Garden Eel Cove

By day, garden eels can be viewed in a sandy arena at about 70-80 feet, protruding from the sand like weeds in a garden. But approach slowly, because at the slightest sign of intrusion, these shy eels retract quickly back into the sand! The surrounding reef is abundant with beautiful staghorn and finger coral heads. This site has also become the "hangout of choice" for the famous Kona manta rays. Over 60 different rays, distinguished by unique spots on their under bellies, have been named and cataloged. For divers, it is a shallow dive requiring little more than an easy descent under the boat and a short swim over to a designated area to rest against a rock on your knees and enjoy the show while directing your light toward the surface to attract plankton! Garden Eel Cove, located north of Honokohau Harbor about 20 minutes by boat, lies just offshore from Kona International Airport.