Great crew, stuff and tour guides. Great price and affordable. We did a total of four dives in two separate days. We started with two shallow dives since we want to get comfortable with the diving first before we go for the 100 ft shipwreck dive. First two dives were with Enrique. He was great and had a lot of patience given our amateur diving experience. My last dive was last year. My sister's last dive was 4 years ago and my other friend just got certified. So you can imagine how much 'tripping and crumbling' we had for our first dive. Let alone the nerve wrecking adrenaline that went up to our head. Once we were in the water, we were all cool and enjoyed the dive. We like it so much so we decided to join the Deep/Shallow dives the day after. We went to the Sea Tiger Shipwreck site on our deep dive. It's 100 feet deep from the top of the ship. Given we are only recreational dive certified, we can only dive around the ship but cannot go to the bottom of the ship (which is 120 feet). Jeff was our guide and he was awesome and funny. We took pictures with sea turtle and the ship wreck. It was definitely worth the trip and the money. They also offer free pick up from your hotel to the pier. AND they took great pictures of you diving for FREE!! You can download the pictures later for free. I do recommend you checking out their blog. Jeff is so funny and he blogged about his trips with his customers/ friends. http://blog.rainbowscuba.com/ Thank you Aaron for the shuttle ride. The whole trip was memorable because of the dives. One unfortunate thing happened to me though. I had some rashes during my trip and my skin turned very itchy. I went to see the doctor when I came back. She said there were some micro-organisms in the water which have very very fine needles. My skin was allergic to those chemicals. The diving suit could have trapped the needles so they stayed longer on my skin. Well I am just bad luck because my sister and my other friend had no issue at all. The dermatologist said it's just my unfortunate and there is no way to prevent it from happening. read more

Rainbow scuba rocks. Jeff is a great instructor and makes you feel super safe when you are underwater. I highly recommend them. We saw turtles, held an octopus and saw a few sharks. They know how to make a no experience first time diver feel right at home. Thanks for a great dive, I'll be sure to return and see them again. read more

This is an updated review, I also went back in 2011 so this reflects the changes between now and then. I still give this 5 stars as it is the best value scuba place around. I would say that the experience was slightly more enjoyable in 2011. The instruction portion of the dive seemed to increase by quite a lot. Most likely this is out of there control due to changes in regulations. The dive spots changed and even if they changed for good reason the perception of diving 50 ft away from the harbor is lame. Free pictures are a cool bonus. 1 suggestion I would make is to take 1 posed and make the rest on the fly. We felt like this cut into the time we got to swim around and see more stuff. The instructors were patient and good with beginners. They own there own boat now and focus on small groups to make the experience better and give you more attention. read more

I have dived with Rainbow a few times since they certified me 6 years ago. Every day has been exceptional. They're customer service and desire to make every outing fun and exciting beyond compare. We had a diver on this trip who wasn't able to dive due to a sinus block. Instead, he and captain went fishing while we dove. He didn't have a single complaint despite being unable to complete his dives. The Sea Tiger is an amazing wreck to see, both inside and out if you are lucky enough to get inside it. The water was pristine. We saw everything from eels to turtles to fish. On the second dive, we were lucky enough to see two 4-6" white tip sharks. I would definitely recommend Rainbow for. KGB diving and their instruction! read more

This was my second time diving and it went very well with Rainbow. This time I was getting my PADI Open Water Diver certification and it went very smoothly. They're prices are cheap and the instruction is top notch. It took two days, but you need to really familiarize yourself with the coursebook beforehand. They picked me up from my hotel. All of the equipment was provided. The instructor, Ryan, was great. Very helpful and patient. The first dive was done at the beach, which made things very easy. The rest of the dives were boat dives. We got take awesome pictures with sea turtles, but unfortunately, Ryan lost his camera on one of the dives. We finished the course with a review and test at the local Wahoo's fish tacos. Just remember, cash only. I wish they had told me before hand because I had to go to an ATM to pay them. read more

