Hawaii location recommendations Big Island

[faithextreme]

The family will be going to Waikoloa beach (about 30 min from Kona airport) area on the Big Island of Hawaii in March, 2008. Just wondering if anyone has recommended dive sites or shops for day or night diving? What costs should I expect?

 

[justleesa]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

moved to Hawaii Ohana forum

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[Bobyjimmie]

Kona Honu divers is awesome! I dove with red sail a couple times, wasnt happy with them. They were just blah. They packed their boats, had two DMs, one for the people who werent certified and had to be with the DM and one for the cert divers. Once one person in your group is ooa your all done.

Kona Honu divers had multiple DMs with no more then 4 to 6 with one, they did literally everything for you (make sure to check our tank strap though, they were a little fast and mine slipped once). Their DMs are super personable, if someone gets loa they make a cruise near the boat and wave goodbye to that person and continue the dive. They have an awesome night dive for Manta ray that if youve never done this is the ONE dive you must do. I am going back to Kona the end of February and plan on diving with them again asap.

Kona Honu Divers - Kona Coast Diving, World Famous Manta Ray Night Dives

BTW I do not work for any dive shop. To this day my favorite operation.

 

[stu_in_fl]

i dived with Jacks Diving Locker (a large and well run operation) and wana-dive-kona (a small op - friscuba on SB is the owner) - both were great.
hawaii diving is not the cheapest - you'll probably pay at least $125 for 2 tanks, more for the manta night dive - but it is worth it.

 

[2Dive4fun]

Stop at scuba shack near Costco. Rent tanks for the week and shore dive if you have a buddy.

 

[Teamcasa]

Don't miss the manta night dive. We used Big Island Divers and when we return next summer, we will book with them again. No question.

 

[Bobyjimmie]

Stop at scuba shack near Costco. Rent tanks for the week and shore dive if you have a buddy.

Is that Costco at Waikoloa? I think the shopping center is called Queens shopping, its brand new and across from Kings shopping. Is that up and opened now? It wasnt last time I was there and am very hopeful for it to be open. Makes my life way easier.

 

[lawofgravity]

The family will be going to Waikoloa beach (about 30 min from Kona airport) area on the Big Island of Hawaii in March, 2008. Just wondering if anyone has recommended dive sites or shops for day or night diving? What costs should I expect?

The manta dive is an absolute must. Even if you get skunked, there's a nice reef at Garden Eel cove with plenty to see. We spent a good 10 minutes playing with a very friendly (or hungty) squid. Saw two eels and an octopus out hunting. 3 mantas as well. Not too bad of a dive. If you're coming from Waikoloa, be careful of getting caught in rush hour traffic on hwy. 19. Staying at the Marriott, we left 30 minutes before our morning dive and got there 15 minutes late. Barely made the boat.

 

[Bobyjimmie]

Yeah the 19 can be really bad with rush hour, also check to make sure there is no construction on the road. because there was major road construction going on there 6 months ago which made it worse.

 

[scottitheduck]

Two step is a great shore dive and depending on your group, you may want to give Keith a call over at Divetek. They have always treated us great!

If you come over to Oahu, give me a buzz!

Aloha,

G