Kona Dive Travel Guide - Bluewater Dive Travel

Kona

4.3928571428571
(7 REVIEWS)
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Diving Kona
Kona Scuba

 Scuba diving in Kona, USA 

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Kona Diving Highlights

Kona offers a great mix of marine life and dive-site opportunities. From reefscapes, to lava tubes, and from Mantas to indigenous butterfly fish, there truly is something for everyone.

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Diving Information 

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Kona Marine Life

Hawaii holds a large number of indigenous species of butterfly fish and angelfish. More than 20% of the Hawaiian reef fishes are found nowhere else in the world. In addition, prepare for encounters with Spanish dancers, turtles, barracuda, mantas, frogfish, sharks, and dolphins!

Learn about other great Hawaii dive areas.

 

Diving Conditions

  • Water Temperatures: The water is a little colder (down to 75 degrees) and the surface a bit choppier in the winter months, and warmer and calmer in the summer (78-81 degrees).
  • Visibility: Varies depending on rainfall and runoff, but is usually between 75-100'.
  • Depth Range: 10 - 131 ft (3 - 40m)

 

Dive Sites

  • Naked Lady - A Sailboat wreck. Your divemaster is sure to explain the dive site's name when they brief you! This is usually reserved for advanced charters, as the boat sits in about 100ft of water. It's become the home for a number of colorful and interesting fish. Keep a lookout for bicolor anthias, leaf scorpionfish, and Hawaiian green lionfish.
  • Eel Cove - Great site, especially for beginners as it is a shallow and protected dive site. Hunt around for Eels hiding in the cracks and check out the local raccoon butterflyfish.
  • Turtle Pinnacle - Great location for hopefully spotting some turtles. Watch them getting cleaned by tangs and other colorful fish.
  • Long Lava Tube - This dive site, as well as many of the other surrounding "southern" sites hold an abundance of life. Any of the sites are well worth a visit as they are teeming with fish. Also, keep a lookout for sleeping turtles in the lava tubes, and some other great finds that you normally would only find at night.

  

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Travel Information 

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How to Get There

LAX offers direct flights into Kona International Airport (KOA). You should consider renting a car for your stay in Kona. Even if you don't plan on beach diving, you may want to take advantage of your stay to check out some of the topside attractions.  

 

How to Dive Kona

Diving Kona is done with one of the numerous resputable dive operators on the island while staying at one of the various accommodation options, from self-catering condos to luxury resorts. Diving is usually done in groups of 4-6 divers under one divemaster. Make sure to include the incredible manta ray night dive on your itinerary!

 

Best Time to Dive

Conditions in Kona (the "dry" side of the island) are good for diving nearly every day of the year. September and January are the least crowded months, if you're looking for less-than-full dive boats. If you want the chance to do some whale-watching, November - March is your best bet.

 

Topside & Non-Diving Activities

Take a trip up to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and see the steam rise up as lava rushes into the ocean. For you, coffee lovers, explore the Kona plantations and sample some 100% pure Kona Coffee! In the evening, visit the Mauna Kea Observatories to watch the sunset and then stargaze. Take a hike along the east side, in lush rainforests, or just take a dip and snorkel around, Kona has some unbelievable snorkeling as well.

 

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LIVEABOARD AVAILABILITY

There are currently no liveaboards operating in Hawaii.

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Other Useful Information 

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Practical Information

  • Currency: US Dollar (USD)
  • Main Airport Code: KOA
  • Electricity: 120V
  • Time Zone: UTC-10
  • Language: Hawaii has 2 official languages, Hawaiian and English

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Reviews (7)

  • Top Reviewer
Fountain Valley, CA
United States
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I’ve been to Kona three times, and each time we’ve stayed at a beachfront condo just south of Kailua-Kona, the main town on the west side of the island. Hotels are also available, but we find the convenience of a condo to be much better. There are many to choose from. The ones we’ve stayed at were walking distance to restaurants, bars, and stores. We rented a car so we could have the flexibility of doing some exploring and getting to the dive boat each day.

For the non-divers with us, there were plenty of things to do, including hiking, snorkeling, visiting beautiful beaches, and shopping. Many beaches are within a short drive from Kailua, where the snorkeling is easy, in shallow water, and lots of fish are easily spotted. Several of these beaches have restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and barbeque grills. Hawaiian green turtles are plentiful here and are frequently seen while diving, snorkeling, and on the beaches. We've even seen them lazing right in front of our condo. Kona is also one of the places where you can see the endangered Hawaiian Monk seal. We saw them several times during our visits.

