Distance between Kona and Keauhou Bay boat ramp?

[leipoppy]

Hi All,

 

Just wondering if someone can tell me the distance between Kona Pier and the Keauhou Bay boat ramp? We are arriving on NCL Pride of Aloha on August 2nd and have booked the Dolphin Discoveries snorkel tour departing Keauhou Bay at 12.30pm. Are there many taxis or shuttles to and from? Am just concerned a little about getting back to the boat for the 6pm departure, don't want to be stuck without a taxi after the tour.

Thanks!

[jerseyjk]

Make 100% sure you arrange with a taxi ahead of time to pick you up. Ask the tour operator what the return time is and arrange a pickup for that time. Bring the number of a couple taxi companies with you in case you get back and your ride isn't waiting. Taxi's don't typically hang around in the Keauhou bay lot waiting for fares.

 

To answer your question, for us it was like a 15 to 20 minute ride from Keauhou bay to the pier. It's a one lane road most of the way (at least they route our driver took up Ali'i Dr) so with traffic it could be longer. It's only like 6 or 7 miles.

[milolii]

Agreed, have taxi ready. It is six or seven miles, but the traffic that time of day is aweful. And it is one lane. Drivers in Hawaii do not have the bad driving habits we do on the mainland,so they drive slow, let people in ect. I would give it at least 35 minutes, and you do tender in Kona.

 

There are many excrusions from the dock in Kona, but those go to Pawaii Bay and not Kealakekua Bay. Pawaii Bay is very pretty also. Visit GoHawaii.com

[Nancyquilts]

It might be better (and cheaper) to rent a car - we got one from Dollar at the King Kam Hotel for $40 for the day. Nancy

[CruisinMK]

It's about 10 minutes away by car.

[beachchick]

It's about 10 minutes away by car.

 

Unless the traffic on both Ali'i and 11 is bad. Then it's 20 (or even 30) minutes. I agree it's best to allow 30 minutes, just in case, especially in the afternoon.

 

beachchick

[DonahCBrown]

Unless the traffic on both Ali'i and 11 is bad. Then it's 20 (or even 30) minutes. I agree it's best to allow 30 minutes, just in case, especially in the afternoon.

 

beachchick

 

Absolutely! There is construction all along Queen Ka'ahumanu (State Rt. 11) now from around Costco to Cross Roads just past Palani Rd. as the widening project progresses and that can tie up traffic way way beyond the construction area. Also just saw that there's a Palani Road project about to start. I have seen traffic in the afternoon backed up and bumper to bumper from the Crossroads intersection at Henry Street all the way to the Kuakini intersection, and the 'ripple effect' of that is going to have an impact all the way back to Keahou, so best be cautious and allow plenty of time, even though the distance isn't that much. There are some road improvement projects going on, but in the meanwhile, they are just compounding the problem.

[beachchick]

Absolutely! There is construction all along Queen Ka'ahumanu (State Rt. 11) now from around Costco to Cross Roads just past Palani Rd. as the widening project progresses and that can tie up traffic way way beyond the construction area. Also just saw that there's a Palani Road project about to start. I have seen traffic in the afternoon backed up and bumper to bumper from the Crossroads intersection at Henry Street all the way to the Kuakini intersection, and the 'ripple effect' of that is going to have an impact all the way back to Keahou, so best be cautious and allow plenty of time, even though the distance isn't that much. There are some road improvement projects going on, but in the meanwhile, they are just compounding the problem.

 

Blech! That will not be fun for you all for a while. And if the "bail out" options off 11 down to Ali'i are backed up, drivers are pretty well stuck for the duration.

 

beachchick

[DonahCBrown]

Blech! That will not be fun for you all for a while. And if the "bail out" options off 11 down to Ali'i are backed up, drivers are pretty well stuck for the duration.

 

beachchick

 

Yep. Getting harder and harder to find a 'work around' - although they HAVE finished the improvements to Kuakini, so that helps a bit. Still, it isn't much fun, unfortunately, and it is necessary for cruisers to add time to get to and from the piers. Maybe in a couple of years it will be better.:rolleyes: