Adventures in Paradise

the early departure time is actually good as you get the bay to yourself for at least an hour before the big boat comes in. You will see more fishes with less people splashing about. The Adv in Paradise guides were good.

Great experience helped by friendly staff. Good snorkeling, snacks and dolphins!

We had a great time with these guys. The guides knew a lot and were super friendly. If you're looking to go kayaking, this is the group to go with.

The guide was very helpful and seemed to be thrillied to be doing his job. The pace was enjoyable and the fish while snorkling were beautiful.

Everything about this activity was great. Adventures in Paradise is very organized and got everyone in the vans quickly. We kayaked across the bay and safely landed our kayaks with the help of Ryan and Evan. Snorkeling in the bay was beautiful and getting there early....before all the other boats...made our time there even nicer. We had wonderful healthy snacks and even fresh brewed Kona coffee by Roy. All in all the day was great, we were exhausted in a good way and had a wonderful time.

very convenient way to kayak to Kealakekua, a spectacular location

I enjoyed very much the beautiful clear water sea and fish.

My friend from utah was visiting and wanted to explore the island, which was great for me. I had yet to explore because i had moved here from chicago 3 months earlier. my goal was to surf as much as i could before i left in june, so i hadnt done much exploring. but this this tour was amazing. our guides, kira and ryan, were super friendly and professional. they seemed to be have a boatload of information about the tour and the kona area itself. the kayak ride over to the bay from the launch gave me a sense of serenity. the snorkel session at the bay where the monument stands is beautiful. our tour guides also gave us a quick rundown on the history of captain cook. i loved the fact that they didnt drag on the tour with boring details, but instead kept it short and concise with enough detail to get the picture. my friend and i highly recommend this tour.

At first the venue of this operation seems a little ho hum, but don't let the quaint first impression fool you. The people who run this tour are extremely knowledgeable. Our guides offered all sorts of tips for snorkeling and kayaking. They were professional at all times and very friendly. I have snorkeled many times before on different islands (not Hawaii though) and found this experience to be the best. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone.

The kayak and snorkel trip was better than we imagined. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable; we felt totally safe and relaxed the whole time. The setting is amazing and the outfit respects the wildlife and marine preserve, which is important to us. If you want to see unparalleled coral reef, fish, and likely dolphins, this is the right trip. Thanks Mike and Karen! :)

In Feb 2010, Hawaii began to require permits to tie up kayaks at the Cook Monument. We hadn't taken the time to secure a permit, so we took this group option. Although more expensive, it was worth the cost. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The kayaks were transported right to the water and held for safe entry, which apparently isn't so easy during a low tide. The area around the Monument is beautiful and well worth both kayaking with dolphins and snorkeling with a wide variety of fish (we saw an eel, crown of thorns, and many other fish). If you only have a few days or less to snorkel on the Big Island, then I highly recommend this activity to maximize your time and experience.

My wife and I despite having no experience kayaking or snorkeling had a blast. Our guide Brie was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. We kayaked a relatively easy 1.5 miles to Kealakekua Bay which is a state historic park. The reef there is strikingly beautiful--very shallow and colorful close to shore, farther out it plunges 90 feet into the abyss. It's a mesmerizing sight. Reef fish were everywhere, but people were scarce which made for an awesome time.

The itinerary & staff at "Adventures in Paradise" were informative & receptive to the numerous questions that my parents & I asked. This area is such an incredibly rich reef ecosystem....I found myself wanting to know how to conduct myself in the least harmful way. No touching or standing on the coral, or touching/chasing the fish.... No interacting with any dolphins that you may come into contact with...unless they are obviously playing...which is usually only in the early morning hours.....sunrise to about 7am. They come into the bay to rest because they are nocturnal creatures. I recommend this tour if you are a beginner to snorkeling & have a genuine interest in learning snorkeling etiquette & making the least amount of impact on the reef & its inhabitants. Also, if you are interested in the history of the monument, our tour guide was very informative & seemed to have a genuine interest in Captain Cook himself & the unfolding of history that eventually led to his demise. We were the first ones to the monument. An hour later there were over 100 snorkelers in the water floundering around the coral. I doubt that they were given the guidance that we were in regards to reef damage prevention. Our guide had to direct several couples who had come on their own without instruction as to where the appropriate place to land their kayaks was. This inlet was the original place the Hawaiians hauled their canoes onto land, so the reef there already reflects this degradation. Docking anywhere else along the coastline may damage coral & harm the fragile ecosystem. So I recommend this tour, & encourage our visitors to really be good stewards of this special place....so that all of our children & grandchildren may be able to enjoy & experience. Also, remember that the ocean is home to thousands of species.....it is up to us leave no trace...we are guests in their ocean habitat. Easy on the chemicals...light on the sunscreen.....ENJOY!

We are not experienced kayakers and whilst there's not a lot to it - sit down and move your arms - we did have some concerns about whether the guide would be a young fit 18yo who would take off like a rocket and leave us behind. This didn't happen - our guides Roy and Joy - were fantastic in taking care of everything, and allowing everyone to travel at their own speeds rather than being pressured by the clock the whole time. The reef near the monument was the best snorkeling we found on Oahu, and also far better than Two Steps on the Big Island, so this is definitely a great way to see more interesting fish species diversity, as well as learning of the history.

Was a bit nervous of kayaking in the ocean and snorkeling but the day was perfect, sunny and calm. Kayaking was such a natural and peaceful way to get to the Monument. Staff was wonderful, thanks Ryan, and snorkeling was amazing. Was nice to have some snacks and the expertise of the staff to know where to snorkel and what to watch for. Would HIGHLY recommend this excursion; well worth the price!