Hawai‘i Sailing Tours Kohala Blue Kawaihae, Hawai‘i

Sail the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawai‘i with Kohala Blue. Enjoy private or share-boat and sunset cruises aboard Riva, our 34-foot Islander sloop. We specialize in small group sailing tours for up to 6 passengers. We are conveniently located in Kawaihae South Harbor, and operate in the protected waters of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. We are mere minutes from the Kohala Coast resorts and Waikoloa, and an enjoyable scenic drive from Kailua-Kona.

Sailing Tours

Tours

Afternoon Sailing Tour

Tours

Morning Sail And See

Tours

Sunset Sail On The Kohala Blue

Eco-Friendly, Respecful Marine Life Watching

We are an ocean-loving, eco-friendly sailing company. We believe in treading lightly on our ocean environment while maximizing your enjoyment. We are committed to harassment-free tour practices to avoid disturbing the animals or their natural environment. Learn more about Kohala Blue

Pure Sailing on the Kohala Coast

Feel the the power of the wind and the wonder of the ocean with Kohala Blue. Enjoy pure sailing and marine life watching aboard Riva, our comfortable proven bluewater cruising sailboat.

Cruise the serene Hawai‘i Kohala coastline while you watch for whales, dolphins and other marine life. The Big Island's Kohala Coast offers some of the best sailing, Humpbackwhale watching and dolphin watching in the Pacific Ocean with its breezy tradewinds and gentle seas. Experience what it’s like to be transported by nothing but Mother Nature’s wind energy, and feel your spirit soar as we glide along the water.

Image credits: Riva under sail courtesy of Ethan Tweedie Photography; whale breaching with Riva in background courtesy of Pamela Walton, green sea turtle with yellow tang courtesy of John Coney; whale breaching courtesy of Michael Faughn.Video courtesy of Arnaud Miller

Our Customers Say

A Must Do on the Big Island

We had a great afternoon with Captain Steve on our whale watching excursion. Steve is an experienced Captain and knowledgeable about the whales. Whale watching on a sail boat with only 6 passengers is the way to go. If you visit the Big Island of Hawaii in the winter when the whales are here you do not want to miss this trip.

A Great Sail and Whale Watching Experience

We had a great whale watching experience with Captain Steve. It was fun, relaxing, and exciting. Our small group made the trip very comfortable. The Riva is very well-maintained and comfortable. We listened to the whales via hydrophone and got some good pictures (see attached). We all enjoyed the relaxing sail. Captain Steve's knowledge of the local marine life and Hawaiian history added to the experience. If you want a relaxing, personal whale watching experience, this is a great trip.

Fantastic time with Captain Steve

My wife and I went on a sunset cruise with Captain Steve and had an amazing time. The boat was beautiful, the water was calm, and the sunset was sublime. Steve was very knowledgeable and kind, and regaled us with some amazing stories from his past adventures at sea. We got to see some whales as well, which was an added bonus. Steve provided us with some snacks, and we were permitted to bring wine aboard which we enjoyed over the sunset. This is a small boat, 6 passengers max, so it gives it a nice feel. Overall I can not recommend Steve and Kohala Sail enough!

Great private sail and excellent snorkeling!

We had a small group and had the boat to ourselves. We sailed up and down the Kohala coast. The snorkeling was amazing! We saw 4-5 turtles and eels in an amazing offshore reef. The trip was great for our kids and the crew was awesome. Captain Steve has the best stories from a lifetime of sailing.

Intimate and authentic experience

We had the pleasure of spending our evening with Captain Steve and Kassandra and had an amazing time. There is nothing like being on a "real sailboat" with a small group as opposed to the large catamarans that pack people on and pretend to sail. Its only on a small boat do you get to turn the engine off and listen to the whales with a hydrophone. We were fortunate to see breaching whales at sunset. Both Steve and Kassandra are very knowledgable and we highly recommend this to any one visiting the island and wanting that special experience that will draw you back. Mahalo!

WOW! What an experience...

Captain Steve deserves recognition for providing a sailing experience for people who care about the environment, animals, and the natural world. I am so happy that my hours and hours and hours of research led me to him! Please, if you are looking for a boat experience in Hawaii don't look anywhere else. He provided a private boat, educational information, and charm. Also, listening to the whales sing made me cry it was such a beautiful experience. Booking tours involving animals can have many negative consequences, but going out with Captain Steve eliminated them all by being respectful to the whales and having an eco-friendly boat. We loved it and will tell everyone we know about him.