Ken is amazing! It was my second time diver and I wasn't completely comfortable with the process, but ken was so patient and encouraging he made it easier! There is no better place to get certified than Hawaii. Especially with rainbow scuba's 2 day course. We saw an octopus, eels, turtles and plenty of fish! It was a beautiful two days! Plus free pick up and drop off at our hotel and free pictures that ken took on our dive!! Thanks rainbow scuba!! read more

3 days of scuba with my sons... Our instructor Ken was excellent, we had the best time of our lives. Every dive we felt comfortable; we felt we were in good hands. We would get picked up from our hotel to the marina. All equipment was furnished and in great condition. Best thing is Ken is training you to become certified PADI. We took the test and everything stuck, thank you for the great experience. read more

I came from California yesterday. I have been communicating with Ken re: a weekday dive. He has been very informative and really puts an effort with text and phone call updates. He is very professional and the phone and very helpful. Even if I ended up to be the only diver for the day, he still accommodated me. It was a great day. Ken was my diving buddy for the Sea Tiger Wreck dive. He did make it a great experience. He offered to go into the actual shipwreck, showed me a giant turtle and a shark. He took his time and made it the best dive of my life. We even had dolphins passed by just above us while on a safety stop. Too bad I was not able to get it on my go pro. He even had his own go pro to film my experience. Again big thanks to Ken. Then comes the reef dive. Jeff was my dive buddy, he took me to nautilus reef by Waikiki and made sure that I would have an amazing time. I did, just like Ken, he took his time and put so much effort to make it a perfect day for diving in Waikiki I am very grateful. Jeff found a few eels, a shark and a a couple of octopus for me. He took amazing pictures of me with the octopus and the reef. On the boat, both Ken and Jeff were very helpful that I didn't have to do anything. It was such a great experience and I really recommend Rainbow Scuba to everyone especially to my friends who are going to dive in Oahu! No one can beat the service that they provided. I will definitely dive with them again! read more

I've been out with a couple companies, but there was always something a bit off. This one is wicked awesome! What a great dive. The group is kept small so you get a better experience and the night dive was once of the best dives I've been on. So excited I found this company and will be back on my next visit to Honolulu! read more

We booked at the last minute and the owner, Ken, worked with us to be able to get a dive in while on Oahu. Both my boyfriend and I hadn't dove in a couple years and Ken helped us feel at ease back in the water again. We got to dive at two seperate locations and there was just four of us in our dive group. Ken was curteous, professional, and definitely a lot of fun. We got to see tons of sea turtules, hold octopus, and see sting rays and eagle rays. It was definitely the highlight of our vacation and would recommend Rainbow Scuba to anyone wanting to dive on the Island. The pictures were wonderful, the price couldn't be beat, and we can't wait to come back and dive with Ken again! read more

Great experience. Free pictures. Wreck dive and reef dive for $110. I saw two sea turtles (one in the wreck), shark (in the wreck), eel (eating an octopus), sea urchins, tropical fish (fed the fish), 3 octopus, ... The Dive Masters do touch the wildlife but they adhere to all regulations while doing so. If you are the look but don't touch diver, go to another shop. However, if seeing a DM touch wildlife doesn't incite judgement and anger within you, go with Rainbow Scuba because they will make sure you have an awesome experience. Need I say more? read more

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Those guys are awesome! Small groups, never bigger than 5-6 people, crazy attention to detail, free photos, super friendly, absolutely professional, helpful, nice, and just plain simply the best. I looked at soo many reviews of dive companies in Oahu, and once I gave Ken a call, I knew I had found what I was looking for. I booked a PADI certifications from my 2 teens - that went seemless thanks to the super professional attitude they both bring to the table - then some more dives - also amazing - all in all top notch service, super flexible, super responsive, much better than other dive companies I spoke to in advance. Will definitely book with them again! read more

