On Saturday, May 22nd, I accompanied my daughter and grandson to Honokohau Harbor for the 6th annual harbor cleanup. We were all excited to be a part of working to clear the harbor of underwater trash and to show our respect for the ocean. Jack's and the ODA co-sponsored the event. My grandson, who is 11 years old, is the only person in the family who dives, and he recently received his certification from Jack's. His excellent instructor was Toby, for whose careful and caring instruction we are very grateful. Prior to the event, my daughter called to make certain my grandson would be allowed to dive (due to his age, he is certified to only 40 feet with a "buddy"). She was told he could. My daughter called again, in order to let Jack's know my grandson would need to rent tanks - and was told by the SAME female employee that kids weren't welcome. When my daughter informed this Jack's employee that she had already told my daughter that my grandson could dive to help in the cleanup, the employee relented. Fast forward to Saturday. There were 2 other "kids" diving at the cleanup - same certification as my grandson. They ALL did an excellent job diving and hauling trash from the harbor floor which I, my daughter, and other volunteers hauled out of the water with ropes and added to the trash pile. There was no messing around, goofing off, accidents or bad behavior from these children. They were serious people doing serious work. The SAME female Jack's employee stated she wasn't going to allow kids to participate next year. She was truly horrible to my grandson and daughter - she even grabbed the rope from my daughter's hands as she was pulling up trash that another diver had brought to the surface. Impression: kids are merely an income stream for this dive company. They pretend to care for children and their relationship to the ocean for $$ only and allow people like this female employee to bully the children and act abusively toward the parents who are teaching their children respect for the ocean by volunteering their time to help with cleanup and to act as though keeping the bay clean is their job - because it is EVERYONE'S job. Suggestion: Jack's needs to work on cleaning out the trashy attitudes of their employees before they ask for help from others to clean up the harbor. Kids are not just income - they are the custodians of our future world. read more

Every time I come back to Hawaii I'm reminded at how easy and nice the water is!! The afternoon dive with Jack's was no exception and was a nice twilight prelude where we saw six mantas (juveniles not quite the size of the bigger adults in Socorros) and a selection of local fish including parrotfish and wrasses. Captain Sharpe and guide Keller were correct in predicting the mantas would be out in numbers... and they were! After the sun set and mobula rays jumped out and slapped the water we saw 15 mantas buzz the watching groups of divers as they fed on the plentiful groups of plankton. For nervous divers this isn't really a true night dive where you have to use navigation skills and don't see much beyond the coverage of your light - it's very well illuminated with the lights on the bottom and surface to see the mantas swimming to and around the divers and the boulder bottom. The guides and boat did an excellent job with three groups of divers aboard. Strongly recommend! read more

Jack's Diving Locker - 15 mantas sighted on the night dive!!! - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Good location. Lots of items to choose from to enable your dive. Lessons and excursions if you are a visitor. Great staff!! Jack's will be my go to dive shop. read more

We had a lovey time on the manta snorkel trip. What an amazing opportunity to engage with nature. Christine the captain was top-notch! She was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We felt completely safe with her navigating us on this trip. Casey was also a stellar guide. He had extensive knowledge and helped direct us to the right location to come face to face with several manta rays. I would say, however, that Mongo, the third guide, did detract from our experience a little bit. He came across as a grumpy old man that gave misinformation (that was quickly corrected by another member of the crew) and didnt want to answer questions at times. He did not make us feel we were in the presence of an expert. I would avoid any future trips where he was a guide. All in all, we had a lovely time and would recommend Jack's diving locker. read more

