Hawaii Pack and Paddle

My sons and I booked the Manta Ray night dive from the mainland. Bari was extremely helpful in getting directions to us. When we arrived at P&P, Bari helped sized snorkels for my boys and I. His son was our guide on the kayaks out to the rays. It was really cool because the kayaks had lights under them so as we paddle out, the water glowed. We were out in the water until WE were finished, rather than being rushed. He allowed us to get our fill of watching the rays. It was an incredible experience. When we return to the island, we will definitely go see Bari and the rest of the family at Pack & Paddle!

Our «King’s Tour» kayak and snorkel trip with Hawaii Pack and Paddle was, hands down, the best thing we did on our Hawaii trip, and we did a lot of pretty cool stuff. Barry, who runs the operation and takes the tours out, is the best kind of guide: a fourth-​generation resident who’s enthusiastic and deeply knowledgeable about where he lives, and anxious to show it all to you. The trip felt qualitatively different from other water adventures we signed up for near Captain Cook. Many of the other operators were perfectly competent and delivered what they promised (see, e.g., my review of Dolphin Discoveries), but Barry really went the extra mile and made the whole experience feel like an adventure he’d crafted just for us.
There were two things I saw online about HP&P that initially gave me pause. The first was the price, which is a little higher than some other equivalent operators were offering for kayak/​snorkel trips; and the second was that HP&P’s permit does not allow them to land at the Captain Cook monument, unlike a couple of the other operators. I’m glad I did not let these things dissuade us. The reason for the higher price is the higher level of personal attention. While the other companies’ model is for the guides to bring you to the destination and wait while you snorkel, Barry gets in the water with you and explains what you’re seeing — which is worth the price of admission, as he appears to be familiar with every species of fish that ever set fin near the island. And there genuinely is no reason to land — in fact, it’s better if you don’t, as landing can disturb the fragile coral.
Our adventure was a little unique in that we went out when the surf was very high — I think ours was the last kayak trip anyone ran for several days (word to the wise: winter in Hawaii is still warm, but the winds can knock a hole in your plans). But the way Barry handled it is a great example of his skills as a guide. As my husband, 10-​year-​old son and I nervously watched the waves crashing into the cove before we left, Barry explained about how waves come in sets, and expressed confidence that if we followed his direction we would be fine. But he also made clear that if we felt in any way uncertain, we were welcome to back out of the trip and get our money fully refunded. We decided to go (the other couple on the trip didn’t), and Barry made good on his word, skillfully guiding the three of us through an exhilarating adventure I’ll never forget.
Do this, you won’t regret it.
Last note: I saw a couple of one-​star reviews complaining that Barry had in some manner flaked out on them. This is entirely possible — organizational management does not appear to be his strong suit. You may need to stay on him to get scheduling confirmation, and to make sure he addresses any special requests.

My family and I had a fantastic trip with Bari and his partner, Kaipo. They took us out on christmas day for a fantastic tour of the Bay, kayaking across the bay and then snorkeling and showing us some amazing fish. They were knowledgeable and clearly care about the ecosystem. We had a great time and would come back again in a heartbeat. We’d highly recommend them– and they were great with our kids. And our kids enjoyed the snacks at the end!

Vendor Review Hawaii Pack and Paddle Nighttime Manta Ray Kayak: We did the night time snorkel manta ray excursion in Kona on the Big Island ¹⁰⁄₂₀₁₄. This was the coolest thing we did on our honeymoon trip to Hawaii! We booked it at our hotel (The Sheraton) and walked 5 minutes down the street to the boat launch where the guide (Thanks !) met us with our kayaks. There was only 1 other couple and the guide on our tour. We booked a double kayak so we could paddle together. It’s only a quick paddle out to the snorkel spot. The boats are so cool the way they light up the water at night. That is what attracts the plankton that attracts the manta rays to feed. The guide hitched our kayaks together and we jumped in the water with our snorkel gear and feet held up with pool noodles so that we were laying horizontal on the surface of the water. The manta rays come right near you (but don’t touch you even though they are so close) while they are feeding on the plankton. It was a huge adrenaline rush even though they aren’t dangerous and I still tensed up when they got up close with their mouths wide open. The water was a little choppy so take some dramamine before going if you get seasick and you will be fine.

