We love Big Island snorkeling, and have explored it extensively. It offers great snorkeling, second only to Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, in our opinion. It used to be our favorite of the islands, but coral health and fish quantities have declined. It’s still very good though!
So, where are the best snorkel spots and why do we love it? This is a very big island, but the majority of locations are spread out along the drier, west side of the island (see the map below).
What’s great is nearly all the sites are accessible from shore, although there are some fun boat tours too. You will swim with loads of gorgeous fish, turtles, and giant Manta Rays, over reefs with some healthy corals, all in perfect snorkeling depths.
Some Favorite Big Island Snorkeling Spots
Click on each location below, for full details and pictures. Also don’t miss the Big Island snorkeling video, pictures, and more about what you can expect further down the page.
Big Island Snorkeling Guide eBook – The sample locations below are just a few from our popular eBook guide. You get:
- The Best Snorkeling Spots
- Easy Find Directions and Maps
- 537 Beautiful Pictures
Two Steps (Honaunau) – Full of life, this cove is outstanding for snorkeling.
Captain Cook Monument – One of the best spots on the island, reached by boat tour or tough hike.
Mauna Kea Beach – See many fish and some fun topography at this lovely resort beach.
Beach 69/Waialea Bay – There is a lot to explore from this pretty shady beach.
Hapuna Beach – Beautiful, busy beach with decent snorkeling.
Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay) – A popular resort beach, but not great snorkeling.
Night Snorkel With Manta Rays – One of the most amazing snorkel experiences we have ever had.
Kapoho Tide Pools – Sadly, this spot no longer exists. It was covered by lava in the eruption the summer of 2018. But it used to be one of our favorite snorkel spots on earth.
Big Island Snorkeling Video
Check out our Big Island snorkeling video below to see what to expect. All of the videos came from our last trip, and you can see lots of colorful tropical fish, turtles, and other creatures.
Hawaii Requires Reef Safe Sunscreen
We suggest buying this reef safe sunscreen, that we have tested, before you go. Or better yet, limit how much you use by wearing rash guards instead.
Why Is the Snorkeling So Great Here?
1. Amazing Shore and Beach Access
We really like free snorkeling from shore. The Big Island Hawaii is great for this. Many locations are accessed from the most stunning beaches in the world but a few of the better ones are accessed from rocky shores.
2. Beautiful Tropical Fish and Turtles
Probably because the Big Island is a bit less populated and visited, it supports a healthy abundance of beautiful tropical fish.
And although the turtle populations don’t compare to Maui, you are still likely to see many sea turtles.
3. Excellent Depths for Snorkelers
Big Island Hawaii snorkeling offers ideal water depths. You can find whatever you like: super shallow areas where the fish are right in your face, reefs that range in depth from 5 to 25 feet, or for the more adventurous, deep drop-offs to over 50 feet.
4. Some Healthy Coral Reefs
The Big Island is home to some healthy coral reefs which are mostly reachable from shore.
5. Super Clear Water
There are areas on the Big Island that have some of the best visibility available in all Hawaii. In several locations you can snorkel along a wall in 10 feet of depth, and look down to over 50 feet through super clear water and see the sea floor below.
Have You Seen These Guided Snorkel Travel Adventures?
Big Island Snorkeling Safety Tips
Many of the best snorkel spots are exposed. Yes, you can find a handful of snorkel spots on the Big Island that are fairly protected in small bays. But the majority of the great snorkeling happens around rocky points between beaches, and in open ocean along shorelines. That means that you are more exposed to wind or waves, surge, and currents.
It can be windy! Although not as windy as Maui, the Big Island, like all the islands, experiences regular trade winds that generally blow out of the east. This is the main reason that most of the best snorkeling is on the west side (see our Big Island snorkeling map above).
So the rule of thumb is to go snorkeling as early in the mornings as you can, because the winds tend to pick up as you approach noon even on the west side. These trade winds also deposit lots of moisture and rain on the east side of the island, which is another reason why the better snorkeling is in the west. You will be amazed how different the west side is from the east. One side is almost a desert, and the other side is a tropical rain forest.
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Big Island Travel Tips
When to Go for Snorkeling
Generally we think the snorkeling is best in the summer months on the Big Island, but there are exceptions to this. Read more details about the snorkeling conditions on our when to snorkel in Hawaii page, including air and water temperatures, swell, wind, rain, hurricane season, and tourist high seasons.
Water and Weather Conditions
Water temperatures for the Big Island vary a bit from winter to summer. You can find a chart of monthly average water temperatures of the Big Island on this page. We prefer to visit when the temperatures are near 80°F.
Good snorkeling depends on low winds and no waves. The wind on the Big Island is fairly predictable, meaning it is almost always windy. You can find a wind forecast for Kona Airport here. Once the day heats up, the wind can turn to onshore winds, so it is best to snorkel in the morning. Waves, also known as swell or surf, need to be low for snorkeling. You can see a swell forecast for Kona Airport here.
Choose your daily snorkeling spot according to the wind and swell forecasts above, but please note these websites were created for the folks who want high winds (wind and kite surfers) and high swells (surfers). As a snorkeler you want low winds and low swell.
Rainy season in Hawaii is between October and April and hurricane season goes from June to November, both of which affect snorkeling conditions. Hurricanes and tropical storms affect the islands primarily in July, August, and September. Plan your trip as you will and consider trip insurance if traveling in hurricane season.
Where to Stay for Big Island Snorkeling
Careful trip planning makes all the difference. All the other Hawaiian Islands could fit inside the Big Island. Because of its size, and how spread out the locations are, driving times are a real consideration. We suggest you try and decide what snorkel spots you want to hit before you decide where to stay. For the easiest snorkeling access, we make recommendations about where to stay on our Big Island snorkeling accommodations page.
You definitely want to stay on the Kona side of the Big Island Hawaii for the quickest and easiest access to most of the snorkeling. The Kona side is also known for getting much less rain; who wants a rainy trip?
There are many options for types of accommodations in this area, from simple hotels to upscale resort hotels, condos of all ranges, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rental homes or rooms.
We recommend you find Big Island accommodations in one of three areas: the Waikoloa Resort area in Kohala north of Kona, Kailua-Kona and Keauhou area, or Kealakekua Bay area.
There are many snorkeling spots within reasonable driving distance of the Waikoloa Resorts, and this area has the most upscale resorts. You will find many restaurants and shopping options in these resort areas. The most accessible to the public are at Waikoloa and Mauna Lani.
The snorkeling spots are not numerous in Kona and Keauhou, but you are within a decent driving distance of most of them if you stay here. There are many options for accommodation in this area, probably the most in terms of budget choices. Kona and Keauhou have many restaurants to choose from and the most reasonably priced groceries on this side of the island. And of course, there is a lot of shopping.
Since Kealakekua Bay has some fantastic snorkeling spots, we suggest staying somewhere nearby. You may not want to stay here for your entire trip as the rest of the snorkeling is a fairly long drive north, but consider it. The accommodations near Kealakekua Bay are of the alternate type only. You will find vacation rental homes and rooms, some bed and breakfast and other unique coffee farm cottages. There are a few restaurant and shopping options up on Hwy 11.
Suggestions and Questions From Other Snorkelers
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