The sea is the central attraction for the 6th Annual Waimea Ocean Film Festival on Hawai’i Island. Under the theme See Sea, Feel Sea, the festival features more than 60 Hawaiian and international films screening through January 8. Venues include the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu along the Kohala and Kona coasts.
While attending the festival, you can experience the ocean firsthand. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel offers an evening Glow Stand Up Paddling adventure in Kaunaoa Bay. During this one-hour starlight excursion, LED lights illuminate the water in a wide arc around each paddleboard and glow several feet below the surface, creating a unique night paddling experience.
If you prefer exploring by boat, several local outfitters provide cruises and snorkeling excursions. Kohala Sail & Sea departs from the newer harbor in Kawaihae South near the Kohala Coast resorts and offers whale-watching trips. Fair Wind Cruises runs award-winning snorkeling outings aboard recently upgraded vessels. At Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu, complimentary snorkeling equipment is available, and guests can try scooter snorkels or join a six-person outrigger canoe to glide over coral and marine life.
Private charters in rigid-hulled inflatable boats take visitors to secluded snorkeling spots where spinner dolphins, breaching humpback whales, and graceful manta rays are frequently seen. Whether you choose a film program, a guided paddle, a snorkeling cruise, or a private charter, the island’s ocean experiences bring you close to Hawaii’s vibrant marine world.