We had a great experience on our snorkeling trip! We even saw a few whales. We would definitely book again.

My husband and I booked the Shaka Lux for our anniversary and we had such a great time. Awesome service, catered to exactly how you want to spend your day. They provided lots of fresh fruit to snack on and sushi for lunch, make sure to accommodate my gluten and dairy allergies. Snorkeling was on our own time and we could to explore reefs/beaches--it really is a custom experience. It really is an above and beyond experience that I hope I get to do again! read more

Major was the perfect captain Very accommodating & knowledgeable The best whale watching trip I've ever been on Absolutely recommend Big Shaka for a memorable experience read more

The captain major was excellent, !!! Best whale watching experience ever!!!! He was so knowledgeable and kind read more

Big Island Shaka - Humpback whale - Boat Charters Near Me

Amazing sunset cruise on the Big Island! Couldn't have been more perfect. The sunset ! We saw a whale this review will be brief because it was just a perfect experience. Great staff very friendly bartender making sure everyone was accommodated and having a great time. Take me back! Got a great deal through Viator to book. read more

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Best day on the water! Captain Major and SunLee (sorry not sure on the spelling!) went above and beyond to ensure we throughly enjoyed the day! Got to see dolphins, eels, lots of fish and even an octopus!! Boat was spotless and in great shape! Can't wait for a chance to go again! Thank you Captain and SunLee for helping make these fantastic memories!! read more

These guys are great. Tate was awesome and Captain David and Jaxson were incredible. Took us out for a snorkel and see some dolphins. Saw tons of dolphins and had a blast. Highly recommend. read more

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Take the catamaran for a private charter. Our family did that and we absolutely loved it. Major was a great Captain and was so much fun. This was the highlight of our trip. read more

Absolutely unforgettable experience. We chartered the Shaka Lux. I was a little worried when I saw the boat -- it was smaller than I expected and I was worried our kids might get seasick but they didn't! That said, it was perfect. We spent our time swimming, chasing dolphins and (attempting) to catch fish to grill on the boat. The captain and crew were great. Very engaged/asked us how we wanted to spend our time/were very attentive. Highly recommend. It was the best spend of our trip. read more

Big Island Shaka - Boat Charters Near Me

Don't miss this little gem. The ono fish tacos are always a favorite for my guests when they visit the island. They always ask to go back for more. We even had small kids with us that devoured there food. And, they have vegan options. read more

My wife and I took off on this three hour tour with Captain Major and Jackson on the morning of March 7th. The goal was to whale watch and do some snorkeling if we had time. We headed north and spotted three Humpback whales (baby, mother, and the "escort"). The whales were almost as accommodating as Captain Major and Jackson by tolerating us and surfacing near our boat several times. We got lots of pictures and headed to a great place for snorkeling (great because the water was crystal clear). We swam until tired and headed back beyond the pier to get a good look at our hotel from the ocean. Captain Major and Jackson were fun, nice, and full of great information. Highly recommend. read more

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The Shaka guide is extremely helpful and useful. The app was like a local tour guide telling us about history and local stories.

Big Island Shaka with Captain Major and Claire was a true highlight of our trip! The boat is aesthetically beautiful and it was so amazing to book a private charter with a super cool couple sailing us around. At one point, whales circled the boat, and it was heaven to lounge in the sun listening to them surface. Major and Claire made sure we were comfortable and relaxing the whole time, and it great to have Claire get into the water with us for snorkeling, and to help us set up our gear. Don't hesitate to book Big Island Shaka. You won't regret it! Though it was only my husband and me, they can take up to 6 guests. Perfect for families and couples traveling together looking for a more personalized experience! read more

Big Island Shaka - Snorkeling - Boat Charters Near Me

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While on our honeymoon at the Mauna Kea Beach Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii, my wife and I enjoyed a very romantic sunset cruise along the coastline passed our resort and the Hapuna resort. The sunset was spectacular and the bubbly champagne intoxicating! Thank you Captain Damon for such a lifetime memory! read more

