Kona Honu Divers
Kona Honu Divers
4.8
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Hawaii's Top Rated dive company and Scuba Diving Magazine Reader's Choice Award winning dive operation in the Pacific. We bring the highest quality boats, gear, and people to deliver the safest experience available in Hawaii. Just read our reviews and you'll see why our divers keep coming back year after year.
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.8
1,720 reviews
Excellent
1,556
Very good
91
Average
22
Poor
15
Terrible
36
SurferDad89
Redwood City, CA4 contributions
Mar 2025 • Solo
I recently went on a 2 tank local morning dive with Kona Honu Divers and was thoroughly impressed! The dive sites were great, the crew was top notch, rental equipment was pristine, boat was comfortable, and Captain John was a total professional with a terrific sense of humor. Their guides dive with us, in small groups, and made sure we saw all the highlights they could find and carried writing tablets to communicate what we were seeing. Kona Honu also fills their tanks generously, so I experienced bottom times (75 minutes each dive) longer than I can remember anywhere else. I visit Kona annually and from now won't dive with any other operator beside Kona Honu Divers.
Written March 12, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John K
17 contributions
Mar 2025 • Family
Holly, Taka, and Rachel made the famous manta ray dive perfect. The two-dive itinerary was perfect to get our kids ready for their first night dive with a preparatory dive at the same location before dusk. This team was well practiced in conducting this unique dive and had all the details and techniques to let the divers fully enjoy it.
Written March 18, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca Z
Laguna Niguel, CA192 contributions
Sep 2024
My husband and I did 4 different dives and enjoyed all of them. The Divemasters Rob (local AM dive), Max (black water night, long distance dive) and Molly (manta) were all excellent, very professional, organized and knowledgeable. They made sure to do a thorough briefing so we knew what to expect before entering the dive. There’s also plenty of great snacks onboard and sunscreen.
In comparing the different dive companies in Kona, I chose Kona Honu because they offered free nitrox, had a small 6:1 ratio and hot water showers, definitely a luxury on the night dives!
Everything was flawless in reserving online, including equipment rentals. I also emailed them prior to arrival. Response was prompt and super helpful in addressing my questions.
I highly recommend the dives, though, I would caution that for the black water night and manta dive, it is not for beginners or those who haven’t dived in over a year. The dark can be very disconcerting as I witnessed some guests with limited dive experience had a tough time on the manta dive, though, they were fine on the dive beforehand when it was daylight.
Otherwise, I highly recommend this company and I would definitely join them again!
In comparing the different dive companies in Kona, I chose Kona Honu because they offered free nitrox, had a small 6:1 ratio and hot water showers, definitely a luxury on the night dives!
Everything was flawless in reserving online, including equipment rentals. I also emailed them prior to arrival. Response was prompt and super helpful in addressing my questions.
I highly recommend the dives, though, I would caution that for the black water night and manta dive, it is not for beginners or those who haven’t dived in over a year. The dark can be very disconcerting as I witnessed some guests with limited dive experience had a tough time on the manta dive, though, they were fine on the dive beforehand when it was daylight.
Otherwise, I highly recommend this company and I would definitely join them again!
Written September 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom T
Kailua-Kona, HI26 contributions
Feb 2025 • Solo
Another day of great diving ! Excellent conditions at both Big Arch and Pawai Wash Rock. Holly did a fine job as our guide & has good eyes for pointing out octopus for sure! The entire crew of Max, Holly & Holger were friendly & professional. Capt. Kimo did a great job of rescuing a hat that blew overboard from a passanger that should have known better! (me!) Mahalo to all.
Written February 25, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stan G
1 contribution
Jan 2025
Captain John and Dive Master Kevin were awesome. They were very knoweable about the marine life, dive site topography, and diving conditions.
The dives were great because they took us to a protected bay during a winter swell that kept the diving easy with great visibility. Kevin let us know that we could hear the whales singing, which we did and it was very cool to hear. On the surface, John stopped the boat so that humpback whales and spinner dolphins could safely pass and we could enjoy watching them. The whole crew was very friendly and professional and ensured that all the passengers were safe, comfortable, and taken care of. I highly recommend Kona Honu Divers! Thanks John and Kevin!!!
