South Kona: Snorkeling, Coffee + A Hike Worth Earning
Captain Cook and Two Step were both excellent. The difference was how much work we wanted to do first.
Kaʻawaloa / Captain Cook Trail
This is a hike-and-snorkel adventure, not merely a way to reach good snorkeling. The trail descends steeply toward Kealakekua Bay, with open coastal views after the upper agricultural landscape. Remember: every foot you descend has to be climbed on the way back, while carrying your snorkel gear.
Parking near the trailhead is limited, so early is smart. At the bottom we saw mongooses that were very interested in unattended food and bags—secure your things or have someone stay with them.
Is Captain Cook snorkeling dramatically better?
It was excellent, but for us it was not dramatically better than Two Step. There were plenty of people because boats bring snorkel groups into the bay, and the water clarity felt similar.
Two Step at Hōnaunau Bay
If your goal is simply excellent snorkeling without earning it first, this is the easier choice. You enter from the lava-rock shoreline and skip the steep hike and gear haul.
Greenwell Farms
We really enjoyed the Kona coffee tour. It was informative about growing, processing, quality standards, coffee berry borer mitigation and the technology used in production. Greenwell also processes coffee cherry from many neighboring Kona growers. The tasting at the end was delicious.
Mauka Meadows
A wonderful surprise: gorgeous gardens, fruit growing on the property, coffee at the bottom and a beautiful ocean view. We were invited to try ripe fruit from the trees and were also offered apple bananas. It felt completely different from the more educational Greenwell experience, so we would happily do both.