Awesome instructors. My daughter and her friend enjoyed their time during the summer camp this year.read more

Feb 2026 - Based on my experience, I urge you to consider not doing business with this company…read more They appear to value revenue over the safety and comfort of their customers. Due to hazardous weather conditions, the tour we were on should never have left the harbor. Not only were the ocean wave conditions reported by the coast guard to be clearly dangerous, the driving hard rain made the conditions completely unacceptable not only for safety reasons but for customer comfort. Despite my several attempts to point this out to the staff answering the phone one day prior to the tour as well as the captain of the boat prior to departure, they blocked my attempts to reschedule or refund the trip in spite of coast guard and national weather service small craft warnings, beach closures and other tour operators canceling their tours under the same conditions. After waves broke over the bow of this small craft, the captain aborted the tour and turned around. After an unusually leisurely return to the dock, I called and asked for a refund. Later we were told based on our return time, we had received the full tour and a refund would not be issued. After escalating our concern, a senior member of the company emailed us and said we would be issued a full refund. Over six weeks later they have still not issued us a refund. We had to file a dispute with our credit card company.

Great people! Went out of their way to help my keiki granddaughter with a life jacketread more

Brad is the only reason this review contains anything positive…read more We rented four tanks and weights during unsettled weather. Brad handled the situation exactly as a dive professional should. He checked certifications, discussed conditions, made sure we understood the risks, and confirmed we were prepared to abort the dive if conditions were unsafe. Professional, responsible, and respectful. Then there was Tina Davis. She was rude, dismissive, condescending, and openly unpleasant. I also heard the way she spoke about other customers when they were not present. Based on what I personally witnessed, this went beyond bad customer service. In scuba diving, attitude can become a safety issue. Divers must feel comfortable asking questions, raising equipment concerns, questioning conditions, and saying they are not comfortable. An employee who makes customers feel stupid or unwelcome for doing that can discourage exactly the communication that keeps people safe. I would not personally trust Tina Davis in a safety-critical interaction after what I witnessed. I also personally heard her make a comment to the effect of, "just take it from the lost and found." I am not accusing her of stealing anything. I am stating what I personally heard, and I found the comment inappropriate and concerning for someone working in a business trusted with customers' equipment and property. The contrast with Brad was dramatic. He handled the same circumstances professionally and treated us like adults. Afterward, I spoke with other local divers who described similar negative experiences with Tina. I cannot independently verify their experiences, so they can speak for themselves. I can only speak for mine. I believe management should seriously consider whether Tina Davis should continue representing this business. If this were my company, I would terminate her employment. I have also submitted these concerns to PADI Quality Management / Quality Assurance for independent review. For the avoidance of doubt, this review also puts management and ownership on notice of the safety and judgment concerns I personally observed. If a future incident involves similar conduct, ignored diver concerns, or unsafe shortcuts, I would be willing to testify truthfully under oath about what I personally witnessed, heard, and reported here. Brad deserves recognition. Tina Davis is the reason this review is one star.

Good company to dive with out of "A" Bay, but I am not fond of the dive sites north of Waikoloa…read more My family and I were staying up at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and the 10 mile drive down south to hop on the Lani Kai was really convenient. I booked the trip through Ocean Sports that has a shack on the beach at "A Bay" also known as Anaeho'omalu Bay. My sister has lived on the Big Island for a few decades and I visit quite often, but I still give up on pronouncing most of the Hawaiian names. DIRECTIONS TO A BAY: If you are heading south from Hapuna Beach turn right at the second light which is Waikoloa Beach Drive. Go past Marriott and make a left when you see Kolea Resort. There is a gate, but look to the left and you will see the public parking lot. Park and walk down the path through the lava field and you'll see the Ocean Sports Beach Shack. Check in there and you'll see the Lani Kai sitting in the water. See my photos. WEBSITE: http://www.waikoloacoastdivers.com PHONE: (808) 895-8387 MY TRIP DETAILS: Date: Thursday, August 23, 2012 Time: 8:00 a.m. to noon COST: $177.00 for two tank dive, including the gear. Walked out into the water and boarded the Lani Kai. Met James and Brooke and we headed north to our first dive site near Puako. All the wet suits, tanks and BC's are provided. James Bach was our captain for the day and Brooke Landt was the Dive Master. Captain James headed north toward our first dive site. On the way there we saw a huge pod of dolphins and we all headed to the bow to take photos. Our first dive site was near Puako. It wasn't my favorite place, but we went through some lava tubes. I don't recall seeing any memorable sea life while down below. James and Brooke caught two big Ono on our way to the second dive site near the Hilton Waikoloa. We saw a blacktip reef shark and some Horned Helmet Snails which were cool during our second dive. I think the next time I go diving on the Big Island I will concentrate on sites south of Kailua-Kona because I think the sites are much better. The Lani Kai was convenient for our hotel though, so we didn't have to drive an hour or more to board one of the vessels down south.

