Adventures in Paradise

Fantastic time -great personable guide- small group of two couples made this one of the best adventures during our trip to the big Island.

Great snorkel trip to a protected bay. Our guide, Mike, was knowledgeable about the area, and had a genuine concerns for the pristine conditions in the bay. Other tour groups in the area were walking all over the corals and Mike was the only one asking (he was very polite) people not to disturb things. The only difficulties we had were getting in and out of the kayaks, but this was a problem with the docks the state of Hawaii had set up, nothing to do with Adventures in Paradise. Everyone associated with Adventures was very laid back and friendly.

I was very nervous about getting in and out of the kayak at the dock and they really provided a lot of help with that. A lot of people seem to kayak across the bay independently but as i am not that comfortable i was happy to have the additional safety of two guides on the trip. They also helped by explaining how to get in and out of the water safely off the wall at the snorkel site. Also enjoyed the stories about Capt Cook at the monument. If you are completely comfortable with sea kayaking and snorkeling on your own it's probably no big deal to just rent a kayak and go but if you need any support then these folks are great.

Adventures in Paradise tour company is easy to find since it is right on the highway. They bring you and the equipment to the launch site in their van, and help you into the the kayaks. They also bring snaks(cookies, fruit, grainola bars, etc). While paddling to the dive site our guide Mike was very informative about the site and had a good sense of humor. Since our tour started early in the morning, we were one of the first groups there. The snorkling was great, we saw a lot of fish and an Eel. Also the water was very clear and fairly flat in the dive area. After snorkling and having snaks we left. The waves were now taller on our trip back. Once back at the load in/out site, wave action had increased. But with the expert help of Mike our guide,he helped 8 people( 4 kayaks) unload. He also unloaded equipment that he brought in his kayak . Once on the landing, I realized that a lot of people were trying to launch their kayaks, even though the water was rougher and that there were a of people and tour boats at the site of the Cook Monument. They inquired about everyones kayaking and snorkling experience levels. I hadn,t kayaked in 25 years and my wife had never kayaked before. She still had an excellent time.

This was an awesome trip!! I highly recommend it!!! We met our guide Mike and Karen at the office and headed to the launch point after some brief instruction and a YUMMY continental breakfast of pastry and fresh fruit. We were a pretty small group only eight people on the trip. Karen said they like to keep it small so they can provide a better experience. Karen gave a nice talk on the history of the Kealakekua Bay area during the 15minute drive down. Mike and Karen took care of everything while we got ready with sunscreen and last minute bathroom breaks. There is a nice shower/restroom area at the north-end of the park (bathrooms were freshly painted so there were closed, but the sign said they would be open the next day). The showers were nice to rinse off in, after the trip as well. After launching we headed across the bay. About half way across, we saw a group of spinner dolphins. A couple of them jumped in front of our group and did a couple flips/spins (I guess living up to their name). We arrived at the monument after about 20-30 minutes of paddling (not really sure as Mike kept us busy with his knowledge of the area and the view was great). Mike got us "beached" in the proper spot and took our gear to the old pier to start our snorkeling. He gave us a brief history and some final instructions and we were in the water. It is a beautiful place to snorkel; the water was crystal clear and the sea life abundant! There were several other zodiac boats with snokelers (12-15 per boat), so it was not too crowded for the first ½ hour or so. Then a catamaran showed up with 50+ people and it got pretty crazy for a while, but there was plenty of reef to go around if you looked for it. After about an hour or so, Mike called us out for a lunch/snack of fresh fruit, granola/cereal bars and assorted crackers. Pretty good stuff and not to filling for more snorkeling later. The catamaran was serving cheese burgers and that pulled quite a few of their group out of the water. We took advantage of the clear space and snorkeled for another 45-minute or so. Mike got us all ready to leave and launched our boats for the trip back. We saw the dolphins again and again they put on a show! Once we were back at the launch site, Mike and Karen got everything loaded while we used the showers to rinse off and get our stuff together to head back up the hill. This was an awesome trip!! I highly recommend it!!!

My wife and I enjoyed our kayak across Kealakeakua Bay and hours of snorkeling very much. We have some kayaking experience, in fact we own the model we used on the trip, but the other 2 couples with us had none. It didn't matter. The early A.M start permitted us a first glimpse and passage across the bay and the water was surreal- blue, clear and limpid. We encountered several pods of spinner dolphins at relatively close hand en route and had plenty of snorkel time as well. Mike, our leader, was diligent, informative, and safety conscious while still being low-key and humorous. It all felt like a much more intimate experience than being a lemming on one of the large tourist boats. The trip was very inexpensive considering the kayak rental, landing permit, and the nice array of snacks provided. A thoroughly wonderful day in a unique part of Hawaii I would heartily recommend.

Excellent way to see Cook monument. Very good value.

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A relaxing paddle across the Kelakekua Bay brought us to the Cook Monument and fabulous snorkeling. A key element that made this a great experience was the early start which meant that we were able to beat the tourist boat masses and have the reef to ourselves for about an hour. The snacks were designed to restore our energy and our guide's attention to the ecology of the area was appreciated. We learned a lot about island history and the local biology from our guide. A great trip and much more fun and relaxing than a noisy crowded powerboat.

Mike was an excellent guide and provided good history on Capt. Cook. He was also very helpful with any (physical) assistance our group needed. The snorkeling was very enjoyable, and we felt we had adequate time for that and didn't feel rushed at all. The snacks, especially the fruit, were tasty and refreshing as well!

The guide was very interested in helping us have the best time. This tour is probably something that could be done on your own if you are adventuresome, but the individual attention, knowing where to go and what to do, the funny stories and interaction made us much more comfortable and we really enjoyed the experience. Would recommend this to friends, but only concern was that we should have worn wet suits as the water was chilly and the tour guide did not warn us of this. If you don't like feeling chilly check the water temps before you go.

Karen was our driver and Mike our tour guide.....both were great. Mike was friendly to everyone....I was especially impressed that he was friendly to everyone even people at the monument that were not part of the tour. Clearly, protecting the area and being genuinely nice is part of who he is. I can spend a boatload and be pampered but I want something more real and I got that here....real people who care. Thanks for being part of being a great vacation.

This outing was a real highlight of our trip to the Big Island. We saw so many fish and had an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide who made the trip fun!

Easy kayak ride across the bay to a popular snorkeling site. This trip leaves early and gets you there before all the big snorkeling boats come in. Our guide mike was wonderful and knowledgeable. He gave us good suggestions on what to do in the island and the best places to eat. We were lucky enough to see a humpback whale about 100 yards away from us which was incredible! The snorkeling was great, lots of bright fish and a couple of eels. Overall a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to take a snorkeling trip in this nay.

It was a small group of 3 people so we received a lot of attention. The guide was both informative and helpful making the experience all it could be. The trip in the morning leaves early but it is worth it as one beats the crowds that come later in the day. Nice healthy snack provided. The best snorkeling experience that I have ever had.