Bo PardauBlackwater dives with Kona Honu Divers yield all sorts of underwater alien delights.
Beyond the sun-drenched shores of Hawaii’s lovely Big Island lies an extraordinary underwater realm waiting to be explored—a vibrant, volcanic ecosystem unlike any other. If you want an equally exceptional experience with a local Big Island dive operator, look no further than Kona Honu Divers.
Big Island diving underwater experiences are nearly endless and there’s no better dive operation to show it all to you than Kona Honu Divers. The one word that sets Kona Honu Divers apart from all other Big Island dive operations is “quality,” but the team also believes in the operation’s other core values, too—in addition to providing the highest quality dive experience in Hawaii, your Kona Honu dive guides and boat crew always keep safety, kindness, passion, environmental stewardship and fun front and center. Collectively, the experienced staff has more than 67,000 dives to ensure that you have a safe and excellent adventure while being pampered by a valet dive experience.
The benefits that Kona Honu Divers offers are nearly endless. Nitrox is offered free of charge. The operation uses neutrally bouyant 80-cubic-foot aluminum tanks. The boat crew provides unmatched valet service, including rinsing and storing your gear and helping you in and out of the water, all while you enjoy spectacular underwater sites. Most of the best dive sites are within minutes of Kona Honu’s marina. Kona Honu’s dive guides are skilled at finding amazing creatures, from juvenile frogfish to endemic fish like the flame wrasse. The rental gear is rigorously maintained (they bench test all Atomic Aquatics and Scubapro rental regulators monthly). You can also rent gear to make shore dives, including diver favorites—Kawaihae Nudi Madness, Mahukona, Old Airport and Kua Bay sites. You can even book a guided shore dive.
If you’re making boat dives, your experience begins when the friendly dive crew greets you at the dock. The staff is trained to set up your gear and get you dialed in and briefed before entering the water. Whether you’re making a two-tank morning trip or a more advanced expedition, you will be spoiled aboard Kona Honu’s two dive boats, the custom 46-foot Honu One and 33-foot Honu Lele. The well-appointed boats are designed for your comfort and safety. Each boat offers guests hot-water showers and plenty of snacks.
Kona Honu DiversGuests are spoiled aboard Kona Honu’s two dive boats, the custom 46-foot Honu One and 33-foot Honu Lele, designed for comfort, safety and unforgettable Big Island dive adventures.
Each year, Kona Honu works to provide its divers with eco-friendly experiences. The operation donates more than $15,000 to Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. They are one of the operators that have been named to Hawaii Ocean Watch’s “green list” of manta ray tour operators. In order to be listed, operators must make sizeable efforts to improve safety and sustainability for their guests, their crew, and the manta rays.
Kona Honu DiversA squadron of manta rays glides gracefully above divers during Kona Honu’s signature night dive.
If you’ve never experienced diving off Hawaii’s Big Island, picture this for a moment: Sparkling, sunlit blue water. Volcanic-forged reefs shimmering with Pacific Ocean tropical fish, some of them found nowhere else on Earth. Playful spinner dolphins entertaining you during a safety stop. A squadron of manta rays flying gracefully above you on a night dive. You will board Kona Honu Divers' spacious and well-appointed dive boat at Honokohau Harbor and cruise north along the coast to Garden Eel Cove. The diving begins with a guided reef dive. You’ll spend a surface interval enjoying the Kona sunset and a light meal before having an educational and fascinating briefing on the manta ray’s lifestyle. A mind-blowing blackwater night dive to witness the migration of deep-sea creatures that ascend from the inky-black depths to feed. Limited to only six divers (and usually booked solid months in advance), Kona Honu’s blackwater experience is a unique night dive that takes you miles offshore. You’ll hang in the open ocean, suspended from a 60-foot tether attached to the boat to watch pelagic animals drift by, the world’s largest migration of animals. You’ll have the opportunity to see so many creatures that are unseen in the daytime, ranging from translucent larval fish and invertebrates to siphonophores, and even cephalopods (octopus and squid). Two-tank local morning dives take you to sites within 20 minutes of the dock. You may encounter many of Hawaii’s colorful endemic fish, swim through old lava formations, spot hard-to-find octopus, see a resting white-tip reef shark or findmany other creatures that call Kona’s clear, warm waters their home.
If you’ve got nondivers in your group, they’ll appreciate Kona Honu’s Big Island snorkeling tours. They can visit Kealakekua Bay, home of the popular Captain Cook Monument, snorkel with mantas or choose among countless sites that promise encounters with green sea turtles, yellow tangs and so much more. A fun activity for everyone in your group is a whale-watching excursion (January through April), when you might have the chance to see the humpback whales that visit Hawaii from their home grounds in Alaska. It’s a great activity for all ages.
If you’re a diver who has been dreaming about furthering your dive education and advancing your open-water certification or a nondiver who has decided to get your open-water certification, Kona Honu Divers has a training program for you, from Discover Scuba Diving and refresher classes to Enriched Air Diver, Nitrox and Rescue Diver specialties to open water, Master Scuba Trainer and Divemaster courses.
With over 6,000 5-star reviews, Kona Honu Divers provides an unmatched diving experience at the Big Island’s most iconic underwater locations, and you can visit their website to find numerous packages offering discounts, including the “Diving Variety” deal that combines Kona Honu’s best adventures and excursions—two 2-tank morning dives, one 2-tank manta dive, one blackwater dive and six 2-tank premium, advanced, long-range trips. All Kona Honu dive packages have three levels of savings. If you book three or more charters, you’ll get 10% off your dives. If you book five or more charters together, you will get 15% off. And when you book 10 or more charters together, you will receive 15% off all of your dives. Find details on how to get the best deals with Kona Honu here.
No matter what your dive experience level is, Kona Honu Divers is dedicated to making your vacation on Hawaii’s Big Island the best ever.
Explore Further
Beyond the Basics
Kona Honu also offers premium, advanced long-range charters that are limited to six divers. These expeditions are designed for more adventurous and experienced divers. You’ll be taken to sites such as Touch of Grey, where juvenile grey reef sharks are sometimes found; Au Au canyon, a submerged volcanic crater; and LAX, a beautiful lava dome with towering coral arches. Even the boat ride yields gifts of the sea: Depending on the season, you may spot hammerhead sharks, killer whales or humpback whales. These experiences are truly special.
2026 Readers Choice Awards
Kona Honu won awards in seven categories, including five “best in quality” awards—for staff, training courses, rental gear, dive boats and facilities.
Contact Info
(888) 333-4668
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