We spent an awesome morning on the water with Evan. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and even…read morewent the extra mile (fathom?) while free diving 40 feet to find an octopus so that we could have an encounter with one. We saw lots of turtles getting their spa day while tropical fish cleaned them. Within an hour or two, we received an email with two dozen high quality photos and videos that Evan took with his GoPro. A pretty big value add to the tour! I was a little apprehensive about exiting the kayak but he made it a safe, easy and fun experience. If you're thinking of joining a huge group tour organized by one of the resorts, book a trip with Evan and his guides instead. You won't regret it!

Excellent experience. Evan and Don where great. They both were very knowledgeable of the ocean and…read moretook us to a great place to snorkel on the kayaks.

Highly recommend! We initially found LightSUP on Yelp at the top with all its stellar reviews and…read morewith SUP on my check off list, we booked it. I talked to Kelly on the phone and she was amazing ! and very patient answering all my questions, I had a lot lol since this was our first time. Looking at weather and surf conditions, she assured us Tuesday would be a great am for lessons. We drove down to Kona from Waikoloa ~30 min drive. Meet up was near a wharf, where we found free 2 hour parking off of Ali'i drive. Met up with our instructor Mark 830 am - a super friendly and understanding dude and he made us feel at ease. He went over some instructions with us regarding the board, how to, safety, and possible route. He warned us, looking at the windsock, it was a little windy, waters might be rough, but that we could make it work. Life vests were available, I wore one since I'm not the greatest swimmer. The boards were really cool, with the upper half containing a clear glass portion for views of marine life in the ocean. In the evenings, they offer lit up SUP boards. When I got onto the water, the waves were soooooo choppy, I immediately felt seasick- nauseous and dizzy, I was only able paddle for less than a half hour. Hubby was able to stand up a few times, but soon was washed off the board due to the waves. Mark noted that it was definitely advanced waters kinda day. We weren't able to enjoy as much as we had liked to or be out the two hours allotted. But, he made us feel comfortable and was so kind. He shared with us all the videos and pics he took of our am. He called and left a message with Kelly, the owner, of our uneventful morning. I messaged Kelly as well, and she did not charge us. Mahalo! We definitely tipped Mark for his time, kindness, and patience : ) This is a wonderful small owned company that cares about its clients! Check them out!

My gf booked this tour our trip and I was initially a bit scared as being in the open ocean water…read moreis one of my fears. I thought it would be fun though to see the wild life at night however since it's such a unique experience. The tour starts with one of the nicest sunsets I've seen in Hawaii. It was such an amazing view. We then started on the shallow area just to get used to the board and water. It is a lot harder than you think to stand on that board! Our tour guide was AMAZING! He was so funny and told us amazing stories. I loved all of the factoids! He was so enthusiastic and you can really tell he cared for us to have fun even if we didn't see anything. You can also tell how passionate he is about the coral and welfare of the ocean. We began to paddle out before it became completely dark. This is where I tried to stand up and ended up falling into the Ocean! My biggest fear! It was in the deep end also. I suggest not doing it far out where there are still waves but also trying to stand before it gets completely dark. On our tour we saw so many fish. There are a ton of needle fish that jump on your board. You also get super close to the coral and get to see a lot of the amazing fish at night time which is a totally different perspective. We were able to see a small sting ray, a bunch of fish, tons of coral and the most amazing thing was a shark (twice!). I don't know what kind of shark it was but if I had to guess maybe a tiger shark? The tour guide said it is super super rare to see that. The shark was pretty friendly and a bit curious about the board but then quickly swam away. It only appeared for about 5 seconds. About an hour later, a much smaller one appeared and came up to the board and then swam away. Overall, which an amazing (and slightly scary) experience. The water is pretty warm even at night. The tour guide was so nice. I highly recommend this tour!

Our family of four had an excellent experience working with the Kona Boys Surf Shack, located on…read morethe beach behind the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. We signed up for a private outrigger canoe tour on Kailua Bay. Tommy and JP were fantastic with our kids (even when my son got a little upset mid-way through the tour) and provided a truly fun and memorable experience for all of us. The outrigger canoe tour was part tour and part history lesson of the Kona area, and was very nicely done. As guests at the hotel, we also worked with the Kona Boys to receive the beach gear items we were entitled to with our resort fee. All was great on that front too. Thank you and keep up the great work!

