The top 57 dive and snorkel sites in Big Island, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Big Island guide
Kahalu'u Beach Park is a wonderfully popular park for sunbathers, snorkelers, and beginner divers. The fish are plentiful, and the turtles are abundant. Facilities are excellent. Directions: You'll find Kahalu'u Beach Park at mile 4.8 on Ali'I Drive, just South of Kailua.
20-60 feet ~ As the name implies, this site is formed by coral reef that is shaped into a horseshoe with ledges and lava tubes below. Resident white tip reef sharks like to snooze under the ledges in the day time. Check out the swim through "the kitchen sink": You will see how it got its name when you go down the drain. Also known as Pam's Cave and Horseshoe North
We will be "hooka" diving using an inflatable boat on the big island of Hawaii this Thanksgiving, so shore entry is very important too us. We are sure some of the dive sites you have described will be visited. One beach not mentioned on your site is Hookena state beach park south of Kona. Having snorkeled there I wonder how it compares with the other sites you've reviewed. Thanks for a very good web site.
The dive site “Manta Heaven” is located in Makako Bay that is just around the corner of Keahole Point, the most western tip of the Big Island. It’s offshore of the Kona International Airport. During daylight hours, the dive site is called “Garden Eel Cove”. In the summer of 1999, the manta rays essentially abandoned the Kona Surf Hotel as a feeding area. There were no sightings for many weeks. James knew that he could find the manta rays somewhere along the coastline and had heard from local boat captains that manta rays were being seen during the day at Garden Eel Cove. His friends Mike Ho and Mike & Nicki Milligan had done night dives in the bay and a manta swam by.
Mile Marker 4 is small beach with easy entry. Several lava tubes may be found a short swim to the left. Directions: Mile Marker 4 is, as the name implies, found right at the 4 mile marker of Ali'i Drive just south of Kailua.
Mahukona is an excellent dive for those who have a few dives under their belt. The entry is very easy, the parking is good, and there is a hot water shower to alleviate the chills of an hour long dive (the shower pipe runs over the lava, and is heated by the Sun -- very nice!). Since this is still used as a small boat harbor, a dive flag is recommended, as always. Directions: Located on the North West tip of Hawaii on the North Kohala Coast on Highway 270 about 13 miles from the junction of 270 and 19.
The Place of Refuge (also known as Two Steps) is a 'must-do' site. The drive to get there is wonderful, the entry is easy, and the diving is great. Turtles abound! The facilities are a little sparse. Take some water and a picnic lunch. There are porta-potties on the site. Directions: From Kealakekua Bay, you can continue to travel South on Highway 160 for 3.2 miles to find the turn off. If this is your first destination of the day, you can take a faster route: from Kailua, drive south on Highway 11 for about 19 miles, well past Captain Cook. Take a right on Highway 160, Ke Ala o Keawe Road, (about mile mark 104) to Kealakekua Bay, and wind your way about 3.5 miles down to the ocean.
We never tire of visiting Ke'ei. The quiet village, the wonderful ocean views, and the excellent diving make for a pleasant afternoon. On this dive, you may be greeted by garden eels, and a rare daylight sighting of a manta ray. The people of Ke'ei have always been nice to us, so be respectful of their property and privacy so we may continue to be welcomed. Parking is the right, and the dive entry is from the small boat ramp on the left. Kick out until you're in about 20 feet of water, drop down, and continue out until you see the sandy bottom, home to the garden eels. Directions: Less than a quarter mile South from Kahauloa Bay, take your first right just before refuse transfer station to your left.
For the intermediate diver, Leleiwi will offer something new on every dive. Rugged coast line and wonderful underwater vistas await you! Directions: Beginning at the intersection of Kanoelehua Ave and Kalanianaole Ave at South Hilo Bay, heat East toward Leleiwi Point on Kalanianaole Ave. Travel 3.3 miles to the entrance below.
Added by Kohala Divers
Puako Village End is 3.0 miles from the turn off of Rt. 19. The diving is excellent and entry is easy. This is a favorite site of the Kohala locals. Directions: The turn off to Puako is on Highway19 about 3.4 miles South of the junction of 270 and 19. Continue down Puako Road for 3.0 miles.
Kailua Bay, although right on the main drag through the Kailua coast, is a much overlooked diving spot. Access is very easy, and the sights are worthwhile. Directions: You can't miss the harbor right in the heart of Kailua.
Kealakedua Bay is a wonderful diving area also shared by kayakers. The bay has been designated a State Park, and you'll easily see why. The view is spectacular, the water is clear, and wildlife abundant. Don't miss diving this site. Directions: From Kailua, drive south on Highway 11 for about 13 miles to get to Captain Cook. Take a right on Highway 160 (mile mark 110.5) to Kealakekua Bay, and wind your way about 4 miles down to the ocean.
