Big Island: Marine Wildlife Excursion

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Big Island of Hawaii, USA

4 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

On the Kona Coast and in Kealakekua Bay, the wildlife-watching isn’t seasonal—whales, dolphins, sharks, seals, birds, and more call this tropical paradise home year-round. On this tour, hop on a small, open-air zodiac, hear stories of old Hawaii, and zoom along the rugged coast spotting creatures big and small, wild and wonderful, going for a true ocean safari.

Live onboard commentary adds context to what you see
Refuel with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks while on board
Maximize your chances of spotting cetaceans with a guide
Limited to a small group get a wildlife tour more akin to a safari

What's Included

Local taxes
Picnic snack (potato chips, cookies, sodas, fruit juices, bring your reusable bottle for water)
Rafting expedition

Hotel pick up and drop off
Gratuities
Cameras, please bring your own camera and/or go pro.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Captain Zodiac
74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy #16, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
Captain Zodiac is located in the Honokohau Marina and small boat harbor, after turning onto Kealakehe Street make your first right then second left into a parking lot surrounded by chain link fencing and pink flowers with blue roofed buildings.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start time
.9:00 am

Itinerary

Captain Zodiac Raft Expeditions

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Honokohau Marina & Small Boat Harbor

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kailua-Kona

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Kailua-Kona

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not recommended for participants with back or neck problems
Pregnant women are not allowed on this tour
Not wheelchair accessible
Minimum age is 4 years

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Tom_F

We saw humpback whales, spinner dolphins, short fin pilot whales and even different bird species. Cpt Ashley was more than knowledgeable which made the trip a true learning experience. And first mate Seth made everyone feel very welcomed and worked hard to make sure we were safe, comfortable and appreciated. AWESOME 4 hours! This may be the best activity in Hawaii we have ever had…and we’ve made 7 trips here from Texas. Thanks!!!

Reviews

4.8

based on 28 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Awesome upclose whale experience

Sheri_C, Oct 2023

Our trip was awesome..".B" our captain was delightful. We had the privilegde of spending about 15 minutes with a pod of 4-5 beaked cuviet whales. It is a rare sighting,the best she ir anyone else on the raft had ever seen. They.came right up to zodiac to check us out..so close we could have touched them. Absolutely amazing. The rest of the tour was interesting and informative. It was obvious that there was every cobcern for our safety and enjoyment. Hoghtly recommended!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

What a special sighting that day! Mahalo for taking the time to shout out Captain B and write about your time on the water. Our Pelagic tour is a great way to learn about all kinds of animals that rely on the ocean, from whales and dolphins to sea birds.

We got to see a pod of...

Thomas_N, Jan 2023

We got to see a pod of Sperm Whales. Our guide Cory and Mia went the extra mile to get us to the pod of Sperm Whales even though our tour time was almost up. Excellent Service

Response from Host, Jan 2023

I'm sure they were just as stoked as all of you guys for the sperm whales! I was super jealous of being in the office all day while you guys got sperm whale! We are glad you guys had a great time on our pelagic wildlife tour! You never know what you are going to find in our different depths of water. Hope to see you all again the next time you make it out this way!