Pros? We had four people in our "experimental dive" We had great instructors. Matt, Ryan and Semone (sp?) were kind, patient and skilled. For instance, we had a member that was "anxious" below the water. Ryan took great care of that person and helped us all complete the dive. We did two separate dives on the trip. We went down to around 40'. Total of about 30 minutes on each dive below the surface. It was a bit rough at times but not overly strenuous. We are all average swimmers and we did fine. Some random diver guy (turns out it was Jeff the owner) chatted us up and shared his history. Jeff was polite, cordial and insightful. He is very down to earth and easy to talk to. The price was reasonable. Splitting up the package between pool work and the dives helped us get used to the instructors, equipment and process. Good plan. We saw a couple of angel rays and loads of fish on our dive. Very relaxing experience. They provided a nice box sandwich meal for lunch. Very tasty. Cap'n Bob made time to dolphin search which was an added plus. We are looking to get dive certified back in Phoenix. Cons? The check in guy at the harbor was a bit odd ( not at all helpful) and shouldn't be in a customer service position. He wasn't there later in the day so maybe he was a last minute sub. A small nit either way. Thanks to the the entire team for a wonderful experience. ! read more

Have dove with Jack's a few times over the years. Seems like the last few visits to Kona I went out with others. I've pretty much seen all the morning 2tank sites. While planning the trip from home, I compared all the operators' websites/offerings. I noticed something new (to me, it was new): Long range boat trips for more experienced divers (the appeal here is the absence of rookies...). Jack's offerings/time schedules worked best. So I booked with them. Glad I did. Pre-trip preparation was thorough. There's a very good staff of store personnel/dive guides/boat captains. Friendly, knowledgeable. For me, it comes right down to the dive and the guides. I'm in my 50th year of diving; I appreciate an unhurried pace. Often, the more crowded morning boats can get hectic. Crew can get tired of servicing tourist divers. Not so with Jack's. Honestly, all the staff, every interaction was pleasant. The selected dive sites were great. I highly recommend the advanced long-range trip. Nearly virgin sites with incredibly healthy corals and all the local fauna in every stage of development. Jeff, the owner, took us out on this one. Very pleasant man with a ton of experience. Another new experience for me was the evening open water dive, "Pelagic Magic". Look at some videos online. Truly other-worldly. I will certainly dive with Jack's again. read more

This is the best diving operation I've encountered in the Hawaiian islands or really anywhere. Friendly helpful staff from the phone calls all the way back to the docks. I dove three days, 4 two tank trips (added a Manta dive to the first day--this is a must). Mongo, Alli, and Jim were my dive guides and they clearly knew the sites, were safe and professional while still coming across as friendly and fun. Really a class act. I didn't get to dive much with Keller but he was a stitch on the boat and made sure we all left with solid photos, even if he wasn't your guide. The captains Bob and Russell (?) (there was at least one other--sorry I'm bad with names) were again professional but not aloof or overbearing as some operators. The equipment is solid, none of the worn-out / half broken rental gear I've dove with at some places. They even served a decent box lunch with each trip so I didn't have to plan food for the surface intervals. About those--I got better whale watching during one interval than I've had on dedicated trips elsewhere. Saw a cool shark from the distance? Yep they'll pull along side for photos. Dolphins? Those too. All around a great experience and I'm already looking forward to my next trip out to big island where no doubt I'll be booking with these guys. This is my first yelp review but these guys were awesome and we need to support solid businesses like this. read more

See all

This was our first real dive after getting OW cert. The entire crew was top notch and made my daughter's first dive an incredible experience. Christine (captain), Will (wife's snorkel guide), and Allie (our guide) were very attentive to safety and helpful throughout, which was much appreciated. When my wife got seasick, Allie went out of her way to sit with her, talk to her, made sure she had everything she needed. Also, as an added bonus, one of the crew took underwater pics like one attached and airtimed them to anyone who wanted them at the end...brilliant! This dive shop is awesome, you won't regret going with Jack's! read more

