3 hours · Morning and afternoon · Ages 5+
Captain Cook Exclusive
A full hour at the Captain Cook Monument, sea caves on the way.
| Adult | $115 |
|---|---|
| Child 5 to 11 | $105 |
Editorial spotlight · Keauhou Bay, 78-7138 Kaleiopapa Street, Kailua-Kona
2026 Golden Lei Awards nomineeBest Snorkel Tour
Sea Quest Hawaii
Fourteen to eighteen people on a rigid-hull raft, not a hundred on a catamaran. Sea Quest has been running the South Kona coast since 1988: sea caves and lava tubes on the way, the Captain Cook Monument and Honaunau to snorkel, and mantas at night in Keauhou Bay. Owners Manu and Liam Powers were named Hawaii County's small business persons of the year for 2026.
- Deluxe Morning
- $132
- Night manta
- $135
- Tripadvisor
- 4.9
- Reviews
- 6,254
Editorial spotlight. Sea Quest Hawaii is a nominee in the 2026 Golden Lei Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The company
Rafts on the South Kona coast since 1988
Sea Quest started in 1988 with the trip it still sells as the Deluxe Morning: a raft down the coast to Kealakekua Bay and Puuhonua o Honaunau, ducking into sea caves and lava tubes on the way. Manu and Liam Powers bought the company in 2015. It is Native Hawaiian-owned, a certified sustainable tour operator with the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii since 2014, and in early 2023 the Powerses gave their two top managers equity in the business rather than raises.
The rafts are custom rigid-hull inflatables, Coast Guard certified, with soft sides you slide over to get in the water, shade covers on most, and an aluminum ladder to climb back aboard. Day trips are capped at 14 to 18 guests. In 2026 the SBA named Manu and Liam Powers Hawaii County's Small Business Persons of the Year.
“You are stepping onto an agile raft designed for exploration.”
Owner
Manu Powers
Owner
Liam Powers
Owners since 2015. Captains and guides named in reviews include Nick, Lauren, Natalie, Kevin, Brendan, Kieran and Kami.
The one to book
The Deluxe Morning: Kealakekua and Honaunau
Four hours, checking in at 8 and off the dock at 8:15, on a raft of no more than 14. Down the coast past the sea caves and lava tubes to Kealakekua Bay, the marine sanctuary where the Captain Cook Monument stands, then south to Puuhonua o Honaunau for a second snorkel. Wetsuits, prescription masks, snacks, juice and water are aboard.
Ages 5 and up. Not for expectant mothers or anyone with regular back or neck pain; the ride is fast and you climb a ladder to get back in.
| Adult | $132 |
|---|---|
| Child 5 to 11 | $119 |
Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026. Changes within 48 hours carry penalties unless trip protection was bought.
Check AvailabilityThe rafts
Five rigid-hull inflatables
Custom Coast Guard-certified rafts with soft sides for water entry. Lengths are not published.
Lilikoi
- Guests
- 14
- Use
- Deluxe Morning and small-group runs
Ioana and Puanani
- Guests
- 18 each
- Use
- Day snorkel tours
Keala and Kalala
- Guests
- 18 by day, 27 on the night manta swim
- Use
- Day tours and the manta trips
All rafts
- Aboard
- Shade covers on most, a bathroom, aluminum ladder, wetsuits and prescription masks
Book it
Tours
Per person. Day tours are ages 5 and up; the manta swim is 7 and up with a swimming background. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026.
4 hours · 8:15 am · Max 14
Deluxe Morning Adventure
The original: Kealakekua Bay and Honaunau.
| Adult | $132 |
|---|---|
| Child 5 to 11 | $119 |
4.5 hours · Covered raft · Ages 5+
Premium Morning Snorkel
Honaunau and Kealakekua with a deli lunch aboard.
| Per person | $152 |
|---|
5 hours · Three sites · Ages 5+
Expedition South Kona
Kealakekua, Honaunau and a third spot no other Sea Quest tour visits, 22 miles down the coast, lunch included.
| Adult | $185 |
|---|---|
| Child 5 to 11 | $160 |
1 hour 15 minutes · After sunset · Ages 7+
Night Manta Experience
Reef mantas at the Keauhou Bay feeding site, lit flotation boards, hot chocolate after. No manta, and the afternoon Captain Cook tour is free.
| Per person | $135 |
|---|
Private charters carry a built-in 15% discount: a daytime raft or the night manta raft for 18 or 27.
Before you go
Know before you go
Where to check in
Keauhou Bay, 78-7138 Kaleiopapa Street, about five miles south of Kailua-Kona. Fifteen minutes before day departures, thirty before the manta swim.
Parking
78-7106 Kamehameha III Road: turn left onto the dirt road at the Sea Quest sign before the dead end, then walk across the sand volleyball court to the bay.
Included
Wetsuits, snorkel gear including prescription masks, snacks, juice and water; lunch on the Premium and Expedition trips; hot chocolate, cookies and ginger tea after the manta swim.
Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen, sunglasses and a towel. For the manta swim, warm clothes for afterward. No full-face masks.
Who can go
Ages 5 and up by day, 7 and up at night with prior swimming and snorkeling experience. Not for expectant mothers or regular back and neck pain.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.9Tripadvisor6,254 reviews as of September 30, 2026
- #7of 207Boat tours and water sports in Kailua-Kona, Tripadvisor
- 1988FoundedSBA Hawaii County Small Business Persons of the Year 2026
Reviewers write about a crew that is attentive and full of information, small groups compared with the big catamarans, pristine reef at secluded stops, dolphins and turtles on the run, and guides who pick debris out of the water as they go.
Questions
Good to know
How is this different from the big snorkel boats?
Fourteen to eighteen guests on a raft that goes into sea caves and lava tubes on the way to the reef. It is a faster, wetter ride.
Where does it leave from?
Keauhou Bay, five miles south of Kailua-Kona. Park on Kamehameha III Road and walk across the volleyball court.
Are mantas guaranteed?
No. If none show, Sea Quest gives you the afternoon Captain Cook tour free, space permitting.
What does it cost?
Captain Cook $115, Deluxe Morning $132, Premium Morning $152, Expedition $185, night manta $135. Checked September 30, 2026.
Can kids come?
Ages 5 and up on day trips. The manta swim is 7 and up, with an adult in the water for anyone under 18.
Snorkel the South Kona coast
Small-raft trips to Kealakekua and Honaunau, and mantas after dark.
Check Availability