HOW TO PLAN THE ULTIMATE KONA SNORKEL EXPERIENCE
If you are looking to experience the ultimate Hawaiian water adventure, don’t look any further. By far and away the best ocean excursion is through a local snorkel tour. Keep reading our article to not only learn about the different types of Kona snorkel trips there are but how you can book with confidence.
Book a Kona Snorkel Tour with a Local Company
Our biggest piece of advice when it comes to solidifying your spot aboard a Kona snorkel boat tour is to book with a local company. There are a lot of different tourist agencies and companies who operate out of Kona; with the saturation of snorkel tours it can be discouraging and hard to make sure that you are boarding a boat with a knowledgeable captain and crew, who not only adhere to the safety of the marine life and their guests, but can take you to some magical places with ample time in the water.
Contrary to some companies who have boats in and around Kona yet operate from another island or the mainland, a local Kona snorkel tour will not only stop at the most raved about reefs but also take you along the coastline to explore hidden sea caves and underwater lava tubes. This is truly the best way to book with confidence.
Choose the Best Time of Year for a Kona Snorkel
The Big Island, and Hawaii as a whole, is undoubtedly beautiful year-round. But there are some caveats when it comes to booking a Kona snorkel tour. The biggest thing to take into consideration is the weather and what marine animals you are looking to spot during your time aboard the boat and in the water.
For example, humpback whales are surprisingly native to Hawaii as they are born in the waterways that surround the islands; however, they will spend most of their lives in Alaska, only returning to the islands to mate or give birth to the young whale calves that were conceived the previous year. Humpback whales only travel to Hawaii from November to the end of March, typically, and stay for just a few weeks each. If you want to see these majestic creatures play and breach out of the water, be sure to book your whale watching or snorkel tour (where you may see them on your trip out to the reef but will not be swimming alongside them), in the winter!
Make Sure You’re Prepared and Stick to Your Skill Level
While a captain aboard a trusted Kona snorkel tour company will make sure that the boat is well prepared, you are responsible for ensuring you have everything you need. This includes things like reef safe sunscreen, a swimsuit, and in some cases water and towels. Most, if not all, snorkel tour boats will have a mask, a snorkel, fins, and pool noodles or another form of flotation, ready for you on the boat so that you can enter and peruse the water with confidence.
If you are someone that burns easily, gets dehydrated often, or is an inexperienced swimmer, taking into consideration your limits and how you can meet your own needs is of the utmost importance. But don’t worry if you aren’t sure about what that may be; if you are booking with a trusted local company you can always reach out to them to get a better sense of all that may be involved.