Just getting back into diving. This was my third trip to HI in 3 months and this was my first with Pacific Rim Divers. Where to start? As their website says, "Small groups and a relaxed atmosphere." We hadn't even left the harbor and it felt like I'd known them forever. While very easy going, the all female (clearly very experienced and professional) crew is right on top of the smallest detail, catching gotchas before you make a splash. After each dive, if they noticed something that might prove beneficial (weight, trim, danglies, etc) they were right there offering a solution if you want it. What an outstanding operation! Then there's the Kona coast diving. From mantas and eels and turtles, down to the tiniest nudies, This gang knew and found them all. I was new to underwater photography for this trip and was pleasantly surprised that a few of the crew were into it big time.,They helped a ton, from camera buoyancy and balance to setting up shots underwater and then rinsing/handling my gear after I handed it up. I did get some amazing shots! Kudos to the owner Kai, for putting together an outstanding crew of captains/divemasters. This will absolutely be my go to boat for Kona diving! read more

Kai and her crew are wonderful. We left the boat wishing we had scheduled more dives with them! They took us to two different spots and showed us some wonderful fish. Their joyful glee in sharing their scuba world was contagious and made the dives far more enjoyable. They had that kid in a candy store joy when seeing fish underwater and were quite knowledgeable in identifying every fish in the reef. They start earlier then the other shops so you get to the dive spots before those boats arrive and don't have to spend time bouncing around trying to find room along the shoreline. I didn't realize until a few days later how beneficial it was to be the early bird in that ocean. I rented all my gear from them and the quality of the wetsuit and BCD was the best of the three dive shops I used while in Hawaii. I am typically first to return and enjoyed my time getting to know the captain while waiting on the other divers. It felt like talking to an old friend. The snacks provided were a mix of anything one might desire, they had cheese, apples, trail mix, and homemade brownies! The only boat I want to use for future dives in Kona!! read more

I rarely write reviews. But I'll make an exception in this case because of my exceptional experience with Pacific Rim Divers. From my original communication with Kai, I knew this wasn't going to be a typical experience. Kai took the time to not only find out what kind of dives I was looking for, but actually took the time to discuss other non-essentials like personal hobbies, and even my daughter's collegiate experience. I mean seriously, what dive company owner does this, before you even meet them?! I went on 2 local dives, 2 mid-distance dives, and twilight and night dives with manta rays. We saw a little bit of everything - a very diverse experience. I dove with Kai, Alexia, Allison, and Kenzie. All of the women were experienced, knowledgable, and friendly. Excellent briefings, great job taking the time to point out things to see, while communicating on a writing slate, and yes, of course taking safety protocol seriously. I've been diving for 25 years, and have 100+ dives. Other than the obvious safety variable, I watch for how the crew interacts with the clients. Not just myself, but the others as well. This crew took the time to intentionally make sure everyone was comfortable and having a good time. Not just those that had been diving with them for years, or those that are more extroverted - but the newcomers, and solo divers, as well. This kind of attention to detail, and creating a comfortable, welcoming environment matters. At least to this diver it does. Obviously YMMV when it comes to personal communication and even dive experiences (even this top rated crew can't control what we get to see at all times.) But Kai and I really connected, sharing personal stories as well as philosophies on life with each other. This kind of connection is what can make a diving experience not just good, but exceptional. For me, it's not just what I see below the surface. It's how I interact with a dive master, and captain. It's how I'm made to feel. It's what happens on deck in between dives. I was made to feel like family rather than a client. I'll be a repeat customer for sure. If you're looking for an overall top-notch experience from an all female crew with experience, consider giving Pacific Rim Divers a chance! - Mark H read more

I did a two tank dive with Pacific rim divers. One of the people my group was not a certified diver and did a discovery dive with their instructor. I found the crew to be very professional and accommodating. All of the equipment we rented was in good order. I would definitely go back if I'm ever on the big island again. The boat was not overpacked and crowded and had a fairly easy reentry into the boat. read more

