Best snorkeling in Hawaii
 

Will be in Hawaii next month and would like to snorkel one day. Where is the BEST snorkeling and how does one get there, tours,boats guides?

Which island are you going to?

Off the south Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, we liked the Sea Quest Raft Adventure morning tour that departs from the same location as the FairWindII (Keauhou Bay), yet takes you to an additional 2nd offshore location Honaunau Bay (Adjacent to "Place of Refuge") in addition to Capt. Cook. area. We liked it so much we've done it twice in addition to the FairWind trip.
Here is a link: <font color="blue">www.seaquesthawaii.com/snorkel.html<font color="black">
The excellent guidebook <font color="blue">Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed</font> has more info. on snorkel tours, link: <font color="blue">www.wizardpub.com</font>
:S-
The above tour boats on the Big Island, provide a variety of snorkeling including fish, coral, turtles which was convenient for us. In researching this forum there is info. for those that prefer kayaking or other snorkel boat options sometimes focusing on specific marine life encounters.

Though some don't care for its popularity on the island of Oahu, we found Hanuama Bay to be an easily accessible good snorkel and beach day spot, if you go early in the day.
<font color="blue">http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/f...bay/index1.htm
<font color="black">
Best wishes for your trip to paradise((R))!</font></font></font></font>

JohnD took the words right out of my mouth. We will be visiting the big island and Oahu for the second time in June. I loved the fairwinds cruise and plan on doing it again even though it is a bit pricy. Dittos for Place of Refuge. I also love beach 69-relatively untouched with to me some of the best snorkeling around. Personally I won't go to Hanuama Bay again, it's too &quot;well known&quot;. I also don't want to have to watch the movie again, you have to wait sometimes for an hour to do that.

Here's some of our favorites; all reachable by car:

Honaunau Bay; about 25 miles south of Kona, next to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park (Place of Refuge).

Anaehoomalu Bay; about 24 miles north of Kona. Lots of turtles along the pathway north of the beach, near the Anchialine Ponds.
Manini'owali (AKA Kua Bay); about 4 miles north of the airport, entrance across street from Veteran's Cemetary. A gorgeous beach in a small inlet with good snorkeling north &amp; south of beach.

Kahalu'u Beach Park; a few miles south of Kona. Excellent for novice snorkelers.....large reef-protected cove, lifeguards &amp; facilities, lots of turtles in shallow water.

Thank you all very much for the great advice. We are going to 4 Island all of which you mentioned.

You can go on your own or book through some tours. If you book through a tour, usually they have hotel pickup (or a nearby location).

Lots of snorkeling sites:

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/f...ay/welcome.htm

http://www.snorkeling-hawaii-insider...com/index.html

http://www.maui-vacation.net/snorkelmap.html

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/snorkel/maps.htm

www.snorkelbobs.com Scroll to the bottom and click on: Map'nTips

Lots of Oahu info. Many of the sites in the thread are good for all islands:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34696831

Also:

www.mauihawaii.org

www.visitmaui.com

www.bigisland.org

www.kauaidiscovery.com

www.kauai-hawaii.com

This is a good site to see what activities are available. I've never used the site to book anything.

www.hawaiifun.org