Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe: Cultural Kailua Bay Tour

21 Ratings

Kailua-Kona

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Explore Hawaii’s history by paddling a traditional Wa’a canoe in Kailua Bay. Connect with culture and discover significant historical sites.

Duration: 1 hour

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Ahuena Heiau - This Hawaiian temple remains active today and holds significant cultural importance for the Hawaiian people.
Hulihe’e Palace - Former residence of the Queen during the initial period of Western contact.
Mokuaikaua Church - The first church established in Hawaii.
Kailua Pier - The hub of ocean activities located in the heart of Kailua-Kona.

What's Included

Canoe, lifejackets, and paddles provided
Curated tour included

Additional Information

Paddling a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe or Wa’a from the site where King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian Islands and watched over his kingdom is a chance to connect with the Hawaii’s history and culture. We teach you the basics of paddling a Wa’a and provide a steersman/woman to guide you through a historical tour of Kailua Bay, sharing some of the…

Location

Kona Boys Beach Shack

Kaahumanu Place

We are next to the Kailua Pier on Kamakahonu Beach, behind the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(21 Ratings)

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Arturogc

Apr 13, 2026

Outrigger Awesomeness! - Hearing about the momentous events that took place in these waters while learning how to paddle an outrigger canoe was an amazing way to start my 63rd birthday adventure on the Big Island. Not only that, there were canoe races going on in the background. Tommy and Grant were great!

Review provided by Viator

Birgit_l

Feb 16, 2026

Wa’a-t an Experience - Super fun experience! Paddled a while, learned a lot and even saw dolphins!! I would highly recommend!!

Review provided by Viator

Ron

Jan 25, 2026

A fun adventure - Our outrigger canoe trip was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and fun. He was able to identify various sea life, talk at length about the island and its history, and regale us with funny stories and even a few dad jokes thrown in. All in all, a great experience we will always remember.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Daphnes635

Dec 3, 2025

Great Intro to Hawaiian History and Culture - Although at home I’m a kayaker and enjoy solo trips, I wanted the experience on the water the way the early Hawaiians did. Locals recommended Kona Boys and I’m so glad I booked with them. The staff was friendly, experienced, and knowledgeable. There were 5 of us plus our trip leader, Tommy, who gave us verbal instructions, took us out on the water, and told us about the Kailua-Kona history. We saw a school of dolphins, yellow tangs, and a manta. The weather couldn’t have been better. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the Hawaiian culture. I highly recommend this trip!

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X4964kcbarbaras

Nov 3, 2025

A fantastic cultural experience - Our cultural outrigger canoe ride was fantastic!!! Ray was an amazing guide and he made this excursion truly worthwhile. We loved the history he provided about this region and when I asked for a ghost story (we were there around Halloween) he provided a terrifying story about his personal encounter with the Night Marchers. I would definitely recommend this tour - especially if Ray is your guide. He went above and beyond

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Naniepoppie123

Oct 4, 2025

If you’re lucky you’ll get Tommy O as your guide - We were lucky enough to get Tommy O as our guide. Just 3 of us but we were joined by Tommy’s brother and his 97 year old mother who were visiting from California. We were out for almost 90 minutes. Great instructions and fascinating history of the island. By the end of the adventure we felt like family. Even Momma had her picture taken with us and gave us a farewell huge. Here are some tips that we learned - 1. The rental hut is just to the left of the pier if disembarking from a cruise 2 it’s operated by “da boys” who rent other aquatic equipment and tours. They will hold your bags in their hut and even have a safe where their held are valuables. 3 Nice quiet public beach right there in front of the hotel with showers etc This was our favorite excursion on our 15 day cruise and the cheapest. Ask for Tommy - you’ll love the experience!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Tanya_r

Sep 4, 2025

A fun and educational... - A fun and educational activity. We had Tommy guiding us. He made sure we had a safe and enjoyable experience while learning about the local history. We highly recommend this activity! Watch for the schools of bright yellow/orange fish near the pier area

Review provided by Viator

Bigcj102

Aug 24, 2025

Amazing private tour of the harbor - Tommy is an excellent guide. He is super-friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and great host. It was just my wife, Tommy, and me on the big 6-person outrigger. He was a little worried at first, but we started paddling and we showed that we had canoeing experience, it was game on and we got the complete experience.

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Relaxing3

Aug 22, 2025

Chill, Fun Tour - This Outrigger Canoe tour was one of our favorite activities in Hawaii! Uncle Leahi was an excellent tour guide, telling us so much about the area and its history. We got enough paddling in to feel like we really experienced it, but not so much we were exhausted. It's a chill, fun experience. Would do it again next time we visit. Highly recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Jolyn_b