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Where are the best places to go snorkeling on Big Island?

The beaches on the Big Island’s west coast are home to many of the island’s top snorkelling spots. When compared to the Big Island’s eastern side, this area’s water is the purest and has fewer waves. This makes them the best places to go snorkeling on the Big Island.

Best places to go snorkeling on Big Island?

Here are the best places to go snorkeling on the Big Island:

Kahalu’u Beach Park

Kahalu’u Beach park is one of the best places to go snorkeling on the Big Island. With a lifeguard on duty and easily accessible, shallow, and protected waters, Kahalu’u Beach Park is an excellent location for new snorkelers. Along with tide pools to explore, there is a great concentration of fish. The honu, or sea turtles, that frequently visit Kahalu’u Bay and dine on the limu, or seaweed, as well as sunbathe on the rocks, are known for their presence. When snorkeling, stay on the left side of the bay since when swells come in, surfers also frequent that area.

Hapuna Beach

One of the Big Island’s most stunning white sand beaches, Hapuna Beach is frequently sunny. Because there is always a lifeguard on duty, it is a suitable beach for families. Despite that, get there early because parking is scarce and the location is quite popular. The beach is more exposed than other locations, which makes it susceptible to stronger wave action and less visibility. This makes the location better suited for experienced snorkelers who don’t mind a long swim to the coral reefs at each end of the beach. Hapuna Beach is one of the best places to go snorkeling on the Big Island.

Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook)

One of the Big Island’s best snorkeling spots is Kealakekua Bay, the only underwater state park on the island. It’s a little challenging to get there from the land because parking is 1.9 miles from the bay, which means you’ll have to make a lengthy, strenuous descent to the sea in the hot sun before returning to the parking lot. The best snorkeling locations in the bay are accessible only by boat, which also gives you a chance to view the stunning shoreline from the water. Discover more about manta ray snorkel adventure in Kona.

Honaunau Bay (Two Steps)

Honaunau Bay is a beautiful site to explore, with lots of coral and marine life. The area was recognized as “America’s Best Beach” for its crystal-clear seas with up to 100-foot visibility. The 182-acre Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, from which Honaunau gets its name, is on the left side of this bay. Honaunau Bay is one of the best places to go snorkeling on the Big Island.

Join a manta ray snorkel tour

One of the easiest ways to get the most out of your manta rays snorkeling is to join a manta ray snorkel tour in Kona. For anyone looking to swim with the magnificent manta rays, Manta Village is unquestionably the biggest attraction in the seas near Kailua-Kona. The second largest species of manta ray on the planet, Manta alfredi, is a species that is commonly spotted in Hawaiian waters. Mantas consume plankton through filter feeding, giving you the chance to watch them swim.