The dives were great because they took us to a protected bay during a winter swell that kept the diving easy with great visibility. Kevin let us know that we could hear the whales singing, which we did and it was very cool to hear. On the surface, John stopped the boat so that humpback whales and spinner dolphins could safely pass and we could enjoy watching them. The whole crew was very friendly and professional and ensured that all the passengers were safe, comfortable, and taken care of. I highly recommend Kona Honu Divers! Thanks John and Kevin!!!
Written January 19, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Msmiapr
Encinitas, CA1 contribution
Jan 2025
Such a fabulous dive trip to Kona Hawaii. Kona Honu dive company never disappoints from awesome Captains to incredible dive instructors and guides, this is your go-to dive company. I set out on a dive tour for advanced divers on the long range charter to start. Taka was our captain and Matthew was the guide. Excellent safety procedures and lock step the whole day. Awesome deep dives and coral gardens to explore. Second trip was the local dive charter which was fantastic with a day trip to the local reef and then the famous Manta Ray night dive. Excellent visibility this week even after heavy rains and surf surges a few days prior, the ocean calmed down and we dove right in. Captain KIMO was fantastic captain taking us to a spot that often doesn’t have the perfect conditions but our day was the day! Then at night Max led our group around the manta dive site for a pre-dive around the same site we’d go to for the Manta show. It’s a really great night dive for first time night divers as there are plenty of people and lights that attract the plankton for the mantas to feed on. Max is super knowledgable and briefed us on everything about the mantas. I felt like I knew them going into the dive. Was an excellent experience all around. Plus the warm shower on the boat is a huge plus!! Thanks guys! You rock.
Written January 14, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tri M
2 contributions
Nov 2024 • Solo
This is the second freediving class I have taken that Chris was involved with. His calm manner and investment in the success of his students of all levels was very notable in both courses. It was impressive to have an instructor who was great at teaching concepts and in sharing lessons learned from his extensive experience spearfishing for food, scientific research, and commercially. He was passionate about respectful interaction with the environment. Chris went above and beyond in helping me figure out the proper equipment and set-up particular for pole spear hunting in Alaska. The only change I would make is to have the option for the course to be longer! I really appreciate Kona Honu for having such an experienced and kind instructor, great shop dog (shout out to Bunny), and helpful staff.
Written January 11, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer P
Sioux Falls, SD44 contributions
Mar 2025 • Family
We had a wonderful experience with Kona Honu Divers. We did the Manta Ray night dive with Max, John and MJ. They did a super job and were extremely professional, safe, efficient and worked hard to make it a great evening of diving. They provided a very thorough explanation of how the manta dive would take place and specific instructions on what to do. The crew is full service and take care of getting the gear ready for us each dive and even rinsed it all afterwards. We got to see 5 Mantas swimming all around us! It was amazing! Thank you John, Max, and MJ for taking such good care of us!
Written March 19, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tombY6914IP
22 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
We made four dives with Kona Honu Divers. The entire crew was exceptional. We had Taka as boat captain, and Holger, Kevin and Max as dive guides. From initial arrival at the boat dock, it is obvious that this dive shop team has a structured and well executed plan. An initial boat briefing covering safety and related factors was accomplished immediately before we got on the boat. The boat was immaculate, and each diver had an assigned station with plenty of space. Although we provided our own equipment, they had new and well- maintained dive gear for those that needed rentals. The dive leaders are more than happy to completely set up your gear or you can elect to do it yourself. Nitrox analyzers were available so you could verify the O2 level. On our four dives there were never more than 5 divers with a single guide, so each dive was very personalized. We saw turtles, moray eels, boxfish, garden eels and many other species. But we also had a bottlenose dolphin come right up to us and spent about 3 minutes within 5 feet of us - very cool. However, the highlight of the day was the evening manta ray dive. We had 11 mantas (and two more dolphins) join us and swim literally 1-3 feet from us at times. These animals are so wonderful and majestic, and seeing them from the bottom (SCUBA) up close and personal versus snorkel was an amazing experience. Max collected action camera videos and shared some on the boat after each dive (via airdrop). Can not say enough about how well organized the whole Kona Honu team was throughout. Highly recommend!!
