and well-maintained. We were one of two family groups on our boat. Mitch and Riley were incredibly patient and supportive with the group that included some not-so-strong swimmers. They took extra time to explain everything and provided everyone with clear instruction and attentive support throughout the swim. That level of professionalism truly set them apart. The little details made a big difference too; snacks and drinks were provided. When one of our members started feeling sick, they even had ginger ale ready, which was such a thoughtful touch. We also loved that this was a smaller boat, which made the experience feel more intimate and personalized rather than crowded or rushed. On top of that, they took amazing photos and videos of our experience and AirDropped everything to us afterward, so we could just focus on enjoying the magic of swimming with the mantas without worrying about capturing it ourselves. If you're considering a manta ray night swim, do not hesitate to book with this team. Mitch and Riley went above and beyond, and we'll remember this experience forever.

I booked this snorkel for my family. Brian was their tour guide. He was not very hospitable or…read morefriendly. He was very negative to my brother with Down Syndrome which crushed his spirit which therefore he ended up not even getting into the water. My brother has gone on many other snorkel tours with us and the tour guides have gone above and beyond for him. This is my first experience with someone being so unkind to him. Also, my mom was getting back into the boat and Brian just sat there and didn't even offer a hand to help her back on the boat. Every dive and snorkel tour I have been on my guide has always stuck a hand out or offered to help if needed. I have gone snorkeling and diving with Manta Rays on the Big Island with other companies and have never had this experience. I will NEVER book with this company again.

I did the 5hr South Kona snorkel expedition today and it was spectacular! The guides were…read moreprofessional, friendly & helpful. The three separate snorkel stops let us see different reefs & marine life. I loved the "secret" spot. We were also lucky enough to see a pod of spinner dolphins! Booking & check-in were easy. Highly recommend this tour.

We did a Captain Cook snorkeling tour with Sea Quest Hawaii today and were very impressed. Erin,…read morethe phone representative, was friendly, patient, and answered all my questions, which made me choose this company. Captain Natalie and Assistant Anna were fantastic, knowledgeable, funny, and very attentive throughout the trip. Captain Natalie shared interesting stories about Captain Cook and the surrounding lava caves, and she even helped me with my snorkeling gear and inflating the vest. The snorkeling spot near Captain Cook Monument was incredible, and we saw so many fish. They also provided fresh fruit, chips, cookies, and soft drinks. Thanks to Captain Natalie and Anna, all six of us had a great time and would highly recommend this company.

Fun filled evening aboard a catamaran along Kona's beautiful coat. Great sunset views followed by…read moremagical interaction with gentle giants! Mantas were graceful and gently glided past. Felt like a child on Christmas morning! Awesome experience and the crew were so friendly and helpful. Best night of my 2 weeks in Hawaii!

My partner and I did the manta ray sunset cruise and 100% recommend it! The first time someone…read moresuggested this experience I was thinking: "the ocean...at night? NO THANK YOUUU!". By about the 15th time someone told me how amazing it was I was like "ok, fine..." And let me tell you-it was absolutely BREATHTAKING. The crew was super friendly and put us at ease right away. They had a wealth of knowledge about these incredible creatures. One thing I would suggest for anyone who struggles with motion sickness- take precautions. We had good weather and the boat ride out went smoothly. The transition from water back into the boat was a little rocky with people moving around and getting situated-I was glad I had taken a preemptive Dramamine. We will definitely be doing this again!