Big Island Shaka - Champagne toast at sunset! - Boat Charters Near Me

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Went on a catamaran ride withBig Island Shaka! Definitely one of my favorite memories from my trip to the Big Island. It was a beautiful day on the water and we weren't expecting more than just a boat ride. About an hour in we came upon some spinner dolphins and were about to swim with them for quite a while! Big Island Shaka provided the snorkel gear and everything it was AMAZING. Got to spend the entire day on a boat, in great weather, and got to swim with dolphins?!? Pretty great if you ask me. Not to mention the captain was awesome. So friendly and able to answer anything we asked. Overall we had a fantastic experience and would recommend this to anyone interested! read more

This review is a piece of cake. Met Major and Claire right on time...the catamaran was immaculate and stocked with cold drinks and snacks. it was just like sailing with close friends. Claire and my daughter hit it off immediately..no more than 10 minutes out and we find whales galore.. Major was respectful of keeping the distance, but the whales were curious and stayed on the surface playing for the longest time! We motored to a fabulous snorkeling spot and Claire safely led an incredible excursion...she is part mermaid and can hold her breath forever! we handed her our go-pro and she took INCREDIBLE footage of her free-diving skills and got GREAT shots of us. More whale watching and sailing,,with what became good friends. We ran a little late because we found more whales...no mention of it or concerns. They own the boat and I love supporting entrepreneurs. They are more than reasonable for what they charge. I will charter with them EVERY SINGLE TIME I COME BACK! read more

We had the most incredible time with Big Island Shaka on their Catamaran. My GIRLFRIEND and I went on the morning private charter Snorkel & Coastline Tour....except by the end of the charter, she was my FIANCEE. The captain and his assistant were in on the surprise, and they did an incredible job helping me pull it off. Complete with champagne and chocolates after I popped the question on one knee. Before the proposal, the charter was as usual, with a great long stop for mind-blowing snorkeling; which Suelang (the assistant) made extra special by joining us and pointing out all of the rare species, etc. underwater. Her passion was infectious and made us appreciate the experience so much more. I can't recommend this company enough. They went the extra mile to make our experience unforgettable, and they will always be a part of the memory of our special day. read more

Absolutely incredible. Captain Major and Sung Lee hit it out of the park, and we had the highlight experience of our week here. The catamaran was beautiful and they facilitated everything absolutely perfectly - even helping us with our two young kids to snorkel a bit. Lots of spinner dolphins too - we couldn't have asked for more! read more

We booked our tour last minute and we were so thankful we did because the trip was just amazing and super fun! Bryan the captain and Jackson were so awesome! We totally recommend it! read more

Big Island Shaka - On board already having fun with my favorite music and the best view! - Boat Charters Near Me

Brian, Renee and crew : ) was amazing! We had such an incredible morning snorkel cruise. Caves and dolphins were the highlights! Going out of Kawaihae Harbor is so much more convenient than Kona for us on the Kohala Coast. They were amazing and I will not only be joining them again soon but will recommend them to anyone who will listen! Book this now! You will not regret it! Thank you Brian!!! read more

Big Island Shaka - Boat Charters Near Me

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From start to finish, Major and Renee made us feel safe, comfortable and both crew members exuded aloha! Our group is still raving about what a fantastic time we had and are looking to making this a monthly girls trip. Special thanks to Paul for making this happen. See you all again soon! read more

horrible service. They did not let you know ahead of time that they do not fillet the fish. We have been fishing around the world for years and this is the first time i have ever experienced that. What a waste of time and money when you cannot sample a few pieces of your wahoo catch with your kids! The Mauna Kea hotel was prepared to receive it filleted, not whole. If you like small boats and a non confident captain who states that he never caught a fish in the afternoon from the big island boathouse port, then have at it. I guess we were lucky catching 2 wahoo. read more

This was the highlight of our latest trip to the BI. Six of us (two teens) were simply amazed swimming with dolphins. Words can't describe it so I'll just leave it at that. If you have the opportunity, book with Captain Bryant and his crew. They were welcoming and friendly with interesting information regarding the local area and sea life. A private tour for 6 at a very reasonable cost. A plus was location since we were staying at the Mauna Kea and we had the entire ocean to ourselves. We all agreed that we'll do it again on our next visit. read more

