Best Snorkeling on the Big Island of Hawaii: A Detailed Guide

Wondering where to experience the BEST snorkeling on the Big Island of Hawaii?

The Big Island is known for some of the best snorkeling and diving out of all the Hawaiian Islands. As the youngest island, the Big Island’s landscape is very unique and offers something different from all the other islands! I spent one week on the Big Island in 2023 and had some amazing snorkeling experiences!

From the sunny Kona coast to the tropical Hilo side, the Big Island has several incredible places to snorkel! In this post, I’ll cover all the top snorkeling spots on the Big Island, including the famous manta ray snorkeling activity.

I’ll also answer some questions you may have about snorkeling on the Big Island, like the best time of year to snorkel and what rules you need to follow!

If you’re ready to experience the beautiful coral gardens of Hawaii, keep reading to help plan your adventure!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link or book through an affiliate program, I receive a small commission at no cost to you!

A Detailed Guide to the Best Snorkeling on the Big Island of Hawaii

Map of the Best Snorkeling Spots on the Big Island

Below is a map that shows all of the snorkel spots mentioned in this post! Make sure to save this to your own Google Maps so you can reference it on your trip!

Snorkeling Spots in Kona

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island, you may already know that there are two main sides: the Kona side and the Hilo side. The west (Kona) side is typically hot, sunny, and dry, only receiving about 18 inches of rainfall per year. This makes it great for snorkeling! Below are the best Big Island snorkeling spots on the Kona side.

P.S. Thanks to incredible coral heads right off the beach, snorkeling is one of the best Free Things to Do in Kona!

Two Step Beach at Honaunau Bay

Two Step Beach at Honaunau Bay is often regarded as the best snorkeling spot on the Big Island! Located about 40 minutes south of the historic Kailua-Kona district, Honaunau Bay is a great snorkel spot for beginners and pros alike.

The name “Two Step” comes from the formation of the lava rock at a specific spot along the Bay. Here, the rock forms two natural steps into the water, making it the perfect entry location for snorkelers! Think of it like a little shelf!

There are areas in the Bay where the water is only 6-10 feet deep, or you can swim further out into deeper water if you’re comfortable. Here, you’re more likely to see wildlife like Hawaiian spinner dolphins or Hawaiian green sea turtles!

Like many other popular areas on the Big Island, Honaunau Bay is a historically significant cultural site to the Hawaiian people. Two Step Beach is located right next to Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, which is a great place to stop at when you’re done snorkeling. Here, you can go on a self-guided walking tour and visit Royal Grounds once reserved for the chiefdom of Kona.

Captain Cook Monument

My personal favorite place to go snorkeling on the Big Island is at Captain Cook monument! The Captain Cook monument is located about 20 minutes south of Kailua-Kona off Highway 11. The monument lies within Kealakekua Bay, the Big Island’s only underwater state park.

To get to the monument for snorkeling, you have three options: kayak to the monument, hike the 3.7 mile out-and-back trail, or visit on an organized snorkel tour!

Personally, I recommend the kayaking option! It gives you an opportunity to kayak across Kealakekua Bay, where you are likely to spot spinner dolphins, manta rays, and tons of other marine life! It’s also cheaper than going on a snorkel tour. The hiking option, while free, can be a lot considering you’ll be hiking over 3 miles, plus snorkeling!

I also have a full guide about kayaking to Captain Cook monument to help plan out your snorkeling adventure!

The waters around Captain Cook monument are absolutely stunning, and we saw some of the most colorful fish here! I do recommend arriving as early as possible, as the waters around the monument can get crowded.

Kahalu’u Beach Park

Another very popular spot to snorkel on the Big Island is Kahalu’u Beach Park! Located just 10-15 minutes south of historic Kailua-Kona, Kahalu’u is a great option for beginner and advanced snorkelers. The only tricky spot is getting into the water. You may have to navigate over/around some lava rock to get to the sandy bottom. You can opt to wear water shoes if needed!

The Beach Park is also home to the Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center, where you can rent snorkel gear from.

In terms of wildlife at Kahalu’u, it is very common to see sea turtles in the water. In addition, you might see eels, parrotfish, boxfish, butterflyfish, and more!