I was very impressed by the customer service — had a bit of a mix up getting map directions on time from the store (iPhone map was a bit off,) and we were requesting 1 kayak, 1 paddle board for the bay.
Your equipment is brought to the shoreline (no additional charge) but they forgot the paddle for the paddle board. We ended up renting a paddle board from another business adjacent to the bay instead of waiting since we were on a strict timeline.
***the manager called me personally to apologize and let me know I wouldn’t be charged for the kayak***
Awesome aloha feelings all around! Will def rent from these guys next time

Great service — very willing to offer helpful tips and recommendations. Kayak, paddle board, and snorkeling grad rentals are the best priced in the area. They provided everything we needed for the amazing snorkeling by Captain Cook monument. They also do tours.

Awesome tour guide very knowledgeable about the sea life and Hawaiian folklore. Best experience in Hawaii yet!
Saw school dolphins and a humpback whale from the kayak it was amazing. I felt one with nature and majestic.
We kayaked to a small bay then snorkeled for an hour or so. The highlight was the whale and the dolphins. They seem to be friends with the guide. I list this as a must do again. Aloha.

My boyfriend and I went on the snorkeling tour and the volcano hiking tour with Bari. On the snorkeling tour, I loved that he got right in the water with us to point out the different fish. Had he not done that, I would’ve never noticed some of the fish. The volcano hiking tour was a long and draining trip but it was completely worth it. Bari explained the history behind the volcano and explained the different types of volcano rocks.
He truly values the beauty of nature and conservation and teaches this through his tours. loved this and would highly recommend it to everyone else.

Cancelled without any excuse 2 hours before we were to leave. Make sure you get a confirmation ahead of time not a promise. Definitely not the Aloha spirit! No I would not recommend this company.

We had a great experience with Bari at Pack and Paddle. We were calling around looking for the best deal on a 5 day kayak rental. The places we called would only give us the 7 day/​weekly rate which is discounted a little off of the daily rate but not much overall. Then we called Pack and Paddle. Bari answered the phone and gave us a great deal on a 5 day rental. We drove right over and he was so professional and helpful. His son took care of loading it onto our rental car while we went over the details with Bari. He was very honest and genuinely as excited for our first time out as we were. He gave us print out of directions on the best bays to snorkel and kayak, told us where not to go, and even gave us a permit to kayak in the Captain Cook area for as long as we had the kayak. (The area is closed to everyone except guided tours so it was really nice to have it with us and go out on our own before all the tour groups showed up). He proceeded to give us a crash course on kayaking before sending us on our way. It was so helpful, he taught us how to get in and out without flipping the kayak and how to flip it back over if we so happened to flip. Bari was so personable and helpful as was his son that helps out around the shop. When returning the kayak, we couldn’t believe how seamless it went. Bari greeted us by name, unloaded us, and we were out of there in less than 5 minutes. Any trip we take back to Kona, we will definitely be using Bari and Pack and Paddle for any tours or rentals we might want. We highly suggest you use Hawaii Pack and Paddle for anything you might need while in Kona!

Our experience with Hawaii Pack and Paddle was awesome. Bari is incredibly friendly and he took the time to give us a first class kayaking and snorkeling tour. Having an experienced guide who knows the flora and fauna so well makes the day so much more enjoyable. Bari swam with us and went out of his way to help 2 relatively inexperienced snorkelers and kayakers like us feel comfortable and get the most out of our adventure. The tour never felt rushed. We would use this company again in a heartbeat.
Top notch!

This was such an amazing adventure. We were apprehensive to spend the money on a guided tour as opposed to just renting our own kayaks, but Hawaii Pack and Paddle’s tour was spectacular and well worth every penny! Bari was such a personable and helpful guide and we wished we could take him with us all over the Big Island. The tour started with a kayaking safety lesson so we felt secure on our kayaks. Bari shared his knowledge of the history of Kealakekua bay and of course it included the story of Captain Cook. Bari then guided us across the bay where we kayaked with Spinner Dolphin. Once we landed at the Captain Cook monument Bari provided a snack to us while he pointed out local wildlife, flora and fauna. We walked over to the monument, enjoying some more history. Bari’s commitment to the environment was very apparent and he provided information about how to protect the reef and keep the kayaks from harming the fish — which is something that is sadly occurring in this area due to kayakers who either don’t know, or don’t care. After the monument we snorkeled for about an hour with Bari as he pointed out and named each of the huge variety of fish for us and also showed us how to recognize several different types of coral. Once we finished the most amazing snorkeling adventure I’ve EVER been on (I’ve snorkeled in the USVI and BVI, other places in Hawaii including Hanauma Bay, as well as Key West, FL to name a few), we settled down on the beach for a very nice lunch from Nasturtium Café. My husband and I enjoyed our the fresh and all natural lunch so much that we picked up boxed lunches from the Nasturtium Café two days later when we visited the Place of Refuge. After lunch we kayaked back across the bay and met up with our friendly Spinner Dolphin pod again. This time they were so close we could practically touch them! They swam right under our kayaks and were surrounding us. There were also babies and they were jumping and spinning in the air. Just beautiful! All in all, the adventure itself was amazing and Bari’s personalized service was nothing short of spectacular. A big MAHALO to Hawaii Pack and Paddle! We hope to meet again someday!