This place is great! I did a two-dive "classic" reef experience, and the nighttime "pelagic magic" dive. All three dives were fantastic, and the staff's efforts were a pleasure. All the rented equipment was clearly explained to me, functioned smoothly, and was in good condition. Staff took time to explain equipment specifics and dive profiles to me. The divemasters/guides were friendly, professional, and very competent. I'm really glad I booked my Hawaii dive experiences with these guys; a positive experience from start to finish. Special shout-outs to dive guides Toby and Ross, who were knowledgeable, patient, and skilled. read more

Nicest crew. Best dive shop on Big Island. I went countless times, and was always greeted by friendly, eager to help, knowledgeable staff. They have fantastic maps of nearby shore dives, and are always happy to give tips and ask how the dives went. Awesome boat trips too: Pelagic Magic and manta dives were unforgettable and absolutely perfect. Also a great site for buying/renting/repairing gear. I bought all my gear from them and so have several of my friends. Quick, honest, and friendly service. Thank you, Jacks!! read more

Jack's Diving Locker did a great job! We arrived during the rush of December. Many other outfits were overwhelmed, but Jack's worked with us and calmly made sure our gear fit for 10! people. Everything went smoothly because of their calm, professional demeanor. Wish we did dive school with them. It looked fun! read more

I am giving this dive shop 5 stars because of their advanced boat option. I'll outline the week and our experiences. We started at their shop in town- very helpful great shop!!! We dove with this outfit for a week. The first dive was a classic boat and it was not a great way to start the week. Our ginger captain was less than helpful sitting there as we got into our gear and we will call our dive guide the older guy as to not call him out by his name (M) but he was strict and not your typical fun (still safe) dive guide. He definitely was not there with a smile. The classic boat is your typical array of new divers all the way through. Dive locations are selected based on the most inexperienced so it was lack luster .... But then Monday came and the experience completely changed. We were introduced to Captain Jim and Captain David for the week. Both stellar captains!!! Both were helpful, both were fun and knowledgeable- both throughly enjoyable!! And dive guides we had Will (Chad :)) Sam and Kasey all were fantastic!!!!! The advanced boat treated us like the advanced divers we all are. They hunted down great locations, in the water they kept an eye but let us do our thing. This charter does 80 min dives as well which was fantastic. The advanced boat also had 6 divers tops. When we come back we would only dive with Jacks but only if the advanced boat was available. There is never a guarantee of what you will see but boat Capt Jim and David definitely tried hard to give us the most likely opportunities and we did!! Top notch ... after the first day! If you're a serious diver check out their advanced boat! read more

See all

The real deal. Excellent dive shop--awesome dive boat Captains and Dive Masters. The wife took a refresher for fifty bucks, which was an amazing price and I felt so good about that that I splurged on a equipment package. We then did the classic two tank dive with them and it wasn't earth shattering but it was cool. Some folks did see a tiger shark, unfortunately I was not one of them--or maybe fortunately. The crew assembled and disassembled our equipment for us, feed us lunch and hosed off our wetsuits and they could not have been nicer. The competition needs to step up their game. read more

Jack's was where I got all my certifications except my Divemaster in 98-99. I love these guys! Very personable. This was my first time back after 20 years. They have grown a lot, but I saw Jeff and Terri at the harbor and they were happy to say hi and reminisce a bit. Good people and good stewards of the ocean. Worth every penny read more

Had an awesome trip with Shaylee and John today! Saw flipping dolphins, eels, and a shark! Definitely recommend

My last diving experience in Portugal was challenging so I was reluctant to go back into open water. The crew @ Jack's listened to my concerns & kept a patient eye on me. I had, hands down, the best scuba experience ever. Kudos! Highly recommend! read more

I care out to Kona by myself and dove with Jack's per a friends recommendation... they did not disappoint!!! On our ride out to the manta dive we stopped several times to watch humpbacks and spinner dolphins. We had 6 mantas swirling above our heads. Best day ever! read more

Jack's Diving Locker - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

See all

Giant manta night dive with my son was epic and one of the best dive and video experiences we've ever had!

