Where to stay and dive with on Big Island

[Ouvea]

Hi Kryssa:

The Big Island offers a great variety of lodging options ranging from the inexpensive to the luxurious (especially if near a golf course). I previously stayed at the Kona Coast Resort, which is at the very south end of Alii Drive. I prefer this quiet arrangement instead of the larger hotels that are closer to the shopping centers located at the northern end of Alii Drive. The room has a kitchen, which cuts down on the food costs, although the coconut lager at the Kona Brewing Company is "delicious," if not addictive. There's is still a large pool, with a restaurant and bar where you can relax and enjoy a drink.

I'm going to be on the Big Island in mid June and plan on doing the Manta Ray night dive. I'll be staying at the Kona Coast Resort again. Based on multiple recommendations, I'm going to use Jack's Diving Locker. I didn't bring any scuba gear during my last visit, although I didn't mind snorkeling as the visibility was superb. I expected the truly warm waters of my home in the South Pacific. However, it wasn't as warm as I expected. On the surface, I would have been far more comfortable with a thin wetsuit. At depth, and with multiple dives, you may need at least a 3.0mm depending on your tolerance.

Topside, the Big Island has such a diverse landscape that you'll have a multitude of options. Do visit Volcano at the southern end of the Island, Hilo in the east and Waimea in the north. Saw the Polulu Valley but I regret not having sufficient time to visit the Waipio Valley. There's so much to do that, honestly, you need more than a week to appreciate all the island has to offer. Had Kona Coffee that had been freshly roasted. It's a coffee lover's dream.

Have a wonderful and relaxing vacation!

 

[IamScubaDog]

Thank you Kryssa. Unfortunately 10 year olds have a 40foot limit; know any babysitters when I go? LOL
I am actually going to be there for about 4 weeks so anyone want to be my new BFF ?

---------- Post added May 9th, 2012 at 02:09 PM ----------

Unfortunately 10-year olds have a depth-limit of 40 feet.

 

[Kryssa]

Oh I know that ScubaDog- the Manta Dive has a hard bottom of 35-40 ft depending where you sit

Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk 2

 

[Thalassamania]

Your 10 year old would probably get quite the kick out of the Manta Dive. They would see so much bigger because she is so much smaller. It's just about the easiest night dive you'll ever do, too. You'd have to spend the night in Kona, however, because the drive back would put you at risk for DCS due to altitude.

Current recommendations permit an ascent to 2,000 feet. So, no, you do not have to stay in Kona, you can drive north to the resorts and south halfway between Pahala and Volcano without going any higher than 1,500 ft. My wife is a Registered Nurse and she keeps threatening to open a baby-sitting service.

 

[Racer_X]

When we were there in 2010, I did the manta dive and a black water - not bad for a nocturnal 2 tank. Our max depth for the manta dive was 37 feet, on the sand right in front of the light crate.

We stayed at the Marriott in Kona - they have a coral reef right off shore and we snorkeled there in the mornings with the kids. The shops across the street also have a great coffee place - Kona coffee is good, but via the siphon method it's even better. The only problem is that it's 30 or more minutes to get into town. However, some dive shops and the harbor were between us and town. For going to Volcano - we switched hotels. You want to be up there during the day to see the moonscape and at night to get great views of the caldera. Our best shots were at sunset - enough light to show context and still show the activity.

+1 for the Coconut brown at Kona Brewing Company - I'm still jonesing for that stuff.
a BIG +1 for the burger place in the strip mall across from the Target - any one remember the name?

Some travel recommendations: rent a jeep rubicon with the kids - it's well worth it. Plus you can go down into Waipo valley. Figure at least half a day there / picnic lunch - it was a blast and we wanted to stay longer.
Mauna Kea at night was a trip as well. Ignore what the car rental agencies and travel books say about Saddle Road - it's the absolute fastest way back and forth (assuming you aren't off gassing). Open stretches, light traffic, and not a lot of <ahem> constabulary problems.
Southpoint was awe-inspiring as well, and if you could squeeze in a helicopter tour the kids loved it. If you spend some time in Volcano, it's more optional.

Definitely agree that there's easily about 2 weeks of stuff to do there - assuming you only want to dive for a day or so...