When the owner answers every call, that is SERVICE. When the company is only 1 of 2 licensed companies to kayak out in the bay per the Big Island revealed book that is legit and impressive.
After getting off the phone with their competitor who was totally unfriendly to travel agents (me) and probably wasn’t even on the island but at some 800 office somewhere, this was a breath of fresh air.
Bari gave us detailed info on what to bring to optimize our trip (sunglasses, t-​shirt or long sleeved rash guard, sunblock) and other things. and a friendly email with directions how to get to the bay.
Tiffany and Joe were our guides. My daughter LOVED the fact that a woman was leading us. They got my almost 6 year old in and out the kayak with no problems. They showed us dolphins on the way to captain cook’s point and back! we were blessed with a pod surrounding us on the way back! wow!
The snacks provided were plentiful and we couldn’t have eaten them all even if we were totally pigs. and they had healthy (almonds and granola bars) and unhealthy (rice crispies and fruit by the yard and mac nuts) and water.
Bari met us at Captain Cook’s point (he was out with another group) but while his couple ate he showed my daughter the tidepool creatures. He went out, brought some back and taught us about each and everyone one.
Tiffany went out with my husband and showed him all the fish while Joe kept my father, my daughter and I company b/​c we were too shy/​tired to go snorkeling.
The tide pool demo enticed my daughter to go snorkeling for the first time in her life and she had a GREAT time! and saw a parrot fish, raccoon fish and others.
I have been out with many groups and this one is about PERSONAL attention. They get in the water with you rather than saying «go forth, and good luck finding and identifying the fish.»
They charge a little more but it’s because they are about good service, good people and not a farm/​mill.
i HIGHLY recommend this family run, ecologically sensitive and aware group and will definitely be using them again and again and sending clients and friends their way.
though hopefully they won’t be overbooked and can fit us in after this. =)

I’ll admit, when Barry walked us over to the waters edge for a bit of history, I was skeptical. The ocean looked so blue and refreshing, I was pretty sure zoning out during this history lesson was a good idea. I was wrong. Bari cares deeply about the natural beauty, history, and story of Kealakekua Bay.
Our kayaking, snorkeling, and meandering near the Monument were all excellent. Simple touches really set this excursion as one of the best I have ever enjoyed.

Bari was an excellent guide and worked incredibly hard to ensure everyone in the group got the full experience, both of the history, the natural wildlife, and just the fun of being out in this incredible natural paradise. We’ve kayaked before and had separate landing landing permits, but opted to go with the hosted tour instead and were glad we did. Bari made everything easy and made this a fantastic morning. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Amazing paddle, snorkel and history experience. Bari the owner is amazing-​knows names of every fish, coral etc. He points them out when snorkeling. We saw spinner dolphins while kayaking to Captain Cook. His snacks are amazing. His knowledge and professionalism make it worth the cost! It is also wonderful to be with a small group. There were larger groups there and we were so glad that we were with Bari! He know history of the area so well and even showed us a leaf that cleaned our snorkel masks better than drops etc. This was a major highlight of our trip!

When I read that the snorkeling around Captain Cook monument was the best on the island, I was determined to find a way there. The first way I read about involved a steep hike that sounded very tiring, especially schlepping gear. Then I read that you could rent a kayak, strap it to the top of your rental car and paddle over on your own — but not land at the monument unless you applied for and received a landing permit (and you need to do that at least a week before your trip, or go to the office in person, neither of which was feasible for me). Finally, I read in the Big Island Revealed book that Hawaii Pack and Paddle has a permit to land its tour groups at the monument and will arrange for the kayaks and lunch. Now that is my kind of trip! I just get to paddle, swim, and take everything in!
Since we were there a few days before the Memorial day holiday, it was still quiet and we had Bari all to ourselves. My husband and I cannot say enough wonderful things about Bari’s tour. He gives kayaking instructions, history lessons, assistance with gear and a guided tour of the sea life. We feel strongly that it was worth the extra money to have someone so knowledgeable and able guide us around and show us the best snorkeling we’ve ever seen. Lunch was delicious and so were the snacks, which were plentiful. You burn calories paddling and snorkeling! The fish were plentiful, colorful and beautiful. The spinner dolphins in the bay were surrounding our kayaks and jumping into the air. This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me, and I will recommend everyone to take it.