Kaneohe Bay Kayaking and snorkel adventure

Kaneohe Bay Coral Reef Self-Guided Kayaking Adventure

The Best Kayaking & Snorkeling Combo

Chart your own kayaking adventure and explore some of the most surreal and hidden reefs Oahu has to offer. You will be kayaking and snorkeling at your own pace through the Kaneohe Bay and have a chance to see plenty of coral and maybe even some turtles. Kaneohe Bay's barrier reef creates perfect kayaking and snorkeling conditions. You will be amazed at the combination of mountain views and coral reefs that this experience has to offer.

*We make your Kaneohe Bay snorkel adventure a breeze. You will meet us at our Kailua storefront where we'll help you get all set up with your kayaks and beach gear so you can start exploring the reef. We'll provide you with straps and foam roof pads to transport the kayak as well as on-site instruction, and directions to the launch point (20-minute drive).

356 Reviews
4 Hours
Kaneohe Bay
  • $82 – Visitor
  • $72 – Kama'aina / Military
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Kaneohe Bay Kayaking, Kualoa Mountain and Mokolii views
Highlights
  • Snorkeling in Kaneohe bay is key to this experience. If you don’t plan on snorkeling, you are missing out
  • Ocean kayaking and snorkeling experience.
  • Stop at and explore unique reef formations by kayak.
  • Spectacular views of the Ko’olau mountain range.
  • Kayak to the Waikane Pier and see the “Hukilau Cafe” featured in the movie 50 First Dates
  • On-shore instruction to ensure a safe and fun experience
How to prepare
  • Since you’ll be snorkeling, be sure you are capable of getting in and out of the kayak while floating in the water
  • Wear a swimsuit and reef-safe sunscreen
  • 15L Dry bags are provided for items you want to keep dry
  • If you bring snacks and water, be sure to pack out the trash.
  • Life jackets, seatbacks, paddles, and a kayak leash are provided

“…We saw a huge coral reef that we could get out and snorkel around to see beautiful turtles and sea life…on our way back we saw manta rays in a school floating around playing. We were so amazed when we ran into a big group of turtles of about 7 to 10 the size of a prehistoric creature…”

Jessica

“Excellent customer service from Logan. I was staying down in Waikiki and he texted me in the morning to confirm all the details before I came out!”…”Super fun morning and I recommend it to everyone interested in a great activity away from the crowds of Waikiki. I ubered out to the meeting location from Waikiki and was able to catch an Uber back easily.”

C Bland

“We had a great experience with this tour company! The guide helped us find where we were going, as he texted that morning, so we had a phone number to contact. He arrived on time and had the kayak ready to go for us. The kayak trip was fun and had such beautiful scenery. We would do it again!”

Ashley Elliott
Activity Overview

On your Kaneohe Bay Coral Reef Self-guided Kayaking Adventure, we’ll get you everything you need to discover the hidden gem of Oahu’s Windward side both above the water, with views of the mountains and offshore island Mokolii (Chinamans’ Hat), and below the water, with an abundance of live coral reef home to sea turtles and fish.

This experience is all about snorkeling the reefs of Kaneohe Bay. If you just love paddling and scenic views but don’t want to be swimming around, check out our other self-guided experiences: Mokolii Kayak and Hike (Chinaman’s Hat) – Best kayak and hike adventure, Kahana River Self-Guided Kayaking Tour – Best all-around paddling experience

Kaneohe Bay's reef is clearly viewable from the comfort of your kayak

What to Expect on your Kaneohe Bay Coral Reef Self-Guided Kayak and Snorkel Adventure

This Kaneohe Bay kayaking trip only takes about 4 hours. Of course, you can spend much longer out there if you were prepared, but we found that 4 hours was the sweet spot for the experience from the seamless kayak and gear pickup in Kailua to exploring the bay with your kayaks and snorkel gear.

