About Hawaiian Adventures Kona
About Us
The Aggergaard family, owners of Island Adventures Whale Watching and Hawaiian Adventures Kona, have been running whale watch tours for over 25 years, and pride themselves in offering educational experiences to respectfully visit with whales in their natural habitat. Their adventure started in the San Juan Islands, a region of the Salish Sea known for its killer whale activity. For many years, orcas were the species predominantly seen whilst exploring these inland waters, but in recent years this trend has changed. As once-endangered populations of baleen whales, such as humpbacks, began to recover, they rediscovered the Salish Sea as productive summer feeding grounds.
Today, over 500 individual humpbacks have been documented utilizing Salish Sea waters, a phenomenon referred to locally as “The Humpback Comeback”. What’s even more exciting, is that third-generation Salish Sea humpbacks have returned to these historic feeding grounds. The utilization of photo-identification to distinguish between whales has allowed the Aggergaard family, and their guests, to get to know these whales on an individual basis. It is this connection, and a desire to learn more about this incredible species, that brought them to Hawaii, the wintering location of many of the same humpbacks they’ve come to know so well.
A third-generation whale watching family, the Aggergaard’s have built a reputation for running professional, high-quality wildlife tours. They understand that there is an art to running well-rounded, fun, and memorable trips, and it is their dedication to their craft that has set them apart. They also understand that as professional whale watching operators, they are in a unique position to be the “eyes-on-the-water” for researchers, collecting data that might otherwise be lost. Utilizing professional-grade cameras, photo identification guides, and SPOT transmitters, each whale encounter is meticulously documented for later use by cetacean researchers.
Hawaiian Adventures Kona understands that first-hand experiences are key to cultivating connections between communities and wildlife. We hope that our tours can inspire this respect for marine life in those visiting Hawaii, a respect that the Kona community embodies. We are excited to be a part of a community that understands the health of our oceans is tantamount to our own well-being, and play our part to promote this mindset. Come join us on the water, and experience the connection with the whales that has inspired our family for the past 25 years.
Meet the Hawaiian Adventures Kona Fleet
Choose a vessel with a USCG offshore certification, research-grade hydrophone, onboard bathroom, shade and wind protection, and expert captain and local marine naturalist. While choosing the right boat can make a trip, the crew and their attention to detail is just as key. You can feel confident with Hawaiian Adventures Kona, a team that is meticulous when it comes to equipment upkeep, safety, and cleanliness
Our brand-new, state-of-the-art tour boat, built specifically for Kona whale watching.
We're thrilled to announce that the newest addition to Hawaiian Adventures Kona is complete. The brand-new, state-of-the-art, 46-foot catamaran named Artemis is available for year-round whale watching tours and Kona night manta ray snorkel tours. Featuring two viewing decks, powerful Volvo IPS engines, comfortable seating, and onboard restrooms, Artemis promises to offer an exceptional and unforgettable tour experience unlike any other in the area.
Meet our luxury private charter vessel, Callisto.
Callisto is our 32 ft regulator designed for speed, safety, comfort, and an incredibly smooth ride. Her name comes from a killer whale in the pacific northwest (T65A6), who was named after the hunting partner of Artemis, the greek goddess of the hunt. Equipped with twin 350 Yamahas, Callisto is perfect for exploring inshore reefs or pushing offshore into the deep. This luxury 6-person vessel has a restroom, fresh water shower, padded seats, and a custom boarding ladder for easy access in and out of the water. With plenty of waterproof storage, there’s room for guests and their extra gear and equipment onboard. 360-degree viewing and a full walk-around also add to a premier experience.
At Hawaiian Adventures Kona, our expert guides offer the Big Island’s ultimate small-group wildlife tour. Our year-round whale watch, night manta, Kona snorkel, ocean adventure, and private charters are the best opportunity for a true Hawaiian Adventure.
Whale watching in Kona is year-round! Hawaiian Adventures Kona has access to both near-shore and pelagic zones, which gives you the opportunity to see humpbacks, spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, flying fish, surface-feeding mantas, pilot whales, beaked whales, sperm whales, spotted dolphins, whale sharks, and more!
Experience the real Kona nightlife and meet the mantas! Our Kona Night Manta tours depart strategically out of Honokohau Marina, giving us the ability to head where there’s better conditions, fewer people, and more mantas. This small-group tour is the best way to experience the #1 activity on the Big Island.
Snorkel the Kona Coast and beyond! All snorkel tours at Hawaiian Adventures Kona are private charters, which allows you to explore at your own speed. Whether it’s snorkeling at historic Kealakekua Bay or skipping the crowds and checking out the crew’s favorite snorkel spots, we provide all snorkel gear (masks and fins) for you and your party!
After 25 years in the tour business, this is the tour our family would seek out while traveling. It is also what we do for fun while not running other tours. Whether you're looking for an offshore pelagic snorkel, prefer inshore reefs, or are searching for wildlife from the comfort of our luxury six-passenger vessel, Callisto, our guides will sculpt a wildlife adventure you’ll never forget.
Explore the Kona Coast at your own speed. In selecting a private charter, you are choosing personalized service, exclusivity, and ample space aboard our 6-passenger center console Callisto. Work directly with your captain to design your dream excursion in the days leading up to your trip, ensuring your trip with Hawaiian Adventures Kona will be the highlight of your Hawaiian experience.