It’s important to know that Kahalu’u Beach Park is also a very popular place for surfing on the Big Island! While you are snorkeling at Kahalu’u, please be mindful of the local surfers on the northern end. If you’re interested in learning how to surf, this is a great place to take a surf lesson!

The beach park also has picnic tables, a covered pavilion, outdoor showers, bathroom facilities and a lifeguard tower.

Kamakahonu Beach

If you’re looking for a great snorkel spot for beginners that’s easy to access, Kamakahonu Beach (also known as King Kam Beach) is a perfect choice. Located right in the heart of downtown Kona, Kamakahonu Beach is a small, public beach with little to no waves.

This beach sits between the Kona pier and the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, so you can easily walk to it if you are staying nearby in Kona. The beach is in a protected lagoon, making it perfect for those with small children and beginner snorkelers. In fact, locals call the beach “keiki” beach (keiki means children in Hawaiian!).

You can swim right off the beach and see some beautiful tropical fish. You can also rent paddle boards or kayaks from the Kona Boys Beach Shack! There is also shaded picnic spots, showers, restrooms, and BBQ areas on the beach.

Snorkeling Spots in Hilo

As mentioned above, there are two main sides of the Big Island: the Kona side and the Hilo side. We’ve already covered the Kona side, so now let’s talk about Hilo. While Hilo averages about 130 inches of rain a year, don’t discount the snorkeling on this side of the island! Most of the rainfall happens at night, and you can still expect beautiful, sunny days in Hilo.

P.S. You can read more about the different areas of the Big Island in my guide on Where to Stay on the Big Island!

Carlsmith Beach Park

One of the most beautiful places to visit on the Big Island is Carlsmith Beach Park, just 10 minutes outside of downtown Hilo. The beach park is free to enter and has some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen!

The water is protected from large waves by a small reef, turning into a calm, saltwater lagoon. There are several places to swim, and you can lounge on the lava rock around the water. There are also grassy areas in the park where people bring blankets and chairs to sun bathe. It’s a great place to watch the sunrise or visit midday for a swim! There is free street parking right in front of the park.

We were lucky enough to see multiple sea turtles while swimming at Carlsmith Beach Park! There were also some small tropical fish. The water is a little chilly because it is fed by a nearby spring, but it is still manageable! Bring a wetsuit if needed!

Richardson Ocean Park

Just down the road from Carlsmith Beach Park is Richardson Ocean Park, another great snorkeling spot on the Big Island! The ocean park also has spring-fed water that mixes with the warmer ocean water. Unlike Carlsmith Beach Park, this is a true “beach”, with both black and green sand! It’s the closest black sand beach to Hilo!

The park is open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and there is a lifeguard on duty! This park tends to get very busy on the weekends, so I recommend arriving early or visiting during the week if you are able to.

You are very likely to see sea turtles here, plus plenty of other tropical fish, and maybe even a Hawaiian monk seal if you are lucky!

The Ocean Park also has outdoor showers, restrooms, picnic tables, and grill stations!

Big Island Snorkeling Tours

All of the above snorkel spots are accessible to the public by driving (or hiking/kayaking for Captain Cook). However, another great option for snorkeling on the Big Island is to go on an organized snorkel tour!

Snorkeling with Manta Rays

Obviously I can’t talk about the best snorkeling on the Big Island without talking about the famous manta rays! If you don’t know, one of the most popular activities to do on the Big Island is night snorkeling with manta rays. To do this, I recommend going on a dedicated manta ray snorkel tour.

All tours leave from the Kona area, and you will get into the water right around sunset! Snorkelers will float on the surface with a giant light shining down, and divers descend to the ocean floor (about 40 feet).

Snorkeling with mantas may sound terrifying, but I can guarantee it’s one of the coolest things you will ever do! They truly are gentle giants, and it’s completely safe to swim with them..

If you are looking for more info, I have a full guide that goes over everything you need to know about snorkeling with manta rays, including different tour options, how much they cost, and what to expect!

Other Snorkeling Tours

If you are looking for a day time snorkeling tour on the Big Island, you have plenty of options! I recommend going on a snorkel tour if you are a short on time and want to experience as many of the Big Island snorkel spots as possible.

Luckily, there are tons of Big Island snorkel tours to choose from! This 3-hour snorkel tour is a great option for those who want a chance to see dolphins, plus the opportunity to snorkel at two different spots on the Big Island!

