Got back from Kona just 3 days ago and I'm still recuperating from jetlag. Thankfully it's improving!
Had a great time. Stayed at Kona Village and dived with DiveTekHawaii.
First...Kona Village Resort. Nifty place...quiet and remote, so to speak. We had a hale' very near the beach to take advantage of the ocean breezes as there's no A/C at KVR. With both sliding doors open, coupled with the ceiling fan....we didn't need it.
Our hale' had a king size bed, two comfy chairs with ottomans, large bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower....very roomy. Bigger than my first apartment! The hale' there are simulated grass huts with vaulted ceilings inside and covered open-air porches....very fitting the setting. It was a very short walk to the beach, pool, bar and two dining rooms. Complete with luau on Friday night to finish the week off.
The food was okay, not near the 5 star they claim, but passable. I thought several of the items I had were very salty....too salty to enjoy and I'm a salt-shaker fan! The dinners were 5 courses, breakfast and lunch were huge buffets. KVR is an all-inclusive, excluding alcohol. They even stock your fridge in your hale' with your choice of 8 soft beverages per day included in the cost of the package.
This resort definitely does not have nightlife. It caters to families with May and September being adult only. If you're single looking for a nightlife, this isn't the place for you. If you're looking for quiet and solitude.....this is it.
KVR is nestled right on the shore north of Kona-Kailua airport after a lengthy drive from the highway, through the lava flow, to the shore where KVR is located. This is a security minded resort....with a gate guard to clear before getting on property. Usually not a problem with trespassers since it's in the middle of the very rough terrain of the lava flow. No locks on the hale' doors, but there is an in-room safe if you feel the need.
This is not a dive resort, tho they claim to have diving available. We were not impressed one bit with the beach/snorkel/boat/dive staff. I'm told they are all new since the new owner cancelled the contract with a local dive shop. There once was a very BIG boat that moored up to the island that took out divers.....but no more. Now it's more of a SNUBA/Resort course operation if at all.
This resort also has repeat customers year after year after year after year. I heard one young man heading off to college this fall state he'd been coming to KVR with his family since he was four years old. This is the kinda place people keep coming to year after year kinda like the resorts in the Catskills that affluent NewYorker's went to in the summer during the '50s and '60s.
I give a thumbs up for ambience, surroundings, view and comfort. Tho some of the staff can be very abrupt while others bent over backwards.
www.konavillage.com
Next....DiveTekHawaii.......
We choose this op as it was highly recommended by Joel Silverstein. It's a very tek friendly resort catering to the advanced diver as well as the new & learning diver. They do NOT run a cattleboat operation although their very roomy 36ft boat could handle 20 divers. In fact, if you've got advanced and basic divers on the same boat, they'll put 2 divemasters in the water. You're always free to dive your own profile and there are no time limits put on you other than those of your own SCR and BT and level of training. If you prefer to not follow the DM, you don't have to. He's there if you want him to show you the local critters he meets and knows where they hide, but if you prefer, you can pass on his services. Being photographers we took him up on his scouting for us. Keith owns/runs/instructs the operation; Chuck is boat captain/and instructor and Colin is divemaster. All three are tech certified with very reputable agencies, but are also very laid back and will dive with any qualified safe diver from any agency. A-1-+ Op! We did 7 dives with them and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.
They also take care of your needs.....chilled bottled water; sandwiches at SI; and snacks (pretzels and Twizzlers! wooHOO). They will also rinse all your gear for you before you leave the boat if you like....all of it...your fins, mask, regs, saving wetsuits & booties for the very end because we all know what honest and delusional people do in their wetsuits! Nifty! And the big thing we liked.....they asked you when you boarded the boat..."what is your preference on assembling your gear? would you like us to do it for you or do you prefer to do it yourself?" YES! I prefer doing my own gear and appreciate an op that finds out MY wishes before unzipping MY bag. I hate nothing more than to hop on a dive boat and having a DM start assembling my gear assuming I like valet service.....I don't. To each his own tho....and they cater to either.
Lastly, they understand technical diving and will cater to the technical diver who wants to do longer profiles, multiple tanks and decompression diving if that is their wish.
