The Body Glove Hawaii Blog

  If you’re taking a trip to Hawai’i, then you probably have some idea of how magnificent the Pacific Ocean is. This majestic body of water provides the setting for countless adventures and memorable vacations. The climate in this region is one that people across the world may envy, and the water itself is home to millions of unique plants and creatures. The land nearby has been populated for several centuries, and this makes sense since the land and water offer the perfect backdrop against which to live, work, and play. Exploring some interesting facts about the Pacific Ocean may help you to explore how complex and fascinating it actually is.   Depth and Size Unless you’ve seen the Pacific Ocean up close, you may not realize how enormous this body of water is. It’s the largest ocean on the planet, and it…

Body Glove Hawai’i has terrific employees that have seen it all on their whale watching and snorkeling trips. In preparation for your holiday in Hawai’i, our team compiled a list of questions that may come up, everything from a typical day at Body Glove to the best dance moves they have seen on a cruise.  Enjoy!   1. Do you have any advice for first time snorkelers?    Relax. The more you relax the better your experience. Choose a spot with calm water. Make sure you defog your mask with spray or spit. Check the seal on your mask to make sure its good. Don’t smile when you have your mask on to prevent the seal from breaking. If you have facial hair, use Vaseline to help create a better seal. (Jermie Betts – 1st Mate & Alec Armijo – Crew) 2. What are some…

At some point in time, everyone is searching for a unique and perfect place for a special occasion dinner. Whether celebrating an anniversary, birthday or setting the backdrop for a romantic proposal, the perfect dining experience is paramount for pulling off a successful event.    Diners commonly search for a restaurant with an oceanfront view and a perfect table for sunset. However, for those living near the ocean or visiting tropical paradise, forget being near the water— be ON the water for your special evening. A sunset dinner cruise is about as ideal and unique as one can imagine for a romantic night out, and Body Glove Cruises in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi offers delicious food with stunning scenery. A beautiful sunset is lovely, but add to the experience a pod of spinner dolphins jumping out of the water, and live Hawaiian music…

The Big Island of Hawai’i is an island of superlatives. It is the youngest but also the largest island of the Hawaiian chain with the world’s tallest mountain, the world’s most active volcano, is the southernmost point in the United States, and then there are some of the most magnificent coastlines. There is more to see and to do than the average vacation schedule can hold! You might plan to return soon or just stay a little longer! Just to give you a few more reasons … Did you know that the Big Island of Hawai’i is home to four other National Park Service managed attractions? Explore the history of Hawai’i Island and feel the magic of these ancient places: Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site: Perhaps you have seen the large stone structure when driving north on highway 19 just before…

Guess where one of the most talented musicians on our island spreads his magic several times per week? We are proud to be one of the locations that Bula Akamu blesses with his amazing voice. Soulful, passionate and with a voice spanning several octaves, Bula is at home in a variety of genres and especially when you experience him live, you will find that his enthusiasm and love for music is contagious! Bula graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music and has since released 2 albums “Innovation” and “Wahi Pana”. Meet Bula and his music several times a week on the Body Glove Historical Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a local-style, made-from-scratch dinner buffet by our Chef Jason Lofland, amazing insights into the history of Kona and its southern coast shared by one of our historians Michaela or Kalei, and let the…

In 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home brought the plight of the humpback whales to the big screen. However, it was actually in 1970 when these whales were listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Conversation Act. Just recently in April, 2015, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed to revise the endangered listing for humpback whales. Conservation efforts have worked to bring back the population of this species, especially in the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Pacific regions. A Brief History of Whaling and Regulations From the 1920s through the 1950s, humpback whales were heavily hunted and exploited. In 1946, commercial whaling was regulated by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. It took another 20 years for them to prohibit commercial hunting of humpbacks. By this time, efforts were being made to protect whales…

May 8th, 2016 is the day to celebrate our Moms. To help share the love, Moms are free on the Body Glove Morning Snorkel Adventure on Mothers’ Day. Enjoy a fun morning out at sea, see dolphins and snorkel or float in the Big Blue to your heart’s content. We’ll keep you safe and well fed with a great continental breakfast, followed by a delicious BBQ Lunch. Coffee, tea and all soft drinks are included. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options are available. We have all snorkel equipment ready for you as well as floating tubes, a fun “lily pad” to rest, noodles and much more. We also offer a SCUBA upgrade. If you have never done it before, no problem. Our well trained and experienced instructors will teach you how. Just bring your towel, we even provide a reef…

Dads snorkel for free on June 19th! Get wet this Father’s Day on the Body Glove Morning Snorkel Adventure. Enjoy a fun morning out at sea, see dolphins and snorkel or float in the Big Blue to your heart’s content. All that fun comes with a great continental breakfast, followed by a scrumptious BBQ Lunch. Coffee, tea and all soft drinks are included. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options are available with a 48 hour notice. All snorkel equipment is provided as well as floating tubes, a fun “lily pad” to take a sunny break on, noodles and much more. We also offer a SCUBA upgrade. If you have never done it before, no problem. Our well trained and experienced instructors will teach you how. Just bring your towel, we even provide a reef safe sunscreen lotion for you.

Are you planning a visit to the Island of Hawaiʻi and thinking of trying snorkeling for the first time? If you are, you are in for a treat, as a whole new world awaits you. The waters off the coast of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi are crystal clear, warm and home to many unique species of tropical fish. Snorkeling is the perfect way to get up close and personal with the magnificent beauty of the ocean. First time snorkelers will be in awe at the magical experience of swimming and interacting with wild marine life. Here are a few tips to ensure you get the most out of your snorkel experience. Good equipment Use equipment that fits properly. There’s nothing worse than a leaky mask or uncomfortable fins. Test your mask by placing it on your face out…

Famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau claimed no aquarium, however spacious it may be, can duplicate the conditions of the ocean. This becomes abundantly clear for visitors who venture out for a day on the water looking for wild dolphins. The Big Island offers ample opportunity to get up close and personal with these intelligent, magnificent creatures, and also for snorkeling with the abundant and colorful marine life. One such snorkel spot in Kona is Red Hill—an underwater paradise accessible only by boat. The crystal clear water of the protected marine sanctuary of Red Hill is home to more than 600 species of enchanting ocean wildlife, including spinner dolphins whom often join along side the boat on the way to the snorkel site. In the Hawaiian language the name for dolphin is ‘naiʻa.’ There are four different species of dolphins found in…

The Makahiki is an ancient Hawaiian festival, honoring the Hawaiian god Lono. The festive holiday spans four consecutive lunar months, from approximately October through February. The focus of the season is a celebration of the ʻaina (land), fertility and the harvest. This Hawaiian tradition coincides with the fall and winter holidays celebrated by other cultures around the world, and like many other world festivities, it celebrates peace, abundance and gratitude. However, unlike most other global holidays, early Hawaiians celebrated the Makahiki for a full four months by distributing food, playing games and enjoying a long period of peacefulness. During this time, priests would take down the tikis of Ku, the god of war, and erect the tikis of Lono, signaling the beginning of the Makahiki season. Prior to European contact, Lono’s priests reenacted the god’s circuit around each island, stopping at each boundary…

Explore Kona’s Past in the Footsteps of the Ali’i Combine the magical with the practical and make your day in Kona the best ever. Especially when traveling to Kailua-Kona from the Northern areas you can expect construction-related delays in traffic, which intensifies in the afternoon hours. So beat the traffic and leave your Kohala Coast lodgings before the jams can take a chunk out of your day. Use this great app created by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District (KVBID) for a self-guided tour along the footsteps of the Ali’i, the Royals of Hawaii. Follow this link to download the “Kona Royal Footsteps” to your iPhone or Android: http://historickailuavillage.com/royal-footsteps-along-the-kona-coast You will discover seven miles and seven centuries of Hawaiian history along Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona with the extensive information on the app satisfying even the most curious travelers. Main locations have…