The staff was friendly, outgoing, competent and knowledgable. My husband joined a group of divers and I snorkeled. When I learned I had to snorkel with a staff member and the other snorkeled, I was bummed. My disappointment turned into the best news ever thanks to Megan who was WONDERFUL! She is so knowledgable and explained fish activity and behaviors I never knew about. An encyclopedia of information. Very in tune with the needs of her clients. I got sea sick, and she filled me with ginger chews and good advice. We saw the Manta rays from above and when they started to swim away, she towed us over them, following them for quite a distance. WOW! The entire staff was in good spirits, relaxed and knowledgable. Most amazing experience of my lifetime! read more

If you're looking for a world class dive center, Jack's is the place to go. For both advanced divers and beginners, Jack's can offer you one of the best dive experiences on the Big Island of Hawaii. For beginners, they have introductory classes as well as certification all the way up through Dive Instructor. All the instructors are super cool. They have a pool on site at the shop to do refresher courses, or just to get your feet wet. They will literally hold your hand through your first dive and make sure you are as comfortable as possible. For certified divers, they offer two tank dives on one of, I believe now, their 3 awesome boats. You can also look into the Advanced trips, where they will take you to sites, that are not regularly visited. First of all, the boats are amazing and you can move around them at your leisure. I prefer sitting on the bow for perfect viewing of dolphins if and when you catch up with them. The Divemasters will load and set up all your equipment and then make sure your equipment is switched to a new tank between dives. In addition to the great service, they include a delicious sandwich lunch during your surface interval. And of course, a variety of cookies! Instead of the single buddy system, they work in a group buddy system with one Divemaster/Instructor as the leader of your group. This will ensure that you always make your way back to the boat safely. Also, you are pretty much guaranteed to see amazing things as they know the sites like the back of their hands, and can usually find the resident creatures hanging out. Whether its frogfish or eels or turtles or rays, you're in for an amazing trip with these guys. Also, if you have never done a night dive, be sure to do one with Jack's. Keller Laros, one of Jack's instructors, is an expert on the Manta Rays of the Kona Coast and he will take you on an adventure with them. He's been at Jack's since 1991 with his wife Wendy and can literally tell you the names of the mantas you have seen and their history. I have been on manta dives with these guys before and seen up to 16 mantas at one time! Its amazing! Overwhelming really! I highly recommend this dive! If not for the mantas, then for Keller's enthusiasm and witty jokes! You can also rent snorkel gear here, as well as get recommendations on the great places Kona has to offer! If you're in Kona and looking for a dive shop, this is the shop to go to. Love it! read more

See all

Super nice staff, top notch equipment, diving at the finest. I did one 2 tanks dive (spotted the famous tiger shark) and the beyond magical manta rays night dive with 16 huge manta rays. I highly recommend this shop, good dinner and very great staffs that will make sure that you have fun and don't miss anything under the water. Mahalo! read more

Great experience. Small groups, good dive masters. Other divers were experienced, and regulars with Jack's, which is what I was looking for. I had been looking forward to the blackwater dive and it did not disappoint! Thanks for a great couple days. read more

Jack's Diving Locker was recommended by friends who used them in the past. My son did a intro to scuba course in their pool and we did a refresher course before all heading out to dive with them the next day. They were excellent! Very friendly and helpful crew. The boat was well organized and we felt like safety of their guests was number one. Visibility at the diving sites was excellent. The coral was healthy and we saw lots of sea critters. The dive at the arches was fantastic, really spectacular formation with lots of life. All in all an excellent choice for a diving company. read more

They were super friendly from the moment I called to book. We had 2 people doing the intro and I'm certified but they were able to squeeze us in. the 2 newbies had a great time and said the instructor was very patient. I drove with another certified driver and David was our guide. He was great to dive with and found some things we wouldn't have found on our own. read more