Doug was very helpful with scheduling my diving and answering all my questions ahead of time. He…read moreis a transport from Malibu to Waikoloa. His son James was our captain and was awesome. We also had Danny as our dive master who was also fantastic (and wanted me to make sure I wrote about him even though he has no idea what Yelp is!) They took us out to a spot called Buddha Point and Pentagon. The Pentagon is very popular and I loved loved loved that dive. Ask for the Pentagon. The boat is wonderful and leaves from the Marriott beach which is each to get to. James even found us a school of dolphins in-between dives. It was fabulous. Call them, you will not be disappointed!

Easy to arrange, good communication before dive date…read more Daniel was great on all briefings, great spots, really good debriefs. Everyone was great!

I can't say enough good things about Kona Diving Company. We have dove with them on three separate…read moretrips to the Big Island and absolutely love them. We've done morning dives, the manta dive, as well as the twilight and night dive and every experience has been incredible. The staff is fantastic and always takes such great care of us. I would recommend this shop to both new divers and seasoned divers alike. We've met some really amazing people through these trips and every outing has been organized, safe, and genuinely fun. The boat is spacious, they provide snacks and drinks during the surface interval, and they handle all of your gear setup which makes everything so easy and stress free. The team is super knowledgeable and does a great job grouping divers based on experience level so everyone has a good time. I'd also love to give a big shout out to Daniel and Cody who are always a blast and so much fun to dive with. Maxine is an awesome boat captain and Ashley was incredible dive master as well. She led our manta dive a year ago, gave such a great pre dive presentation, and was super thoughtful and fun to dive with on two separate occasions. Honestly, because of this dive shop we keep coming back to the Big Island and continue rebooking with them every trip. Highly recommend and I wouldn't look anywhere else for diving in Kona!

Hubby went on a pelagic black water dive the night before and was very impressed with the…read moreprofessionalism of Fernando and Ashton. We've been on several black water dives before and day are part of our top list. The next day we took apart in the two tank afternoon dive and manta dive. Again, Fernando and Ashton were very thorough with the dive briefing and safety. I particularly liked how he emphasized not standing or touching the reef as well as not harassing the wildlife. I've witnessed many dive masters, who don't do this perhaps fearing unsatisfied or offended guests? I also really liked how Hawaiian culture was integrated into the dive briefings. Under the water, he helped spot various endemic creatures. Another thing we really liked for the manta dive was the small group. On past excursions we've been with larger groups and were later to the site. Whereas this time we were first to the site and we were treated to a spectacular showing of mantas. Overall, we had an amazing experience with Big Island Divers.

