3 days of diving in Dec Big Island - what to do?

[heehee62]

Hi I'm going to be on the Big Island next week between Dec 7-14. We're staying at the Kona Coast Resort by Kahaluu Beach.

Want to go diving for 3 days. Where should we go diving? Do I need to book before I arrive in Hawaii or can I wait till I get there? One of us wants to get their advance certification but the rest won't and prefer flexibility so don't want to book in advance.

I was thinking of either going with Jack's Dive Locker or Kona Honu Divers and doing all days of diving with one of those operations. You think that's the right thing to do or does that mean we're going to miss some good dive areas like further north that we could have tried if we went with two different companies located at different places?

Also, what's Hawaii's tax rate? Kona Honu doesn't include tax in their listed scuba rates while Jack's Dive Locker does so it's hard to compare prices.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Rustydiver]

I dove with Jack's a couple years ago. Good op, the boat was really nice, they all go out of the same harbor on that side of the island. I'd would dive with them again. We dove the lava tubes on the dive I did. They let us wonder around and check stuff out.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

GET on sales will be around 4%; TAT on non-resident hotel rooms will be around 8% I think.

 

[Barrod]

Big Island Divers is great and you should heavily consider giving them your business. Jacks took in my Oceanic OC1 for battery swap and in 48 hours didnt do it. They told me 24 hrs and I gave them an extra day since I was at volcanoes. Still not done in time. Plus BID has better onboard food and Corrine is awesome!

 

[Rambo2]

This is not an endorsement of Big Island Divers but it does have a lot of information. I'm on my way to Kona myself and I sent an e-mail to several lds asking what weight wetsuits they recommend/rent. They all replied and they all replied the same: 3mm. If you're into it, check out some shore diving posts on SB. Kona seems to be quite the place for shore diving. Also if you're into stars and sky, Mauna Kea is the best place on the planet (but with a visitor center at 9000' you have to go before you start to dive).

Aloha David,

Glad to see you are coming to the Big Island of Hawaii and want to spend some time exploring the underwater world. I know you will have a great time while you are here both above and below the water.


Most of our rental wetsuits are 3mm, but we do have a few 5mm suits available.

We offer Manta Ray Night Charters, Morning Dive Charters and Morning Dolphin Swim Charters every day. These great adventures can be enjoyed by anyone age 10 and up who feels comfortable with mask and snorkel. (For safety reasons minors must be under direct supervision of their parent or guardian on all charters at all times.)

Our Two Tank Morning Charter meets at the shop at 8:00am for check in and then head over to the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor to meet the boat and go out for a great morning of diving/snorkeling. It has been our experience that with 48 different dive/snorkel sites, there is always something new to see. It's $130.00+tax per person to dive (if you need gear there is an additional rental fee of $30.00+tax per day for full gear or $10.00+tax per day for individual items) or $80.00+tax to snorkel (snorkel gear is provided if needed - mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit). The Two Tank Morning Charter returns to the Harbor between 1pm and 2pm.

The Manta Ray Night Charter is a bit like going to a rock concert or football game after dark, the area is well lit much like being in a lighted pool or aquarium at night. With all the lights in the water, this is the easiest night dive/snorkel you can imagine. Our Manta Guides and a shallow 38ft maximum depth for the divers help make this a once in a lifetime experience. Manta Ray Night Charters return to the Harbor between 8pm and 9pm and we always recommend bringing a warm pullover or light jacket to keep the chill off during the boat ride.

We have two options each night for spending time with the Manta Rays:

The Manta Ray Night Charter is the 'preferred' Trip for snorkelers and meets at the shop anytime before 4:00pm. This charter goes out for just one snorkel adventure or one SCUBA dive to see the Mantas. It's $99.00+tax to snorkel (snorkel gear is provided if needed - mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit) or $120.00+tax to dive (if you need gear there is an additional rental fee of $25.00+tax per day for full gear or $10.00+tax per day for individual items).

Our Twilight / Manta Ray Night Charter meets at the shop anytime before 2:00pm and is the trip of choice for Scuba Divers. On this charter your first snorkel or SCUBA dive is on the beautiful Kona reef before the sun sets and the second snorkel or SCUBA is with the Mantas after dark. It's $115.00+tax to snorkel (snorkel gear is provided if needed - mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit) or $140.00+tax to dive (if you need gear there is an additional rental fee of $30.00+tax per day for full gear or $10.00+tax per day for individual items).

You may also be interested in our Morning Dolphin Swim Charters which meet at the shop at 8:30am for check in and then head over to the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor to meet the boat for a 9:00am departure. These charters go out for a great morning of snorkeling with the world famous Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. It's $99.00+tax per person (snorkel gear is provided if needed - mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit) and we provide snacks and soft drinks. Morning Dolphin Charters require 3 participants to go and depend on boat availability so grab your friends and family to make your reservations now. (Please Note: Humpback Whale season is late November through March.)

