Where else could you meet turtles and schools of tropical fish in healthy coral reefs, snorkel at night with huge manta rays, or get face-to-face with a pod of spinner dolphins in shallow, clear blue water? The Big Island is full of surprises and delights - maybe the best snorkeling destination in Hawaii. Compared to its size (the island has a bigger surface area than all the other islands in the archipelago put together), the Big Island does not offer as many snorkeling spots, but some of them are spectacular places where you could create unforgettable memories.
Big Island (the island of Hawaii), with its active volcanoes, is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian chain. The coral reefs mainly developed along its western coast, sheltered from trade winds and the ocean swell.
Although Big Island’s reefs are quite young, they are among the most beautiful and healthiest in the main Hawaiian Islands. Most snorkeling spots are accessible from the rocks and, in the absence of sandy beaches, the underwater visibility is often excellent.
About fifteen snorkel spots are inventoried on Big Island, mostly concentrated in the Kailua-Kona region, on the west coast of the island. This side of the island generally offers perfect conditions for snorkeling.
In Kona city center, you’ll find decent snorkeling at Kamakahonu Beach, aka King Kam Beach. The area, very small and shallow, is sheltered by the harbor breakwater. Kids, in particular, will enjoy spotting colorful fish there.
Located about 6 miles south of Kailua-Kona, Kahalu’u Bay is one of the most famous spots on the island. Here the reef forms kind of a half-lagoon, and the Hawaiian reef life, including green sea turtles, can be observed up close in this area.
1 mile further south, Keauhou Bay is another good option for exploring the underwater world near Kona. At nightfall, manta rays come here to feed on the clouds of plankton attracted by the floodlights of the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa. If you want to witness this amazing experience, you will need to book a guided boat trip.
Going further down the coast, you’ll then reach the Captain Cook area, which is home to the two most beautiful snorkeling spots on the island.
The first is Two Step, in Honaunau Bay, bordering Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park. Its superb coral reef, full of fish and open to the ocean, is regularly visited by green sea turtles, along with Hawaiian monk seals and spinner dolphins. This is a world-class spot and not to be missed if you are visiting the island.
The second, Captain Cook Monument, is located in Kealakekua Bay. Its reef drop off is pretty healthy and its setting is superb. This location can be reached by boat or by hiking the small path which goes down to the monument. On the other side of the bay, Napoopoo reef is also worth a visit.
On Big Island’s northwest coast, there are several good snorkeling spots around Waikoloa. Kaunaoa Beach, aka Mauna Kea Beach, is the most famous, but great underwater life awaits you at Waialea Bay (Beach 69) and Puako Bay. In these areas, you enter the water from the boat ramp. While Hapuna Beach is great to enjoy the Hawaiian sun, snorkeling here is just decent compared to neighboring spots.
Near the northern tip of Big Island, two other locations are recommended: Mahukona Beach Park and Kapa’a Beach Park. These places are more remote and you’ll sometimes enjoy the spots without any other snorkelers.
The Hilo area, the main town on the Big Island’s east coast, is quite unsuitable for snorkeling. If you are staying there, the most recommended spot is Richardson Beach Park, near the airport. This should only be considered when the ocean is perfectly calm.
Big Island’s underwater world is one of the most vibrant of the Hawaiian Islands. Protected areas, in particular, are home to healthy hard coral reefs, with many red pencil urchins. Just below the surface of the water, you may encounter schools of hundreds of yellow tangs, parrotfish, guineafowl puffers, bluefin trevally, and trumpetfish.
Several species of butterflyfish endemic to the archipelago, such as the millet butterflyfish, the pebbled butterflyfish and the bluestripe butterflyfish are easy to spot along the island shore. These species do not occur anywhere else on the planet.
If Big Island is less famous than Maui for encounters with green sea turtles, it is still possible to spot them in many locations, particularly at Two Step and Kahalu’u Bay.
Two Step is also the spot where you are most likely to see spinner dolphins. Small pods often visit the bay, and seeing them offers lucky snorkelers one of their most unbelievable underwater memories.
