Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
Legend of the Seas - Hawaii
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002

Our next port of call was Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Located on Hawaii's western shore where the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai meet the sea, the Kona Coast is a region of endless lava fields and golden Pacific sunsets. The clear waters are perfect for diving, snorkeling, and deep-sea fishing. At the heart of the Kona Coast lies the charming resort village of Kailua. Because two other "Kailuas" exist within the state, the Big Island's Kailua is often called Kailua-Kona for clarity.

There were several tours that sounded appealing to us including the Captain Zodiac Raft and Snorkeling Adventure. Another tour that sounded interesting was the Valley Waterfall Hiking Adventure. Before we left for our cruise, I did some web-surfing and found a site which includes a 360° view of Kapoloa Falls and a 360° view of a waterfall on the way to Kapoloa Falls. Click here to see more information about the hike and to see these views.


The tour we took in Kona was Captain Zodiac Raft & Snorkel Adventure. It was a 3.5 hour tour aboard a 24-foot Zodiac (high-speed motorized raft). We saw Spinner dolphins, manta rays and sea turtles along with sea caves, lava tubes, and blow holes.

Visit the official site of the Captain Zodiac - Kona for more information. On this tour you journey to Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii's finest marine preserve and the site of the Captain Cook Monument.

This is the site of the snorkeling part of the adventure. We put on our gear and jumped over the side of the raft into about 10 feet of water where we began exploring the coral and the beautiful fish that inhabit the area. Upon conclusion of the snorkeling, it was time for snacks and the return ride to the ship. Along the way we saw spinner dolphin putting on quite a show for us. This was truely one of the most memorable tours on the cruise. I'd highly recommend this to anyone seeking a little adventure and alot of fun.


I've included information on shopping and dining for planning purposes. If you want to see live pictures from Kona, check out these webcams .

Our next stop was Lahaina,Maui, Hawaii. Continue with Maui or choose a page from the drop down list above. Don't forget to check out the Kona Photo Album for more tour pictures.


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