Kai is an outstanding dive company operator. She recently took over the business Frank & Patrice and has maintained the same love and care that has kept me coming back since 2007. And she's a cool person who's been around the diving community for ages. The dive boat is a top notch aluminum rig with everything you'd want for an experienced diver. Dry and wet storage. Two ladders and two side step-offs. Snacks are great. And maybe the best mix of defog I've ever used on a boat--I'm usually a Sea Drops guy but was converted to the light by Kai. :) Divemasters Alexsia and Alison are awesome. Great at pointing out life and structures. Really chill but more importantly safe divers. Good communication and monitoring the air & direction. Rock solid. I'll keep coming back. Best part of Kona is you guys!!! read more

Been diving with Pacific Rim on and off over many years. Absolutely wonderful, friendly, kind, knowledgeable people. We had our own gear but trusted them 100 percent with our gear. They are great for both the novice diver and the advanced diver. We had a beginning diver in our group and she was so excited about her DD experience. It was wonderful. Just good people. read more

Picked them for the great scuba reviews and we are so glad we did. Our teen son finished scuba certification a year ago and pacific rim provided a 1:1 scuba pro for him to do a refresher. 4 other family members snorkeled. There were 6 other scuba divers on the boat-- all super experienced and most having used pacific rim for past dives. Clearly pacific rim is respected for its safety, organization, respect of wild life. Clean and organized boat with nice shade and snacks. Great help for both snorkelers and scuba Saw sharks, octopuses, eels, lots of fish, turtles and ( from the boat) whales and dolphins If definitely book with them again!! read more

excellent friendly instructors, great high quality gear. Smooth communication. This was one of the better boat dives I have taken. Thanks so much to the wonderful team for making such effort and also teaching us under water about critters names and illuminating some hidden spots to us while respectfully leaving nature alone without much disturbance. Will sure come back with you guys read more

Pacific Rim Divers is the dive company to dive with on the big island! You will get to enjoy slow relaxing dives that allow you to truly experience the sea life. They are amazing at finding even the rarest of sea critters . There is no pre-determined dive time ---your dive time is based upon your air consumption and safety profile (to clarify they give a very generous max time to dive which allows you to stay in the water even if others have finished their dive as long as at least one other diver is still in the water with you) Everyone on the boat is friendly and helpful -- ensuring that you have a wonderful time! :) read more

My favorite company to dive with. All the staff are very friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They take out small groups and are great at showing all kinds of sea life large and small. I would highly recommend them as I just dove 6 days last week with them and had an amazing time. read more

A great operation. PRD had a beautiful spacious boat and very professional crew. They always take care of us when we go on trips with them and the dive masters are amazing at finding all the little critters. We espescially like that they dont have the cattle boat mentaility and really spoil thier guests. Within reason you are allowed to dive your own profile and take a nice long dive. I would highly recommend this boat if you want the best diving in Kona. read more

I did a refresher dive with this crew and it was like I hadn't spent 16 years without going diving. They were super patient and great at pointing out critters that I never would have spotted. I'm definitely going diving with these folks whenever I make it to Kona. read more

Great group. Frank and Patrice have taken on some help and they are great too. Caps off to the A-Team. Great boat drivers. Good dive guides. Knowledgeable. And very respectful of the wildlife. I like that. Let the turtles have the right of way. Fair prices. Organized. No brick and mortar shop. Just a dive boat, make a reservation, and meet them at the small boat harbor. Good snacks. Nice boat. Places to set stuff so it stays dry and places to set your camera so it stays safe from lumps and bumps. Yahoo! Harbor has places to sit if you need to wait for a ride. On shore rest rooms and free parking. read more

Frank and Patrice are the best!! We dove with them 3 days while in Kona and every time was great! They are so patient and helpful. Very personable and caring! I'm a new diver and my husband is more experienced, and we both really enjoyed the time Frank and Patrice took to teach us about all the sea life and other Hawaiian info! Can't recommend them enough! read more

Frank and Allison were awesome. Very attentive to divers. Friendly and professional. Saw dolphins, octopus and more. Will be diving with them on our next trip. read more

Highest possible recommendation! I did the dusk and the manta night dive. My wife doesn't dive, but snorkeled for both. In fact, she was the only snorkeler on the boat, but received the same amount of attention as the divers. I won't go into the dives, other than to say that the whole experience was, well, the most amazing thing I've ever done. So just do it! Above and below the water, Petrice, Frank, and Heidi are simply the best. They are fun, caring, knowledgable, accommodating, safe, patient...I could go on and on. Check out all of the superlatives in the other reviews. They're all true. read more