Snorkeling in Hawaii soon? Take with you a Fish ID Book, an essential tool to help you identify the fish you see underwater. Hawaii’s Fishes : A Guide for Snorkelers and Divers (including fish species found only in Hawaii) and Reef Fish Identification Tropical Pacific (including marine fishes ranging from Thailand to Tahiti, and includes Hawaii) are the two essential reference guides every snorkeler should have.
There are two main seasons in Hawaii. The summer, from May to October, is the warmest, driest and sunniest season (with an average of 80°F/26.5°C, and maximum temperatures of 85°C/29.5°C). This is the hurricane season, but they are rare in the North Pacific.
In winter, from November to April, the weather is wetter and more changeable (intermittent tropical rains and sunny spells), and the air is cooler (an average of 75°F/24°C, with maximum temperatures of 78°F/25.5°C).
As so often in tropical islands, the climate is different on the windward side, more humid and windy (the east), and on the leeward side, where it is dryer and more sheltered (the west). The sea is generally calm on the western shore of Big Island, but swell or waves can occur in certain periods. Do not enter the water is the sea gets rough.
600+ spots have been featured on Snorkeling Report with the help of people like you. Share your favorite snorkeling spot and help us cover the world map. Your contribution will help the snorkeling community find sites and enjoy the underwater world!
ADD A SPOT
Common on all reef spots
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; abundant at Furuzamami Beach
Frequently sighted at Ama Beach at high tide; occasionally seen at Furuzamami Beach
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; common at Furuzamami and Aharen
Frequently sighted chasing on Furuzamami Beach reef
Occasionally sighted at Two Step, rarely at Captain Cook Monument
Common all around the island; frequently observed at Two Step
Common everywhere; frequently sighted in large schools at Two Step and Captain Cook Monument
On all spots
Vibrant fringing reef with sea turtles and spinner dolphins
Level: Free shore access
Fringing coral reef with a great variety of fish
Night snorkeling with manta rays
Level:
Sheltered bay with coral and reef fish
Level: Free shore access Resort nearby
Rocks and coral areas with turtles and tropical fish
Rock-protected area with reef fish and turtles
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Taiwan’s crystal clear waters, warm subtropical climate and beautiful sea life make for a pleasant snorkeling experience. There are many nice snorkeling locations are found on the main island, but don't miss the outer islands of Taiwan, in particular Liuqiu Island, Green Island and the Penghu Archip (...)
With more than 7600 islands to explore, it makes sense that the Philippines is one of the best snorkeling destinations in the world. Part of the Coral Triangle, the epicentre of global marine biodiversity, the archipelago has a mind-blowing array of sea life. With pristine coral reefs, lush soft cor (...)
Located some 850km east of the Philippines, Palau comprises 26 main islands and more than 300 smaller islets, most uninhabited, and all fringed by coral reef. From the scenic Rock Islands to its marine lakes full of thousands of jellyfish, there's an astonishing array of snorkeling spots to be explo (...)
Pristine white-sanded beaches fringed with swaying palms and crystal clear waters... welcome to Guam! This territory of the United States is the southernmost island in the Mariana islands chain and the largest island in Micronesia. With its wide range of beaches and its healthy coral reefs, Guam is (...)
Vietnam is not a top snorkeling destination, but some sites are fascinating and the country is slowly growing in popularity. You’ll find along the extensive Vietnam coastline several islands and small archipelagos hosting various and diverse snorkeling spots, especially in Nha Trang, Phú Quốc and Cô (...)
Consisting of two land regions divided by the South China Sea, Malaysia comprises more than 850 islands, of which 394 are located in the state of Sabah, in Borneo. Most of the Malaysian coasts and islands are fringed by spectacular coral reefs. This exceptional geography offers a huge variety of sno (...)
Indonesia is a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands located at the heart of the Coral Triangle. The country features some 30% of the world’s coral reefs. The archipelago hosts pristine coral gardens, which are home to the richest marine biodiversity on earth. You will never get tired exploring its war (...)
Despite an overtourism contributing to the overall decline of the country's coral reef, Thailand remains a good snorkeling destination. Its lush tropical coastlines, reefs and islands offers a diversity of snorkeling spots, in both Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. More than 900 species of reef (...)
LAST SPACES AVAILABLE
