A visit to Kealakekua Bay, Kona Hawaii
Kealakekua Bay is one of the most beautiful and popular snorkeling, hiking and kayaking areas located on the Big Island. Located about 12 miles south of Kailua Kona on Kealakekua Bay in a stunning and historic landscape. The bay is known for its historical past with the European landing of the English Explorer Captain James Cook in 1779. A visit to Kealakekua bay by kayaking, hiking or taking an organized tour offers and incredible water and snorkeling experience with gorgeous views of the surrounding cliffs and coastline.
A marine conservation zone
Kealakekua Bay is designated as a Marine Conservation District in1969 with an amazing diversity of tropical fish and marine life. With a total of over 315 acres the marine conservation district measures 1.5 by 1 mile in area. You have serveral options to tour Kealakekua Bay by boat tour, hiking or even kayaking from a nearby marina close by.
A brief history of Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii’s Big Island is steeped in history and natural beauty. This bay was a pivotal site of contact between native Hawaiians and Europeans in the late 1700s. In 1779, British explorer Captain James Cook arrived at the bay, initially welcomed by the Hawaiians, who associated him with their god Lono due to certain symbols and timing related to their cultural beliefs. However, after a few weeks, tensions rose, culminating in a conflict that led to Cook’s death on the bay’s shores. This event marked a turning point in Hawaiian-European relations and highlighted the complex dynamics of early cross-cultural encounters.
Today, Kealakekua Bay is also celebrated for its ecological significance as a marine sanctuary, famous for its coral reefs and diverse marine life. Snorkelers, kayakers, and outdoor enthusiasts visit to experience its vibrant underwater world. The Captain Cook Monument, standing on a remote part of the bay’s shore, serves as a reminder of this layered history and the interactions that forever shaped Hawaiian history and culture.
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How to visit Kealakekua Bay
You can visit Kealakekua Bay by visiting the state park or any of these other means:
Hike down to the bay and return back uphill which allows you to enjoy the hike, views, coastline and do some snorkeling fun.
You can rent a kayak or do a kayak tour around the bay to the Captain Cook monument.
You can book a boat cruise with various tour operators – we share the top cruise operators below for you to choose from.
Here’s more detailed information about the various options below:
Hiking down to Kealakekua Bay
The hike down to Kealakekua Bay is challenging both downhill and uphill, but you get some spectacular views along the way. There is a steep hike into this historical and protected area starting with a shaded area with overhead trees that open up into grassland and then exposed areas. The big plus of the hike is getting to explore the coastline areas and also access to snorkeling areas and checking out the monument.
Tip – consider coming down to the bay and leaving in the morning timeframe to avoid the heat and hard trail hike coming back up to the street parking along on Napoopoo road.
Boat tour operators
An easier option to visiting Kealakekua Bay is to go by boat which is pleasant and typically goes from various harbors that cruises around the scenic coastline into Kealakekua bay. Many of the outfitters offer morning or afternoon excursions to the bay and Captain Cook monument for the snorkeling portion along with spotting dolphins and other marine life once you leave the harbor area and cruise down to Kealakekua Bay.
If you are looking for an outfitter that does snorkeling tours of Kealakekua Bay you can consider the following tours:
Sea Quest Hawaii tour – a three hour boat tour that departs from Keauhou harbor
Hawaii Sea Ocean – Kealakekua bay tour and snorkeling adventure
Captain Cook Cruises – Kealakekua morning tour departs from Keauhou harbor
Kayak to Kealakekua bay
There are kayak rental outfitters that are available that can set you up with kayaks that you can take to the nearby marina at manini or sometimes there are some outfitters that are already on site that allow you to rent directly from there by the hour or set timeframes.
Adventures in Paradise – afternoon kayak and snorkel tour
Adventures in Paradise – morning kayak and snorkel tour
Snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is a protected marine area that offers some of the best snorkeling around the Kona area of the Big Island. The healthy coral reefs are amazing and host a variety of tropical fish and marine life that thrive in the protected zone. You’ll see an abundance of tropical fish and marine life along with the fantastic coral, urchins and other SeaLife. The coral shelf goes on about 20 or so feet and then becomes very deep with rough tides and currents.
Tip – snorkeling is relatively calm in the mornings with more turbulent currents and tides later in the day. So, if you are planning to do more snorkeling, then consider coming here earlier in the day or come by a boat outfitter that typically arrives in the morning.
Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park Information
Another possibility of visiting Kealakekua Bay is to go visit Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. A great spot to sightsee and see the bay and the Captain Cook Monument in the distance along with the Hikiau Heiau. You are not allowed to enter the water from the park area but you can see spinner dolphins and marine life
Visiting Hours
Daily 7 AM-9 PM
Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park Map and Address
82-6099 Puuhonua Beach Rd
Kealakekua, HI 96750
The Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay
One of the key attractions to explore at Kealakekua Bay is the Captain Cook Monument which was dedicated to the death of Cook in this area and erected by the commonwealth of Australia.
Cook came to Kealakekua Bay at an auspicious timeframe celebrating the Hawaiian Makahiki season and they thought that Cook was the god Lono being celebrated at this time. They were treated like dignitaries with feasts and celebration until the ships eventually left. But the ships turned back by damages from a severe storm and came back to more hostilities and the sudden death of Cook at the hands of the native populace.
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More tips and suggestions to visiting Kealakekua Bay
If you consider hiking down to the bay and back, consider doing this as early as possible, it gets really hot and difficult to hike back uphill towards the later part of the day.
If you are kayaking to reach the Captain Cook monument from across the bay, you can anchor by the reef but you are not allowed to dock or walk anywhere along the coastline.
Same with boat excursions to the may and monument, you are not allowed to set foot on ground or the monument. The only way to reach the monument physically is by hiking down.
Always bring enough water for your needs, it can get very hot and dehydrating out in this area.
Only use reef safe suntan lotion when you get ready to snorkel.
Conclusion to visiting Kealakekua Bay
You can many options to visiting the bay through boats, hiking or even kayaking across the bay to the monument area. It’s a fantastic area to explore and see the beautiful coastline, cliffs and snorkel the amazing sea life in the marine preserve.
Thanks for Visiting This Hawaii Life and please check out any other interesting posts on the blog.
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