A wonderful morning - We were lucky enough to have a private tour with Evan on a beautiful morning! Evan our tour guide is so chill and responsible. He is very knowledge about the Hawaiian culture and history and could answer literally all the questions I had! We arrived pretty early to the captain cook monument so we could beat the other tourists who were arriving via boats and snorkel peacefully there! We saw so many species of fish there and hands down it was the best snorkeling spot during our entire trip! The kayaking was a little exhausting especially on the way back because of the heat and physical drain from snorkeling so I would say it’s not for everyone… thankfully I had my partner doing most of the kayaking so we could survive 🥲 the sandwich 🥪 lunch was delicious by the way!

Eco-friendly option with top tier service - Fantastic experience with Kona Boys for the Morning Kealakekua Bay Kayak & Snorkel Tour. When we arrived at the shop at 7 am for orientation, Frank was friendly and prompt with greeting us at the shop and giving the orientation talk, and Paul outfitted us with gear and made sure we knew how to get to the launch site. The shop dog and cat were also very friendly. Our guide for the morning was Grant, who was fantastic. He was engaging and extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, language, geology, flora, fauna, and many other topics. He was also communicative, attentive, and helpful to other people. Overall, I liked that our early start meant that we arrived before the other large commercial boats did, so we got to enjoy paddling and snorkeling the bay with fewer people. I highly recommend Kona Boys as an eco-friendly option with top tier service.

Kona Boys delivered a great experience. - Evan and Chase were awesome. They covered all the basics of logistics and safety for both kayaking and snorkeling. Evan was an amazing storyteller who made the tale of Captain Cook come alive. We saw tropical fish of all sorts, sacred cliff sites and flying spinner dolphins and finished up with a delicious picnic lunch. Highly recommend.

Absolute Best Tour/Snorkeling Experience on the Big Island!! - We just wrapped up an incredible morning with Kona Boys and cannot say enough great things about this team. From the moment we arrived, Frank set the tone with outstanding hospitality and made sure we had everything we needed for our week here and setting up for the tour. The equipment was genuinely top-notch — clearly high-end, well-maintained, and perfectly fitted — a cut above anything else we’ve seen on the island. Our tour guide Evan was absolutely phenomenal. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and genuine love for nature (environmental science major!) made the entire experience feel special. He was attentive, informative, and made every member of our group feel comfortable and confident in the kayak and on the water. The whole Kona Boys crew echoed the same spirit — professional, warm, and truly passionate about what they do. This is the real deal. We will 100% be back the next time we’re in Kona — Kona Boys has earned a customer for life. If you’re on the Big Island and debating where to snorkel, look no further. Highest possible recommendation. A huge cheers to the team from minnesota!

Amazing Experience - The Morning Magic Kayak & Snorkel tour was an amazing experience- paddling across Keleakekua Bay and taking in the gorgeous scenery while learning about the history and cultural of the place was a great way to learn more about Hawaiian culture. The snorkeling was the best I’ve ever experienced and the time we had to snorkel flew by. Evan and Paul were wonderful tour guides- very knowledgeable and helpful. The food provided for lunch was delicious too! I would definitely book this excursion again!

Snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay - The kayaking/snorkeling trip to Kealakekua very enjoyable. Our guide Steve was very knowledgeable, entertaining, and helpful. I would highly recommend the experience.

Kona Boys lead a great excursion! - We really enjoyed our adventure with the Kona Boys. After checking in at their store location, we drove ourselves down to the launch site to get our kayaks. The trip over to the James Cook monument was lovely in the early morning—the water was calm and we were almost alone. At the monument, we got instructions and spent the morning snorkeling the bay. It was a bit tricky getting into the water, but we all managed it. By mid-morning, several motor boats had arrived and the water got crowded. One of our group (ahem, me…) had an asthma attack and had to get out, since we were not allowed to stand on the reef. But the guides were helpful and friendly and chatted the whole time. They were full of interesting history and tidbits about the area and the story of James Cook, as well as scientific facts about the coral and fish. They provided us with water bottles (to keep) and delicious sandwiches and cookies for lunch before guiding us back to the launch site. This trip is definitely worth the cost ($229 per person). By the way, they are so friendly and flexible in arranging the reservations!

Early morning - Totally worth it! - I was leery of booking a 7 am ANYTHING after arriving on Hawai'i the afternoon before (I'm not a morning person)... but it was great to get up early, see the sunrise, and drive a little ways down the coast. I felt like we'd accomplished something before the tour even began! Check-in was chill, including a very friendly cat. Evan and Paul were ready and waiting at the put-in. Our group was moving a little slowly, but they didn't make us feel rushed. Excellent safety briefing and step-by-step instructions through the morning. Evan shared interesting history of the area as we paddled across the bay, conveying a sense of respect for indigenous the people and place. THE MOST AMAZING SNORKELING I'VE EVER DONE. As my husband said, it was like swimming in an aquarium. This spot was otherwise accessible only by a 3.7 mile round-trip hike (or by small tour boat), so reaching it by kayak was special. A few in our group planned to keep their snorkel gear for the afternoon - no extra charge! - and drop it off at the end of the day after exploring other snorkel spots. Nice touches: The aluminum water bottle was more substantial than I thought it would be, and was a nice souvenir. Lunch was excellent - sandwiches for every preference ("Meat eater" "Vegetarian" "Pregnant eater" "Picky eater!"), chips, macadamia chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery, and flavored bubble water or juice. Evan told us the story of Captain Cook while we ate. He's a terrific storyteller. Goats and marmots made appearances in the woods behind him while he spoke, as if on cue. Finally, and importantly, our group had a diversity of ages, body types, and mobility challenges. Both Evan and Paul were very kind and competent helping everyone get in and out of the boats as well as in and out of the water safely. They made everyone feel comfortable and confident. It was a great experience.

Best Excursion EVER - This is such a wonderful experience! It was our 4th trip and we will for sure go again. Whenever we go to the big island with people who haven't gone before we take this trip. Evan is an amazing guide, very knowledgeable and he takes great care of the guests. The paddle isn't hard and the snorkeling is just amazing.

A don’t miss experience - Great vibes the whole time. Evan gave us a great tour and we learned so much about Hawaiian culture and history. Huge variety of fish including manta rays, eels and spinner dolphins He helped us load and unload into kayaks. Paddling was easy. Best cookie ever when we were done snorkeling!