Myself, in a party of three, booked the nighttime manta ray snorkel and dive instructor Kona. One…read moreparty member is a diver, and myself and the other member are snorkelers. Our diver, Bradly, said that Hannah did a great job as his dive instructor, and she was great at helping the newest diver of the group who was heavily struggling during his dive. Myself and Lisa were snorkeling with Laura and she was very helpful! She was great at finding mantas for us even when they wanted to hang out by the campfire. Chad, our captain, was super friendly and talkative. I get extremely motion sickness very easily. The waters were extremely rough during our visit, and I did get sick during the last five minutes of the snorkel, as well as the boat ride back. All members of the staff were very understanding and kind, and made it very clear that if I had to return to the boat during the snorkel or did have to hurl during the ride, they wouldn't be upset or judge, and wanted to help me in any way possible. A super nice and interactive crew, and they shared lots of stories about the rays that frequent the area we explored! We were lucky enough to see two bottlenose dolphins (a mother and child), a Galapagos shark, 4-8 rays for the snorkelers and 11 rays for the divers. I highly recommend booking through Big Island divers! They provided all of the equipment needed, and we were welcome to wear/use our own if it made us more comfortable. The only request I would make is that the snorkel instructor be more adamant about keeping our feet up straight in the water, as the two snorkelers across from me on the board constantly had their feet in the water as if they were doggy paddling, which over rated our view of the marine life and caused the board to shake (increasing my motion sickness). I chose not to wear fins because I had gotten anxious while wearing them earlier in the day, but I kept my feet up the whole time because of my previous snorkel experience . It would have been really helpful to have our snorkel guide get those guests to keep their legs up, but otherwise every staff member did amazing! Chad let a young girl steer the boat for a while which was really kind.

What a fabulous time we had with Liquid Cosmos Divers! They have a state-of-the-art diving boat,…read moredeep expertise in scuba diving and marine biology, and are such gracious and welcoming hosts. Not to mention their homemade muffins made with Hawaiian apple-bananas are unbelievable! We had the most magical experience with wild octopuses, and so many beautiful fish and other sea creatures. It was an unforgettable experience. I couldn't recommend this family-run company more highly.

Our experience diving with Liquid Cosmos Divers was simply fantastic. This was my family's first…read moretime diving off the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, and we picked Liquid Cosmos Divers because of Mike, Jess and their purposely built dive boat named "Moonshine." Scheduling the three days of diving with Mike and Liquid Cosmos Divers was very easy and Mike kept in contact with us through the entire process. We met Mike and Jess at the boat ramp, which was easy to find with ample free parking. Their boat is very clean and you can tell that Mike and Jess put a lot of time and thought into the design to make it comfortable and very safe for diving. Although Mike offered to put our equipment together, he had no problems letting us put the equipment on the aluminum 80 cylinders filled to the rated pressure with Nitrox. Before leaving the harbor, Mike conducted a concise safety briefing. During this briefing, my family could tell that diver safety and comfort were very important to both Jess and Mike. As we got close to the dive site, Jess did an amazing job describing the types of animals we might see at the site and how to recognize them. Underwater Jess used an erasable slate to write information about the animals we were seeing and why they were important. My 14 year old son loves learning about the marine environment and Jess taught him so much in the three days of diving. Jess is an amazing dive guide and dive professional and my family and I loved diving with her. Although I cannot predict future dive or sea state conditions, in June of 2026, we had calm seas, 80 to 90 feet of visibility and warm water temps between 77 and 78 degrees. We saw dolphins, sharks, puffer fish, several rare or endemic species of reef fish, multiple eels, nudibrachs, and schools of barracuda. The coral was in great condition and Mike and Jess took us to a location that had coral for as far as we could see. Mike is a great boat captain, diver and water guy and placed us directly on each dive site and then safely picked us up. The boat has prop guards, which made me as a father happy, and a warm water shower that made my wife very happy. Between dives, Mike brought out apple bananas, papayas grown by his house, and vegan muffins that were very tasty, while Jess conducted a comprehensive debrief on what we saw during the dive. I could tell that being friends with the environment was very important to Mike and Jess and no trash or waste was ever thrown overboard. Mike and Jess make sure each diver has their own stainless steel water bottle to keep waste to a minimum and to keep the divers hydrated. The boat has plenty of dry storage, plenty of shade for the divers, and a ladder that is easy to climb. When my family returns to Hawaii we will definitely be going back out with Liquid Cosmos Divers.