Frank and Patrice are awesome!! Super organized, friendly, and fun. Patrice pointed out cool stuff and used her slate to tell us what it was. We even saw monk seals! Would definitely dive with them again in the future. read more

This place comes highly recommended in the "Big Island Revealed" book, and for good reason. Patrice and her hubby (forget his name) run an amazing dive operation, with a small boat that holds max 6 people. Unlike those other "cattle" boats, this boat is small and cozy. Patrice is chatty, easy-going, and has a lot of spunk. She won't hesitate to joke around with you. The service is impeccable -- they stress that since you're on vacation, you shouldn't be doing any work whatsoever. I went to go rinse my mask of the defogger, and Walt immediately came to me and told me to "relax, you're on vacation, i'll do it for you". This was my boyfriend's first time diving after getting certified, so he was quite nervous. Patrice was very patient with him, and talked to him to calm his nerves. Sure enough, by our third dive, he felt completely comfortable. He also rented equipment from them, and their BCD looked practically brand new. Surprisingly amazing condition for rental dive equipment! They even has a snazzy dive computer too. Underwater, Patrice was lax and didn't watch over you like a hound dog. She was really good about finding critters and making sure to point them out to every diver in the group. It was such a relief to find a good dive operator on the Big Island! All boat diving prices are pretty much the same for every operator on the island. You dive with them 3 times, you get a 10% discount. Ended up being around $120 for a 2 tank dive. read more

Highly recommended. Frank and Patrice are great and tailor everyone's dive to their ability level. Patfice is exceptional at spotting all the interesting sea life and makes the experience personal for everyone. read more

We love going diving with Patrice and Frank! We've went with them 3 times already and going again in a few weeks! They're very knowledgable and super friendly. You really enjoy and have fun scuba diving when going with these guys. Highly highly recommend!!! read more

I called up Patrice and Frank on my honeymoon and asked them if they'd take me out. I wasn't certified. They took me out and made me feel right at home. I had a blast and promised I'd be back. I've returned every other year to the big island for vacation and every time I go out with them. I've come to think of them as "my" dive crew and I thoroughly enjoy their company every time I see them. I'm still not certified (I just don't go often enough to make it worth it) and they still keep taking me. Whether you're new to scuba or not, Pacific Rim Divers is the best scuba experience in Hawaii! read more

I was referred to Pacific Rim by a dive captain I esteem VERY highly who has been diving the Kona coast for at least two decades. When he said Patrice of Pacific Rim knows more than he does and recommended her I listened.... The advice paid off immeasurably. I went diving with guides David and Walt on July 17th and to say I had one of the best days of diving (ever) is an understatement. These two were outstanding - competent, knowledgeable, professional, humble, and a sheer pleasure to spend a great morning of diving with are accurate attributes. Truly a pleasure to learn from and dive with. Now on to the dive part. If you know what the Kona Coast is for diving you know what you're in for - rich varieties of Wrasses, Triggerfish, Butterflyfish, Moorish idols, Parrotfish, Eel, Hawkfish Cornetfish, Sergeant Majors, Needlefish - they were all there. However there were also Octopus, Nudibranches, Lizardfish, Stonefish, small shrimp (Harlequin shrimp I think) present. The topper? Two beautiful spotted eagle rays slowly swimming by in formation and a tigershark and a hammerhead - amazing!!! To say it was great day is an understatement. I can't say enough good things about Pacific Rim. If you are into a dive company with knowledgeable, competent, professional, humble, and excellent guides away from the crowds where bottom time is determined by your air consumption then Pacific Rim is a dive company for you. Five (+) stars and two thumbs up!!!! read more

This is by far the best dive tour I've ever done!! Patrice and Frank were incredibly friendly, and they made us feel very at home on the dive boat. This company/Frank+Patrice were SO organized, and this made the experience run so smoothly - Our BCDs and regulators were already attached to our tanks and ready for use right when we arrived, and weights were already inside our BCDs (after Patrice asked what weight we usually used/guessed for us if we didn't know) - this eliminated any time we would have to spend trying to put our gear together ourselves and hustling around the boat while we were already on the water. It actually felt pretty luxurious to have all the gear set up for us, as this is my least favorite part about diving. Additionally, they provided a wide variety of yummy snacks on the boat, which I rarely see at other dive companies, and this was great for getting some energy before the next dive. Further, Patrice was an AMAZING dive guide and pointed out so many creatures I had never seen before! My favorites were the nudibranchs and the Whitley's boxfish (extremely rare!). I would recommend this experience to absolutely everyone who has experience diving. It was definitely catered to more advanced divers, or divers who have dove more recently, but even if you need a bit of refreshing, Patrice and Frank were more than willing to help! If I'm ever back in Kona, I will absolutely be booking with them again! read more

