Your heart will be touched forever when you meet and swim with dolphins on the Big Island of Hawaii! Great for individuals, families and groups!

*Please note: Though the dolphins usually want to play, the dolphins are wild and free and therefore
their participation and your swimming with the dolphins cannot be guaranteed.

Includes snorkel gear, chartered boat and 3 mornings of swimming with dolphins, Guided tour of Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Park for a Honaunau Excursion – Place of Refuge - and the Forgiveness Ritual, standard rental car for six days, Dolphin Presentation, Farewell Dinner, and much more! *See below.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive Kona
Arrive at Kona International Airport on The Big Island of Hawaii where you will pick up your standard size rental car and drive to your hotel, the Royal Kona Resort, located in the Village of Kailua. The balance of the day is free to relax or explore the quaint village with its many shops and restaurants.

Hawaii, also known as “The Big Island”, is equal in size to all the other islands combined. This island has a unique and varied topography: active volcanoes, miles of lava rock fields, beautiful green landscapes, magnificent waterfalls, large ranches, quaint towns, and the Kohala Coast communities with their sparkling beaches and upscale resorts.

Overnight at the Royal Kona Resort

Day 2 – Meet & Swim With The Dolphins
In the morning you depart for Jack’s Diving Locker in Coconut Grove Market Place to pick up your equipment, and then meet at the Kailua Pier for a four-hour adventure that will touch your heart forever. Swim where the Dolphins play and enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian waters. You will see if the dolphins want to play (they usually do) or teach you their ways. The dolphins are wild and free, therefore their participation cannot be guaranteed. Lunch is included.

Information on Dolphins:
The Hawaiian name for dolphin is nai'`a, and refers to all species of dolphins found in Hawaiian waters. Four species of dolphins are regularly found in the waters around Hawaii. They are the Pacific bottlenose dolphin, the Rough-toothed dolphin, the Spotted dolphin and the Spinner dolphin. Other dolphin species have been known to pass through the islands but are relatively rare.

The two most popular species of dolphins located in Hawaiian waters are the bottlenose dolphin and the spinner dolphin. Spinner dolphins are the smallest of Hawaii's common dolphins. They are generally between five and six feet in length and weigh 130 to 200 pounds. Hawaii has its own subspecies that is easy to recognize by its distinctive "three-tone" color pattern which consists of a sharply defined dark gray "cape" on their backs, a stripe of lighter gray on their sides and a white or pink belly. The species gets its name from its spectacular habit of leaping high into the air and spinning several times on their tails before falling back into the water!

Afternoon Free – You will have free time this afternoon for optional activities or to further explore the Kona side of The Big Island.

Evening Dolphin Program – This evening you will join Captain Nancy for a special two hour Dolphin Presentation.

Overnight at the Royal Kona Resort

Day 3 – Honaunau Excursion /
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Park
The morning is at leisure for you to relax or for optional activities. Consider a drive south along the coast to the Hapuna Beach State Park and the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site built by Kamehameha is 1791. This temple is still a sacred shrine to many Hawaiians..

This afternoon you will meet your tour guide at the entrance of the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Park for a Honaunau Excursion – Place of Refuge / Forgiveness ritual. Hawaiians who broke a kapu, or one of the ancient laws against the gods, could avoid certain death by fleeing to this place of refuge or "pu`uhonua". The offender would be absolved by a priest and freed to leave. Defeated warriors and non-combatants could also find refuge here during times of battle. The grounds just outside the Great Wall that encloses the pu`uhonua were home to several generations of powerful chiefs.

The 182-acre park, established in 1961, includes the pu`uhonua and a complex of archeological sites including: temple platforms, royal fishponds, sledding tracks, and some coastal village sites. The Hale o Keawe temple and several thatched structures have been reconstructed. A light meal is included in the tour.

Overnight at the Royal Kona Resort

Day 4 – Meet & Swim With The Dolphins
In the morning you once again depart for Jack’s Diving Locker in Coconut Grove Market Place to pick up your equipment, and then meet at the Kailua Pier for your second day of swimming with the dolphins. Lunch is included.

Afternoon Free – You will have free time this afternoon to continue your exploration of Kailua-Kona, the shining jewel of the Big Island’s golden west side, famous for its sunny beaches, azure-blue sea, stunning sunsets and prime real estate. The Big Island of Hawaii offers the widest variety of scenery and attractions. You can experience the visual drama of lava outcroppings, volcano spouts and caldera, lush tropical vegetation, lovely ranch lands, historic coffee plantations, multi-colored beaches and snowy mountaintops.

Overnight at the Royal Kona Resort

Day 5 – Meet & Swim With The Dolphins
In the morning you once again depart for Jack’s Diving Locker in Coconut Grove Market Place to pick up your equipment, and then meet at the Kailua Pier for your last day of swimming with the dolphins. Lunch is included.

Afternoon Free – You will have free time this afternoon for optional activities or to further explore the Kona side of The Big Island.

Farewell Dinner – This evening you will have the opportunity to meet with the rest of the group and share your experiences at your Farewell Dinner.

Overnight at the Royal Kona Resort

Day 6 – Depart Hawaii
Depart for the airport and your return flight home.

Accomodations

Royal Kona Resort – Moderate Class
Overlooking spectacular Kailua Bay, the full-service Royal Kona Resort is located in the heart of the quaint village of Kailua-Kona and its many fine restaurants, shops, historical sites and activities. Recently, all 452 comfortably appointed guest rooms have received upgrades reflecting a rich Pan Pacific influence, all of which boast spectacular ocean views from private, oversized lanais. At the full-service Royal Kona Resort, you can relax on the decks of the oceanfront, split-level swimming pool, enjoy open-air dining and sun and swim at the private sandy beach and salt water lagoon. The Royal Kona Resort is centrally located along the Kona Coast and is within easy walking distance to the charming and historic town of Kailua-Kona with its array of shopping, restaurant and activity options.