We visited the Big Island for a week over Christmas 2007 and I took my boys (age 12,11) on SeaQuest after reading about it on TripAdvisor. All 3 of us voted it the highlight of the trip (followed closely by the helicopter ride over the volcano).

The 12-person Zodiac ride in itself is quite an adventure, and Mark and Annie were fantastic. In addition to snorkeling, we got up close in the Zodiac to humpback whales and spinner dolphins (and a manta ray) and got to see a number of sea caves along the coast.

The highlight was the snorkeling - the 2 locations are arguably the best in Kona (which makes them among the best in Hawaii). In addition to getting up close and personal with many types of beautiful fish, the 3 of us got to swim with a sea turtle.

The snorkeling was easy (fine for beginners). The only caution is the boat ride is a bit bumpy - we loved it, but it may not suitable for everyone.

We would rate this as "Not to be Missed" when visiting the Big Island.

A Family Vacationer
Dallas, TX

This was one of our favorite memories from our trip to Hawaii. We had to wake up early to drive to the Kona side of the island from our stay in Keaau but it was definitely worth it. We were 2 on the 6 person morning voyage out to the City of Refuge and Kealakekua Bay; we had never snorkeled before but it was easy to pick up. Our captain, Mare, was great and it was nice to have fresh fruit, drinks, and snacks after our stops. We enjoyed both snorkeling locations but City of Refuge was our favorite as we got to swim alongside a sea turtle and get caught in the flow of the tide with all the beautiful fish down there.

My first time snorkeling and I cannot say enough good things about the two women who took us out. They were fun and instructive. Snacks after we got out of the water was an unexpected bonus. They were quite delightful -- highly recommended.

OK, there are many different choices for a snorkeling adventure, but I picked this one because a friend who lives here recommended them. These are definitely the small guys on the block, and that's a great thing because their boats are small (6 or 12 passengers), and the crews young and enthusiastic.

Our tour had a variety of ages (probably 8 to 65 years old) and experience levels (complete novice to experienced swimmer), but the crew made us all feel comfortable, carefully explained the process, and within minutes everybody was having a wonderful time. If your swimming is shaky, they'll provide flotation devices. One lady, who was more than a bit overweight and said that she was afraid and hadn't ever done anything like this before had so much fun that she was the last person back on the boat on our second stop.

If you've never done this before, it's amazing. The scenery is spectacular, and the reefs look like something out of Saving Nemo.

Hint: Take the morning tour. You see more, and the seas are calmer.