Jack's Diving Locker - Coming back from 2 great dives. - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Just came back from Kona, and diving with Jack's, where my wife and I finished off our Open Water certification. Well equipped store, great boats, fantastic instructors, great price. Also did the Manta Ray Night dive with them after we were certified. If you're diving in Kona, this is the shop you want to use. Need I say more? read more

Jack's Diving Locker - The Kea Nui - one of several boats - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

If you can, charter the whole boat and if you are lucky you might get Jeff & his son. We called them the back up crew but truth be known... they are the A Crew. We loved our time with them. Super chill, professional and flexible. They took great care of us and treated our 9 year old daughter like a rockstar. These guys deserve your business!! read more

TERRIBLE customer service. Dealt with a woman named Alli Craig at the front desk and she was smug and rude. Avoid her at all costs. Sometimes, there are people on this earth that just do not want to help other people, and this is one of them. Such a person that is inept at solving problems or helping customers should never be on the front lines dealing with the public. Grade: F I am a certified diver, but somehow, she could not find me in their system. Later on, dealing with her manager, he DID find me in their system. There are several other choices of dive shops that are walking distance from this one. I suggest you try them instead and avoid this one at all costs. read more

My family and I had a great experience with Jacks Diving Locker. We did our online learning and pool dives on the mainland and then coordinated with Jacks for our "check out" dives for PADI certification. My two kids,13 and 16, enjoyed the experience and were totally motivated by the Jacks team. A special shout out to Will, Aka Timothy, who was super chill and helped my family stay calm and safe throughout the experience. At one point, my wife got a little "spooked" on the dive. Will was able to talk her off the ledge and get her back in the water and complete her dives. Lunch was provided on the boat, between dives, and was just the right amount of food (tasty half sandwich, chips, orange slices, and cookies). Russel, our captain, was funny and attentive and did a great job making us feel safe. One small issue, Mongo, dive leader for the experienced group didn't seem to have much patience for us newbies and didn't make me feel welcome in any way. I'd go back to Jacks and ask for Will or any of the other friendly staff, except Mongo. You won't be disappointed by a scuba experience with Jack's!! read more

My husband and I completed our open water certification while in Kona on our honeymoon. Our instruction was great and we learned a lot. We also did the manta night dive which was amazing! read more

We dive with Jack's whenever we have the opportunity. I feel safe first and foremost. Rental gear is in great condition and they set it all up for you. The staff is knowledgeable about the dive sites and they get super excited when they find critters for you to see. Yesterday we saw a white tip shark, flounder, octopus, dragon eel, tiger cowrie, several nudibranch, turtle and schools of fish. read more

Gonna keep this short and sweet since they clearly already have the reviews to back their credibility! I am a flight attendant and have been to dozens of shops around the world, and there is just something so special about Jack's. The staff are friendly, hilarious, easy to approach, and clearly care about your experience and safety. I honestly love using them whenever I am in town! read more

Jack's Diving Locker - There is something behind you... - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Rented dive gear from this shop on our vacation. Staff was courteous and professional both upon rental and return. Gear was in good condition and functioned well. Prices were reasonable. Rented dive gear from this shop on our vacation. Staff was courteous and professional both upon rental and return. Gear was in good condition and functioned well. Prices were reasonable. read more

4 days and 10 dives! This shop has it down! Patti is a great request for critter hunting! Keller was the Manta Magnet Man! 22 in one night! Josh is good to open your dive week. Juan Carlos is the best timer ever! Promise I will beat 50 seconds some day. They provide lockers for your gear on multiple dive day trips, they took perfect care of my gear. From beginning to end this team took great care of our team. Mantas, Dolphins and Tiger Sharks! Tiger Cowry, Nudis, and lobster! They have it all big to small! read more