Raibow Scuba is great. They will work with you and your schedule. Sending my friend to get certified with them. read more

This was great. Ken and Jeff are pros who seemed like they could handle any situation they come across. We almost didn't go because of one of the other yelp reviews, but are glad we did. We saw turtles, sharks, schools of fish, and even an eel or two. Ken noticed I was feeling a little sea sick, so he got me into the water first, and it really helped A LOT. It really impressed me how intune he was with the mood and energy of the different group members. I can't imagine how stressful it must be to have to keep track of up to eight different completely brand new scuba divers, but they do it well, while maintaining an upbeat and patient attitude. Super affable, friendly guys, if you're looking to start scuba diving, this is a very good place to begin with. Remember, if you are scuba diving, you might see some fish, and you might get your hair wet. :p read more

They were awesome! We did a 3-hour private snorkel and they took us right to the spot where we swam with turtles and hundreds of fish!! They were knowledgeable and kind and really let us do the exploring while pointing out turtles. 100% recommend read more

Best time! Must try! My husband got us a private afternoon with Ken for lessons and it was the most amazing experience. It was a Valentine's Day present for me and I LOVED it! Ken was a fantastic professional and taught us a lot about safety and how to enjoy the dive. He is extremely knowledgeable and a very gifted teacher. He took great photos and videos with my husband when I could not go too deep. My husband came back so happy - the best present ever - he saw amazing things like a turtle who winking at him, a small shark, zebra moray and so many colorful fish! My husband said Ken knew exactly where to go to find the best place to swim. Ken also took a lot of wonderful videos and pictures for us to watch - which made it such amazing memory! As an aside, they were so kind to my mom and Dad who came along to watch us dive on our private lessons. Ken made sure they sat in the shade and got water and helped to get them from one side of the boat to the next etc - truly above and beyond! It shows that they love what they do and they are so good at it. As a result we all had the best time! What an amazing experience. I came to Hawaii many times - this present is the very best!!! read more

I wished to do an introductory dive and located Rainbow Scuba on TripAdvisor. I have nothing but positive feedback on the experience. It's perhaps worth noting I was the only student he had that day. Chronologically: 1. Phone call -- Ken was very pleasant, helpful, and accommodating in scheduling the dive. 2. Arrival -- I live in Honolulu so I drove myself, and Ken's description of specifically where to meet was accurate and easy to follow. I waited a few extra minutes for him to return from returning other customers to Waikiki, but traffic was to blame, and it didn't affect the duration of my dives (to my knowledge). 3. Preparation -- I have experience swimming and snorkeling, and Ken was great at scaling his instructions to my level (i.e., he wasn't too verbose). Being an intro dive, he kept the instructions consise. 4. Dive -- Ken regularly made sure I was doing fine but didn't keep me on a leash. I'm an independent dude so I appreciated that. However, I know if I were more reticent he would've given me all the attention I needed. 5. Free Photos -- posted the next day. Nice! Overall, I was very happy with the dive, and the kama'aina (local) rate of $90 was a value. Even at the regular (non-local) rate of $100 it would've been worth it. I'm planning to do the certification course with Ken soon. read more

My first scuba diving experience was great with this crew! Made everything pretty humorous yet very informative. They showed us some great sites and we managed to spot a shark and two turtles. Loved the experience and will do it again. Thanks Rainbow! read more

I can't wait to go again! Our instructor (owner) Ken was incredibly patient, attentive and professional during the basic instructions through the actual dive. Having the option to have just your family on the excursion is wonderful! This exceeded my expectations-MY VACATION WAS COMPLETE! read more

After watching so many ocean documentaries and being a nature lover myself, I can't believe it's taken me so long to scuba dive. I have no words to describe how amazing this experience was - the moment I went underwater for the first time, I felt as if I were in another world. Ken and Jeff are the best people that can safely take you to this world, so long as you have the confidence. They are comprehensive, experienced, patient, and hilarious to boot. They answered every question and made it their personal mission that we were safe and having fun. The complimentary photos and video they provided were also super clear and dare I say professionally made. Thank you both, for one of the best experiences of my life. read more

