The Big Island packs more diversity into one island than most countries manage in their entire borders: active volcanoes, snow-capped mountains, black sand beaches, tropical rainforests, and some of the clearest water in the Pacific. It's also the only place in the world where you can swim with wild manta rays at night, peer into an active volcanic crater, and snorkel with spinner dolphins, all in the same week.
After years of living and guiding here, these are the 15 best tours and activities on Hawaii's Big Island, with honest takes on what's worth your time and money.
1. Manta Ray Night Snorkel
This is the Big Island's signature experience, and it deserves the top spot. You float in warm water after dark, holding an illuminated surfboard, while massive manta rays (up to 16 feet across) do barrel rolls inches from your face. The mantas are filter-feeding on plankton attracted by the light, and they're completely harmless. They seem to enjoy performing for their audience.
Kona is the only place on Earth with reliable year-round manta encounters (90%+ success rate). No diving experience needed. Kids as young as 5 do this regularly.
Our pick: Manta Magic by Hawaii Oceanic departs from Keauhou for a short boat ride and consistently excellent encounters. Also great: Coral Reef Manta Mania from Honokohau for a less-crowded experience.
Price: $95-160 per adult | Duration: 2-3 hours | Best for: Everyone (families, couples, solo travelers)
Read our complete manta ray night snorkel guide for detailed tips. Browse all manta ray snorkel tours.
2. Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling
Kealakekua Bay is hands-down the best snorkeling spot in Hawaii. A marine sanctuary with water so clear you can see 100+ feet, coral formations that put the Caribbean to shame, and resident pods of spinner dolphins that cruise through most mornings. The Captain Cook Monument on the far shore marks where the explorer met his end in 1779. You'll swim right past it.
You can't drive to the bay. Options: take a snorkel boat tour, kayak in, or hike the steep 2-mile trail down (and back up). The boat tour is what most visitors do, and it's worth it. You get 1-2 hours in the water with gear provided.
Our pick: Hawaii Oceanic's Kealakekua Bay tour or Coral Reef Snorkel Adventures.
Price: $85-140 | Duration: 3-5 hours | Best for: Snorkelers of all levels, marine life enthusiasts
3. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Standing at the rim of Kīlauea Caldera recalibrates your sense of what Earth is capable of. The park covers 335,000 acres of volcanic landscape including craters, lava tubes, rainforests, and petroglyphs. If Kīlauea is actively erupting during your visit, the glowing crater at night is something you will never forget.
From Kona, it's a 2.5-hour drive each way, so most visitors do a guided circle island tour that combines the volcano with other stops around the island.
Our pick: The Grand Circle Island Tour hits the volcano plus waterfalls, black sand beach, and coffee farms in one packed day. For deeper exploration, try the guided volcano hike with Kīlauea Iki and lava tube.
Price: $140-220 (circle tour) or $120-180 (focused hike) | Duration: Full day | Best for: Nature lovers, geology fans
Full details in our Volcanoes National Park tours guide. Browse all volcano tours.
4. Helicopter Tour
The Big Island is twice the size of all other Hawaiian islands combined, and the only way to grasp that scale is from the air. Helicopter tours fly over active lava zones, inaccessible waterfalls, the dramatic Kohala coast cliffs, and remote valleys you'll never see from a road. If the volcano is erupting, the aerial view of flowing lava is jaw-dropping.
Our pick: Mauna Loa Helicopter's Private Kona Coast Experience, with doors-off for photographers and private flights for couples.
Price: $250-600+ | Duration: 1-2 hours | Best for: Special occasions, photographers, anyone who wants THE view
5. Zipline Adventures
The Big Island's zipline courses run through some of the most dramatic scenery in Hawaii: tropical botanical gardens, towering waterfalls, and deep valleys. The courses here are longer and more scenic than what you'll find on Maui or Oahu.
Our pick: Botanical World Adventures Zipline near Honomu, with multiple lines over gardens and waterfalls in a lush tropical setting.
Price: $120-200 | Duration: 2-3 hours | Best for: Adventure seekers, families with older kids
6. Sunset Cruise Along the Kona Coast
The Kona coast faces due west, which means the sunsets are absurd. A sunset cruise puts you on the water with a drink in hand as the sky explodes in orange and purple. Seasonal bonus: humpback whales breach alongside the boat from December through March.
Our pick: Kona Snorkel & Sail's combo sunset + manta ray tour for two experiences in one evening.
Price: $80-150 | Duration: 2-3 hours | Best for: Couples, families, anyone who appreciates a good sunset
7. Scuba Diving
Kona's diving is world-class, with crystal visibility (often 100+ feet), lava arch formations, sea caves, and marine life including mantas, dolphins, turtles, and whale sharks. The leeward coast's calm conditions make it accessible to newer divers, while the variety keeps experts coming back.
