I have heard that it is because the Hawaiian Islands are so young that the reef shelf is thin. Perhaps the topography has something to do with it also. The water temperature may account for the fact that there are only a few species of soft corals here. Nevertheless, the snorkeling and the scuba diving is exciting with a large assortment of reef fish and corals to be seen and no lack of large fish and mammals.

There are so many rocks to fall off of into 25 feet of water, so shore diving is relatively safe here. Many sites offer diving in excess of 150 feet very close to shore.

Diving in a group from shore is the safest. There are local dive clubs on the island.

Under the water, there are many lava tubes, shelves and cathedrals to meander in and out of.

The green sea turtle can be seen on almost every dive.

Snorkeling by boat in Kealakekua Bay is the easiest and safest way to snorkel there.

One of the best places to snorkel is Kealakekua Bay. There are three ways to get to that part of the Bay where the snorkeling is excellent: by boat, by kayak or by hiking several miles down, and back up, from the highway. There are several snorkeling trips to Kealakekua Bay offered.

There are many out-of-the-way places to snorkel. Here's a brave soul attempting to snorkel at Makalawena Beach.