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Great experience and terrific hosts! Enjoyed the sailing as well as the diving and the sunset. Major and Clair are doing the area a big service. Highly recommended. read more

catamaran was dirty. Toilet/head almost unusable. BIGGEST PROBLEM THOUGH....inexperienced captain "major" took us into heavy current area to snorkel where several members of party got into distress in the water. I asked for life jacket and he wouldn't provide one. I finally FORCED him verbally to back up the boat so people could get to boat in difficult conditions. He NEVER offered a bit of instruction or verbal warnings to anyone that these currents could make it difficult to get back to boat! Terrible! Could have had a bad outcome but wound up ok. Then when i called him on it he was ver defensive and said, "you signed a waiver". Really?? Choose someone else who is more experienced and has higher regard for safety. read more

We come to the BIg Island once a year. This was our 2nd time out on the water with Captain B. I had my teenage boys and their girlfriends with us. They said it was the highlight of their trip. Snorkeling, tubing, dolphins, turtles and Maui chicken for lunch. It don't get better than that. Worth every penny. Captain B and his crew are awesome. They make it fun. The catamaran is awesome. Can't wait to go out again next year. Give him a call. I promise that you won't regret it. read more

Big Island Shaka - Boat Charters Near Me

We come to Kohala 3-4 times a year. Endless Summer is going to be part of our must-do list for our visits. We went in June with Captain B and Katy, and it was amazing. Our kids, ages 6 and 10, said it was the their favorite thing we've ever done (the lava boat being the second favorite). Leaving out of Kawaihae is super handy, much mellower than going down to Kona and super convenient for Mauna Kea, Hapuna, or Waikoloa hotels. We wanted to see dolphins and have the kids get a chance to try some mellow snorkeling. They geared our trip to that. The kids loved exploring the boat and lounging on the net over the water. We saw dolphins within the first half hour and got a chance to go in the water with them and have them play around the boat. Our boat was first to them. It was really special to have only the four of us on our boat -- the other groups were much more crowded. Katy was in the water with us to help make sure the kids stayed safe (they swim but not out in open ocean away from shore) as well as take pictures and videos and tell us about the sea life. It was amazing to see dolphins swim under us and hear them talking to each other. We moved on to a snorkeling spot known for yellow tangs, and our little one was so excited to see the fish. Everyone got to do a little tubing as well. Capt B and Katy were prepared with sandwiches, fruit, and cookies after the adventures. They were friendly and knowledgable and wanted us all to be totally comfortable and enjoy our trip. In terms of the economics, it was beyond worth the money -- when we broke it down, it was only a few hundred dollars more than if we'd all gone on a crowded boat with a ton of people and we had a private tour with people who really supported our kids. So worth it. We will definitely go out with Endless Summer again (and again). read more

This may be the most emphatic 5 stars of my yelping to date. Captain Bryan's 3 hour Dolphin Encounter tour was the highlight of our trip, maybe of my life. I know, I know, that sounds nuts, but read on. While close to our hotel (5 minutes north or the Mauna Kea/Hapuna Beach Prince resorts where we were staying), the dock itself where you meet the boat is a little hard to find. It's in the middle of the Matson shipyard.. sort of an industrial area. Once we were there though, Captain Bryan greeted us with a smile and we were on our way. He reminded us that there was no guarantee that we would spot dolphins, but we'd still have a good time snorkeling and such if we didn't. He let us put our iPod on the ship's speaker system and put us to work looking out for dolphins and we were on the way. Almost like he'd planned it, the timing couldn't have been better-- ten minutes into the voyage (I was starting to thing we might not see any) we spotted a pod of dolphins-- there were about 10 or so that we could see. We pulled up near them and he outfitted us in snorkel gear, and we were in the water, and there were actually hundreds of them. This is where it starts to get amazing. We swam over to them and they just accepted our presence and kept swimming on like we were part of their pack. They were jumping, spinning, playing-- simply amazing. We were just right there with them-- so majestic and beautiful!! We could see a baby (about the size of a football!), a few pairs mating... one of them even relieved itself right in my face (a serious cloud of poo) and it was so awesome I didn't even care! We got back to the boat, chased the dolphins a bit further (they are fast swimmers!), and jumped in for round 2. Later we moved on to a snorkeling reef which, to be honest, didn't hold a candle to swimming in the middle of the ocean with wild dolphins. With that, Captain Bryan grilled us a tasty lunch of free range chicken, a grilled bell pepper, Fritos, and some Longboard Lager, and it just hit the spot exactly. It was raining by the time we were eating, but there was a covered area on the boat (that probably provides some great shade on hot days!), so we were just perfect. Captain Bryan was extremely knowledgeable and all in all a great guide. He was also very communicative before the trip (we weren't sure if we were going to be able to go out due to the wind, but he texted us the night before to say it was a go). If your Hawaiian vacations take you to the big island, this is an experience that is not to be missed!!! read more