Went on a two-tank morning dive with Kona Honu Divers on 07/17/2026. From the time I signed up…read moreuntil I was shaking hands with Captain John, their communication and customer service were excellent. No problems finding the boat at the Marina, and the dive staff that day were beyond outstanding. Anna, Sara, and Captain John made these dives the best dive trip I have ever taken. I was placed with dive pro Anna, and from the very start she exuded confidence and experience you always hope for when going on a dive with a dive group you have never been with before. Safety was paramount, and nothing was left to chance before we set off into the deep blue. When your dive master and dive pros are just as excited to see marine life as the divers are, you know you are on the right boat. It made the dives so much more fulfilling for me, seeing Anna so excited to find us and point out different marine life during our dives. Anna is a true "Ocean Whisperer," and I will absolutely seek her out and Kona Honu Divers in the future when I return to Kona, HI. Thank you, Anna, for the great dives you took us on and your passion for diving, the ocean, and all that is in it! Thank you, Kona Honu divers, for providing the absolutely best diving experience anyone can ask for.....til next time! Mahalo!!

Crew was very nice and helpful. Enjoyed the smaller boat /…read moreparty size. We went to more remote dive sites off the beaten path

We've done the night manta ray snorkel with Kona Ocean Adventures many times, and there's a reason…read morewe keep coming back! This was my 5th trip, my parents' 9th, and my kids' 3rd--and we wouldn't choose anyone else. The crew is consistently professional, knowledgeable, and focused on both safety and making sure everyone has an unforgettable experience. They genuinely care about the mantas and the guests, and you can tell they love what they do. Every trip has been incredible, and Kona Ocean Adventures has continued to deliver a first-class experience! If you're trying to decide which company to book with, stop looking--Kona Ocean Adventures is the one. We'll be back again and again. Mahalo for another amazing night!

Amazing crew and wonderful experience for our family of four. We got out early and were out before…read moreall the larger boats arrived. The captain and guide were incredible. Knowledgeable about the marine life and history of the area. We had a blast.

If you plan on diving in Kona be sure you book your trip with Jack's Dive Locker! The dive masters…read moreput safety first and were all very knowledgeable and fun. This was my first night dive and they made it comfortable and enjoyable. The night dive was the Manta ray dive. Incredible! 12 rays that fed right over our heads for an hour. Just MAJESTIC! Book with Jack's and have the time of your life on one of the greatest dives around! Thank you to Keller, George, L, Presley and Captain Joe.

My wife, Kallie, and I had not done a full open-water dive since 2017, so when we planned our Kona…read moretrip, we decided to return to Jack's Diving Locker--the same company we had dived with back in 2008, according to our dive logs. The booking process was extremely easy. I called with several questions, and the staff was helpful, informative, and reassuring. Because it had been so long since our last actual dive, we chose to book a private divemaster for the two of us. We had completed a refresher in June 2025 for a planned dive weekend that unfortunately never happened, so we knew we would probably be a little rusty. Jack's also saved the day before we even got in the water. My personal Atomic prescription mask unexpectedly failed when the strap attachment tore out of the mask itself. I was worried I would either have to cancel or spend the dives as "Mr. Magoo," but the shop had prescription masks available and fitted me with one that worked perfectly. That level of preparedness and customer service made the entire dive day possible for me. Our divemaster, Sabrina, was absolutely fantastic. She was pleasant, friendly, social, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient throughout the entire experience. During our first dive, I had some difficulty clearing my ears. Sabrina stayed calm and helped me work through it, reminding me of techniques I had used years ago when I was diving more regularly and occasionally had "bad ear days." Both Kallie and I were a little rusty on that first dive, but Sabrina never rushed us or made us feel uncomfortable. By the second dive, my ear issues had resolved, we were both much more relaxed, and the old muscle memory started coming back--including some of what I learned during my Peak Performance Buoyancy certification. The difference between the first and second dives was huge, and Sabrina's patience and guidance were a major reason why. Sabrina also went above and beyond outside the dives themselves. While chatting with us about the rest of our trip, she recommended the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm as a "must visit." We had somehow missed it in our planning, immediately looked it up, and booked the VIP experience, where Kallie and I each get to hold a seahorse twice. That recommendation made our trip even better. I would recommend Jack's Diving Locker--and Sabrina as a private divemaster--**100,000% and without hesitation** to anyone, especially divers returning after a long break. The entire experience was professional, safe, relaxed, accommodating, and genuinely fun. Sabrina also took all of the underwater photos from our dive day, which gave us some fantastic memories of the experience: https://arroyo.smugmug.com/2026-Photos-and-Pics/HI-Vacation-Big-Island/Day-3-Kona-Diving