Best Kona shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Kona is "Big Island: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Coffee Farm Day-Trip" (4.9★ from 491 reviews, from $276). The biggest saving against the ship is catamaran / sail & snorkel: $191 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Kona are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Island: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Coffee Farm Day-TripNature / waterfall / park | $276 | 4.9★491 reviews | 2/5 |
| 2 | Kailua-Kona: Whale Watching Cruise on the Big IslandWhale watching | $115 | 4.8★289 reviews | 4/5 |
| 3 | Kailua Kona: Manta Ray Night Snorkel Tour with GuideSnorkel tour | $137 | 4.5★406 reviews | 4/5 |
| 4 | Kailua-Kona: Captain Cook Reef Catamaran Day Trip with LunchCatamaran / sail & snorkel | $100 | 4.8★276 reviews | 4/5 |
| 5 | From Hawaii: Historical Dinner Cruise Tour to Kealakekua BayRuins / history | $212 | 4.8★204 reviews | 4/5 |
| 6 | From Kona: Big Island Underwater Submarine AdventureSubmarine / glass-bottom | $160 | 4.7★187 reviews | 4/5 |
| 7 | Manta Ray Snorkel in Kailua-Kona with Hot CocoaSnorkel tour | $100 | 4.7★129 reviews | 4/5 |
| 8 | Big Island: Kona Whale Watching TourWhale watching | $80 | 4.6★72 reviews | 4/5 |
| 9 | Kona: Captain Cook Snorkel Tour at Kealakekua BaySnorkel tour | $115 | 4.7★66 reviews | 4/5 |
| 10 | Kona: Catamaran Sunset Sail with Cocktails and SnacksCatamaran / sail & snorkel | $109 | 5.0★46 reviews | 4/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | NCL | $296 | $105 | $765 |
| Dolphin & marine encounter | NCL | $266 | $119 | $589 |
| Snorkel tour | NCL | $227 | $115 | $447 |
| Whale watching | NCL | $177 | $109 | $270 |
| Ruins / history | NCL | $197 | $138 | $237 |
| Snorkel tour | Carnival | $165 | $115 | $200 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- Nature / waterfall / park on NCL: $247 on the ship vs $276 independent.
- Ruins / history on Carnival: $105 on the ship vs $138 independent.
- Nature / waterfall / park on Carnival: $230 on the ship vs $276 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Ali'i Drive: ~10 min walk (433 m).
Kona is a tender port. Volcano tours are much easier from Hilo if your ship calls there too.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Kona?
On ratings, "Big Island: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Coffee Farm Day-Trip" leads with 4.9 stars from 491 reviews. On value, catamaran / sail & snorkel saves the most against the ship ($191 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Kona?
"Big Island: Kona Whale Watching Tour" from $80 per person (4.6★, 72 reviews).
What can you do in Kona without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Ali'i Drive (~10 min walk).
All Kona prices and pier guide · Carnival in Kona · NCL in Kona