Photo: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0Step off a flat lava shelf and you are over a steep, coral-covered reef within seconds. Turtles, schooling fish and a good chance of spinner dolphins in the bay make Two Step one of the best shore snorkels on the Big Island.
In Honaunau Bay the water is clear and the reef drops off quickly, so coral and reef fish start close to the ledge. Yellow tang, parrotfish and Moorish idols work the slope. Green sea turtles are common, and spinner dolphins often pass through in the morning. A whitetip reef shark can also turn up. Keoneele Cove is closed to snorkeling, so stay in the bay.
The coral heads start just past the entry. Yellow tang, parrotfish, Moorish idols and butterflyfish fill the water.
Green sea turtles feed and rest along the reef. Stay at least 10 ft away.
Pods enter the bay in the morning. Keep 50 yd away and let them rest.
The turtle you are most likely to meet. Greens graze on algae over shallow reef and rest under ledges. In Hawaii they are protected and very used to snorkelers.
Spotting tip: Scan the rocky edges where waves wash over algae, and sandy cleaning stations where fish pick at their shells.
Guardian rule: Stay at least 10 ft away. Never block a turtle's path to the surface.
Chelonia mydas
Slender dolphins famous for leaping and spinning. They rest in calm Hawaiian bays by day after feeding offshore at night, which is why the law protects their daytime rest.
Guardian rule: Federal law bans swimming with or approaching spinner dolphins within 50 yards in Hawaii.
Stenella longirostris
A bright lemon-yellow surgeonfish that grazes algae in loose schools. It is one of the easiest Hawaiian reef fish to spot, especially along the Kona coast.
Zebrasoma flavescens
Colorful grazers with fused, beak-like teeth. You can hear them crunch on coral rock, and much of the white sand on tropical beaches passes through them.
Scaridae
A striking black, white and yellow fish with a long trailing fin, often seen in pairs or small groups over Pacific reefs.
Zanclus cornutus
A slim, shy reef shark with white-tipped fins that rests in caves and under ledges by day. It is not a threat to snorkelers who leave it alone.
Guardian rule: Watch calmly from a distance. Never corner a resting shark.
Triaenodon obesus
Live sea temperature, waves and wind for the next 7 days, with our snorkel rating for each day.
Calm Choppy Rough. Wave heights are offshore model values.
Loading tides…
Forecast: Open-Meteo. Tides: NOAA station 1617433. Model data, not a lifeguard report. Always check posted warnings.
Hand-picked tours that run here, ranked for small groups, a proper reef briefing and respect for wildlife.
by Fair Wind Cruises
Faster Hula Kai boat to several South Kona snorkel sites, breakfast and lunch included, ages 7 and up.
The operator publishes an environmental pledge for snorkeling; certifications not verified.
We may earn a commission when you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tours we pick. How we choose tours.
Calm summer mornings are best. Winter swell can make the ledge entry dangerous, so skip it when waves wash over the lava.
Go early for calm water and an open parking spot.
High surf days and the afternoon after wind builds.
| Row | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkel conditions | Good | Good | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good |
| Green sea turtle | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best |
| Water °F | 79 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 80 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 81 | 80 |
This is a shore snorkel with a ledge entry and no lifeguard. Comfortable swimmers can do it on calm days, but the lava is sharp and the water drops off quickly.
Swim level: Comfortable swimmer
Two Step is at the Honaunau Bay boat ramp, just outside the gate of Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, off Highway 160 in South Kona.
The NPS asks snorkelers and sunbathers to park outside the park gate, because the small park lot fills by midday and is for visitors to the grounds. Guides describe a small free lot and roadside spots near the gate that fill early, and a private lot reported at about $5 a day. The kiosk fee at the park is an entrance fee for the sacred grounds, not a snorkel parking fee. Confirm current rates on site.
Walk down the flat lava shelf at the ramp and lower yourself in using the natural steps. Exit the same way and watch for waves.
No snorkel fee. Park outside the park gate (free roadside and small lots reported, private lot about $5 a day); the park kiosk fee is an entrance fee for the sacred grounds. Snorkeling in Keoneele Cove is not allowed.
Official fees and hoursChecked 2026-10-22. Fees change, so confirm before you go.
Walk down the lava shelf beside the ramp, sit or step onto the lower ledge when the water is calm, and slide in. Put fins on in the water, not on the rock. Leave the same way, timing your exit between sets of waves.
Expect yellow tang, parrotfish, Moorish idols, butterflyfish and green sea turtles, and often spinner dolphins in the morning. Whitetip reef sharks are possible but not common.
Use a rash guard, avoid chemical sunscreens, and keep off the coral. Do not enter Keoneele Cove inside the park.
Two Step is outside the national park and managed by the County of Hawaii. The adjacent park has its own rules.
Snorkeling is not allowed in the water at Keoneele Cove inside the park, a significant cultural site. Snorkel from Two Step only. Official rule
Please do not use park restrooms to change or rinse off. Official rule
Do not touch or stand on coral. The park asks visitors to avoid sunscreen with oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene or nanoparticles. Use a rash guard. Official rule
Stay at least 10 ft from turtles and 50 yd from spinner dolphins.
How snorkelers protect reefs · Hawaii reef-safe sunscreen rules
These local groups restore coral, rescue wildlife and keep the water clean. Volunteer a morning, donate, or just follow their work.
Research and conservation of Kona manta rays
A Kailua-Kona nonprofit that studies manta rays and keeps the Kona Manta ID Catalog. It has supported tour participant guidelines and operator standards, and its website takes donations.
Visit mantapacific.org →
Walk onto the flat lava shelf next to the boat ramp and use the natural steps to lower yourself in. Wear water shoes, time your entry between waves and exit the same way.
There is no snorkel fee set by the park. The NPS asks snorkelers to park outside the park gate. Guides report a small free lot and roadside parking that fill early, and a private lot at about $5 a day. Fees may change, so confirm on site.
No. The park does not permit snorkeling in the water at Keoneele Cove because it is a significant cultural site. Snorkel at Two Step instead.
It is better for comfortable swimmers. The entry is over sharp lava and the reef drops off quickly, with no lifeguard. Beginners are better at Kahaluu Beach Park.
What we pack for every snorkel trip. Each link searches the category on Amazon so you can compare brands and prices.
Non-nano zinc oxide only. No oxybenzone or octinoxate, which Hawaii bans.
Shop on Amazon →The best sun protection is fabric. Less sunscreen in the water, less sunburn on your back.
Shop on Amazon →A low-volume mask that fits beats any rental. Short travel fins pack easily.
Shop on Amazon →An inflatable vest lets you rest without standing on the reef. Lifeguards love them.
Shop on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure.
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We check fees, rules and access against official sources first, then local operators and recent visitor reports. Conditions change, so always follow posted signs and lifeguards. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
