Find Top Snorkel Spots

Snorkeling is a great way to stick your head in the water without the inconvenience of holding your breath. For the completely uninitiated, snorkelers wear masks and fins and breathe through a tube called a snorkel. The Big Island's see-through water and mostly sunny skies make it easy to spot marine life, which is generally the objective. People of all ages can participate, and there are plenty of good spots —many of them just offshore — to practice the moves.

This is not an xtreme sport. Anyone can put on snorkel gear and float around in the ocean just above eye-level with schools of neon-bright fish. But it does take a bit of know-how to find a good spot. Book a cruise with a tour boat company and you won't have to worry about that.

Snorkeling aboard a catamaran will probably include marine life viewing, plenty of food, no-host cocktails, restrooms, water slides, high jumps, and lots of flotation equipment. The more adventurous cruises take place in powered, rigid-hull inflatable rafts. They cater to small groups with specific interests who are up for an exhilarating ride and an up-close and personal experience.

Kealakekua Bay, an underwater marine preserve that is a resting area for dolphins and the site of the Captain Cook Monument, is a popular destination. So are the crystal clear waters off the Kohala Coast and Pawai Bay. The bay is located between Honokohau Harbor and Kailua Bay and is known for its abundant marine life.

Daily snorkel tours to Kealakekua Bay are offered by a number of companies. Fair Wind Cruises conducts morning and afternoon snorkel tours from a shallow mooring in Kealakekua Bay aboard a sailing catamaran, Fair Wind II, and a two-stop snorkel tour of the rugged Kona Coast aboard Hula Kai, a new hydrofoil catamaran.

All snorkel cruises feature safety devices, snorkeling equipment and instruction. Snorkel Bob's offers equipment and specializes in dry snorkel equipment. Snorkeling is best when the waves are calm and the sun is out.

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