The diving here is mostly by boat to reach the top sites. On the boat ride, you're likely to see Spinner dolphins performing acrobatic maneuvers while leaping out of the water. Since Hawaii is so remote, there are many endemic species that are not found anywhere else in the world. About 20% of the fish here are only found in Hawaii. The topography tends to be a sloping reef, so you can start your dives deep and shallow up, finishing in shallow water where you might find lava tubes, arches, and craters. The visibility is often 80-100 feet. We frequently made 90-minute dives because of the shallow depths, but didn’t sacrifice seeing fantastic sea life for the extended time. Kona is also a place where you have an excellent chance to see Tiger sharks. We saw tigers on two different occasions. If you're lucky, you may see dolphins on your dives and hear humpback whales singing in the distance.

Two of the world's best night dives are offered here; the world famous Kona manta ray night dive, and black water diving, that one of the dive operators calls “Pelagic Magic”. Before we did the manta ray night dive the first time, I thought it might be very commercial and touristy, attracting large crowds. That scenario is somewhat true, but the opportunity to interact with a dozen or more of these large, magnificent animals is worth it. Divers sit stationary in a circle on the bottom, shining their dive lights upward to form a column of light that attracts plankton for the mantas to feed on. They come swooping in to feed and we had to duck our heads several times they came so close. This is an exhilarating and enjoyable dive not to be missed and only found in Kona. The black water dives are conducted far offshore, in deep open water, in total darkness. They are done to see planktonic creatures (many of them fish or other animals in their larval, or juvenile stage of life) that ride the ocean currents. This is very exciting, but not for the faint of heart.

Lastly, if you have time and a car, a drive to the east side of the island near Hilo is a good diversion. You can visit Volcanos National Park where you can see two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Bottom line: Kona is a great place to visit for the tropical island experience, world class diving, a warm and welcoming population, and fun topside activities. Everyone speaks English, you don't need a passport, and the currency is the US dollar; all of this without leaving the U.S. Tip: Don't forget to try shave ice for a delicious sweet treat.

Visited on 05/2016 - Submitted on 03/21/2020
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My review will primarily discuss the manta ray night dive in Keauhou Bay, close to the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa. This is a very unique, once in a lifetime time of dive that I highly recommend. We got on the boat prior to sundown and headed out to a secluded bay where the manta rays tend to congregate. When the sun sets, the boat lays out floats on the surface of the water with large downlights to attract the plankton, which in turn, attract the manta rays. Our boat had a combination of snorkelers and divers. The water is shallow (7m) enough that snorkelers can enjoy the manta show, albeit from the surface of the water. We had 2 mantas join us for the duration of the 65 minute dive, doing acrobatics right before our eyes. I was using a 12-24mm lens on a cropped sensor DSLR, which was barely wide enough. If I have the opportunity to do this dive again in the future, I will most likely use the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye + 1.4x teleconverter.

I understand that manta sightings at Keauhou Bay are frequent but not guaranteed. We saw 2 mantas during our dive; on a good day, many more show up. If you have the bad luck of not seeing any mantas, I believe that most operators will give you a free pass to come back and try again another night. Bearing this in mind, it is advisable not to do the manta night dive on your last night in Kona, just in case the mantas don't show up.

Kona is fantastic for topside activities. The island's landscape is amazingly beautiful, with a combination of volcanic rocks and lush greenery (I believe Jurassic Park was filmed in Kona). Various outdoor activities such as watersports, hiking, dolphin tours, etc. are easily available. And the laidback attitude prevailing in Kona is wonderful and great for the soul.

Visited on 10/2010 - Submitted on 08/27/2014
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Kona has definitely stolen my heart. The people here are adventurous, friendly and full of Aloha. Kona's reefs are so alive with coral, animals, endemic fish, sharks, and the most beautiful blue water I have every seen. Mantas are seen daily, as well as Tiger Sharks are common in summer months but can still be seen year-round, Humpback whales in the fall/winter, and an occasional Whale Shark comes by for a look!

The blue, deep water out here brings all kinds of life here to Kona specifically. Though Kona lacks wrecks (we have 3 small ones around here, in deeper water) we make up for it in teeming marine life on a beautifully healthy coral reef. Turtles being cleaned by yellow tangs, sea slugs of all shapes and colors and sizes, huge Ulua, and an occasional big shark can all be seen in a day of diving in Kona. And Mantas! Tons of them!

Topside is fun, quiet small town life but with a steady watering hole clientele - you become a "regular" quickly, and make friends even faster!

Don't come here and stay in a resort. Camp, or rent a small condo/apartment/room, and see Kona for what it really is. rent scooter, play in the ocean. Have a few beers, and kick back!

This place is best for couples, adventurers, and explorers. People whom love life and are active, and want to experience true Aloha.

