About Anelakai Adventures | Hawaiian Canoe Tours Kona

Anelakai Adventures is a family owned, operated, and locally grown company here on Hawai’i Island. Anelakai was just 4 years old when she inspired the creation of Anelakai Adventures. Now an adult, she and her sister Lilinoe remain actively involved in running our family/‘ohana business.

We offer guided tours on our wa’a kaulua (Hawaiian Double Hull Canoes), specializing in paddle power experiences, including our Night Manta Ray and Morning Cultural tours, as well as morning Kayak tours. We are located in Keauhou Bay on the West Coast of the Big Island, and feel honored and blessed to be able to share the beauty and rich Hawaiian history of this area.

All of our adventures focus on the Hawaiian ocean cultural experience. Our goal is to share and promote the history and sustainable culture of Hawaii, as well as teach water safety and ocean awareness. All of our watermen and waterwomen are CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguard certified. Our priority on each and every adventure is that you feel safe and comfortable in the ocean — and that you take with you the spirit of aloha and an experience that will expand your knowledge and enrich your life.

Through our ‘Ohana — our family — Anelakai Adventures gives life to the cultural art of storytelling and passing knowledge to the next generation.

Anelakai Adventures is another way for us to reach out and share that knowledge and Aloha with visitors and locals alike. Our dream? Share our love of the ocean and Hawaiian culture, and set an example for what truly sustainable ocean tourism can and should be.

Our ‘ohana looks forward to meeting you, and we would be humbled and proud to share our knowledge and experience of Hawaii with you!

I grew up in a family of watermen and women here in Hawaiʻi. We learned to take care of the ocean, living off the land and sea. I've spent time on all our Hawaiian islands, and over the years I've seen how things have changed.

The inspiration for Anelakai came from my experiences on and near the ocean waters of Hawaiʻi. My dream was to help people from all over the world share the love and knowledge of the ocean that's been instilled in me by my family and community.

Through me and my ʻohana, Anelakai Adventures gives life to the cultural art of storytelling and passing knowledge to the next generation. This company is about preserving the history I've seen, and instilling that sense of appreciation in everyone I meet.

My dream? Help the Hawaiian waterman culture live on, and share it with everyone I possibly can.

Iko Balanga
Founder

We're often asked why we don't use motorboats like other tour companies. The answer is simple: we believe there's a better way.

Anelakai Adventures has positioned itself as a model for environmentally conscious ocean tourism through our intentionally small-scale, non-motorized operation. Our commitment to traditional waʻa kaulua experiences stands in deliberate contrast to the prevailing industry trend toward larger motorized vessels, higher guest capacities, and increased tour frequencies.

We've watched those practices take a toll on ocean health.

By operating paddle-powered tours, we eliminate multiple forms of environmental impact:

No carbon emissions
No risk of fuel or oil leakage into marine ecosystems
No engine noise disturbing marine life

This approach demonstrates that ocean tourism can not only be sustainable but can actively contribute to environmental preservation. Successful ocean experiences don't require modern motorized vessels. They just require care, skill, and respect for the place.