What a fantastic opportunity provided by this charter. Captain Bryan customized our adventure to our expectations: snorkeling along the northern Kohala Gold Coast where we saw an abundant variety of tropical fish and other sea life; and swimming with the spinner dolphins just outside of Kawaihae harbor. The dolphins were inquisitive and they approached us fairly close. Not our first trip with Endless Summer in Kawaihae and each time has been better than the last. We have also been whale watching with them last year. Good value for the price. Phone number we have does not agree with this site, we used 808-989-7876 Hope that one is correct. read more

I searched for weeks before visiting Hawaii trying to find the ultimate "couple" dolphin excursion. I didn't want to go with 20-40 other people and didn't want to pay $1600-3k for a private excursion. Then I found Big Island Shaka. My husband and I booked their "Once in a Lifetime Dolphin adventure for Couples" and it far exceeded anything else we did in Hawaii. We spent 3 hours on a gorgeous catamaran, listening to our favorite music, and scouting for dolphins. The crew who also owns the company was so nice and personably. You would invite them over for dinner:) we swam with the dolphins, snorkeling at gorgeous reefs and just totally enjoyed our private adventure. Pricing is 1/2 of what others charge for the couple package-I don't even think anyone offers that besides the best boat on the island :) They will bring a birthday cake , etc.. whatever makes it special. You won't be disappointed booking with them. read more

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We went on a dolphin watching and snorkeling cruise and had a blast. Captain Bryant was extremely hospitable and welcoming and bent over backwards to make sure we had a dolphin encounter. To say he knows the waters is an understatement...he took us to a great location for snorkeling as well. But besides the wildlife encounters, cruising up and down that coastline was very relaxing and probably just as enjoyable. Don't miss an opportunity to cruise with Endless Summer Charters!! read more

Big Island Shaka - Boat Charters Near Me

This is the way to do it...a private charter gives you so much more of an experience. Another boat floated by that was packed with people. We had all the room we needed to enjoy the time on the water all to ourselves. Captain B, Damon, and Liam were the perfect guides. My family laughed and played and had the best time. This was the highlight of our trip to the big island. Three days later and we are still talking about it. read more

Big Island Shaka - Taming the Krakken! - Boat Charters Near Me

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This was by far my favorite adventure of our honeymoon!!! Previously, I had done the "pretend to be a dolphin trainer" thing, but this blows it out of the water! Within 15 minutes of being out on the boat, we found a pod of spinner dolphins and just jumped right into the water with them! Captain Bryan knew exactly where to take the boat to maximize our interaction with them! We didn't wear a wet suit, and it felt so freeing to swim along with the dolphins! There ended up about being 30 of them, and a little baby that was so adorable! We were able to find them again and were able to get even closer! It took everything in me to not reach out and touch them all!! It was certainly the quickest I have ever swam. We bought a GoPro to play with on all of our underwater adventures, and I am SO glad I have videos to look back on! We went to a second snorkeling site, and were able to swim around on our own. After being out for about 10 minutes, a little sea turtle came out of nowhere and started playing with us! It was so friendly and cute! Once we were back on the boat, I also tried to give paddle-boarding a go (little bit of a fail) but fun! They provided some snacks which really hit the spot after all that swimming. I recommend this charter to anyone looking to swim with dolphins. It was a small group, the crew was amazing (they kept checking to see if we wanted water or snacks), and the captain knew exactly where to take us to see dolphins!! Do it!!! read more

