Better diving - Kauai or Big Island?

[Maine Diver]

I really enjoyed diving with Kona Diving Company. Their customer service is second to none. They took great care of my niece who is a brand new diver and allowed the more experienced divers to dive their profile. We did day, night and the manta dive.

 

[TSandM]

We did the manta dive and the black water dive (which I would NOT recommend for a new diver) with Big Island Diving, and I thought they were very pleasant and did a fine job.

 

[tarponchik]

We did the manta dive and the black water dive (which I would NOT recommend for a new diver) with Big Island Diving, and I thought they were very pleasant and did a fine job.

Can you explain what "the black water dive" is?

 

[jameseg]

In my experience, the Big Island has the best diving I've done in Hawaii (also dove Maui, and Kauai, and I think Oahu - although that was a decade+ ago). BI had clearer water and more sea life, although I readily admit that that could have been due to conditions at the particular time/place I was there. Other reasons: BI is great for shore diving, plus the manta dive is outstanding, as others have mentioned.

James

 

[friscuba]

The Big Island is really the place to go for diving when it comes to ease and clarity. There's a number of good operators, from 6 packs to larger ops, to choose from. Shore diving's very good, and pretty easy in spots, and the near shore viz and reef structure is probably the best in the islands.

The "black water dive" can be very interesting but can also be very scary. It's an open ocean dive a couple miles out in a few thousand feet of water at night. You are essentially tethered to a ball tethered to a boat at about 30+ feet of depth. Little things can come out of the soup to check out your lights.... way cool on a good night. My divemasters won't lead it because of the big things that can potentially come out of the soup. Jack's and Big Island are the two companies that do it with some frequency.

 

[tarponchik]

Thanks!