Great OP....I highly recommend for the advanced and new diver alike.
www.divetekhawaii.com
Had a great time. Stayed at Kona Village and dived with DiveTekHawaii.
First...Kona Village Resort. Nifty place...quiet and remote, so to speak. We had a hale' very near the beach to take advantage of the ocean breezes as there's no A/C at KVR. With both sliding doors open, coupled with the ceiling fan....we didn't need it.
Our hale' had a king size bed, two comfy chairs with ottomans, large bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower....very roomy. Bigger than my first apartment! The hale' there are simulated grass huts with vaulted ceilings inside and covered open-air porches....very fitting the setting. It was a very short walk to the beach, pool, bar and two dining rooms. Complete with luau on Friday night to finish the week off.
The food was okay, not near the 5 star they claim, but passable. I thought several of the items I had were very salty....too salty to enjoy and I'm a salt-shaker fan! The dinners were 5 courses, breakfast and lunch were huge buffets. KVR is an all-inclusive, excluding alcohol. They even stock your fridge in your hale' with your choice of 8 soft beverages per day included in the cost of the package.
This resort definitely does not have nightlife. It caters to families with May and September being adult only. If you're single looking for a nightlife, this isn't the place for you. If you're looking for quiet and solitude.....this is it.
KVR is nestled right on the shore north of Kona-Kailua airport after a lengthy drive from the highway, through the lava flow, to the shore where KVR is located. This is a security minded resort....with a gate guard to clear before getting on property. Usually not a problem with trespassers since it's in the middle of the very rough terrain of the lava flow. No locks on the hale' doors, but there is an in-room safe if you feel the need.
This is not a dive resort, tho they claim to have diving available. We were not impressed one bit with the beach/snorkel/boat/dive staff. I'm told they are all new since the new owner cancelled the contract with a local dive shop. There once was a very BIG boat that moored up to the island that took out divers.....but no more. Now it's more of a SNUBA/Resort course operation if at all.
This resort also has repeat customers year after year after year after year. I heard one young man heading off to college this fall state he'd been coming to KVR with his family since he was four years old. This is the kinda place people keep coming to year after year kinda like the resorts in the Catskills that affluent NewYorker's went to in the summer during the '50s and '60s.
I give a thumbs up for ambience, surroundings, view and comfort. Tho some of the staff can be very abrupt while others bent over backwards.
www.konavillage.com
Next....DiveTekHawaii.......
We choose this op as it was highly recommended by Joel Silverstein. It's a very tek friendly resort catering to the advanced diver as well as the new & learning diver. They do NOT run a cattleboat operation although their very roomy 36ft boat could handle 20 divers. In fact, if you've got advanced and basic divers on the same boat, they'll put 2 divemasters in the water. You're always free to dive your own profile and there are no time limits put on you other than those of your own SCR and BT and level of training. If you prefer to not follow the DM, you don't have to. He's there if you want him to show you the local critters he meets and knows where they hide, but if you prefer, you can pass on his services. Being photographers we took him up on his scouting for us. Keith owns/runs/instructs the operation; Chuck is boat captain/and instructor and Colin is divemaster. All three are tech certified with very reputable agencies, but are also very laid back and will dive with any qualified safe diver from any agency. A-1-+ Op! We did 7 dives with them and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.
They also take care of your needs.....chilled bottled water; sandwiches at SI; and snacks (pretzels and Twizzlers! wooHOO). They will also rinse all your gear for you before you leave the boat if you like....all of it...your fins, mask, regs, saving wetsuits & booties for the very end because we all know what honest and delusional people do in their wetsuits! Nifty! And the big thing we liked.....they asked you when you boarded the boat..."what is your preference on assembling your gear? would you like us to do it for you or do you prefer to do it yourself?" YES! I prefer doing my own gear and appreciate an op that finds out MY wishes before unzipping MY bag. I hate nothing more than to hop on a dive boat and having a DM start assembling my gear assuming I like valet service.....I don't. To each his own tho....and they cater to either.
Lastly, they understand technical diving and will cater to the technical diver who wants to do longer profiles, multiple tanks and decompression diving if that is their wish.
Great OP....I highly recommend for the advanced and new diver alike.
www.divetekhawaii.com
