The Hawaii Nautical Kona dolphin snorkel sail is a 4-hour shared charter for at most 6 guests on the catamaran Honi Olani, leaving Honokohau Harbor at 9 AM for a dolphin search, a reef snorkel and lunch on board. It suits couples and small families wanting a near-private boat. The drawback is price: $398 to $506 per person by reseller.
Highlights
Maximum 6 guests on a catamaran with cabins, in-cabin restrooms, private changing areas and fresh-water showers (Best of Hawaii listing).
Snorkel site chosen on the day; examples given are Pawai Bay (caves, arches, swim-throughs) and Makalawena.
Lunch included: turkey club or veggie burger with fries; a $59 Local Plate upgrade adds mahi mahi, salmon, ono, chicken, short ribs or ribeye.
Daily 9:00 AM departure from Outer Basin slips 38 and 39 at Honokohau Harbor, 74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy.
Dolphins and turtles are listed as year-round sightings; humpback whales December through April.
What to Expect
You check in 20 minutes before 9:00 AM at the Hawaii Nautical boat in the Outer Basin, slips 38 and 39, after parking in the harbor lot in front of the boat.
Shoes come off at the dock; the crew stores them and briefs the group of up to 6.
The catamaran motors or sails along the Kona coast looking for spinner dolphins, with turtles common year-round.
The captain picks that day's snorkel bay based on conditions and guest input; the crew fits masks, fins and vests and assists in the water.
Lunch is served on board after snorkeling, with non-alcoholic drinks included; alcohol is not provided on the VELTRA listing.
You rinse at the fresh-water shower, change in the private cabins and return to the harbor at about 1:00 PM.
Reviewers on VELTRA describe the forward mesh seating with cushions and a reef with no other boats present (2 of 3 reviews we read).
What's Included
4-hour sail on the catamaran Honi Olani with captain and crew
Mask, snorkel, fins, snorkel vest and in-water assistance
Lunch: turkey club with fries or veggie burger with fries (Al Fresco menu)
Non-alcoholic beverages
Cabins, private changing areas, restrooms and fresh-water showers
What's Not Included
Gratuity
Alcohol
Harbor parking (charged if you drive)
Local Plate lunch upgrade ($59 per person)
Hotel pickup
What to Bring
Towel, swimsuit and sunscreen
Easy-to-remove footwear; it is a barefoot sail and shoes stay at the dock
Photo ID and your waiver confirmation
Restrictions and Requirements
Maximum 6 guests; shared bookings of 2 to 6 people
Electronic waiver required for every participant; parents sign for minors
Not wheelchair accessible
Children of all ages allowed
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations or changes to date, time, package or participant count made after 3:00 PM local time 2 business days before the activity are charged 100%. Checked October 2026 on HawaiiActivities.com (VELTRA).
Hawaii Nautical, Honokohau Harbor, 74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Boat docked at the Outer Basin, slips 38 and 39 (GPS 19.6688, -156.0267).
Check-In
20 minutes before the 9:00 AM departure (8:40 AM).
Parking and Getting There
Honokohau Harbor lot in front of the boat: stay straight entering the harbor, do not turn right, then turn right into the lot at the yellow locked gate. Parking is charged.
Ratings from every source we could find
VELTRA
4.8
3 reviews
TripAdvisor
4.8
1,248 reviews
Google
4.9
666 reviews
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
General operator sentiment applies; combined dolphin-watch-and-snorkel sails are a popular Kona category.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We read 3 reviews of this shared 6-guest luxury snorkel sail on HawaiiActivities.com (VELTRA), all from March to July 2022, average 4.75. Operator-level scores from TripAdvisor and Google are shown as listed in October 2026.
What Reviewers Praise
Crew is attentive and knowledgeable(3 of 3 reviews we read)
Every review we read names the captain and crew as the strength of the trip, describing them as informative, personable and attentive to detail.
— VELTRA, 5★, March 2022: a couple describes the captain and a crew member as professional and helpful from boarding to return.
Small group and an empty reef(2 of 3 reviews we read)
Two reviews highlight the privacy of a 6-guest boat and a snorkel site with many fish and turtles and no other boats around.
— VELTRA, 5★, June 2022: the reviewer calls it the best catamaran snorkel sail they have taken, citing the cushioned forward seating and an uncrowded reef.
What Reviewers Complain About
Lunch lacked salad or greens(1 of 3 reviews we read (not enough to call a pattern) · operator issue · most recent: July 2022)
One reviewer expected greens with lunch and found only the sandwich-style menu; the current listing shows a turkey club or veggie burger with fries, with salad only on the $59 upgrade.