I had not dove in 10 years and was vacationing in Waikiki for the first time. I wanted to get back in the water and was a bit nervous since it had been so long since my last dive, so I was seeking a local dive company that I felt comfortable, safe, knowledgeable, and flexible with my limited vacation schedule. I called Rainbow and spoke with Ken. I knew immediately with speaking with Ken that he understood my situation and that his primary goal was my safety, comfort, and to ensure that I would be relaxed and have a great time on my dives to make this a memorable and fun vacation. I had to brush up on my diving skills: terminology, hand signals, and physics, which was intimidating. Ken made my refresher course engaging and simple. Ken has a way of speaking and teaching in very relaxed and easy comprehensible terms and analogies which makes learning on vacation so much fun. I felt like when I was speaking with Ken that I was just chatting up with a buddy, but he always emphasized safety. I did 5 dives with Rainbow. Four of my dives were with Jeff, a native Hawaiian who has been diving since he was 8 years old. Like Ken, Jeff emphasized safety and Jeff has a great personality and sense of humor that made diving so much fun. I loved the detailed attention that I received from Jeff on each of my dives. He was always attentive, constantly checking on my safety and comfort, while finding the most amazing sea creatures (e.g., sea turtles, octopus, white tipped reef sharks, etc.), and taking amazing and life memory photos from my dive. Jeff had totally changed my perspective of wreck dives. Previously I was nervous about entering wrecks, but with Jeff I knew I was safe. I truly enjoyed diving with Jeff and diving with a native in Hawaii made my experience so much more authentic. I highly recommend diving with Rainbow. Their service is amazing, knowledgeable, safe, and FUN!!! Their equipment is new (two months old from my dives in June 2012), and world class service. They are prompt with pick-ups and drop-offs in Waikiki. They provide refreshments and cold water on the dive boats. And the pictures from the dives are absolutely priceless :). Thank you Ken and Jeff! read more

Thank you for an awesome experience, Jeff and Ken! You guys were great! This was a wonderful bonding family time we had with our kids. It was the highlight of our family Hawaii vacation. Thanks for the beautiful photos you posted on Facebook that same day of our dive. We'll recommend you guys in a heart beat! read more

I received my Open Water certification from Ken via Rainbow Scuba. Scuba diving is serious business and without the proper materials, instructors and training environments simulating an open ocean dive, a novice diver runs the serious risk of injuring themselves. Ken provided fantastic instruction which combined a unique style of humor to offset the serious nature of the training. Ken strongly recommended a Discover Dive as a 'trial run' to ensure I and three other classmates really wanted to give diving a shot. We all declined as we'd all had some prior experience with diving or Helo dunks, and were all strong swimmers. The advantage with a Discovery Dive is that if one doesn't like idea of staying underwater for any period of time with an air tank and a silicon face mask for protection, no problem... they only lose a nominal fee for the dive. If however, you choose to go through an open water certification and wig out halfway through, that student is out several hundred dollars. Ken wanted to make that point perfectly clear as it was more important to him to have happy, properly trained and safe divers than to make a quick buck. Our practice dives were conducted at Magic Island, a shallow protected section of ocean that provided a true ocean setting where we practiced all the required steps needed to pass open water dive tests. Folks may disagree but practicing in a pool where you don't have silt, currents or an opportunity to get a mouthful of salt water, gives a false sense of security when learning how scuba gear works, how to use them, and more importantly, what to do if something goes wrong. At no point were we rushed during our instruction and Ken made it a point to not move on unless each of us (four students total) completely understood each portion of the class. Ken was quite fond of saying "Hey, I work for you." Our certification occurred out by Turtle Cove. We used a line to facilitate ourselves down to 20', 40' and 60' where Ken administered the tests in between small breaks of diving along coral reefs. Ken was strict about safety and would repeat each portion of the test prior to the dives to ensure we each knew what was expected. Following successful dives by all of us students, we regrouped at a nearby restaurant for debriefing and to complete a written exam that is required to complete the certification. The exam was reviewed and after a celebratory toast, we each received temporary open water certifications with formal cards to be sent by PADI shortly. The boat, dive suits, and scuba gear were great. The boat captain, awesome. Water and snacks were available and Ken made it a point to take photos of us students underwater for us to view online after and download. (A bonus for those of us who love to post photos for bragging rights and for me, it showed Ken takes pride in his students!) I stayed at the Moana Surfrider located on Kalakaua Avenue which translates to about a 20 minute drive to Rainbow Scuba if you're driving a rental. I highly recommend Ken and Rainbow Scuba. I trusted them with keeping me safe and I can't wait to return and dive with them again! read more

