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Kaimana Ocean Safari: A Tailored, Intimate Wildlife Experience Along The Kona Coastline
4.9
228 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.
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:
24 hours
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…
- 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
- 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).
- 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…
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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(228 Ratings)
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Dylanpw5211dx
Sep 11, 2024
10/10 recommend! Best thing we did on the big island! - We can’t recommend these guys enough! 10/10 experience and the best thing we did on the island. In fact, it was so good, we did the safari twice!! The first day we went with Shelly and Devon. They were both incredible and made the day so fun! We saw pilot whales and oceanic white tip sharks! The second time, we went with Cam and Mari (the owners)! Day 2 was just as good! We saw more sharks and dolphins! Both groups worked hard to help us find animals to swim with and made us feel so safe in the water with all the animals! They aren’t like the other tours. They keep the numbers small and really make it a fun and intimidate experience instead of feeling like another number like the other tour boats! They also served the yummiest fresh pineapple, drinks and snacks! I would come back to the island just to go on their safari tour again. It puts snorkeling to shame and we even preferred doing this over scuba diving because we saw more! We 10/10 recommend them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G8428hnjonathane
Sep 9, 2024
Exceptional Oceanic Whitetip and Sperm Whale experiences! - I had two exceptional experiences with Kaimana Ocean Safari on 8/16/2024 and 8/19/2024! They were the highlights of our trip to Hawaii.
The first day we swam with a massive bait ball, three manta rays participating in mating behavior, and many oceanic whitetip sharks! Kayleigh Grant and Morri Sides were excellent in and out of the water. They made sure we were all prepared for the wildlife we were going to encounter and ensured our safety in the water. We had such a good time we booked a second day with Kaimana when we returned.
The second day we swam with a massive sperm whale, manta rays and an oceanic whitetip shark! Cam Grant and Devoni Cartwright prepared us for the various encounters and ensured our safety in the water. The interaction with the Sperm Whale was unexpected and very exciting, and the crew did everything possible to give us a good chance to get in the water with the fast-moving whale.
The boat is very comfortable and has ample storage space to keep bags, towels, and other items dry while at sea. They offered us snacks, drinks and freshly cut pineapple that everyone loved. They were all passionate about the animals and were happy to share troves of interesting information and stories.
We bought the photography and GoPro video packages each day and they were well worth it. It was fun to see photos and videos of us with the animals and the video and photos of the wildlife were excellent. It allowed us to be more present and enjoy the experience rather than worrying about our own footage (we brought our own GoPros along, too!).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Florine_l
Aug 21, 2024
Nice and extremely flexible organizers - We booked that Ocean Safari starting from Kailua-Kona. Due to a uprising tropical storm the weather wasn‘t ideal.
Instead of insisting to the booking the two organizers offered us free cancellation and a full refund. After short consideration we accepted this opportunity as one of our family members was sick additionally and couldn‘t have done the trip anyway.
A very nice way to handle the unpredictable weather conditions. If we come back to Big Island we would definitely book an Ocean Safari with them again.
Review provided by Viator
264taras
Aug 19, 2024
Unique, fun experience - Experienced, friendly staff. Small boat experience. Only six guests, so it made the excursion more personal. We got to swim with manta rays and snorkel in a great spot. We did see sharks, and two in our group got to get in the water with them before the sharks left the area. Also saw mating spotted rays. Fresh pineapple, scones, and drinks were served Unique, fun experience. A highlight of our trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I6575oakellim
Aug 19, 2024
So awesome it's hard to put into words... - Hands down the best thing we did while visiting Hawaii! If you have a passion, respect and appreciation for the ocean--especially the bigger, pelagic, animals--this trip is for you. There was not a single detail of this trip that wasn't outstanding. It's real bucket list kind of stuff. If you don't book with Kaimana, you are missing out. I'm so thankful for the top-notch, professional and knowledgeable crew that gave us an experience that we cannot stop talking about. We did a lot of awesome things in Hawaii, but if you told me I could fly back from Alabama and do one thing and then had to turn around and fly back, I would pick this adventure ALL DAY. Do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
769jonathanz
Aug 18, 2024
Wonderful Trip - Excellent snorkel tour. Kayleigh and Morri were wonderful guides. We were able snorkeled with a large bait ball, several manta rays, and several oceanic white tip sharks. Clear instruction for safe experience with the sharks were given and Kayleigh did an excellent job of making sure we were all safe in the water. The boat was comfortable and we were frequently offered drinks and snacks and overall made to feel welcome. The trip exceeded my expectations and we have already booked a second tour before we leave the big island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Larry_l
Aug 16, 2024
Amazing!!! - Crew was amazing, experience was unforgettable! One to do again!
So close to the animals, in their natural habitat.
Review provided by Viator
554nathann
Aug 16, 2024
Dolphins, a shark, a pod of pilot whales, and approximately 100 melon headed whales. Amazing. - Title says it all, we saw all that and more (a manta ray). To top off the amazing things we saw, the crew was amazing and made us some delicious scones, and cut us the most delicious pineapple I’ve ever tasted. Without a doubt one of the best excursions on the big island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jenni
Aug 13, 2024
10/10 - Highlight of our trip! Amazing snacks provided and guides. We got to swim near pilot whales, melon headed whales, reef tip shark, and a Manta Ray.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracif992
Aug 7, 2024
The best snorkel experience on the Kona Coast - I have traveled to Hawaii a few times, and done a few snorkel excursions, but this one by far was the very best I had ever been on. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Incredible experience! Will definitely be back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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