You will be driving from the Kailua storefront to the Waihole Nursery and Garden Center parking lot. Across the street you’ll be launching the kayaks into Kaneohe Bay. We’ll send you all the meeting location details for our storefront and where you’ll be parking in your confirmation email, so no need to write this all down. We’ve got you covered!

Waihole Nursery and Garden Center Parking Lot

Be sure you paddle all the way out of the bay you launch from to get to the reef. The launch location is very shallow and near a stream mouth, so the sandy bottom of the bay is very silty with no visibility. Once you are beyond the shallows, the water clears up and you will be on your way to Kaneohe Bay’s coral reefs!

Kayaking out the closest reef from the shore only takes about 15-20 minutes depending on conditions. The best snorkeling is along the edge of the underwater coral islands. From there, you have the choice to swim with the provided snorkel gear and floating kayak leash or keep padding around the reef. The other reefs are not too far north and south of you.

If you are a fan of movies like 50 First Dates, You’ll recognize the location where they filmed the “Hukilau Cafe” and Waikane Pier scenes off to the left about 15 minutes kayaking north of the launch location (please don’t land on the shore over there, it’s private property). The Koolau mountains surrounding you scream Jurrasic Park. It’s not hard to imagine a giant brachiosaurus lumbering through the jungle gnawing on some monkeypod tree leaves.

Basically, whatever kayaking route you choose, you’ll have an amazing view of the windward coast and if you follow our instructions, you’ll get a glimpse of the best snorkeling reef Oahu has to offer.

You can often see sea turtles out here on the reef, but it’s not guaranteed. We don’t want to set your expectations too high, but from our experience, there is a large population of Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles that live around the perimeter of the reef and we actually had to reduce the amount of sea turtle photos we included on this activity listing. On a more humorous note, we encountered a civil complaint from a visitor to a local beach who was appalled at the volume of what they thought was dog droppings on the beach. Turns out, there are actually so many sea turtles in the reefs of Kaneohe Bay that the turtles were the actual culprit.

We conveniently provide a floating kayak leash so you can tow your kayaks behind you as you snorkel as opposed to dropping to a kayak anchor which can easily damage the reef; even when used by experienced professionals. Adventure responsibly. The reef is beautiful, but don’t touch it. You will hurt it and it will hurt you. Coral reefs are sharp and highly abrasive to your skin. Cuts received from contact with coral often get infected because coral is alive, so keep your distance.

The best time to kayak in Kaneohe Bay is in the morning and at low tide. If you are an early riser, you can snag our 8 am or 9 am slot. On perfect days, the ocean is calm and you can see through it like glass, but it’s not always like that. Ocean conditions change with the tides, winds, and weather, so please keep that in mind. Days with less wind and lower tide will give you better visibility while you are snorkeling.

About Kaneohe Bay

Kaneohe Bay Views from above

Kaneohe bay is a remnant of a massive volcano caldera that collapsed, leaving epic cliffsides that form the Koolau Mountain Range and a protected bay surrounded by Hawaii’s only barrier reef. This barrier reef helped create a refuge for underwater islands of coral to form. You will have the chance to kayak out to these coral reefs and if you are feeling adventurous, put on some snorkel gear and hop into the water. Please look, don’t touch. The reef is a combination of millions of microscopic living things and has taken thousands of years to grow this large and beautiful. It just takes a few flipper strokes to undo hundreds of years of growth. If you aren’t into getting in and out of your kayak on the ocean, the coral reef is clearly viewable from the comfort of your kayak. You even often spot turtles cruising near your kayak.

Ocean Conditions and Advice

Ocean conditions can change quickly and kayaking can dangerous. That said, Kaneohe bay is one of the safest kayaking locations. We advise children over 12 years old to do this tour, but younger children may join the tour, especially if the conditions are nice. Since it’s on the windward side of the island, it’s almost always breezy in the afternoons. During the summer months (End of May – beginning of Sept) conditions are calmer and more predictable and the area is much more accessible.

If there are storms or high winds we will notify you as soon as we know and can re-schedule your kayaking trip or offer a full refund.

Feel free to check out our Cancellation Policy for more info.

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