Hop on the Hoku Nui and create a wonderful Hawaiian memory. Our luxurious 50-ft catamaran, along with our friendly and professional crew, will make your experience one you’ll remember forever. The sail out to a snorkel or manta ray tour on the pristine waters of the Kona Coast as you view the beautiful island from the Kona Coast is a treat in itself. Add to that, an incredible snorkel experience swimming with the marine life and the graceful, majestic manta rays – and you have a Hawaiian adventure experience!
While Hawaii has a long history of voyagers and explorers, tourism as we know it today is a relatively recent development. The first documented Western visitor to Hawaii wasn’t a leisure seeker, but Captain James Cook, who landed in 1778. His arrival marked a turning point for the islands, but it wasn’t until the 1860s that tourism truly began to take hold.
These early tourists were a far cry from the sunbathers of Waikiki. They tended to be adventurous souls, drawn to the majesty of Kilauea volcano. The world’s first Hawaiian hotel, a basic structure known as the Volcano House, was built in 1865 to accommodate these intrepid visitors. Tourism remained modest for several decades, but it began to flourish as the plantation era waned. The early 20th century saw the construction of luxury hotels like the Moana Waikiki and a concerted effort to promote Hawaii as a paradise destination. This marked the beginning of Hawaii’s transformation into the global tourist hotspot it is today.
Specific details on the exact start of water activity tours in Hawaii are elusive, but they likely emerged alongside tourism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As visitors arrived seeking adventure beyond volcanoes, entrepreneurs likely began offering guided experiences like snorkeling and boat tours to capitalize on Hawaii’s stunning waterscapes. Since 1985, Sea Paradise has delighted many visitors to the Big Island with their award-winning snorkel and manta ray tours!