We stumbled on to this place our first day on the island. They are located at a small quiet beach…read morearea they rent everything you could possibly need for the day at a reasonable price. The staff is amazing and went above and beyond making sure we had everything we needed. We rented kayaks 3 times and umbrellas and chairs twice. If your looking for a relaxing day at the beach and or some time on the water give theses guys a shot you won't regret it.

The staff were very very nice and helpful. The trip was peaceful and so beautiful! The ocean was…read morevery, very rough! But the staff still kept our drinks coming and with a smile. I was apprehensive about getting on the boats, but it was super easy. You will walk in the water a little bit so I don't recommend long pants or shoes. We wore shorts and flip flops and it was perfect. Loved that they give a Kama'aina discount! We'll go again during whale season! Very enjoyable, relaxing, beautiful experience.

Our Waikoloa Scouts Troop and families went on our annual whale watch on March 8 aboard Sea Smoke…read morewith Ocean Sports, and after doing this outing for more than 9 years, I can honestly say this was one of the best trips yet. We had about 30 Scouts and family members join us, and the whales absolutely showed up! We saw pods everywhere, tail slaps, and even a full breach. The highlight was when a humpback surfaced about 10 yards from the boat, giving the kids a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The crew also dropped the hydrophone, allowing everyone to hear the whales singing underwater, which was an incredible learning experience for the Scouts. Moments like that truly connect our youth with the ocean and the amazing wildlife here in Hawaiʻi. Ocean Sports continues to impress us every year. Booking was easy, waivers were handled electronically, check-in was smooth, parking simple, and the hospitality from the crew was outstanding. They were knowledgeable, welcoming, and fantastic with the kids. Mahalo to the entire Sea Smoke crew for sharing the ocean with us and helping create such an unforgettable adventure for our Scouts and families. Your aloha spirit and professionalism make this trip something we look forward to every year. Highly recommend Ocean Sports whale watch tours!

INTRO Friendly shop with fair prices, but board quality can…read morebe hit or miss - especially some of the soft tops, which may be waterlogged and very difficult to surf. Definitely inspect your board before heading out and if you get a bad board, simply head in and swap it out. They will be very cool about it and likely give you more time in the water for the inconvenience. THE STAFF Very, very friendly and welcoming. No issues here. THE BOARDS Beware: some of the soft-top boards may be waterlogged. Pick them up - if they're unusually heavy, they're likely full of water and will surf terribly. I raised this with the leadership team, and Ben said they're going to do a better job inspecting the rental quiver to ensure boards are ready to ride. When in doubt, opt for a solid 8-9' hard top. BOOTIES You may think you want them to get out past the ~10 feet of rocky bottom. Not the end of the world - smooth rocks and ZERO sea urchins. They'll tell you they're everywhere, but you're only touching bottom for a couple seconds as you enter the crystal-clear water. Bring your own or rent for $5. If I had to do it again, I'd skip the booties. THE WAVES Scout the waves first. This is not Waikiki. This spot is hit or miss. THE CROWD Perpetual surf school sitting in the best spot in the lineup. No issues with them personally, but it does make the area feel crowded. OVERALL You're surfing in Hawaii - it's always a good outing. This is the best rental option for this beach. The staff is great and the prices are fair. Just double-check the surf and your rental board before paddling out, and don't hesitate to return to the shop during your rental to swap boards. They're happy to help, and if you lose time due to a bad board, ask for extra time - their team will likely make it right.

UPDATED - November, 2025 -…read more FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW!!! Jackson now is in his fourth year of lessons with Eli. He started at 5 years old and this year his sister Reagan started - she's six years old! Eli is the BEST surf instructor in the entire world. The kids love him and he genuinely loves the kids. He teaches them to love the water and have FUN - all while being safe. Supporting Eli is the owner and operator Ben who makes sure everything is covered at a high level. Great equipment, location, safety and the positive VIBES! If you're interested in surfing on the big island, water it's renting equipment, lessons, or the location, this is your spot! Check out the photos.

Great options of adult and kids swim clothes. Very friendly and helpful service. They also rent…read morebeach chairs and umbrellas.