— VELTRA, 4★, July 2022: praised the hosts but noted the lunch had no salad.
Snorkeling less impressive than hoped(1 of 3 reviews we read (not enough to call a pattern) · outside operator's control · most recent: July 2022)
The same reviewer found the underwater scenery less striking than expected; site choice depends on daily conditions, so results vary.
— VELTRA, 4★, July 2022: the snorkeling was described as less visually impressive than the reviewer had hoped.
About the Operator in General
Hawaii Nautical Big Island lists 14 tours on Hawaii-Guide with an 87.3/100 editorial score; Greetwell shows a 4.9 Google rating from 666 reviews for the operator's Kona charters, and its summary notes that harbor directions can be unclear for first-time visitors.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
At $398 per person this is roughly double the price of the operator's own 49-passenger Waikoloa snorkel sail, and what you buy is the 6-guest cap, the cabins and showers, and a site picked for your group. It is worth it for couples or a family of four who value a quiet boat over cost. Budget travelers, or groups of five or six, should price the fully private charter instead, since it starts at $2,212 for the whole boat on Greetwell.
Book This Tour If…
You want a boat with no more than 6 guests and are willing to pay $398 or more per person
You are a group of 2 to 4; above that the private charter can cost less per person
You want real restrooms, cabins and a fresh-water shower on board
You are visiting December to April and want a chance at humpback whales during the sail
Skip This Tour If…
You are price-sensitive; the Waikoloa Snorkel Sail with Lunch costs $173.85 for a similar 3-hour format
You want alcohol included; this listing provides non-alcoholic drinks only
You expect a guaranteed dolphin swim; the tour is a dolphin watch and the site is weather-dependent
Your plans may change inside 2 business days, when changes are charged at 100%
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Follow the harbor directions exactly: stay straight past the first turn and enter the lot at the yellow gate; Greetwell's review summary says guests get lost finding the slip.
Compare resellers; the same 4-hour shared charter was $398 on Best of Hawaii and $506.51 on VELTRA in October 2026.
Order the $59 Local Plate upgrade if you want a salad; 1 of the 3 reviews we read missed greens with the standard lunch.
Leave shoes you do not need; footwear stays at the dock for the whole 4 hours.
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people go on the Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail?
The Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail carries a maximum of 6 guests on the catamaran Honi Olani, and shared bookings are accepted for 2 to 6 people. This cap is the main difference from Hawaii Nautical's Spirit of Aloha catamaran at Waikoloa, which is certified for 49 passengers.
How much does the Kona dolphin snorkel sail cost?
The Kona dolphin snorkel sail was listed at $398 per person for all ages on Best of Hawaii and at $506.51 per person on VELTRA in October 2026. Lunch, snorkel gear and non-alcoholic drinks are included; a Local Plate lunch upgrade adds $59 and harbor parking is charged separately.
Where does the Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail leave from?
The Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail leaves from Honokohau Harbor at 74-380 Kealakehe Parkway in Kailua-Kona, where the boat is docked at Outer Basin slips 38 and 39. Check in 20 minutes before the 9:00 AM departure and park in the harbor lot reached through the yellow gate.
What lunch is served on the Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail?
Lunch on the Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail is the Al Fresco menu, a choice of turkey club sandwich or veggie burger, both with fries, served after snorkeling. A $59 per person Local Plate upgrade offers grilled mahi mahi, salmon, furikake ono, chicken, short ribs or ribeye with rice and salad.
What is the cancellation policy for the Kona dolphin snorkel sail?
The Kona dolphin snorkel sail charges 100% for cancellations or changes made after 3:00 PM local time 2 business days before the trip, according to the VELTRA listing checked in October 2026. The operator may cancel for weather or safety, in which case the reseller handles the refund.
Does the Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail include alcohol?
The Kona Luxury Dolphin Snorkel Sail includes non-alcoholic beverages only, according to both the Best of Hawaii and VELTRA listings, and gratuity is not included. Hawaii Nautical's separate private charter on Greetwell allows guests to bring their own alcohol without a corkage fee, but that is a different product.
Contact
The operator's phone and email appear here after you check availability on one of their booking sites. Live prices and open dates are only shown there.
Already checked? The details appear automatically when you come back to this tab.
This is the tour operator's own contact info, shared for general questions — not for bookings. Book through the booking links for real-time availability and the best price.
TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Hawaii Nautical Big Island directly.
