Currently visiting Kona, Hi. and looking for a reputable dive operator.
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Kohala Divers and Blue Wilderness both have smaller boats and I've had good luck with both. The Manta night dive is a very busy dive so even if you go with a small boat there will probably be lots of divers in the water.
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Kona Diving Co. is a smaller boat operator that does it. MANTAS OF KONA – KDC My buddy did the dive with them.If you have any snorkelers with you, they'll have almost as good an experience - the Mantas dance between the surface and bottom lights - my niece/friend did that.
Kelman
Registered
Agree...you will be with a crowd no matter what size boat you go on. My fav dive operation is Jack's Diving Locker. Most likely, Keller Laros (the famous "Manta Man" and researcher) will be your dive master with them and you cant get better than that. Highly recommend this company to yoiu. Headed myself to Kona next week!
Rocketman3
Registered
We dove with Kona Diving Company. 4 divers plus 2 snorkeling from our boat. Then about 50 or so others from all the other dive companies.
I liked our smaller group.
Enjoy - that has been my most favorite dive.
I liked our smaller group.
Enjoy - that has been my most favorite dive.
ScubaSteve858
Contributor
Another plug for Kona Diving Company. Great operation. Good brownies!
I went with Big Island Divers a couple years ago. It was an awesome time. I don't think going with a big crowd is necessarily a bad thing for the manta dive. All the dive operators head to the same area, so as said before, even off a small boat, there will be a lot of people in the water. The more light, though, the more krill, and the more mantas! You will be blown away by the trip no matter who you go with, though! I did several days of diving with Big Island Divers, though, and had a great time with them all week.
+3 for Kona Diving Co - including their Manta Ray night dive.
My only beef when I went was not with KDC at all. It was with the photographer that was there shooting photos and video during the dive and then selling packages once you got back to the dock. They did not disclose, until after you receive the photo link via email, that you are not allowed to even crop the photos and post them. You can only post the pictures they give you if you leave them uncropped, so their watermark shows in every photo, plus also give them written credit along with the photo where you post it. Selling me the package without telling me then how limited my usage would be really pissed me off. I told them to stuff their photos and got my money back. Really a bummer, actually, as I would have liked to have the photos and do whatever I want with them (short of turning a profit off of them, of course - I can understand a restriction against that).
My only beef when I went was not with KDC at all. It was with the photographer that was there shooting photos and video during the dive and then selling packages once you got back to the dock. They did not disclose, until after you receive the photo link via email, that you are not allowed to even crop the photos and post them. You can only post the pictures they give you if you leave them uncropped, so their watermark shows in every photo, plus also give them written credit along with the photo where you post it. Selling me the package without telling me then how limited my usage would be really pissed me off. I told them to stuff their photos and got my money back. Really a bummer, actually, as I would have liked to have the photos and do whatever I want with them (short of turning a profit off of them, of course - I can understand a restriction against that).
My friends at Kona Honu Divers run a great operation with newer boats and great crews. Tell Byron I sent you!
Ken T
Contributor
My wife and I were happy with Kona Diving Company.
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