Big Island of Hawaii Dolphin & Whale Watching

The fish didn’t cooperate thanks to Hurricane Lala, but the crew was fantastic and the experience was still great. Clayton told us great stories and was a pleasure to hang out with, even if we didn’t get a single bite. Always next time!

My family and I had such an incredible day on our private fishing charter. We caught 9 fish! Brian and Tracy are wonderful guides. 100% recommend.

Some experiences just stay with you, and for us this sunset whale-watching tour was one of them. From the moment we stepped aboard, the crew made us feel less like old friends, not customers. The boat itself was beautiful, but it was the people at the helm that made the day unforgettable. Their knowledge of humpback whales was genuinely impressive: every sighting came with real context and passion, not just a rehearsed script. We got to witness spinner dolphins ride the waves alongside the boat, hear live whale song through the boat’s underwater microphone system, and see a whale calf surface with its mother. Just when we thought it couldn't get any more magical, the crew pulled out a ukulele as the sun started setting. I don't have words for how special it was. If you're debating whether to book, please, just do it. This is an operation that clearly pours their heart into every single tour. Absolutely 5 stars.

Great Captain and Mate. Perfect fishing boat. Landed a 647.5 lb Blue Marlin! Definitely a fish of a lifetime.

Crew was great. They don’t crowd the boat. Also, we meet in Kohalo shopping center NOT in downtown Kailua-Kona. It’s very convenient to resorts north of the airport. We saw spinner dolphins, flying fish, and whales! The whale breached 5 times-amazing

Captain Kevin and first mate Traci were fantastic! We enjoyed our day on the water snorkeling, enjoying delicious sandwiches with homemade sourdough bread, and relaxing to a beautiful Hawaii sunset. If you want a 5 star day on the water in Kona, Ocean Blue is the way to go! From the perfect snorkeling in Kealakekua bay (Captain Cook’s) to spinner dolphins to sandbar sharks, this day boating had it all!

This trip was amazing! Captain Alan took us to all the right spots for snorkeling. He also got us right up next to the dolphins. Our trip could not have been any better. This group was even accommodating when we had to make changes to our trip. This will be the outfit we tour with when we come back to the island. They were the best! Mahalo!

This was easily the highlight of my entire trip to Hawaii. I've been snorkeling all throughout the Carribean, Asia and Europe but this place was my favorite... It was like being in an a exotic aquarium. We swam with a couple interactive dolphin pods, experience the humpback whales breaching about 100 ft from our boat. Our Capt and crew was very knowledgeable, knew all the best spots snorkeling spots and taught us all about the different marine life we saw. Grateful for this incredible experience.

First whale watch tour of season was AWESOME! Lots of spouts, sprays, humps and tails!! Captain Ty showed the way for us, while Mo & Jess’s were the best mates! 5 kids onboard were thoroughly entertained and in awe! Can’t wait for more! Mahalo from the Hess family!!

We are a family of 5 and had an amazing day out on the water with Captain Kevin and Mahina.We were able to go to the North for some fishing (3 goat fish and a yellow spotted one) and then went South for some snorkeling.The boat was so comfortable and clean and the crew made us feel right at home. They added extra touches like filleting our fish, lending us the Go Pro, and taking family photos.We would highly recommend Ocean Blue Kona and will see them when we come back next time!

The fish won this time but we will be back! The whole family had a great time and the crew was great!

This trip was AWESOME! While we saw 20+ whales and dolphins, as well as a very cool sunset (and what I'm convinced was a newborn calf as there were dolphins jumping all round the whales and calf), Kohala Divers Whale Watching tour was so much more.The boat - Nakama (Hawaiian Goddess of the Sea!), is new, with loads of space; viewing from the top Captains Deck, the forward huge bow, and the stern, which has bench seating. Everyone gets a direct view as they also adhere to Covid Guidelines and have a minimum number of passengers on the boat.The crew - so very Aloha! As I understand, it's the same crew who run the Dive and Snorkel trips (same boat). They can spot a whale, school of dolphins, share history and entertain. They are also so respectful of the ocean and sealife - which is 100%A very comfortable trip - the crew helped my with my disability - AND THEY HAVE A TOILET! Mahalo Crew!

My wife and I went on the morning Captain Cook snorkel trip we had an excellent time. The booking and meeting instructions were very clear and straight forward. We were met at the meeting point by Jen and she did the pre-trip check in and equipment fitting, making sure that all our questions were answered and offered additional information about how the day would progress. We then boarded the boat where we met Captain Shelly- a retired military Veteran and a master certified boat Captain who gave us our safety instruction and boat familiarization. We stopped at a couple places on the way showing some historical spots and giving some facts in conjunction. We then arrived at Capt. Cook (facts given here as well). Turned out to be a beautiful day- clarity was good but the best was that with the lack of visitors …..we had the place ENTIRELY TO OURSELVES!! The Capt. said that probably has not happened in years! The sealife was good and we took some excellent underwater pics. Lite snacks (granola bars, chips) along with drinks (juice and water) were served on the boat as well. We would most definitely recommend and we had a great day! Sorry we forgot to post this review when we did the trip.

This was a small size, more intimate outing. There were 8 of us plus Jennifer (crew) and Captain John. Dolphin Discoveries runs smaller groups, so go with them if that is what you are looking for. We were able to get to the snorkeling spot early - second boat there - so it was not crowded at all. By the time we were leaving, there were many more large boats that had arrived. Water was super clear and got to see a lot of fish.Jenn and John were very accommodating. For example, they spotted dolphins in the water and after our snorkeling time, Captain John took the boat close to the dolphins were they swam up to us and a few even did flips. More than what we had paid for!All in all, very well worth it. Friendly crew, small size group, good snorkeling experience and more. Thank you, Jenn and Captain John!

We were close to whales right out of the harbor. The BYOB had everyone in good spirits and everyone was friendly. The crew was informative AND fun. Can't say enough about the colors etc of the sunset- and ofcourse, a green flash.

Hands down the best whale watch I’ve ever been on! Best staff ever! Kohala Divers never seizes to amaze me!