Before a Sea Paradise guest sees the brilliant reef at Kealakekua Bay or watches manta rays glide beneath the ocean at night, the adventure begins somewhere special: Keauhou Bay.
Located along the Kona Coast of Hawaii Island, Keauhou Bay is much more than a convenient place to board a boat. It is a location filled with Hawaiian history, culture and marine life.
The Hawaiian name Keauhou comes from ke au hou, meaning “the new era.” The bay is also recognized as the birthplace of King Kamehameha III, who would become the longest-reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
A Bay Surrounded by Hawaiian History
The Keauhou area contains significant historical and cultural sites, including the Keauhou Holua Slide, associated with the traditional Hawaiian sport of holua.
These reminders of the past make Keauhou much more than another picturesque harbor.
Yet the bay also has a fascinating connection to one of Kona’s most famous modern ocean experiences.
During hotel construction in the 1970s, nighttime floodlights illuminated the water. Plankton gathered around those lights, and reef manta rays followed their food source.
That unexpected event ultimately contributed to the development of the famous manta ray viewing experience now known as Manta Village. Sea Paradise began organized manta tours from the area in 1985.
The Starting Point for Sea Paradise
Today, Sea Paradise’s adventures depart from the finger pier at Keauhou Bay.
Guests may even spot marine life before leaving the pier. Hawaiian green sea turtles, spinner dolphins, eagle rays and reef fish can all occur around these waters.
Waiting nearby is the Hoku Nui, Sea Paradise’s 50-foot catamaran.
Its spacious deck and stable design provide a comfortable platform for traveling the Kona Coast, particularly compared with the very different experience of riding aboard a small rigid inflatable boat.
From Keauhou Bay, Sea Paradise takes guests south toward the protected waters of Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument for snorkeling adventures. At night, the journey leads toward nearby Manta Village for the opportunity to encounter Kona’s famous reef manta rays.
Sea Paradise has spent more than four decades introducing visitors to these waters, combining local experience, marine knowledge and the comfort of the Hoku Nui.
Keauhou Bay is therefore more than the place where the boat leaves.
It is where Hawaiian history, modern manta ray tourism and today’s Kona ocean adventures meet.
When your Sea Paradise adventure begins at Keauhou Bay, take a moment before boarding to look around. You are standing at a place that has witnessed centuries of Hawaiian history—and your own Big Island story is about to begin.