Our pick: Big Island Divers' two-tank morning charter for certified divers. For the truly adventurous, the pelagic black water night dive is like diving in outer space.
Price: $130-250 | Duration: 3-5 hours | Best for: Certified divers, underwater photographers
8. Deep-Sea Fishing
The Kona coast drops to 6,000 feet within a mile of shore, which means you're in big fish territory almost immediately. Kona is legendary for blue marlin, and the annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament has been running here since 1959. Even if you don't land a grander, you'll likely hook mahi-mahi, ono (wahoo), or yellowfin tuna.
Our pick: Reel Escapes' 8-hour fishing escape, a full-day charter with quality gear and experienced captains. Browse all fishing charters.
Price: $200-800+ (varies by boat size and duration) | Duration: 4-8 hours | Best for: Anglers of all levels
9. Snorkeling the Kona Coast
Beyond Kealakekua Bay, the Kona coast has dozens of excellent snorkeling spots accessible from shore. Kahalu'u Beach Park is the easiest. Walk in, put your face down, and see turtles and reef fish within 30 seconds. Two Step at Honaunau Bay has more dramatic reef and often fewer crowds.
Read our complete guide to Big Island snorkeling spots.
Price: Free (shore access) or $60-140 (boat tour) | Duration: Your call | Best for: Everyone
10. Whale Watching (Seasonal)
From December through March, thousands of humpback whales migrate to Hawaiian waters to breed and calve. The Big Island's western coast is prime territory, and whale watching tours out of Kona regularly encounter mothers with calves, competitive male pods, and breaching displays. The water is so clear you can sometimes see whales underwater from the boat.
Price: $80-150 | Duration: 2-3 hours | Best for: Families, wildlife enthusiasts (December-March only)
11. Stargazing on Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea's summit sits at 13,796 feet, above 40% of Earth's atmosphere, making it one of the best astronomical observation points in the world. There's a reason thirteen world-class observatories are perched up there. Stargazing tours take you above the clouds for telescope viewing of planets, nebulae, and galaxies you can't see from sea level.
Price: $200-250 | Duration: 6-8 hours (includes sunset + stars) | Best for: Anyone who's ever looked up and wondered
12. Luau
A Hawaiian luau done well is a legit cultural experience: traditional hula, fire dancing, imu ceremony (underground pig roast), and food that goes beyond tourist-standard fare. The Big Island's luaus tend to be smaller and more intimate than the massive productions on Maui and Oahu.
Price: $100-160 per adult | Duration: 3-4 hours | Best for: Families, first-time Hawaii visitors
13. Coffee Farm Tours
Kona coffee is one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world, and the farms where it's grown cling to the slopes of Hualalai above Kona at around 1,500 feet elevation. Coffee farm tours walk you through the growing, picking, and roasting process with tastings along the way. It's also just beautiful. The coffee belt has panoramic ocean views and perfect weather.
Price: Free-$50 | Duration: 1-2 hours | Best for: Coffee lovers, anyone with a free morning
14. Kayaking
The Big Island's calm western coast is ideal for kayaking. The most popular route is paddling to Kealakekua Bay from the Napo'opo'o boat ramp, about 20-30 minutes each way, with snorkeling at the bay as the reward. You can also kayak along the Kohala coast from Kawaihae, where you have a good chance of encountering dolphins and turtles.
Price: $60-120 (rental) or $80-180 (guided tour) | Duration: 3-5 hours | Best for: Active travelers, small groups
15. Waterfall Chasing on the Hilo Side
The windward (Hilo) side of the island gets 130+ inches of rain annually, which feeds some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Hawaii. Akaka Falls plunges 442 feet through a lush gorge, and a short paved trail gets you to the viewpoint. Rainbow Falls in Hilo earns its name on sunny mornings when rainbows form in the mist. Umauma Falls is a stunning triple-tiered cascade that most tourists miss.
Price: Free (most are state parks) | Duration: Half day for 3-4 falls | Best for: Nature lovers, photographers
How to Plan Your Big Island Trip
A week gives you enough time to hit 6-8 of these activities without rushing. Here's how to think about it:
- Base yourself in Kona for at least 3-4 nights. Most ocean activities, restaurants, and nightlife are here.
- Do the volcano as a day trip or stay one night in Hilo/Volcano Village to explore the east side (waterfalls, Hilo town, the park).
- Book the manta ray snorkel early in your trip. If it gets cancelled for weather, you'll have time to rebook.
- Save one beach day. Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea Beach on the Kohala coast are world-class. You don't need a tour for these, just show up with a towel.
For more focused recommendations, check our top 10 things to do in Kailua-Kona and best snorkeling spots guides.