Written June 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
aaronm290
Oakland, CA9 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Very well-run operation. Organized, communicative, efficient. The dives were high quality and they did a nice job accommodating people at different levels. Rob, our first dive master, was excellent. Very attentive and instructive. Our second dive master on our night dive was less good. He mostly ignored us after the initial briefing and didn’t seem to be at the same level as the other staff in the boat. Potentially, he was just having an off day. I would highly recommend this company.
Written January 5, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My family of 4 (certified) would like to plan a 1 tank dive sometime between Dec 22 and 25th. The 'wrinkle' is that my son's new wife is not (yet) certified and we'd like to 'try' to do a shallow dive together. What would you suggest...maybe "Snuba" or an intro effort and thena shallow dive?
Written November 28, 2019
Call the shop and see what options they might have. I do think they can arrange a "discover scuba" intro, I think on one of our dives there was a couple doing that and they had their own DM - if your daughter in law wants to get certified you can have her do her pool and course work in advance of the trip and then she can do her checkout dives to certify with a dive shop there.
Written December 3, 2019
현지 윤
Busan, South Korea
hello.
My husband and I are going to experience Manta ray diving next April during our honeymoon.
I have some questions about your Manta ray diving course.
1. We have PADI license but we don't have any experience of diving more than 1 year.
So, We are not used to diving.
Can we enjoy your Manta ray diving course without trouble?
2. Before your diving course, is there any orientation about the course and diving skills?
Please check my questions and give your answer.
Best Regard.
Written March 4, 2018
Aloha,
We ask that you have been diving within the past 2 years, it sounds like you have. Our dive guides give a detailed briefing on viewing the mantas and what to expect at the dive site. The guides also help with gear set up and breakdown.
However, if you are feeling uncertain about diving and want some extra attention, I would recommend a private guide for you and your husband. It is $100 for a private guide, if you choose to go with the private guide it will be a tailored dive experience for you and your husband.
Mahalo,
Ali
Written March 8, 2018
Does this company offer photography service during your dive/excursions? Thanks
Written August 15, 2017
Aloha Mark,
We rent sealife cameras for $49/day or if you would like something more hands off please e-mail us @ info and we can arrange for a photographer
Written March 8, 2018
As anyone done the open ocean safari and if so, how was your experience? I'm having trouble deciding wether to do the open ocean safari or the dolphin tour. Thanks in advance
Written August 6, 2017
I would stick with Kona Honu. They are very respectful of all ocean life.
Written August 6, 2017
I have two children - will be 12 and almost 8 at time of travel. They are both swimmers. Would the night manta ray snorkel trip be appropriate for them? They are both interested in seeing the mantas up close.
Written April 11, 2017
I just saw this since the NSA stranded me in London for 6 months so I'd be an illegal immigrant in Europe which was after they drugged me in my hometown so I'd get a DUI and be "ineligible" to ever work in the IT security industry for as long as I lived.
Anyways, hope you had fun in Hawaii.
I was going to say as long as the kids don't fall off the floating noodle, it'll be o.k.
Written December 23, 2018
Better to snorkel or dive to see mantas?
Written February 12, 2017
It is much better to dive to see the Mantas. It was very choppy when we went, so my wife was not able to see much while snorkeling. Meanwhile I had an amazing experience diving below. The mantas were all over us; gliding right at us such that we had to constantly duck to get out of their way. It was amazing staring them in the eyeball, then ducking and looking up to see their white underside just inches above.
Written February 12, 2017
Why choose them instead of Jack's ?
Written October 11, 2016
Their boat is much nicer, bigger, with two decks so you could walk around. The gear is newer and better too. The new owner made a lot of great upgrades but kept the staff who were friendly and experienced.
Written October 12, 2016
Hi Chris,
When did you go diving? What dive did you do? Was there a lot of marine life?
Written March 7, 2016
Freeze face and Airstation I saw 61 different fish species at freeze face and 64 species att air station. I recorded the following notes in my log book:
Freeze face - Ewa fangblenny, two or ocular velvet fish or as others call them two coral crouches, very large yellow cummerson's frog fish, two flame Angels , a blue fin trevally (a jack) hunting with two blue goat fish
Air station - two mid night sargets up in the surge, electric blue stripped squirrel fish (one I have yet to ID s I have never seen this myself before), two HI turkey fish ( if you dive the Carribean this is the name for lion fish) lots of Achilles tang, a and a baby HI hog fish!
Both dives were on February 11, 2016
Written March 9, 2016
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