First-time scuba diving. Did not enjoy the group lesson. They talk crazy fast, loud and somewhat condescendingly (yes, even with hand gestures when you're underwater). They will let you off the boat with a full refund before heading out if you can't swim or have other reasons to be a bad match for scuba (like the guy in my group who didn't know how to swim). You will have to sign some legal forms in case you die or get hurt (which is expected but could have been delivered with more grace). Inevitably, everyone who booked the time slot for the group lesson attended (6 of us total). There 2 scheduled dives (1st one to acclimate, then 2nd to actually enjoy watching sealife). Those who dropped out after the 1st dive (for medical, claustrophobic, or other reasons) hung out on the boat, only 2 of us ended up enjoying the 2nd dive. The boat itself was pretty worn down with paint peeling away everywhere and equipment stashed messily up-front. The diving equipment seemed ok though (primary and secondary air supplies ready and within reach). The instructors didn't seem like they enjoyed providing tours (lots of negative vibes and talk). At the end of the tour, they wanted volunteers to take a marketing pic with an aloha license plate (which seemed kinda pushy considering 4 of us had dropped out). If I had to base a future hobbyist interest in scuba based on this experience alone, I would probably not pursue the deep sea again with this company. Maybe look elsewhere with folks who are more genuine and more interested. read more

Overall, I had a great experience and even got to swim with turtles. The main instructor, whose name I can't remember, dragged on a little bit on instructions, and even made me feel more nervous than to begin with. However, he had good intentions and just wanted to make sure we were informed. My sister ended up getting sick on the boat and he even stayed back to make sure she was ok and could go at her own pace! They take pictures for you as well which was nice! For the price, it was definitely worth it! read more

It's an incredible experience to feel the underwater world with Ken. Highly recommend these two kind, friendly and professional guys.

