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There are countless touristy boat charter trips that will take you snorkeling Kealakekua Bay from Kalua- Kona. But a fun (and much cheaper, as in FREE) way to access the area is by foot. You’ll not only get some great snorkeling in, but also a scenic day hike in and out of the area, plus some fascinating history when you visit the Captain Cook Monument at the base of the bay.
How to Get to Captain Cook Monument
We took Hwy 11/Mamalahoa Hwy from Kona, and turned at Napo’opo Road. Within the first 10th of a mile, park along the narrow road shoulder. To find the trail head, count five telephone poles from the start of the road. There are three tall palm trees at the beginning of the trail.
The Captain Cook Monument trail
The hike down to the bay takes you through tall grasses initially, then lava flow trails overlooking expansive ocean views, before reaching the valley. There’s a 1300 ft elevation change over the 1.8-mile trail, which took us about an hour from the parking area to the bay. We’d suggest allowing 1.5hrs for the return though, since it is a steady climb the whole way. Bring water, much of the trail is exposed to sun and heat.
Captain Cook Monument History
The Captain Cook Monument in the bay marks Captain Cook’s January 17, 1779 arrival to Kealakekua Bay, and the controversy of his visit – first welcomed by 1000 canoes and 9000 people on shore, and celebrated by local chiefs. But within a month the generosity decreased, petty theft occurred, and suspicion replaced polite curiosity on both sides. It would all come to a fiery battle of misunderstanding that saw a chief’s body guard killed, and later Captain Cook stabbed and clubbed to death. But the disagreement didn’t end there. With Cook’s death stunning both sides, the Hawaiians dismembered the body, an honored practice reserved for high chiefs, and the English demanded the body parts back in a gruesome rampage that torched homes and slaughtered Hawaiians. Eventually some bits and pieces were returned, but the Hawaiians kept the bones which held the most mana (spiritual energy). They are placed beneath the monument. Something to ponder while you swim and snorkel the warm aqua-blue waters of Kealakekua Bay, feeling more like a visitor dropped into a tropical fish tank as colorful tropical fish swim amidst you and the coral reef below. The area is actually an underwater State Park.
Snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay
Accessing the water in Kealakekua Bay is relatively easy off the rocks beside the Captain Cook Monument. Surf booties or sandals are recommended though since there can be some nasty sea urchins with spiny thorns hiding in the crevices. Access can also get a little crowded with boat groups resting ashore.
You can pick up a snorkel, mask and fins at the local Walmart in Kona, or just use swim goggles if you prefer to pack light. Swim shoes are helpful for accessing the shore area, where spiny red and black sea urchins can sometimes be found.
When to Visit the Captain Cook Monument & Kealakekua Bay
Be prepared for lots of charter boats in the area, with paying guests snorkeling Kealakekua Bay, and numerous groups floating about with noodles. It’s also a popular spot for dive boats, and you’re likely to see a few double pontoon, water slide and BBQ off the back equipped vessels, hosting guests there for a good time, not a long time. Spinner dolphins are also known to frequent the area, further adding to its attraction. Once you get used to the fact you’re unlikely to be enjoying it in solitude, you can still find peace and tranquility beneath the surface. Since charters typically visit mid-day and afternoon, a morning hike and swim, mid-week and outside school holidays, is a good way to experience fewer crowds.
Accessing Kealakekua Bay by Kayak – An Alternative Way to See the Bay
In December 2021 we explored snorkeling Kealakekua Bay by kayak. Kayak rentals are available the next bay over, accessed from Hwy 19, south of Kona. Turn off at route 160 (Napoopoo Rd), drive 1.5 miles down the winding road towards the ocean, then left on Puuhonua Rd, then right at Kahauloa Rd. There are several local vendors at the end of the road by the bay, who will rent kayaks for self-guided tours. We rented ours from Derek, an entrepreneurial guy on a scooter, who happily accepted cash. Kayaks were $40 for a single, and $60 for a double for the day. No names were taken, and there were no waivers, but they did provide a dry bag to protect cell phones/keys, and of course life jackets. Kayaks are prohibited from being pulled ashore at the memorial park, but snorkeling while having them tied to us with a rope, proved easy and efficient. We even saw spinner dolphins on our way across the bay, but were cautious to maintain the required 50ft distance from them. Apparently there are stiff fines for those who break that rule, and patrol boats enforce activity. The paddle from the rental location to the memorial takes about 25-30minutes, and wind can toss up some waves, so it’s best to be comfortable around water and boats. By renting mid morning, we were able to hit the bay for snorkeling right in between the change over of charter boats bringing large groups to the area in the morning and afternoon. So if you’d like to experience snorkeling many different parts of the bay, as well as seeing dolphins, without being part of a large charter trip, renting a kayak and doing your own self guided tour is definitely a great option.
I’ve written about many of the beaches on the Kona side previously, which we revisited on our rest days when not hiking. Last year we rented twin scooters and visited eight. Link here to get a run down on some magic places to spend a restful beach day: Touring Hawaii’s Big Island Kona Coast Beaches by Scooter
Planning guides
Great for planning, and you’ll want to pack it along for the trip – check out Lonely Planet’s Hawaii the Big Island. Or search out all of the Hawaii guidebook options on chapters.indigo.ca or on Amazon. If you prefer immediate access in e-book format you can get that through Chapters/Indigo as well, or at ebooks.com Be sure to have a look at get your guide for activities and tours that can be booked in advance for considerable savings.
Accommodations
And if you’re looking for accommodations in the Kona area, check out this map guide below to search out VRBO and Booking.com options. I’ve marked where we stayed in Kailua for reference. It was a short drive from the airport, offered great sunsets and was very central for all of our day trips. Of course if you feel the need to exhaust all options, you could also run a search on Hotels.com or Expedia. While listings can start to overlap, sometimes there are some unique properties which pop up. And all of these guys have become competitive on price and cancellation policies. It’s best to shop around.
Enjoy your hiking and beach days on Hawaii’s Big Island. Aloha!
One resource we found extremely valuable was Lonely Planet’s Hawaii the Big Island. Be aware it was written in 2017 though, prior to some volcanic activity since then in the southern regions. We’ve updated you here with our experiences since then.
We’ve combed the internet for some great items for travelers – 8 useful, 4 cool and 2 inspirational, plus 2 more that you don’t really need – but will truly want!
Looking for a cheap flight to Kona? Be sure to check out CheapOair.com or CheapOair.ca if you’re searching from Canada. They make it easy to compare flight deals across airlines. Their When to Buy Flights Tool is handy for planning. They also have options for searching out car rental deals and accommodations. We used Alamo this particular trip, but have also had a good experience with National. Honestly, it pays to shop around for the particular dates you’re wanting to book and type of vehicle. Trip Advisor and Expedia are other dashboard search options you might want to check as well, if you like to keep all of your booking information in one tidy place.
Travel insurance
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Be sure to grab yourself a rash guard shirt if you plan to spend some time bobbing around on the surface looking at all the fish. While any old shirt will do the trick to protect your hide against the sun, a nice surfers rash guard makes you look the part, plus it will be useful when you go body surging or boogie boarding another day! Hurley makes some nice ones, and just browsing their site for swimwear and surf gear will put you in a beach holiday mode immediately!
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