Kealakekua Bay

This one is definitely in the guide books...for good reason. The Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay is one of the most amazing places I've ever been. The snorkeling is phenomenal!
We saw all kinds of crazy fish, very healthy reef, and crystal clear water. About 50-100 feet from shore the reef dropped off and the water got very deep. This part was my favorite because the water was so clear that you could see the reef dropping. Apparently this bay (the deeper parts) are where Spinner Dolphins come in the morning and people swim with them.

You have to either hike down a pretty steep trail for about an hour (we did this) or swim or boat across the bay to it. Next time I'm going by water. That's Zues hamming it up with us (the guy who was taking the photo's dog); he snuck into the picture with us somehow.

The cultural significance of this spot is pretty cool too. The bay is actually a huge caldera that caved in. Those cliffs in the background (the edges of the caldera) were where the Ali'i (chiefs) of importance were buried. A volunteer was lowered down by a rope with the remains (mainly bones) of the Ali'i. After securing the bones in a cave, the volunteer signaled to the people above and the rope was cut, sending the volunteer to their death. This was done so that nobody would know the exact location of the Ali'i's remains.

The historical significance of this spot is of course that it is where Captain Cook landed, and ten years later, was killed. There is a small white monument on the rocks commemorating this.