We absolutely love Kona for the culture you can explore on the Big Island. This is a port where you step off the tender right into the heart of a walkable waterfront town and immediately feel the difference between Hawaii-the-resort and Hawaii-the-place. The coffee farms south of town grow what many consider the best coffee in the world. Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is one of the most significant sacred sites in all of Hawaii. Lava tubes carved by ancient eruptions run beneath the surface. And there's world-class snorkeling in water so clear you forget you're looking through it. Our advice: book a tour guide with an air-conditioned van, get a good sampling of the area including an authentic Hawaiian plate lunch, and spend the day not just seeing places but asking questions and learning about this amazing place.
Top Excursion Ideas For Kona
Planning Tips For Your Kona Port Day
Kona has the best walkability of any Hawaii cruise port, but the best experiences are south of town and need transport.
- This is a tender port: Ships anchor in Kailua Bay and tender passengers to Kailua Pier. Tenders run regularly and the ride is short, but factor in the wait time when planning your day. Weather and swells can occasionally delay tendering.
- Downtown Kona is right there: You step off the tender onto Ali'i Drive, the main waterfront strip. Historic sites, shops, restaurants, and a small beach are all within walking distance without needing transport.
- Everything else needs a ride: Coffee farms are south along the Kona Coffee Belt. Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau is about 40 minutes south. The best snorkeling is at Kahalu'u Beach Park or Kealakekua Bay, both south of town. A guided van tour is the most efficient way to hit multiple stops.
- Car rental is possible: The Kona airport is a short ride from town, and rental agencies are there. But a guided tour with local knowledge often delivers more than driving yourself — you learn the history and culture alongside the scenery.
- Ship departs at 5:30 PM on Pride of America: This is an earlier departure than some other ports. Watch your time, especially if you're heading south to the Place of Refuge or coffee farms.
Book A Cruise To Kona
Kona is a regular stop on Hawaiian inter-island itineraries and occasionally appears on Pacific repositioning voyages. Our cruise specialist Heather Hills can help you find a sailing that includes the Big Island.
Why Kona Is Worth Getting Off The Ship
Tenders land you right at Kailua Pier, where Ali'i Drive runs along the waterfront with the kind of small-town Hawaiian feel that the resort side of the island doesn't deliver. Within a few steps of the pier, you're standing next to Ahu'ena Heiau — the reconstructed temple where King Kamehameha the Great spent his final years. Hulihe'e Palace, the royal vacation home turned museum, is right down the street. Mokuaikaua Church, the oldest Christian church in Hawaii, stands across from it. All of that before you need any transport.
But the real Kona experience is south of town. The Kona Coffee Belt stretches along the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, where farms have been growing coffee since the 1820s — one of the only places in the United States with that kind of coffee heritage. Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park sits on the coast about 40 minutes south, a sacred Hawaiian place of refuge where lawbreakers could be absolved. And the snorkeling along this coast — Kahalu'u, Kealakekua Bay, Two Step Beach — is some of the best in Hawaii.
Kona is the arid side of the Big Island. Sunny, warm, and dry almost year-round. Tomorrow you'll be in Hilo, which feels like a completely different island — lush, green, and rainy. The contrast between these two Big Island ports is one of the best parts of the Hawaiian cruise itinerary.
Tips To Make The Most Of Your Visit
Kona splits naturally into two experiences: the walkable downtown and the drive-south adventures.
- Walk downtown first: Ahu'ena Heiau, Hulihe'e Palace, Mokuaikaua Church, and the seawall are all along Ali'i Drive within a short stroll of the pier. Free or very cheap, and you'll have this cultural grounding before heading out on a longer excursion.
- Coffee farm tours are worth the drive: Several farms offer free or low-cost tours with tastings. The growing and roasting process is fascinating, and the coffee you'll taste here is different from anything sold on the mainland under the Kona name.
- Combine stops going south: Coffee farm, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, and snorkeling at Two Step Beach (right next to the park) make a natural loop. A guided tour handles the logistics and adds the cultural storytelling that makes the day stick.