Visited on 08/2014 - Submitted on 08/05/2014
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I was told Captain Cook/Kealakekua Bay was simply the most spectacular place in all of Hawaii and I have to agree it does not disappoint. Our visit was a mid-September Saturday that was sunny and warm. We decided to be adventuresome and kayak across Kealakekua Bay instead of taking a group cruise. Since this was our first visit, we secured the kayak and gear through a vendor in Kealakekua topside (online search will bring you plenty of choices). Our vendor was great, but we had to rack the kayak on the rental car and drive the remaining couple of miles. There is also a natural foods store on the way where you can purchase all the grinds for your invigorating day.

Once we arrived at the wharf, we learned that the smart folks living adjacent to the wharf have established a mom and pop business (cash only) renting kayaks, gear and offer on-and-off loading assistance. Their equipment appeared to be no worse than what we had rented. The guys at the wharf also embody aloha and assist anyone who asks (yes I did tip the guy well, he was invaluable helping me, a short person, on and off the kayak since there are no stairs or ladder on the dock). There is sufficient room on the two person kayak to accommodate all the dive or snorkel gear and supplies you need for a day. There are no facilities or services at the memorial site, so you need to pack in and pack out.

If you prefer to take advantage of a group cruise out of Kailua-Kona, they accommodate both snorkelers and divers and do offer divers the opportunity to bring your own gear or rent tanks. It appeared they only brought in two groups per day and those people stayed around the catamaran. There were less than 10 other kayaks during the day. So there was a maximum maybe 50 people in the entire bay. I was glad we arrived via kayak so we were not time limited like the catamaran people. But if you want to save your strength for your dive, I would pick the catamaran.

The reef at Captain Cook has a steep drop off, though there is ample shallower area around the monument and most of the snorklers congregate there. The coral heads in both shallow and deep water are simply spectacular. Lots of finger and cauliflower coral. A rainbow of color greets you with schools of yellow tang, durgeon and butterfly fish, honu and the occasional pod of spinner dolphins. Moray eels pop out of coral heads and often swim freely. Divers noted black and white tip reef sharks. I saw caves and interesting wall formations but they were beyond my free dive capabilities. The cove geography allows easy in an out both at the monument and adjacent rocky shoreline. There are no real sandy beaches.

After a day on the water, the paddle back was challenging, but well worth it. The water was flat and so azure blue. You will appreciate assistance getting out of the kayak! When I go back, I am definitely renting a kayak there at the wharf, no matter the cost.

Visited on 09/2013 - Submitted on 03/04/2014
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REVIEW OF DIVING KONA

The Kona area of Hawaii's big Island offers varied diving to someone who wants to do a little research about the area. Local dive shops offer information on shore diving, and there are many accessible sites that are great as shore dives. There are also multiple opportunites for dive charters too. There are different operators in the town of Kona who launch out of the local boat harbor between town and the airport. Further north on the Kohala Coast there are other operations that go to different dive sites north of Kona. The diving is easy, but you do have to watch water conditions because most entry points are over and around lava, so that when the waves come up entry or exit can get trick. I recommend a full wetsuit for protection when shore diving.

KONA MANTA DIVE

The famous Manta nite dive is a must for those who have not experienced the thrill of seeing these beautiful animals close. Another night dive is the "black water dive" which is offered by a couple of dive charters in Kona. It is a thrill to be suspended over thousands of feet of deep water watching varied creatures swim in to your light and then disappear into the black water.

Hawaiian Green Turtles are plentiful and protected in Hawaiian waters, and there are many spots where they are seen. One place is south of Kona and is called Honaunau or two step. It is right next to the Place of Refuge which is a Hawaiian Monument. I always make the trip to dive and also snorkle this area and I have see dolpins in the distance, a juvenile spotted eagle ray and lots of turtles here.

I believe that it would be worth some time to pursue macro subjects. This one thing I have not done enough. I know they are there but I have enjoyed free diving with the turtles so much that I have done that again and again, When you are not blowing bubbles you can feel like you are swimming right along with them in their ocean. One visit I brought my scuba gear but only used my long fins, mask and snorkle. Puako in front of the round church there is a turtle cleaning station that i have returned to again and again. This is my favorite site on the island although I have never used scuba there.

KONA TOPSIDE

There are plenty of other things to do besides diving. A trip to the volcano is worth the drive and for a totally different feel the town of Hilo and the surrounding area is part of a lush tropical forest. Just the opposite of the Kona side of the island which is dry and arid. The Island of Hawaii has so many different climates that it is worth taking a road trip to see the different parts of the island. There are farmer's markets with beautiful fruits and vegetables and fresh fish is a Hawaiian standard whether you eat in a restaurant or cook it yourself. And there are abundent opportunities to try local food. There are often barbeques set up selling grilled chicken or teriaki beef in the shopping centers.

I like the laid back feeling of Kona and the Big Island as opposed to the frenzy of Oahu and Waikiki. It is a short flight from the US west coast and there are things to do for everyone tastes.

Visited on 05/2012 - Submitted on 02/28/2014

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