The Undersea Kingdoms of Kona
November 27th, 2007 by Jim
When traveling to Hawaii, most people think about the beaches, but when you take a Kona vacation, it’s what lies beyond and below them that’s really of interest. With several of the world’s best snorkeling sites lying along the Kona coast, this is the place to go for some of the most beautiful undersea landscapes you’ll ever sea.
A vacation condo in the Kona region makes a great base for snorkelling expeditions. If you don’t have your own gear you’ll find that it’s easy to hire locally. Framed by natural lava shelves, popular snorkelling areas like Honaunau are much safer than the average reef. In most cases, there’s no need to take a boat to get to the right location – the reefs are so close to shore that you can swim there without much effort. The water is warm and you don’t need to worry about sharks.
The reefs of Kona are a haven for a great variety of undersea wildlife, including rare green sea turtles, and you may even get to see dolphins sporting in the open ocean waters beyond. Over a hundred different species of fish make their homes here, including jewel-bright butterfly fish and other aquarium favorites. Children who love Nemo will be delighted to see clown fish guarding their homes in anemones. The brightly colored corals are also a fantastic sight, though you must be careful not to touch, as they’re very easily damaged. Because the fish here are so used to humans, they won’t hide away or try to avoid you, and you’ll have the chance to see them in their natural state.
If you’re taking a Kona vacation, a snorkeling experience like this is something you really can’t afford to miss. Don’t just lie on the beach – get down into the water and discover one of the most fabulous experiences Hawaii has to offer.