Hmmmm....where does one begin. Well, let me start by stating that this little enchilada did her research. I trust my fellow yelp'ers, but felt that I would give each company a call to chat. There are dive companies that while doing research seem to prey on the unknowing (me). I called one place that quoted an incredible price for the PADI cert - I thought either these other places are trying to come-up ice cube style or there are some legit smoked out costs. Sadly the latter was the case...I am not a big fan of the trickery - so I went with a moderately priced honest and up front establishment. I arrived a few minutes late on Saturday for skills development/training and our first dive. Ken the instructor was awesome and patient. He was respectful, clear and courteous on arrival - thus making me feel comfortable. **please note, scuba diving does not come natural for us all, and he totally put me at ease with his knowledge, skill, and professionalism!** The class size was small, which is clearly a req, but...maybe not because I saw HUGE classes out. He also does the in water skills training and first dive at Magic Island - not in a controlled environment aka swimming pool. AWESOME. Might as well learn the way it will actually feel. After his classroom style review, of which he allowed and encouraged questions we hit the water. One to gain some comfort and practice a few of the rules....#1 - As Mr. T would proclaim I pity the fool that stops breathing while scuba diving. Okay, so Ken did not quote Mr. T, but he does like Justin Timberlake ladies (it is the truth, and I let him know he should hold his head up high when making such an honorable statement.) Off we went to the water to practice the skills he proficiently taught us! So awesome - all joking aside scuba diving is magical. There were two in our class of awesome students that were having a challenging time. Ken was great at encouraging and keeping these two at pace with the rest of the class. AWESOME! I am telling you he was super patient. This one girl was adorably having some challenges and he completely helped her and as a matter a fact did not give up on her. We ended late in the afternoon but that was because of the additional time spent helping out this woman. The other class members did not mind, and as a result she was able to pass that portion of the cert. Pretty awesome! Ahhh, and Ken is big on safety first! Day two, three dives! AWESOME. So we were not able to go out on the boat as the conditions were not favorable to do so. So he gave our class the option to do a shore dive and swim out to depths of 50' - 60' The two individuals that were having a few challenges decided against the shore dive as it required a swim. So it was Ken, the most awesome Candice and I. We learned how to get into the water, of which Ken noted jumping off a boat will be far more easy (we entered the water off a landing not a beach,) how to swim a decent distance on our back watching for swells, and of course safely staying out of the channel where boats travel in and out of. The first dive was awesome, again it is so magical down there, and it is great to be with someone that you know is completely safe, is looking out for you, and is essentially doing the right thing - thanks Ken! Third dive we saw some awesome schools of fish, gorgeous sea life all around, some rubbish, a sponge crab, and a white tip shark. Such a frickin' gorgeous creature. After the day in the water we headed over to Wahoo fish tacos to enjoy some re-hydration time and pupus. I was not warned about the nommmmms. In this time we also reviewed the PADI book one last time, Ken took the time to review some info again and answer questions. Then off we went to take the exam. You can miss up to 12 questions, I found it to be a challenging test. They say it is a fourth grade level - I do not recall grade school being that challenging. None-the-less, if you have concerns about test taking talk to Ken. He will put your worries at ease. I passed missing 7 questions. None-the-less everything about Rainbow Scuba was LEGIT. I highly recommend! Ahhh shoots, forgot to mention Ken's son. Super sweet and helpful. Oh yeah - all gear is provided too (wet suit, mask, snorkel, BCD, fins....I will stop the listing insanity)! ALL EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED IN THE FEE THEY ARE ASKING (the PADI card too...shoots and he will use a nice photo for the id!) Nada-thang hidden! KEN and the RAINBOW posse you all are frickin' how businesses should be run! Alright! If I was you, I would go with them - if not go on a dive with them! Rainbow, unicorns, and Ken! Too Legit to quit rating from this lady! Enjoy the glorrrriousness, taste the rainbow-Rainbow Scuba! Fantastico, bellisimo...encore! See you soon Ken and crew. read more

You'd be foolish to skip this experience with the Captain Ken and Jeff, the master diver. As a tourist, I always support the locals, and they have the experience to back it up. Best equipment, variety of masks, huge boat, clean and they don't cut corners. Kind, selfless, customer oriented. They couldn't of made it easier and more pleasurable. Although I found myself not catching on quick, Jeff was right there, I felt confident and not afraid. He even pokes around for octopus and hands you sea cumcubers to hold. All you have to do is ask what you'd like to see...they only take out small groups so it's like a private session. Best pricing...no hidden fees....cool dudes...For me, it was a dive of a lifetime I'll never ever forget. I wish them continued success! read more

