donostler
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Hi, I'm going to be staying at the Hilton on the Big Island near Kona. Any recommendations for a single diver with non diving wife are greatly appreciated!
Coming dive hawaii for the first time
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OP
donostler
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Thanks Catherine....yes the Waikaloa
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My favorite place on the Big Island is Waipio Valley up North. It's not too far a drive from Kona. It's a good hike to a black sand beach.
Are you diving while you're there? Who you planning on Diving with? PM me if you need some help with that.
Are you diving while you're there? Who you planning on Diving with? PM me if you need some help with that.
OP
donostler
Registered
Catherine, where is the location of the plane wreck in your profile?
chepar
Contributor
I think the plane wreck is the Corsair, but I can't get a close enough look at Catherine's avatar to be positive. I'm notoriously bad on identifying the different wrecks. Anyway, if it's the Corsair, it's off the east shore of Oahu.
Staying at the Waikoloa you have a couple of options. You can choose to drive closer into town to meet any of the operators there, or you can go with Red Sail, which is based right out of the resort. The drive into town averages about 30 minutes, depending on when you go and traffic conditions. If you don't mind the drive, there are tons of recommendations here for dive operators based out of town.
Red Sail is right in the resort. I was up at the Waikoloa last August for a 3 day weekend. Because I was only staying for such a short time, I didn't want to spend a lot of time driving into town. I did a couple dives with Red Sail and had a really good time. Both dives were shallow, and perhaps you can inquire if your wife can go along as a snorkeler.
If you want to do the manta dive, you'll have to drive down to the harbor close to town. Although your wife doesn't dive, she can snorkel the manta dive if she wants.
The resort itself is huge and has several pools with slides, a lagoon type area with fish and turtles that you can rent paddleboats, kayaks or snorkel gear from. Nice spa and typical resort shops. King's Shops are nearby and there's a shuttle that can take you there for a dollar or so. If your wife prefers not to go with you on the dives, there's enough at the resort to occupy some time.
Staying at the Waikoloa you have a couple of options. You can choose to drive closer into town to meet any of the operators there, or you can go with Red Sail, which is based right out of the resort. The drive into town averages about 30 minutes, depending on when you go and traffic conditions. If you don't mind the drive, there are tons of recommendations here for dive operators based out of town.
Red Sail is right in the resort. I was up at the Waikoloa last August for a 3 day weekend. Because I was only staying for such a short time, I didn't want to spend a lot of time driving into town. I did a couple dives with Red Sail and had a really good time. Both dives were shallow, and perhaps you can inquire if your wife can go along as a snorkeler.
If you want to do the manta dive, you'll have to drive down to the harbor close to town. Although your wife doesn't dive, she can snorkel the manta dive if she wants.
The resort itself is huge and has several pools with slides, a lagoon type area with fish and turtles that you can rent paddleboats, kayaks or snorkel gear from. Nice spa and typical resort shops. King's Shops are nearby and there's a shuttle that can take you there for a dollar or so. If your wife prefers not to go with you on the dives, there's enough at the resort to occupy some time.
Mantasscareme
Contributor
www.hawaiiforestandtrail.com. nuff said
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donnyb
Contributor
Don:
Hilton Waikoloa is great! Be sure to have dinner at least once at Roy's, located in the Kings Shops just a short walk up the road from your hotel.
Red Sail I believe runs dive/snorkel trips, so your non-diving spouse can snorkel. The boat is a big catamaran, very stable at anchor. But once she sees the pools at Waikoloa, she may not want to leave...
If you want to try & shore dive, A short drive north to Kawaihae there is Kohala divers where you can rent tanks. You can shore dive at Puako. Go to the end of the Puako road, and there is a beach on the right. Pull in there and check out the surf. If there are surfers out there its probably not a good day for diving. If there are no surfers and the water is looking flat you can dive straight out from the tidepools, basically where the last place to park a car is. Chances are there will be other divers there. Its popular. You will see two mooring balls offshore, thats where the dive boats tie up. Self explanatory from there. This site is always best early morning. Around 11 am the onshore winds pick up, and the viz goes down. Your wife can snorkel there in the very shallow water & watch the turtles feed on algae, or sunbathe on the rocks.
If you bop around some of the other threads you will see lots of other suggestions for all over the island, like lava hikes & helicopter tours. PM me if you need more details.
Hilton Waikoloa is great! Be sure to have dinner at least once at Roy's, located in the Kings Shops just a short walk up the road from your hotel.
Red Sail I believe runs dive/snorkel trips, so your non-diving spouse can snorkel. The boat is a big catamaran, very stable at anchor. But once she sees the pools at Waikoloa, she may not want to leave...
If you want to try & shore dive, A short drive north to Kawaihae there is Kohala divers where you can rent tanks. You can shore dive at Puako. Go to the end of the Puako road, and there is a beach on the right. Pull in there and check out the surf. If there are surfers out there its probably not a good day for diving. If there are no surfers and the water is looking flat you can dive straight out from the tidepools, basically where the last place to park a car is. Chances are there will be other divers there. Its popular. You will see two mooring balls offshore, thats where the dive boats tie up. Self explanatory from there. This site is always best early morning. Around 11 am the onshore winds pick up, and the viz goes down. Your wife can snorkel there in the very shallow water & watch the turtles feed on algae, or sunbathe on the rocks.
If you bop around some of the other threads you will see lots of other suggestions for all over the island, like lava hikes & helicopter tours. PM me if you need more details.
OP
donostler
Registered
Thanks guys for the great info. I take it that I'll have to take a day off from diving first before I go up to the volcano summit to off gas?
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