Top Activities, Big Island
Speed along 5.5 miles of dirt trail, taking in stunning views of the Hamakua Coastline and the sea beyond. As you ride, you’ll glimpse waterfalls along the Umauma River. Stop at a pond to swim or enjoy a local snack. Mauna Loa Helicopters offers private helicopter charters with no individual ticket sales. They provide 30-minute R44 flights, a 75-minute Magical Waterfalls Tour, and a 2-hour Big Island Experience. You can choose doors on or off for R44 tours, while the Big Island Experience is doors-on for comfort. Explore Hawai’i’s waters with Clear Bottom Kayaks, perfect for viewing above and below simultaneously. Enjoy underwater vistas through a 2’ x 9’ window, showcasing coral reefs, colorful fish, honu (green sea turtles), eels, and urchins. If you want a a luxurious option for stargazing on Mauna Kea without the hassle of driving, consider Hawai‘i Forest & Trail. They offer a 7.5-hour tour plus a catered dinner at a historic sheep-shearing station, a sunset visit to the summit, and stargazing with their telescope at the visitor center, complete with hot chocolate and cookies. Kona Honu Divers offers a comfortable diving experience aboard their spacious 46-foot boat, which features ample shade, two dive steps, and two showers. While their dive groups tend to be larger per dive master compared to other companies, they offer a variety of dive options including shore dives, blackwater dives, and their famous manta dives. During these dives they spend nearly all their time with the mantas. Kona Honu Divers operates a beautiful 46-foot boat with ample shade, making it comfortable and easy to navigate. The boat features two dive steps into the water and two showers on board. They also offer shore dives, blackwater dives, and manta dives. While a decent company, there are better options available. Ocean Sports offers morning snorkel trips aboard their 58-foot catamaran, Sea Smoke, departing from ‘Anaeho‘omalu Bay in Waikoloa. These 3.5-hour trips head south to Ke-awa-iki Beach or north to Mauna Lani, providing a delightful adventure and usually sail for half the trip. Captain Zodiac departs from Honokohau Harbor, adding 20 miles of Kona shoreline compared to rafts from Keauhou Bay and other outfits. They offer a 4-hour tour and their 5-hour tour includes lunch and more snorkeling spots. Kohala Divers offers an excellent diving experience in the Kohala area. Their 46-foot Newton Dive Special departs from Kawaihae Harbor and features decent equipment, a bathroom, a warm shower, plentiful snacks, and a professional captain and crew. For surf lessons, Kahalu’u Bay Surf & Sea is a top choice at Kahalu‘u Beach Park. They offer a well-structured and fun learning experience for lessons around 2 hours. Perfect for beginners, their lessons ensure you catch some waves while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Zip Isle at Botanical World Adventures offers zipline tours through the garden. However, it lacks in excitement with short, slow zips and long waits in groups of up to 16. The guides are knowledgeable, but the overall experience is underwhelming. ATVs
Umauma Experience: Deluxe ATV
Helicopters
Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours: Private Kona Coast
Kayaking
Clear Bottom Kayak Rentals
Land Tours
Hawaii Forest and Trail: Mauna Kea Summit and Stars
SCUBA Diving
Kona Honu Divers: Manta Ray SCUBA
Kona Honu Divers: Black Water Dive
Snorkeling
Ocean Sports Cruises: Snorkel Adventure from A Bay
Captain Zodiac: Kealakekua Bay Snorkel Tour
Kohala Divers: Two Site Dive/Snorkel
Surfing
Kahaluu Bay Surf and Sea: Group Surf Lesson
Ziplines
Botanical World Adventures: Zipline