- Kamakahonu Beach is steps from the pier: Small and calm — good for a quick swim before or after your excursion, not a destination beach.
What To Do In Kona
Kona rewards passengers who balance the walkable downtown culture with at least one drive south into the coffee and coast country.
For Families
The downtown walking tour works for all ages — the temple, palace, and church give kids real Hawaiian history in a short stretch. Kahalu'u Beach Park south of town is excellent beginner snorkeling with protected calm water and abundant marine life. Coffee farm tours engage kids with the hands-on process of picking and roasting. The salt farm and exotic fruit tasting tours add variety for families who want something beyond beaches.
For Couples
A guided day south is the move — coffee farm tour with tastings, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau for the cultural weight, and snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay (often called the best on the island) or Two Step Beach. The walking food tour through downtown Kona covers local restaurants and the plate lunch culture. For something more active, a catamaran snorkel sail with lunch combines ocean time with relaxation.
Free and Low-Cost
Ali'i Drive is free to walk — shops, restaurants, and the seawall with ocean views and tide pools. Ahu'ena Heiau is viewable from the pier area. Mokuaikaua Church is free to enter. Kamakahonu Beach is free and steps from the tender landing. Several coffee farms offer free tours. The Kona Farmers Market runs Wednesday and Saturday mornings along Ali'i Drive with local produce, coffee, and crafts.
Top Shore Excursions
A guided van tour south of Kona is the best way to cover the coffee farms, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, and coastal snorkeling in a single day with authentic Hawaiian plate lunch included. Coffee farm tours on their own are available as shorter excursions. Snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay by kayak or boat offers some of Hawaii's best underwater visibility. Volcano tours from Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are available but the drive is long — Hilo is a better base for the volcano, and you'll be there tomorrow.
More Kona Ideas
- Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park — one of Hawaii's most significant sacred sites, about 40 minutes south of the pier. Reconstructed temple, carved tikis, royal fishponds. $20 per vehicle.
- Kona Coffee Belt farm tours — several farms offer free tours and tastings along the slopes south of town. Kona coffee has been commercially grown here since the 1820s, making this one of the oldest coffee-growing regions in the United States.
- Kahalu'u Beach Park — reliable beginner snorkeling with abundant marine life in a protected bay south of downtown. Free access.
- Kealakekua Bay — premier snorkeling accessed by kayak or boat tour. Captain Cook monument and crystal-clear water.
- Salt farm tour — learn about traditional Hawaiian salt harvesting on the Kona coast. Small, unique, and different from anything else on the itinerary.
- Hidden craters hike — volcanic craters and lava formations accessible on guided hikes south of Kona town.
Other Cruise Ports You Might Also Enjoy
- Hilo — tomorrow's port on the Pride of America route. The lush, rainy, green side of the same island — volcanoes, waterfalls, and a completely different climate from sunny Kona.
- Maui — the overnight port with the Road to Hana, Molokini Crater snorkeling, and upcountry farms that rival Kona's coffee experience.
- Kauai — the jungle island where Na Pali Coast sea cliffs and plantation history create a very different Hawaiian experience.
- Oahu — where the cruise started, with Pearl Harbor and Waikiki anchoring the urban side of Hawaii.
The Real Big Island Starts Here
Kona gives you the sunny, walkable, culturally rich side of the Big Island — the coffee, the sacred sites, the snorkeling, and the authentic plate lunch that tastes better when you've earned it with a day of exploring. Tomorrow in Hilo you'll see the other half: volcanoes, waterfalls, and a tropical landscape that makes you forget you're on the same island. Together, they're the reason the Big Island gets two stops on the itinerary.
For help planning a Hawaii cruise that includes both Big Island ports, talk to our cruise specialist Heather Hills at Flow Voyages.
Planning Resources
- Go Hawaii — Big Island — official visitor information for the island
- Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park — NPS page for the Place of Refuge
- Kona Coffee Farmers Association — information about Kona coffee farms and tours
- Hulihe'e Palace — royal vacation home turned museum on Ali'i Drive, managed by Daughters of Hawaii
Thanks for reading. We hope this was helpful!
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