All of our SCUBA dives are PADI Divemaster guided tours, and come with snacks, drinks, shower, towel, tanks, lights, chem sticks, weights, etc. If you have gear, we'll wash it and dry it between/after charters. Or if you need gear, we have everything you can possibly need in our rental department for a flat fee of $30.00+tax (regulator, BCD, wetsuit, computer, mask, fins, etc.). Or $10.00+tax per item if you need individual pieces. (Please note these gear rental rates are for Charter rentals only, shore rentals follow a different price structure.)

We offer great discounts for multi-charter diving! Book for any 3 charters and it's $120.00+tax per Two Tank Morning Dive (regularly $130.00) with 10% off Manta Ray, Black Water, Long Range, Dolphin and Three Tank - or even better, book any 5 charters and it's $110.00+tax per Two Tank Morning Dive (regularly $130.00) with 10% off Manta Ray, Black Water, Long Range, and Dolphin (Multi-day discount packages require payment for all dives at time of initial check in, are for individual divers, and cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.)

We have Nitrox EAN32 available for $12.00+tax per tank on all boat charters. If you would like to dive Nitrox on any of your dives, and are a Nitrox Certified Diver, please indicate which dives and we will have the tanks and analyzer on the boat for you. If you are interested in becoming a Nitrox Certified Diver, our experienced instructors make getting your Enriched Air Nitrox Certification quick and easy.

We always recommend making reservations as early as possible since our charters frequently fill quickly. All reservations are held with a CC#, this is for reservation purposes only and no charges will be made on the card until you check in. (Reservations made via email are only guaranteed once you receive an email confirmation, phone reservations will not receive an email confirmation.)

To get your reservation started we need the following information:

* Full names of the divers or snorkelers:
* Dates and times (AM or PM) you would like to reserve:
* Do you need dive/snorkel gear? If so, which items? For wetsuits and BCDs we need your accurate heights and weights. For fins we need your shoe size:
* We offer a snack between Dives/Snorkels on Two Tank Charters: Do you have any dietary restrictions?
* Telephone or contact number, just in case we need to get a hold of you while on the Island:
* A credit card # and Expiration Date, this is for reservation purposes only and no charges will be made on the card until you check in:
* Total number of dives and Month/Year of most recent dives. (For your safety we require a refresher course if more than 5 years have passed since your last dive.):

You can give the shop a call and talk to one of us in person, or email the above information. Either way we look forward to hearing from you.

It is always a great idea to check in for your charter as early as possible. Stopping by the shop earlier in the day, or even days ahead, gives you an opportunity to complete all the paperwork and get fitted for gear on "Aloha time". (This also enables you to meet the boat directly at the harbor to maximize your valuable vacation time.)

For recommendations on accommodations, tours and services around the Big Island we always choose TripAdvisor.com. Big Island Divers is located at 74-5467 Kaiwi St. Kailua Kona, Hi 96740.

If you have any other questions please let me know or give the shop a call.

Mahalo nui loa,

Kristen

Big Island Divers
www.bigislanddivers.com
1-808-329-6068
1-800-488-6068
Open 7 days a week
Shop Hours 8am - 6pm HST
Please note the following:
Mantas and other sea life are wild creatures affected by ocean conditions, seasonal changes, feeding trends and other uncontrollable factors. While our knowledgeable and experienced staff make all reasonable efforts to find specific ocean dwellers, no guarantees are made for their presence.

Due to high demand we request any changes or cancellations to your reservations be made as soon as possible. Reservations canceled with at least 48 hours’ notice will not be charged. Reservations canceled with 48 to 24 hours’ notice will be charged 50% of the charter rate. Reservations canceled with 24 to 12 hours’ notice will be charged 75% of the charter rate. Reservations canceled with less than 12 hours’ notice will be charged the full charter price.

All Charters require a minimum of 3 participants to go. While charters are rarely cancelled due to a lack of participants, Big Island Divers will make every effort to reschedule customers to another day or with another company.

 

[surfinusa555]

I have to throw a recommendation out there for Big Island Divers as well. I only rented gear from them for shore diving, but since my wife and I use so little lead they only charged us for 1 lead rental and then when I couldn't get the gear back before closing, they let me keep all the gear an extra day for free. Really nice people.

 

[heehee62]

Thanks a lot everyone.

 

[spoolin01]

I haven't checked all the outfits, but pricing looks pretty comparable among companies, $130 for local two-tank diving. I always use Big Island Divers for extended gear rental, and find their prices great and their attitude very accommodating. Easy to get to the shop for tank swaps.

I doubt you'll miss much by sticking with one outfit - there are way more than 3 good dive sites within range of any harbor. For sure try the manta night dive, with the sunset dive beforehand. The mantas and the commotion surrounding the giant dive party, are not to be missed. Don't forget to look around behind you and at the other divers as well periodically. There's a lot going on there...

 

[diversteve]

Kona Diving Company is another good option.

For shore diving you're not too far from Place of Refuge - might be the best shore dive there. Kahuluu Beach is too shallow but an excellent turtle snorkel. Try not to kick them as you're walking in over the rocks...LOL.