It doesn't get better than this unless you're already here! I have now gone on 4 trips with the Jack's Dive Boat; 1 manta night dive & 3 dolphin snorkels. We always find incredible sights & find ourselves among the most beautiful sea life! They will brief you on "etiquette" to ensure your safety & the safety of the wildlife. They will tell you tons of horrible jokes & few great ones. They'll be behind you with a camera & guiding you to all of the exciting things you're going to overlook if you're not used to being in the water. If you're not a strong swimmer, they have noodles! I don't use wet suits, but they may be a good idea for someone who gets cold easily or to avoid little jelly stings -I happen to have allergic reactions, but I still go without a suit. The water is perfect! Keller is hilarious if you ever get a chance to get out with him, he's knowledgeable & the friendliest human ever. Kawika (pronounced "Ku-vee-ka") is the man! He somehow manages to give us the most memorable experiences ever. He's the captain of the dolphin snorkels & an all around good dude. His eyes are always peeled & he knows these waters like their his own home. Safety & education is a big priority for him & he always makes everyone feel comfortable. Jeff will always be around with his Go-Pro, helping you in & out of the water & pointing out the sights below. Ask him any questions that you may have; there are no dumb questions & he has the answers! The equipment is great, the facility is clean, the merchandise has great quality. I love the ladies' tanks and I bought I children's mesh hat for out on the water. The team is so knowledgable, helpful & kind; they truly embody the "Aloha Spirit" here. I've been here 4 times in 2 years & I'm hoping to come back soon. Thank you again for all our unforgettable experiences together. Aloha O'e! read more

See all

I did both the Manta Ray night dive and a morning boat dive with Jack's and I'd say the experience averaged out to 4 stars. Though the mantas at night were great, the boat was extremely crowded with both divers and snorkelers and there wasn't any time given by our guide about the specifics of the dive beyond the general briefing given to everyone on the boat by the overall leader - not even a "hello, my name is" or anything like that. The next morning was a completely different experience with a different guide - Juan Carlos. He was personable and helpful and lead us to lots of cool sights. It was still a larger boat, but the lack of snorkelers I think really helped keep things slightly less hectic. Overall, I'd consider a smaller operation for the night dive, but the normal morning dives were great. read more

We heard about Jack's Diving Locker's Manta Ray Night dive from Kauai's Fathom Five dive shop who insisted that we had to do it if we were going to the Big Island. They were right! The experience of 20 foot wide manta rays gracefully flying inches over ones head was truely an awesome experience. Jack's Dive Locker's shop staff was very efficient and friendly. The boat crew was nice and professional. Thanks Jack's and Fathom Five! R&B read more

Jack's Diving Locker - Snorkeling Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

I have been to lots of dive places, interacted with lots of dive shots. You will never find anyone that is more patient and caring about insuring your dive experience is the best it can be. They have a customer first attitude and while maintaining the safety and comfort for everyone. They easily accommodated both new and divers of all levels of experience, and with input from everyone on what they wanted and was comfortable with made it a great day diving. Their excitement not only about the diving but education and teaching about the reef, ocean creatures, as well demonstrating their care for the ocean by helping maintain it and keep it clean is above and beyond. Best dive company ever. read more

What an awesome experience. Wife and I did the 2 tank manta dive and it was well worth it. The crew and captain were great. Rental gear was on point. Will definitely dive with Jacks again when we visit. read more

My wife and I were interested in snorkeling and diving gear. It's unfortunate that this business does not honor a military discount. We were told a sale would be occurring the next day and called back. The fins and snorkel from Aqua Lung we were interested in were out of stock and not on sale. Also, we weren't sure why so many sales associates were constantly asking us for help? We talked to everyone in there who asked if we needed assistance. A bit much pressure and disappointed about sales/discounts. read more

My niece did her introductory dive and husband his 9 th dive, we 3 were the snorkelers. An absolutely amazing day, in the main due to the staff. They are spectacularly great with people , my niece was so well looked after by Ali, and we snorkeling by Christine. Jeff was funny personable and although obviously an expert , made even beginners feel comfortable with sharing their inexperience. I can not rate highly enough read more