Dec 7, 2024
This was such a fun experience - We had so much fun! Kanoe is awesome and super knowledgeable. We got to see lots of fish and even some turtles. She is super relaxed and easy going. We had a great time :)
Review provided by Viator
Nov 7, 2024
Amazing experience - Our son had a great time snorkeling! It was an amazing experience! Seeing the turtles in their natural habitat was amazing and so peaceful!
Our guide Kanoe was outstanding! Would definitely recommend this to all our friends!
Review provided by Viator
Oct 2, 2024
Amazing turtle snorkel!!! - Kanoe was amazing! She was so knowledgable! She made us feel safe and watched us closely. The video she got of us and the turtles was great! My kids will remember this forever!
Review provided by Viator
Sep 22, 2024
Worth the Stop! - Kanoe was an amazing guide! The free video is a big bonus! Kanoe was extremely knowledgeable of the location, different sea creatures, and even provided great recommendations for other local things to do!
Pro-tip: I'd recommend not putting on sunscreen with your hands or on your face before you go. It might lead to seal breaking on the goggles.
Review provided by Viator
Sep 15, 2024
Snorkel time - If you're visiting Hawaii, I highly recommend booking a snorkel tour with Kanoe, an amazing local guide! Not only does she have an incredible wealth of knowledge about the island but her recommendations about places to check out was super helpful. While the water was on the colder side (my fault we did a 2pm tour and the sun was behind the clouds!) we still got to see quite a few fish and had fun splashing in the water and talking about life in Hilo. Plus, she provided freshly picked tangerines, which was such a sweet and refreshing touch after snorkeling. Kanoe's passion for the ocean and the island is infectious, we felt like we were hanging out with a close friend. If you're looking for an authentic, local down to earth snorkel experience, you should take the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 13, 2024
Best snorkel tour ever - I love Kanoe, she was very kind, friendly, patient, helpful, and understanding. She explained everything so I could understand. My first time in Hawaii and snorkeling in the ocean. I saw the State Hawaiian Fish (Beautiful), Yellow Tang, Parrot Fish, Sea Slug, Flounder, and so many more beautiful, colorful fish. I love that Kanoe takes pictures and videos for you to keep and share. I read through all the other snorkeling groups and Kanoe was the only business that offered underwater pictures. If I could give 10 stars I would. So she receives AAAAAAAAAA+++++++++
Review provided by Viator
Aug 3, 2024
Snorkeling at its best - Just to start with the intended purpose of this experience - snorkeling - everything was AMAZING and exceeding our expectations, since none of us had any previous snorkeling experience and our swimming abilities are just cursory floating.
The instructor - Kanoe - is most wonderful, both as a coach and as a guide.
She managed to have 3 inexperienced snorkeling people enjoying at the finest this experience. She even dragged along two of us, who were too lazy to use our own energy to propel ourselves in the water.
We saw the reef, plenty of fishes, corals, even human artifacts - note that for those people with experience in recognizing fish - this is even more rewarding, since they can actually appreciate the diversity of what is seen.
Kanoe is an experienced swimmer, fisher and - we learned later - a hunter. She is, actually, a treasure of cultural, historical and local life knowledge. Suffices to say that, up to the snorkeling day, we have been traveling the Hawaiian islands for about 10 days. Meeting Kanoe was the first moment when we felt really close and osmotic with the true, unaltered local culture.
Kanoe went beyond the details of the booked trip and she took us, on her own time and courtesy, after snorkeling, to a small bay where turtles can be seen at time (we did not see any on the spot, but the location is so easily accessible, that we came back at a later time).
She also gave us tips about activities of interest - all of which were excellent!! (since we have been trying them after snorkeling).
All in all - MAHALO for the snorkeling and cultural experience and for your vibrant energy, Kanoe!
Totally recommending this activity!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 27, 2024
Horrible! - BEWARE! THIS IS 100% A SCAM!! We snorkelled for 20 minutes in the tiniest bay and saw nothing as the clarity was as if someone rubbed Vaseline on the goggles, they said this is due to the brackish waters (fresh/salt water mixing). Why would you plan to snorkel at a spot you know the clarity is bad? They know of a spot near by with turtles but they only are there at high tide so that’s when they should be booking tours, if at all. But again, do your research and find turtles for free.
The instructor dives down to take footage for the video but you can’t dive down because you have to wear flippers and a life jacket so you don’t even see what she sees on video.
Anyone who has ever snorkeled before will be disappointed this is not for all levels.
You can find free snorkeling all over Hawaii that is so incredible, better reef, fish, clarity, warmer waters, calmer, better sand, a turtle swam past me and a friend randomly and we hadn’t paid for it!
The instructors looked like they were living out of their truck that had gotten smashed in the front, they smelt like marijuana and were mostly focused on their dogs.
Wouldn’t recommend at all!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 14, 2024
The No Good, Very Bad, Horrible Snorkel Experience - A disappointment in every way, with info taken from both my tour (noon) and my wife’s (2pm). The title is misleading - they book tours at all times, not only when turtles are likely. The service is limited, especially for the high cost - they meet you at a public beach and loan you equipment, but the visibility in that location is poor due to an outflowing fresh stream. They lack flexibility - they deny your basic requests about preferences on equipment and say it’s a ‘liability’ issue, but later say it’s just policy. (Specifically, my request not to use fins, which I feel less safe in, was denied, but they don’t require lifejackets or other PFDs). I would recommend simply renting a snorkel and going to Richardson Beach Park yourself . Save your money or spend it on a unique experience that guarantees wildlife instead.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 14, 2024
Terrible experience. - Unorganized, misleading, and a complete waste of money. No organized meeting point or uniformed staff. Very misleading to hope to see turtles in the tiny area they utilize and at the time of day the tour was offered. Much better snorkelling for free a 5 min walk to the right. This area is very shallow, and has incredibly poor visibility due to fresh water entering the sea at the site. It is not only very cold and uncomfortable where the fresh water enters the sea, it creates a soap like effect in the water and you cannot see a foot in front of your face. They know this and still choose this location which is absolute nonsense. Is it a tour for beginners or experienced snorkelers? It’s hard to tell as the surf is absolutely crashing here with a “very strong current” as per the guides. They would not allow my friend to wear his prescription Mask (the same style as they offer with separate snorkel). He would t have been able to see anything in this water anyway. Very few fish in the tiny area that we were bound to. Trust me when I say, walk down the road a couple of minutes and walk in the water for free. It is way better snorkeling and you simply walk off the beach as you do with this so called tour company. Don’t be misled by beautiful website photos of turtles as it’s not what this tour is about. I understand nature and wild animals but I also understand tides, time of day, and habitat.
Find another adventure and have a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