I did my advanced open water class (the 3-day option) with Rainbow Scuba a little over two months ago. The experience was exactly what I wanted. Ken and Jeff were very friendly and professional. On each day, I was the only student in the morning, so I got plenty of attention, and it was just like diving with a very experienced, professional dive buddy who knows the dive sites like the back of his hand. I dived with Ken my first day (on which I got the navigation skill exercise out of the way), and with Jeff the second and third days. At all times i felt safe and comfortable in the water. Jeff gave me a little mask-clearing review when I needed it, and Ken checked in with me (mid-course, out of water) to make sure that they addressed any specific concerns I might have for the course. Those were my first wreck dives (borrowed some gloves after my first one since I cut myself), and I saw sea turtles, rays, some little octopi, a lobster, etc. Ken was prompt (twice early) and courteous in coming to pick me up from my hotel and giving me a ride back after the dives. Free (underwater) pics were posted to Flickr within a day or two. Their operation is relatively no-frills, but their prices are competitive for that reason, and quality is high where it counts. Note that payment is cash only, and that the boat is shared with others for those who care. Since again, it was only me for my "classes," they were pretty good about getting us in the water before the masses. Also, when I went out there (October), their email address wasn't working, so if you try contacting them that way and don't hear back, give them a call. Again, my experience with Rainbow Scuba was exactly what I wanted, and a great value for diving in Honolulu. Check out their Tripadvisor reviews as well. I look forward to diving with them again the next time I am in Honolulu. read more

Ken was super cool as an instructor. He was patient and understanding. Their structure of fees is very generous only charging $100 for scuba diving if you don't want to get certified. My wife and I took the lesson, unfortunately did not continue to get certified. The first time experience was great for me due to Ken and would definitely recommend his services to anyone! read more

I loved the water from when I was little, and scuba diving was always a dream of mine. A dream lodged in the back of my mind, because I never thought of acutally going out and getting a scuba certification. A special someone encouraged me to go for it, and introduced me to Ken and Rainbow Scuba. The week my class was scheduled, I unfortunately got sick, and was close to rescheduling, but remembering my meeting with Ken encouraged me to just take the class as scheduled. That first meeting before my class, Ken was a pleasure to meet! He explained the certification process, as well as basic diving techniques in a way that was easy to understand, especially for someone who used to swim on a swim team in junior high/high school. Apparently, one is not supposed to flail their arms when diving! I kept that in mind when attending my first class. Unfortunately I continued to flail during that first in-water session, but Ken kindly explained to me NUMEROUS times (haha sorry Ken!) that I am not to flail. He was never discouraging, which really helped with my confidence levels, as I was not in the best health condition to be in the water. I took my 2nd class on the following Sunday, as water conditions were not the greatest the next day. Although a week had passed since my first class, Ken and Jeff helped me to review the equipment, and diving/breathing techniques, in an encouraging, easy-to-understand way. My first dive down to 35 feet definitely brought out lots of nerves, and although that dive didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped, Ken's encouragement and instruction helped me through the 2nd dive to 60 feet. I fell in love with the open water right then and there. After those dives, I loved it so much that I went back for more this past Sunday with Rainbow Scuba! Went to the Sea Tiger and Horseshoe Canyon. And LOVED IT! Thank you Ken, Jeff, and the rest of the Rainbow Scuba staff! You guys are the best!!!! read more

tl;dr Best scuba for first time divers too! Safe, fun, and reasonably priced. Ken knows what he's doing. I had never dived before, and have very few experiences swimming in the ocean. Ken was incredibly patient with our entire boat - there were six of us and, for some reason, almost every single one of us had trouble diving that day (even the experienced divers). I personally also freaked out on the first dive as well. Despite the delay, he gave us careful instructions while giving the experienced divers a head start. More of us were able to dive on the second try, and he guided us to a couple caves where we saw sharks and turtles! Oh, and free pictures too :) Scuba diving is very intimidating and uncomfortable for first-time divers. My nose was stinging, the goggles kept filling up with water, my ears hurt from pressure (which got better when I equalized often), and the scuba mouth piece was weird to breathe from. It really was a mental challenge to muster up to courage to go down when all my senses felt abused. Had it not been for Ken and his exhaustive lesson before the dive and continuous pep talk to overcome my fears, I would not have been able to made it down. That being said, some people on our boat gave up after the first try - it's ultimately up to you whether you try until you make it. I recommend Rainbow to divers of all skill levels. It's in a small group of less than 6 (Ken said he used to do bigger groups but downsized a lot), reasonably priced, safe.. and the people are fun too. It was an experience that made me want to go diving again. read more

