Kona Dive Boat Operators

[Rakdiver]

Hi...(DM, 200 or so dives, California, Maui, Kauai, Red Sea, Barbados, Costa Rica) .....headed to Kona in September for 10 days or so of diving. Mostly am boat trips (my wife doesn't dive), but hoping to do 2-3 of the longer range/advanced trips, the manta/blackwater/pelagic magic night dives and maybe a few shore dives.

Kona Honu seems to have the best package pricing (20% off if you do 10 trips).

Jack's, KDC and Big Island all seem like good operators from the reviews online. The package pricing (which is significant with the number of trips I'm considering) is the only distinguishing factor I've noticed in researching this.

Any thoughts on Honu, reasons I should consider another operator or other tips?

Thanks!

 

[grantwiscour]

Kona Honu is a good outfit. They are also the only op that I know of (In Kona) that has 100 cf tanks available.

You won't go wrong with KH...lots of good dives coming your way.
The water in September should be great.

 

[Rakdiver]

Kona Honu is a good outfit. They are also the only op that I know of (In Kona) that has 100 cf tanks available.

You won't go wrong with KH...lots of good dives coming your way.
The water in September should be great.

Thanks sir.....very helpful as I've now come to expect

 

[KauaiScuba]

I've been hearing a lot of good things about "Blue Wilderness". They're a little north of Kona, but diving more secluded non crowded sites with small groups. I'll be diving with them on my next visit. I heard the small drive is worth it.

 

[OrcasC205]

We dove with Kona Honu over New Years and they were awesome -- great boat, guide and captain. I believe they are also the only Kona dive op that provides Nitrox free of charge to appropriately certified divers, too.

 

[Scraps]

It's further up the coast--all the way up the coast, actually--but I was pleased with Kohala Divers.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Kona Honu is very good. They have all the specialty dives - small boat long range, black water, Manta etc..all good. (Try to get your wife to do Manta snorkle while you dive. Easy and great IF Mantas are around. Ask first.) I'd mention you're a DM and also maybe join their club for discounts. I routinely get 100cuft Nitrox tanks from them, which I like very much. Just had a great dive with KHD last Wednesday: I also like Kohala Divers for up the coast. Super nice people who love diving. Jack's and Big Island Divers I have also enjoyed in the past.

Btw: there is a very good shore dive right out from Crescent Beach (aka Dog Beach), by Honokohau Harbor, where dolphins and sharks are frequently seen. It's literally a short walk from Kona Honu boat dock. The portion on a lava trail is slightly sketchy - i bring hiking pole for steadiness. Puako has nice beach dives too as does two-step and there's lot's more. September is warm/hot in the air and water and pretty thin on tourists too !! Make sure the operator you want isn't dry-docking then.

 

[Rakdiver]

Kona Honu is very good. They have all the specialty dives - small boat long range, black water, Manta etc..all good. (Try to get your wife to do Manta snorkle while you dive. Easy and great IF Mantas are around. Ask first.) I'd mention you're a DM and also maybe join their club for discounts. I routinely get 100cuft Nitrox tanks from them, which I like very much. Just had a great dive with KHD last Wednesday: I also like Kohala Divers for up the coast. Super nice people who love diving. Jack's and Big Island Divers I have also enjoyed in the past.

Btw: there is a very good shore dive right out from Crescent Beach (aka Dog Beach), by Honokohau Harbor, where dolphins and sharks are frequently seen. It's literally a short walk from Kona Honu boat dock. The portion on a lava trail is slightly sketchy - i bring hiking pole for steadiness. Puako has nice beach dives too as does two-step and there's lot's more. September is warm/hot in the air and water and pretty thin on tourists too !! Make sure the operator you want isn't dry-docking then.

Thanks very much. All really helpful..,do you happen to know how old you have to be do the manta snorkel? We’ll have six year old along (good swimmer, loves the ocean).

 

[lamarpaulski]

Do not know 100%.KHD 808 324-4668 Seems kids I’ve seen are older than 6 though.

 

[deepsea21]

We just returned from a 10 day trip to the Big Island and dove with Kona Honu. Kona Honu delivered great dive experiences with one serious exception... DO NOT GET SICK as Kona Honu's dive cancel policy requires that you cancel 48 HOURS in advance for a refund. If you get sick, they will NOT refund your $ without a Dr's note saying you are not fit to dive.

I was hit with a norovirus / stomach virus when I was there and was vomiting in the AM before our scheduled dives. For those who travel frequently, you know when have been hit by a Norovirus. I put it behind me and we dove that day because it was just setting in and I figured it may have been something I ate. However, as it built I walked off the boat at the end if the dives and heaved and heaved and then spent the next 20 hours in bed with fever and chills and that last night sweat that wakes you up sleeping in your own sweat. I couldn't dive the next day as I had noting to eat or drink for 24 hour as it would all keep coming up. My wife and friends went diving the next day while I stayed in bed. Kona Honu's refund policy is absolute BS as most all quality dive ops I've used around the world will let you cancel the night before if you are sick or even that day if you are sick and can't make it because one sick diver can take down an entire boat of divers when that diver rinses his gear in the common tank.

How many of you have been on a boat and seen the sick, coughing and hacking diver on board and you never put your reg in the rise tank he did? Kona Honu doesn't care about that and I was out $150 for the day I didn't dive because I couldn't dive nor would I have dived and subjected everyone on the boat to my sickness.

Bottom line, Kona Honu is a good dive op but their refund policy SUCKS and pushes divers to dive when they shouldn't and are sick. DO NOT let them rinse your masks and regs in the common tank. Take them with you and rinse them elsewhere.