This review is for a weeklong "high performance" surfboard rental. I wanted to chime in here for…read moretwo reasons: first, because other reviews don't discuss the weekly or high-performance rentals. And second, because this place has some less-than-stellar reviews that I feel might not be totally warranted. The staff members I spoke with during pick-up and drop-off were both super friendly-- way more so than I expected. The board itself was not exactly "high performance" compared to my favorite boards back home, but it was definitely better than the Wavestorms and NSPs you commonly see for rent on beachfront stands. Can you do better elsewhere? Maybe, probably, if you put some legwork into finding alternatives. But there aren't that many other options if you're on the northwest side of the Big Island. Anyway more about the rental itself: The boards are epoxy but somehow the one I got was not as chattery and stiff as other epoxy boards I've used in the past. They're not exactly "real" hand-shaped (or even hand-finished) boards you would get from a "core" surf shop, but they seem a lot better than the average mass-market pop-out. They also said I could come and swap out for a different design during my rental period if I wanted as well. There were short boards, mid lengths, and longboards. Thrusters, single fins, and 1+2s mostly. Not gonna replace my quiver back home, but a totally fine experience all around.

Had a great time kayaking through Kealakekua bay with Evan and Steve and then snorkeling near…read moreCaptain Cook's monument. This was our second time and it was just as fun, if not more! The early morning kayaking through the bay is soothing for the soul. We also got lucky and saw some dolphins. The snorkeling is out of this world with such clear water and variety of colorful fish of all sizes. Evan and Steve were both very attentive to all the kayakers and super knowledgeable as we learned a bunch about Hawaiian history, Captain Cook's arrival (and demise), and the lasting legacy of that episode on Hawaii's history. After all the snorkeling, the sandwich lunch hit the spot. It also came with a souvenir water bottle! I had a last minute dietary request and they graciously accommodated. Even though this was our second time, we still had fun and actually learned new details about the history and conservation efforts happening in the area! If you want a fun, yet respectful and ethical experience, this is it!

Great location and better service. Scheduling is simple; the coach for paddle boarding, Grant,…read morewas incredible. I was up and paddling after a brief orientation on the beach, and then into the water. I only wish I was a good a student as Grant was a coach; he taught me every thing I needed as a beginner, however, and I have the knowledge and confidence to continue with the sport.

Great private surf lesson! Everything was ready to go when I arrived. Was in the water in just a…read morefew minutes, after a quick shore lesson. Ethan was awesome! Very patient and explained everything very well. He taught a 53 year old first time surfer the ropes. With his guidance and professional instruction I was able to catch some waves and get to my feet after only a couple of attempts. Would 100% go back to Kona Mike's for another lesson. Of course I'd request Ethan!

Chad was amazing! Great teacher and a great guy to spend some time with out on the water with!!read more

My family and I took a kayak tour from Sian and his wife last winter and it was amazing. They are…read moreknowledgable, safe and patient. We saw whales and had a blast! This year we took advantage of kayaking and trying our hand at stand up paddle boarding and had a fantastic time! I highly recommend this outfit!

We had purchased a kayaking & snorkeling tour for 2 and were looking forward to enjoying this as a…read morehoneymoon activity. We were told to show up for check in at 9, and arrive promptly at 8.30am. 9am came and went with no tour organizers showing up. We called Expedia whom we bought the tickets through. And they responded quickly to our voicemail. The excuse provided by Kohala Kayak was that an emergency came up, which I'm fine with, but the fact we had to do the chasing instead of them calling us left a bad impression. You simply can't run a business with this low service quality. We adapted for the rest of the day, but purposefully had left our camera at the hotel so missed some great photo opportunities. Do yourself a favor and pick another tour or activity that is more assured.

Keona was amazing! We did the the underwater scooter and it was sooooo fun! I have Lived on island…read morefor 10 years and very versed in snorkeling and diving and the scooters were a great new experience I would highly recommend. Good vibes, fun times and knowledgeable operators! Can't wait to come out again! Cheeeeehooooooo! Do it y'all. You won't be disappointed!

Went on an excursion and rented equipment from Ona, the experience was amazing. Once in a lifetime…read more We hiked to a secluded beach, no one was around, we paddled and snorkeled. Ona is extremely knowledgeable about the ocean, and the culture in Hawaii. She showed me how to use the equipment properly, and I felt completely safe. I rented a paddle board for a week there after. The equipment was flawless, she was amazing and I was able to contact her at any time with questions and suggestions. I wold absolutely rent and go on another excursion with her.