Kona: Sea Turtles, Painted Church & Kona Coffee Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.60 (459 reviews) 80% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration5h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walk volcanic trails, meet sea turtles and taste real Kona coffee with a local

You’ll wander volcanic beaches near Kona with a local guide who actually knows every shortcut and story—spotting green sea turtles up close, tasting fresh Kona coffee right where it’s grown (it really is better here), stepping inside St. Benedict’s Painted Church with its wild colors, and grabbing lunch from wherever locals eat that day. Expect small surprises—and maybe sand in your shoes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kona coffee, historic sites, and turtles

Meet guide at Kailua Kona Pier
Learn about Kona coffee and sample
Visit St. Benedict's Painted Church
Purchase lunch at local vendor
Explore Kaloko-Honokohau National Park
Walk Honokohau Turtle Trail
Lunch at Honaunau Poke Shop or vendor

The Experience

“You see that?” our guide Kimo said, pointing down at a patch of lava rock that looked like every other one—except it wasn’t. There were these faint lines carved in, almost hidden by the morning glare. He grinned when I squinted at them. “Old fish trap,” he explained, and suddenly the whole beach at Honokohau felt different—like you could almost hear the old stories under the wind. The air smelled salty but also a little sweet from the kiawe trees, and honestly, I was still thinking about the coffee we’d tried earlier (I’m not even a big coffee person but that first sip was…well, way smoother than what I make back home).

The day trip from Kailua-Kona started right off the ship—no stress about finding anyone; Kimo was there with his sign and an easy laugh. We drove up into the hills where everything gets greener and cooler (I wasn’t ready for how fast the weather shifts here). At the coffee farm, they handed us tiny cups—no sugar or cream needed—and told us how every bean is picked by hand. There was this earthy smell everywhere, kind of nutty? It stuck to my shirt for hours after. Someone asked if we could buy beans to take home; turns out you can, so yeah, my backpack’s heavier now.

St. Benedict’s Painted Church surprised me—the outside is just this simple white chapel but inside it’s wild with color. All these painted scenes cover every wall and ceiling; I caught myself staring up so long my neck hurt. Lunch was casual—poke or plate lunch from a local stand if it’s open (ours was), nothing fancy but real filling. You eat outside if you want, watching chickens strut around like they own the place.

Later at Kaloko-Honokohau Park we walked through crunchy grass to reach the sand—shoes off felt best. That’s where we saw two sea turtles sunning themselves right on the beach, totally unbothered by us gawking. One lifted its head just enough to give us side-eye before dozing again. I still think about that slow moment—the quiet except for waves and someone’s kid giggling nearby. If you’re after something loud or polished this isn’t it…but if you want to feel Hawaii for a few hours before your ship leaves, well…you’ll remember this too.

What’s included

Your day includes port pickup and drop-off right at Kailua Pier, bottled water along the way, guidance from a local who knows these roads by heart, plus time to sample real Kona coffee on an authentic farm before heading back toward town—all without rushing or worrying about missing your ship.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by C Big Island Tours