Went scuba diving with these great guides for four days. They certified me here and also gave me the show of a lifetime. I swam with dolphins, eagle Rays, eels, And mantas. I also was ten feet away from 15ft tiger shark and that will stay with me forever. Great people, very personable, know there stuff, and will give you some laughs. read more

Great evening with Pacific Rim watching many manga rays. Excellent crew, equipment, dive master. Great experience.

We dove with these guys in the end of July / early August and I can tell you that they are great at what they do. Everyone on the boat was great and very helpful to new divers like me. From Dolphins to turtles to a 14 foot tiger shark the diving was fantastic! Thanks to everyone at Pacific rim divers! I hope to one day come back! Brad from Chicago read more

Woohoo! As good as it gets! Pacific Rim Divers gets me highest recommendation. After two years of not diving, my wife and I were a little nervous at first, but the crew quickly put us at ease. We ended up doing four days of diving, including the spectacular Manta (41 showed up for us) Night dive. Pacific Rim are not any more expensive than the bigger operations, yet you get individualized attention, with a max of 6 passengers. They like to take dives slow and let everyone use up their air, meaning some dives last 1.5h or longer, if you know how to conserve your air well. In addition their rental gear is great, much better than I experienced with any other diving business. The owners Patrice and Frank, along with the entire crew of Dave, Carlos and Walt are great people. You get a feeling you are diving with friends. We will definitely by back. read more

This is the best diving company I've been with over the past several years. The whole experience was fantastic. It starts with easy online booking and payment and the owners are always happy to help with one off requests by phone too. The boat is brand new and perfectly designed for divers. We had Heidi as our captain and she was so friendly and helpful in getting everyone in the water. Then our dive master, Frank, was so patient. He knew where all of the great sea life was and even helped a family member who was nervous have a fantastic dive. I couldn't recommend this company more highly. We will definitely be back!! read more

Patrice and Carlos were the perfect pair to take us on our first dive post-certification! Patrice was annoyed with us at first when we were late, but for good reason. The boat is small and cozy and they only take groups of six or less out at a time. They're a bit quirky and definitely chatty- but really fun.They took us to two gorgeous spots, identified and pointed out numerous beautiful under-water creatures, and fed us pineapple, homemade brownies, and edamame. We even saw a couple of white-tipped reef sharks and got to swim through a lava tube! We also rented all of our gear through them except fins and masks. Highly recommended for new divers!! read more

Quality act, friendly year-over-year. Great fish-finding, even tough stuff like nudibranchs. Patrice and Frank really extend themselves. Mahalo, for the great diving. Congrats on the cool new boat. read more

These people have been diving the Island for a long time. They know the sites, they know the ocean life and they are excellent divers. They are accommodating and very friendly. I would prefer to set-up my own gear but on the other hand, I have confidence in them. Can't say that about other operations. Good people. read more

I love diving with Patrice and her crew! She has a small boat, with maximum of 6 divers. She is fun, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about the underwater world. The diving is slow and relaxed. Divers can dive as long as they want, as long as they have air. I wouldn't even consider using another dive operator! read more

Had two terrific dives with Pacific Rim Divers during a recent (November) trip to Hawaii. The crew was both very friendly and very knowledgeable during the morning dives. Really enjoyed the relatively small group - we had a full boat of 8 divers and two dive masters. As a bonus, we were able to dive in a location from which we were able to observe a tiger shark (or maybe two different sharks), which was quite extraordinary. Will definitely dive with PRD next time I'm lucky enough to be in Kona. read more