If you want to visit the famous Captain Cook Monument, this snorkel tour has a morning and afternoon option to Kealakekua Bay. The tour is $120 and includes 4 hours of snorkeling fun, plus lunch!

Things to Know Before Snorkeling on the Big Island

Reef Safe Sunscreen

An absolute must-have when snorkeling on the Big Island is reef-safe sunscreen. Why? Hawaii has passed a law banning the distribution and sale of products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been proven to damage coral reefs. They were the first state to do so! So make sure you are NOT wearing sunscreen that contains these chemicals while snorkeling in Hawaiian waters.

In addition, I recommend also avoiding sunscreens with octocrylene and avobenzone, as Hawaii is trying to ban these as well. Brands like COOLA and MANDA are both great options that do not contain any toxic chemicals! 

If you’re looking to read more about reef-safe sunscreen and its importance for protecting coral reefs, check out this article!

Respecting Coral Reefs

Did you know coral reefs are living organisms? Reefs play a crucial role in supporting marine biodiversities, and they are very sensitive to human impact. Before snorkeling on the Big Island, it’s important to understand the environmental duty we have to protecting coral reefs.

Aside from wearing reef-safe sunscreen as explained above, please do not stand on or touch any coral reefs while snorkeling. The slightest human touch can cause irreparable damage. In addition, please do not remove any animals or shells from coral reefs.

Wildlife Rules

Snorkeling in Hawaii comes with the potential to see incredible wildlife. Because of this, Hawaii has some specific rules about interacting with wildlife that you should be aware.

Hawaiian green sea turtles are very common to see in the water. All sea turtles are protected by federal and state law, and they are an endangered species. NOAA recommends staying at least 10 feet away from sea turtles for your safety and the animals’ protection.

NOAA also has established guidelines for Hawaiian spinner dolphins. NOAA’s website states “there is a growing body of scientific evidence documenting the effects of dolphin-directed activities on spinner dolphins, especially activities that involve close approaches by humans.” For this reason, the Marine Mammal Protection Act requires spinner dolphins be observed from a safe distance of at least 50 yards.

What to Bring Snorkeling

To start, of course you’ll need a mask and snorkel for snorkeling in Hawaii! Really, this is all you NEED to go snorkeling. Unlike scuba diving, where purchasing all of your own gear will cost over $1000, snorkeling gear can be relatively reasonable!

If you plan on snorkeling more than once in your life, I recommend investing in a quality mask and snorkel. I don’t recommend heading to Walmart and grabbing the first $20 mask and snorkel set you see. Your future self will thank you when you’re underwater.

While optional, fins are great to have while snorkeling, especially if the seas are rough. Unless you are an extremely strong swimmer, I recommend using fins for snorkeling on the Big Island. You’ll be able to swim further and faster with less effort! Plus, if there are strong currents in the ocean, you will want to be wearing fins. You can invest in a quality snorkel set that includes fins like this one, and it’ll last you for 10-20 years!

Aside from snorkel gear, I also recommend bringing an underwater phone case or waterproof camera, like a GoPro, to capture Hawaiian incredible underwater scenery!

Best Time of Year for Snorkeling

The best time of year for snorkeling on the Big Island is typically from May – September, for a few different reasons.

As a surfing destination, the Hawaiian islands see large ocean swells, particularly in the winter months. These large waves make snorkeling dangerous or sometimes impossible in different areas of the island. This doesn’t mean you can’t snorkel on the Big Island in the winter, but your options will be limited.

Strong winds and waves also decrease water clarity, so the water is typically at its clearest in the summertime!

Lastly, the water is obviously warmer in the summer! The water temp typically hovers around 80ºF (27ºC). If you’re from somewhere like Florida (like me!), the Hawaiian waters might feel a little cold to you no matter what time of year! However, you can always wear a wetsuit 🙂

Final Thoughts

That wraps up my guide to snorkeling on the Big Island! As you can see, there are tons of incredible spots to snorkel on the Big Island, whether you’re staying on the Kona side or the Hilo side. If you’re water-obsessed like me, I highly recommend snorkeling during the day, as well as doing the manta ray snorkel at night!

And make sure to snorkel responsibly by wearing reef-safe sunscreen and keeping your distance from animals and the coral reefs!

Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning!