Fair Wind

We took the Hula Kai trip. Professional from the start. It was organized but we didn’t feel orchestrated. The crew worked hard to find optimal conditions for snorkeling. First stop was not one they frequent, but due to the current and wind conditions, was a good choice for that day, and the snorkeling was great. One guest lost his prescription glasses overboard and the crew found them! Second stop was Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook Monument), which was awesome. A little crowded when we arrived, but others soon left and it was quite peaceful. Food was good throughout (breakfast and lunch). The company cares greatly for the marine environment that is the foundation of their business, and also that their customers have an amazing experience enjoying that environment.

When visiting the Big Island we make our reservation on either the Fair Wind or Hula Kai. The crew is full of Aloha and provides you with both history and laughs. This is a must do adventure for all ages. Captain Kurt greets us everytime like a member of the family. Until we meet again…

Our family had an excellent experience. The crew provided outstanding service while also making the experience fun. Our adult kids had a great time but they also took great care of our 8-​year-​old to ensure he had a the ability to snorkel safely and confidently. The bay they took us too was not only a breathtaking setting but was ideal for viewing a wide variety of sea life. The kids enjoyed the water slides and high dives as well. We also felt confident with the safety the crew provided. A great experience all around.

The check-​in process was seamless and we were on our way in great time.
We also really liked the individual seating on the Hula Kai. The crew was friendly and Captain Kirk (yes…Captain Kirk!!) was awesome.
The water was a little colder here but there were beautiful fish to see here and dolphins hanging out in the bay.
I would definitely put this one on the list! We tried to get on this boat for the Manta Ray night dive and they were sold out, so be sure you do it with time to spare. No matter what, you don’t want to miss that one. We did a bunch of fun stuff on our visit but the Manta Ray dive was the BEST!

Did the morning snorkel tour to Captain Cook Monument. We had a blast! Minus a little seasickness. If you get motion sickness, be sure to take your dramamine as the boat rocks a lot. The entire staff was super friendly. Continental breakfast was muffins and fruit. Lunch was burgers, hotdogs, a salad and chips. We had plenty of time to snorkel. The slide was tons of fun. They had inner tubes, boogie boards, and snuba. Thanks to the entire staff!

My entire family had a blast in this cruise! The crew was very Attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The Aloha spirit is very alive on the Fair Winds!

Great boat — comfortable ride and two slides off the top deck, friendly staff, yummy breakfast and lunch, amazing snorkeling!!! This was our second time and we love it!

These guys are just great. Organized, so friendly and informative, fabulous boat — just exceptional. Even the food is good. Highly recommend them!

This was one of our highlights of our trip! No matter if you have a short trip or a long trip, this is a must do! Great for beginning snorkelers. The location was very calm and easy to swim for the girlfriend. Plenty of fish and coral. The BBQ was very good, and not too many people, so it was easy to get seconds! And above all the beautiful clear blue water. The crew was great! The captain and a lot of funny jokes and made the cruise a lot more enjoyable. We were also lucky enough to see Dolphins!!!

This was pretty cool. My group decided to do the afternoon snorkeling tour around Captain Cook’s monument. We arrived on the boat and the trip over to Captain Cook’s monument was about 45 minutes. While on the boat there were juice, water and snacks. When we got the Captain Cook’s monument we were free to snorkel, chill on the boat or play on the boat’s high dive and water slides (yes the boat had a water slide that would go into the ocean, how cool is that). I saw various types of fish snorkeling and was surprised how calm the water was. After snorkeling for a little more than an hour I decided to play on the water slide before heading back on the boat and back to shore. On the way back to shore we saw a ton of dolphins leaping out of the water which was pretty cool. The entire vibe of the boat was pretty cool. Only downside is that one of the crew accidentally grabbed my snorkeling fin thinking it was theirs when it was a rental from somewhere else. I had no problems getting my fin back and overall had a good time.

Four of us went for the morning snorkeling tour on the Hula Kai. We stopped at 2 locations and saw some fantastic sea life. Breakfast was simple but filling and lunch was a selection of burgers, teriyaki chicken or garden burgers with pasta and fresh salad. I thought the time would be too long but I wasn’t ready to come back on the boat. I never had the chance to try all the options the crew had available for us to use. One in our group tried the snuba option and said he had a great time.

My friends and I did the morning snorkel tour on the Hula Kai and had the most incredible time. We loved Captain Kurt and the crew. They were knowledgable, extremely friendly, and very hospitable. This trip with this crew was the highlight of our vacation!!!

Took us over to the cook monument to snorkel. Had a blast. They had a guy offering snuba. Of course we signed up for it. Glad we did. It’s s cross between snorkeling and scuba. You breathe underwater like scuba but you have the freedom of snorkel in that the tank is not on your back but up in a raft floating above you. Spend the extra money and do the snuba.
A couple nights later we did the manta ray snorkel… that was a great experience but the boat ride was a tad short. You board the boat only to go 100′ yards at the most. Honestly they could have saved the gas and let us all swim from the beach. But once your out there floating and the mantas show up its heaven. These gentle giants are wonderful. No touching but they can touch you. And don’t worry about being stung they don’t have barbs on their tails. It’s the spotted eagle rays and other rats that have the barbs.

We did the morning snorkel/​bbq at kealakekua bay and it was a blast. The boat ride out took a bit, but the coastline made for a beautiful backdrop. I read a lot of reviews that said this tour was geared more towards an older crowd/​kids, I disagree. They had a high dive and large slides that made it a blast even when you weren’t snorkeling. The staff was super friendly, walked around and provided breakfast pastries and the bbq lunch hit the spot.
A little pricier than some of the other tours, but DEFINITELY worth it!

This was an amazing outing for our family during our stay in Kona. It was myself, my husband, father-​in-​law and 3-​year-​old son and we took the Afternoon Tour. (We thought the morning tour was going to be too long for my son). From the minute we got on the boat, everything was so clean, orderly and the staff was amazing. Though there are about 100 people aboard, it never felt crowded.
The boat ride was nice and relaxing to the inlet lagoon. From there, it was easy to get on and off the boat with your snorkel gear. The lagoon is calm and you can see so many gorgeous fish, and I saw a big eel! My son had a great time because he was on a boogie board that had a window so he was able to float along with me.
I really can’t saw enough about the staff. They were so helpful and each one of the seemed to really enjoy their job and being on the boat with everyone. We loved Captain Kurt! All in all, this was one of our favorite adventures in Hawaii. Well worth the money!

Fair Wind offers something very specific, and they excel at that thing: a very low barrier-​to-​entry snorkel experience in a calm bay, with amazing visibility, and plenty of fish and coral. They corral their boat occupants in a corner of they bay which makes the group easily avoidable by other visitors but also leaves plenty of room for everyone to snorkel (we saw much more after lunch when many guests had already had their fill). Basic snorkel gear, instruction, life guards, easy entry into the water, and lots of options for the more timid (flotation, boogie boards with viewing windows, and on and on). Shade and bathrooms are also welcome bonuses. Boat was clean. Crew was friendly and helpful. Food was typical to this sort of thing (i.e.keep your expectations in check).
Here’s the bottom line: if an easy/​beginner snorkel experience is what you are after, this is the boat for you. Great for families and a super intro why snorkeling is so much fun. If you have a bit of experience and are comfortable jumping off a boat with your snorkel gear in and getting down to business, you might prefer a different vendor. It’s more big-​comfy-​tour-​bus than adventure on the high-​seas.

Our third trip with FW. Another A+ experience from making the reservations, checking-​in, to the crew, photographer, bar tending skills and bbq lunch. Courteous, friendly crew make themselves available for questions, guidance, and help to assure you have an awesome and safe time snorkeling. Well worth the money, it’s an adventure investment!

I had the BEST time with their Morning Snorkel and BBQ lunch tour for Kealakekua Bay. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s worth every single penny.
Also, get the SNUBA if you can. If you’re one that wants to try scuba diving someday, SNUBA is a great segway into that. You might have to get used to breathing underwater, but as soon as you get the hang of it, it’s the best thing I could have done on this trip. It will cost extra, and a lot extra, but it MADE this tour for me. After the SNUBA was over, I had the chance to snorkel.
The tour gives you breakfast AND lunch, and surprisingly enough, both meals were filling and delicious. Kona coffee, pastries, and mini frittatas for breakfast was a welcome repast before diving into the ocean. BBQ was delicious. Sure, after a few hours of snorkeling you’ll be hungry for just about anything, but the meal was definitely great for the price. And they let you have seconds. Score. They offered burgers, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad, drinks. Best thing, the burgers came with the cheese ALREADY MELTED! Dude… most places will give you a slice of cold cheese and call it a day. Not these guys. Now THAT is what I call top notch service! They have a constant supply of water, so please take advantage and do not get dehydrated. Being dehydrated on the ocean gives a new perspective on ‘Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink’. So hydrate!
The gear they provide is okay, the tops of the snorkel are open, so we opted to bring the ones we rented since they have closed tops and it makes it easier to go under water. Also, unlike other snorkel tours I’ve been on, they DO NOT make you wear flotation devices. And don’t forget to check out the water slide and the high jump! Yes, that is a school of fish swimming by on your way down the slide… don’t freak out!
It was a LONG tour, and I was super wiped out afterwards. They mai tais they poured afterwards… damn…stiff doesn’t even begin to describe it. But it was so nice after a long morning and afternoon of sun, sea, and snorkel.
Make sure you book in advance, I hear these guys book out FAST. Lucky, we booked through our resort, which made it easy.
Definitely check these guys out! They really were one of the best catamaran snorkel tours I’ve ever been on, and that’s including the ones with free booze. These guys blow those guys out of the water!

Our friends visiting from SF and who we met up for a mini vacay of our own, wanted to do this. You know, the typical touristy thing lol.
I am not a snorkeling fan, so I tried to opt out of my $ 140 boat ride & lunch but, what else was I going to do in Kona?
The drive from our hotel in the Mauna Lani area was about 45 minutes to Keauhou Bay. I always Google map & street view my drive so I knew exactly where to go.
Going down Kamehameha II road, go straight at the intersection with the «no outlet» sign. Just before the end of the road you’ll see the «Fair Wind» parking sign. Turn left into the gravel lot and immediately make a sharp right. That leads you to a gravel parking lot just off the street. From there it’s an easy 5 minute walk to the dock.
Head in to the check in/​gift shop office, sign in, and you’ll receive your boarding pass.
Our boat was the Fair Wind II. It’s a short, stubby boat with 2 levels of mostly covered seating, 2 high dive platforms, and 2 water slides. There’s a bar, grill, and restroom on the first level. Up top is where the captain navigates, along with the rest of the at-​sea water facilities.
The destination was Kealakekua Bay. It took about 45 minutes to get there. In the mean time they served a continental breakfast consisting of fresh fruits, muffins, and eggs that were done in a muffin pan. We arrived to the bay at 10am. Conditions were calm. Once there, you get to see the Captain Cook monument which was a first for me. I believe access to that site is only via foot, hiking down a mountain quite some ways. A photo from afar was good enough for me.
The bay is very calm, with crystal clear water, and pretty shallow reefs. Jump in, float, lounge, swim, snorkel, SNUBA, dive off the platform, or go down the water slide. There was only 1 other boat there so it wasn’t crowded at all.
Lunch is served at 11am. Options were cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, and hot dog buns. My cheeseburger was tasty; juicy patty, fresh sesame seed bun, alfalfa sprouts, with a side of plain salt chips.
Beer is available for purchase. Soda & juice are free.
We left the bay at 12:30pm and headed back.
TIP:
The SNUBA activity has limited space.
SERVICE:
Everyone was friendly, from the check in staff to the crew on board, sans for the older male bartender who seemed grouchy. Asking for a soda at lunch seemed like a bother to him.
There was also a foreign visitor on board who brought his own bottled beer aboard. The captain saw it and scolded him very loudly in front of everyone, which was unnecessary. He should’ve taken him aside and done it inconspicuously with professionalism. We need to remember that the liquor laws in the rest of the world aren’t as strict as here in the USA.
OVERALL:
Nice boat, pretty good food, nice snorkel location, steep price.

Hands down the snorkeling with the manta rays was the highlight of my trip! It was stellar and amazing to watch these majestic beauties. We saw a close number of 6 that night. Wetsuits and snorkel gear provided. We then grubbed on some butternut squash soup and drank hot cocoa.
I also did the captain cook morning cruise too. Very cool and it’s def a must for the families with kiddies. It’s got slides on the side which were fun. This included snorkel gear at Captain Cook and both breakfast and dinner. Both were enjoyable and you get a discount for booking two events.

/​/​/​/​/​Cet avis concerne uniquement le Snorkeling à Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook)/////
Ce qui m’a le plus plu c’est l’ambiance sympathique qui régnait sur le bateau et le crew qui était au top, j’ai pu avoir des discussions avec l’équipage (à propos de la France pour né pas changer, sujet principal quand on vient de Paris) et franchement ils étaient tous vachement cools et souriants ce qui est quelque chose de très naturel là-​bas alors qu’en France, les serveurs te sortent le «bonjour.» de blazé sans te regarder quand tu prends un café, à croire que quand les tips sont compris dans le prix, le client on s’en br**le.
Bref, nous avons malheureusement pas vu énormément de poissons même si tout ceux qu’on a croisé étaient magnifiques et les coraux étaient sublimes. On a croisé une raie manta tout près…du port. Mais bon, personne né peut prévoir à l’avance ce genre de chose et apparemment certaines personnes ont eu plus de chance en voyant des dauphins/​tortues.
Les masques/​tubas/​palmes sont prêtés gratuitement dans le bateau et même si vous prenez l’horaire après le déjeuné, nous aurez droit à un buffet à volonté (chips, ananas, papaye, orange, jus de fruit).
Je recommande si vous voulez passer un très bon après midi (des plongeoirs et toboggans sont prévus mais étant «très» hauts je déconseille le toboggan aux plus jeunes qui ont moins de 6ans, quand au plongeoir un plat serait fatale même si il est toujours possible de sauter du bas), mais si vous voulez juste voir des poissons, il y a surement mieux que cette baie comme par exemple Hanauma Bay Beach Park.