Did my first post-certification dives with Patrice last week. She was great, taking time from pointing out creatures to the other, better divers on our trip to coach me on breathing, buoyancy, etc. I was never made to feel like I was slowing down the other divers, and she gave me plenty of freedom while still watching to make sure I was OK. I did my open-water certification dives in Kona with another, BIG company (to be fair, they were great), but the next time I'm in the neighborhood I'll be calling Pacific Rim because I prefer the experience of the small boat and the personal touch. Very nice gear, nice little boat, and great snacks. read more

Wonderful morning of dives. Patrice and Frank are fantastic - warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. The custom boat is great and they provide quality rental gear. I've been diving all over the world and I'd rank the quality of service up there with the best of them. Bottom time was 70 minutes for each of the two dives and was mellow and relaxing. And, Kona is a beautiful place to dive. Would highly recommend and will definitely go out with them again when I come back. read more

I had the best dive today! We saw a manta Rey cleaning station, huge turtle, a monk seal, many eels and beautiful fish. The boat is comfortable, the dive masters were very knowledgeable and kind. Pacific Rim is listed as not having shade in many books. Not true! Their boat has a cover. Going again with them two more times this trip. Very impressed! read more

We LOVE diving with Patrice and Frank (and Heidi too!)!! We've gone diving with them every time we come to Kona, and every time we have a lovely time. We just completed six dives in the past three days, and each one was filled with great sightings (manta, honu, eagle ray, and more eels than I've ever seen before, plus all the wonderful little reef fish)! Their new boat was designed with a diver's comfort in mind...spacious and well-organized They are so helpful and also fun...it's like diving with wonderful old friends. I can't recommend Pacific Rim enough!! read more

Couldn't ask for more! Patrice and Frank and every member of their crew are experts at making the dive experience fun and informative for everyone. The speed with which they get things done is amazing, and they do everything with good humor. I would HIGHLY recommend Pacific Rim Divers to any diver regardless of their age or number of previous dives. read more

Some of the worst customer service I've ever personally experienced from a business owner. Let me start by saying that we were repeat customers, having dove with them last year with no issues, which was why we chose to book with them again. We had called the shop on Thursday to see if there was availability on Saturday, the woman who answered the phone said there was. She told us she could not make reservations over the phone. We were not able to get online at that point, but she reassured us that she could put our names on the list and it was likely they wouldn't get booked up before we got a chance to get online and make the reservation. We went through their website booking system (which absolutely had open availability) and successfully booked 3 dives for Saturday. We woke up at 5am and made the drive from Hilo to get to the boat launch by 7. When we arrived the divemasters (who we know are great and competent) told us we weren't on the list and that someone would be by shortly to assist us. We were seated in our car when the owner pulled up, parked next to us and I opened my door to talk since she was standing right there. This is where things went downhill. She started off by leaning into the car telling us that we weren't booked and that she had emailed us that she had availability on Sunday and kept repeating to us that we should have checked our email in an aggressive and unfriendly tone. When I asked her why she didn't call us she said 'why didn't you check your email?'.... she did not even apologize once! When you run a business it is your responsibility to make sure your online booking availability is up to date, that you get in touch with the customer if you can't fulfill your obligations, and at least take any kind of responsibility for miscommunications. Who checks their email on vacation? Especially when we originally booked it online it said it was confirmed, and all the info needed to get there was on the website and in our memory? We left the harbor feeling very upset. When we got home we checked and could not find any email from them indicating an issue with the booking. The owner said I may have entered the wrong email, but I don't think so, and even then why wouldn't they call? She nonchalantly suggested we wait for other shops to open and try our luck with them but at that point they were all booked (we checked multiple places). She offered to put us on a boat on Sunday but that wouldn't work with our flights. Beware of online booking with this business, save yourself the potential heartbreak and patronize any of the other great dive shops in Kona, which is what I'll be suggesting to our friends and our local dive community who plan on traveling here in the future. read more

Hands down the best dive operator in Kona if you like smaller charters (i.e. operations like Jack's Diving Lockers are not personal enough for you, too many people on the boat, etc.). They have definitely taken the mantle from Dive Makai, which changed hands a few years ago, and is not the same outfit they once were. Patrice is the best divemaster for identifying critters and making you feel like you went on something more than a quick tour of the reef. Really miss Kendra, Lisa, Alexa, etc. from the old Dive Makai crew. But don't despair, Patrice is just as good. Give her a call. read more