Alua Beach is a pleasant little cove that has easy access to a popular boat diving site. Take water and a snack with you. There are facilities nearby (water, restrooms) in the harbor proper, but not at the beach. Watch for the boat traffic, as they may not be watching for you. It is not recommended to snorkel here for that reason. Directions: On Highway19, coming North from Kailua-Kona, the turn off will be 2.4 miles from the junction of 19 and 190
Pahoehoe Beach Park is a well-groomed park with all the necessary facilities. Parking and dive entry are very convenient. Directions: You'll find Pahoehoe Beach Park at mile 3.7 on Ali'I Drive, just South of Kailua.
The zone in front of the Kona Surf Hotel, in Keauhou on the west coast of the Big Island, was the first manta ray viewing site. The official name is Kaukalaelae Point, but most people know it as “Manta Village”. In May 2000, the Kona Surf Hotel was closed and the lights were turned off. As the plankton stopped accumulating, the manta rays stopped frequenting the area. It's not recommended to snorkel here as there is a lot of boat traffic because the channel drops off quickly. In October 2004, the resort reopened as the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay. James teamed up with the resort re-creating a favorable manta ray venue. A short time later, manta rays returned and many new mantas have been identified and named since.
Easy sand entry. May see turtles, sharks, sea cucumbers, dolphin, and big critters in boat channel. Watch out for boats and leopard cone shells. Another good source is a diving club in Kona called Kona Reefers Dive Club. You can find them online. Also check Dick Dresie's website for shoreline diving in Kona: http://home.hawaii.rr.com/ddresie/ From Kona go south on Queen's Hwy. Turn west (toward water) on road to Kealakekua Bay to the dead end (boat launch straight ahead) (parking area to view Capt. Cook's monument to right) and turn left until road makes a sharp bend to the left. Look for a 2 story blue house. Entry to Manini beach is just behind this house. Continue past house for parking spot.
The floor gradually drops off to 100 feet, lots of corals, fish, etc. Navigate carefully because immediately north of the blow hole is an another cove and it is easy to mistake this cove for the one you went into. It isn't a big deal to go back out of the old cove and enter the right one, but you can't always see the arch until you get all the way into the cove. WATCH YOUR AIR. As always the case when diving Hawaii watch the waves and wind. The visual effect of the arch, both in and out, is quite stunning. There are some little caves in and around the cove that are very interesting; a flashlight is good. On the Big Island, go North on Highway 19 from Kailua Kona about 7 miles to Natural Energy Road (Last road West before the Airport). Drive about 1 mile West to the point where the paved road turns north. Turn South on the Dirt road. Drive (VERY CAREFULLY) about 500 yards to a gate which should be open during the day. Go about 100 yards past the gate and look to the ocean. You will see 3 large lava heads along the ocean. Within the lava heads is a cove with an arch on the ocean side which is partially submerged. There is a nice exit on the South side of the hole right by a rusted piton which is there. Gear up and jump in to the cove. Drop down to the bottom, about 15 feet, and swim out under the arch.
Start the Pelagic Dive in Kona, Hawaii just after dusk, floating tethered offshore in the deep dark sea. Just wait to see what goes by, usually not descending any lower than 50 feet. The mesmerizing jellies put on a colorful display that can only be described as breathtaking. Some zooplankton, that only rises to the surface to feed when the lights go out, are now visible to us. Our lights are but small twinkles in the vast blackness of the sea.
Private beach for Marriott vacationers. Good amount of fish for how populated the beach gets.
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Big Island are Kahalu'u Beach Park (4.7 from 12 reviews), Horseshoe Reef (5.0 from 2 reviews) and Hookena State Beach Park (5.0 from 2 reviews).
The top-rated beginner sites are Kahalu'u Beach Park (4.7 from 12 reviews), Horseshoe Reef (5.0 from 2 reviews) and Garden Eel Cove / Manta Ray Heaven (4.6 from 20 reviews).
Kahalu'u Beach Park, Hookena State Beach Park, Garden Eel Cove / Manta Ray Heaven and Mile Marker 4 are the top-rated sites you can enter from shore.
Pelagic Blackwater Night Dive (4.5 from 2 reviews), with a maximum depth of 4000 ft.
Zentacle lists 14 dive shops in Big Island. The top-rated are Kona Honu Divers, Inc. (5.0 from 3000 reviews) and Kona Diving Company (5.0 from 154 reviews).