Big Island Shaka - Boat Charters Near Me

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Thanks to Captain B and Marie for a great outing for us and our guests from Massachusetts. Capt. B. found us dolphins as promised, gave us a great tour of the coastline with multiple snorkeling stops. No whale shark sighting, but that was a long shot. Marie took great care of everyone in the water and made sure we all had a great time. Snacks and drinks were also provided and very much appreciated. We hope to do it again soon! read more

Captain B with Endless Summer was fantastic. We had the best sailboat cruise. So glad that we went with a smaller catamaran in this area than a large boat south to Captain Cooks. No crowds, personal attention and lots of fish and dolphins! His crewman, Manolo was great too. He swam with us and made sure everyone was having a good time. Captain B took us to great snorkeling, taught us about the island and animals and even let our kids tube off the back. Highly recommend! You know it's a good trip when both parents and teenagers have a great time! read more

My family have taken numerous trips with Capt Bryan over the years. If you are on the island, DO NOT MISS the opportunity to take a trip. I can honestly say it is one of the best experiences of my life. Capt Bryan is 100% knowledgeable about all manner of sea critters, Island history, very focused on safety, and above all makes the trip fun for everyone who steps on his boat. Whether you are a novice and have never set foot on a boat, or a consummate diver, and whale enthusiast, Endless Summer has something for everyone, young and old alike. It's hard to convey in words all of the wonderful experiences that we have had over the years but here are a few highlights that stand out: - Swimming among a school of hundreds of spinner dolphins (including little baby dolphins going bonkers, breaking the water and spinning furiously to earn their namesake!) - Watching gigantic whales breaching the surface, flapping their fins and tails magnificently, and watching newborn baby whales. - Snorkeling among gigantic clouds of brilliantly-colored reef fish and sea turtles, including swimming through lava tubes. - Enjoying snacks, beverages, and having a good laugh with Bryan and his amazing crew. His team's personality, knowledge of local lore, and tremendous good spirits are infectious. read more

Captain B is the Man!!! This was the most amazing charter EVER!! Captain B found a pod of 100 dolphins and dropped us in the water to swim side by side with them! It was really an unbelievable thing! He was very informative and professional! Not only did I get a great tour, but I also received a lot of amazing information about the island. I highly suggest taking this tour. If you want a private tour, at a reasonable price, Endless Summer Private Charter is your place to go! read more

While eating seafood crab cakes at Abay's Island Grill I saw an irresistible commercial for Endless Summer boat tours and instantly scheduled a tour for myself and some friends coming in from Montana. To say that were impressed beyond belief would be an understatement, to say the least. First off, Captain B and his deckhand Ashley were so professional, knowledgeable and comfortable to deal with. They make you feel more like family than anything, which is ideal for anyone that is unfamiliar or insecure with being on a boat of any magnitude. Amazing views of the Kohala coast, coastal reefs, flying fish, ocean breeze...what more could you ask for? What about a cocktail in hand? Yeah, that happened. What about snorkeling desolate reefs with tons of coral fish? Yeah, that happened. What about following a school of 30+ spinner dolphins playfully enjoying the day next to us for hours? Yeah, that happened too. Listen, I could go on and on about how extraordinarily awesome our day was, but until you experience it for yourself there's no words to do the experience any justice. Whether you're visiting or you live here, a day on Captain B's boat for an Endless Summer tour makes for unforgettable memories! Mahalo Captain B and Ashley, looking forward to next time! read more

Big Island Shaka - Endless Summer boat tour with Captain B and Ashley! Kohala coast, cruising with a school of spinner dolphins! - Boat Charters Near Me

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We had a great time on the catamaran for a sunset cruise. The crew was amazing. The whole experience was above and beyond our expectations.

We had a blast. Great crew with a really cool boat. Highly recommend them!