My short review for the Wave 1 beginner freediving course is: If you're even slightly interested,…read moretake this course! Whether you're beginner or "advanced" but not certified, you won't regret it!! Since there were no other reviews here yet, I decided to also write an in-depth (see what I did there?) one. Now the long review... I'm so glad that I enrolled in the freediver certification course with Honolulu Freedivers. I've been an avid snorkeler for decades, competed in distance freestyle ocean swims, paddling competitions and triathlons--even taught some folks how to swim. I LOVE the ocean, BUT I also love to be able to BREATHE often, whenever I want to, even more. I could dive to pool depth, but needed to pop right back up. So, freediving was always kind of a unicorn. Prior to taking the certification course, holding my breath during the exertion of ocean dives was incredibly hard for me. Despite having good cardio, the urge to breathe while swimming underwater and the desire to surface was overwhelming. I tried watching hours of YouTube "expert" videos on my own. But it didn't really help, and in retrospect I'm lucky to not have accidentally drowned trying some of the stuff I saw. In the two-day, info-packed beginner course (Wave 1), Derek's instruction and his course materials helped me to fully understand my self-inflicted limitations. On the first day, extended my person best static (land) breath hold by a full minute! In the water, I was able to reach AND RELAX FOR A WHILE at a depth I would have thought impossible for me--then on day two, I DOUBLED that distance to earn my certification (20 meters). Derek is ultra-experienced, patient, friendly and puts safety first during dives. His assistant kept an extra set of eyes on us and provided additional instruction/feedback. The pre-dive breathe up and the post-dive recovery were drilled extensively because of their importance. He gave precise, helpful critiques. And, because he limits his class size, everyone had more than enough time and it was fun!! I felt very safe doing all the dives. Some went perfectly, and for the ones where I lapsed on technique, Derek was right there to keep me from making things worse for myself. Then at the surface after recovery he was quick to give corrective instruction for the next dive. Most importantly, I also learned how to confidently deal with dive buddy emergencies: shallow water blackout, loss of motor control, cramps, etc. I now have increased value as a dive buddy for my friends, family and fellow divers because of this class. With what I learned, I might save a life one day, maybe my own. An added bonus is that any diver certified through this class, has an open invitation to attend recurrent Honolulu Freedivers boat dives and weekly pool training, and also becomes a member of an international online community group (Molchanovs) where even more material is accessible. I took the class with two other friends and made a new friend, as a tourist also dropped in to attend. We all agreed it was well worth the investment! Thanks, Derek and V!!

Fantastic first-time Freedive experience; exceeded my expectations! Derek is an amazing freediver…read morewho excels as an instructor. His reputation as a patient and positive teacher is well deserved. He gave me the confidence to go further than I thought possible. Highly recommend! - Will

Staff super experienced and able to give best recommendation on gear. And prices are perfectly…read morefair.

Very knowledgeable and Uncle makes sure you get the right stuff you need. Also if you got get…read morebands, line, or reels installed they do it very fast great shop.

I just completed my level 2 freediver cert with Tim and I'm so happy I did. I've always been…read morecomfortable in the ocean but after taking his course, I feel even more safe knowing how to properly handle safety and emergency situations that I've never accounted for before. I also appreciated the deeper knowledge of efficient entries, breathing up, and proper form skills I gained from Tim. My diving has improved immensely and I have Tim to thank for that. He was very patient, knowledgable, clearly passionate for the sport of freediving. I'll definitely be returning to Tim for his other courses.

My instructor was Tim. He was very professional and extremely knowledgeable on all of the topics he…read morecovered. I came into the course with a relatively high comfort level in the water and a respectable depth from watching YouTube videos. I took the course to refine a lot of fundamental skills and more importantly to learn how to act in an emergency situation. The course really hits the topic out of the park and prepare you to properly act if the worse happens. I will definitely be taking my intermediate course in the future though this company. I also got a PB on my static breath hold and on my depth.

Callum is an awesome coach and trainer first time with my husband and daughter scuba diving…read moreadventure!! Since it's been 12-15 years since my last dive, I truly appreciate Callum's simple/clear instruction. He gave us all confidence before even that first dive; a terrific experience, for sure. The whole team was careful and appropriate for planning the best time for a dive, given the recent storms. Captain D is super friendly and drives the boat to areas that we could see dolphins- no one was in a hurry that we had to be back to the port, knowing that we wanted to see dolphins and maybe a whale off in the distance. Shannon M from Ashland, OR

I went to this company to do my IDC and I finished everything I was supposed to, waiting months and…read moremonths for Andrew to let me know when I can take the test, kept calling and texting with no answer, eventually I heard he had left the company, Caleb said he would help me remedy the situation cuz Andrew had "left him in a bad position" so I went diving with him once and he said I can come diving whenever until he can get me finished with my course, but never answered his phone after that. Paid thousands of dollars for absolutely nothing!

This was my 2nd dive with Banzai Divers but my first dive for the Open Water certification. Devin…read morethoroughly oriented our group of 3 with what to expect, the equipment we will be using and all the safety precautions. He was so organized, prepared and professional. The dive experience was amazing and fun! I would highly recommend going with Banzai Divers for all diving experiences, be it a discovery dive or the PADI certifications. Devin is extremely patient and knowledgeable!

Awesome first dive towards open water certification with Devin and Banzai Divers. Devin is very…read moreknowledgeable and patient, a very good instructor! Had a great experience!

This dive shop has very knowledgeable associates working in the store. But the hours and actual…read moreopening time can be difficult with them running to the shore at various times throughout the day. Dive boat was simple and left on time each day. They are really geared towards single day visits so don't plan a multi-day trip with them as they go to the same dive spots every time. But they make a great adventure add-on to your visit to the island. Gear was in good condition and rental rates were reasonable.

I highly recommend Savannah as your dive master! She was very patient, welcoming, and attentive…read morewith my dive buddy who hadn't dove in over a year. She took her time refreshing new divers with rented equipment and always reviewed the dove plan before site arrival. The boat captain was equally knowledgeable and kind. Justin was friendly and always put our safety first. I would highly recommend this dive shop.