Awesome time with Ken! He is very chill, knows what he is doing, and is always safety minded. Small groups (though you share a boat with other groups for those of you who care about stuff like that!), knowledgable and fun. I would definitely go with Rainbow scuba again in the future. read more

My instructor Ken is a no-BS entertaining get-the-job-done kind of guy. He's been scuba diving since he was 12 yrs old, and teaching for more than 10 years. Though he doesn't strictly follow the PADI course guidelines, and can be really sarcastic so you'll need to get used to that, I feel like he teaches me the things that are important in scuba diving. Additionally, he's really accomodating, and was able to work with my sort time available in Honolulu, and complete everything in 2 days without feeling like he was cutting corners in my training. Overall I'm happy with Ken, and would recommend him if you're fine with a less-formal training program and just want to learn what's important to keep you safe. -- last tip: if you have questions, just ask him. don't be intimidated by his extra talkative personality, he's there to teach you! read more

I love ken. He's super friendly and really funny. He makes learning to dive a blast. He also takes the time out to take all these awesome pictures and posts them pretty quickly. I'm thinking about continuing with the advanced course and when i do it will defintely be with Ken. Great service, great instructor, great time. read more

Awesome time!! Went diving for the first time and couldn't have asked for a better experience. Ken was super helpful and patient with those who were freaking out a lil in the beginning (me) and made sure everyone felt okay before going in. Once I got over the nerves, it was an all around amazing experience. Wouldn't have wanted to do my first scuba dive any other way.. For sure two thumbs up!! Thanks again Ken :) read more

First off, this experience and Ken himself along with his associate was great! Disregard all negative reviews because people need to know before they go if they are going in water with a chip on their shoulder or not. Ken was very patient and comforting and as well as knowledgeable about scuba diving. Not only did he list facts but he listed scenarios for us just so we were prepared for anything down there. They were funny guys that helped us with every little thing down there. Also, hand gestures are needed down there since you can't just talk underwater. So in other words IF YOU'RE NOT COORDINATED AT ALL DONT GO. This should be the same for any other company as well. These guys give you the best bang for your buck and make you feel as comfortable as you can be. Scuba gear is great, wet suits are available, oxygen supply was great, and as well as the time spent in the water was great. You can't get something better than this. Thank you so much to Ken and Travis I think it was. Mahalo! read more

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If you are visiting Waikiki and you want to try scuba for the first time, YOU NEED TO GO DIVING WITH RAINBOW SCUBA! My friend and I got picked up in the morning by the owner Ken at our hotel. He dropped us off at the dock where we met our dive instructor Jeff. He has been diving since he was 8 years old so we were in good hands. Ken and Jeff take care of everything while we were wiggling into our scuba suits. We went to the Turtle Canyon reef and Nautilus for our two dives. I was struggling to pop my ear in the first dive, but I was must better on the second dive. Jeff was taking all the pictures while showing us all the cool sea creatures below. We got see turtles, schools of fishes, and etc. We had such an amazing time while the other divers with other guides look like they were miserable. There was a couple who just dove to the bottom of the sea floor and then popped back up. During my first dive, I will admit that I was really nervous as I pulled myself down to the floor. That eventually disappeared when we were at the bottom and Jeff checked to see that I was feeling fine. Anyway, I am definitely recommending them to all my friends who are looking to scuba in waikiki. And when I am in Hawaii again, I am definitely going to scuba dive with them again. read more

First time diving experience. The dive masters were very friendly and helpful. They took lots of nice photos (free, posted on Flickr) for us. We got to see lots of sea turtles, octopi, and eels as well as plenty of different fish. They only accept cash so be prepared. read more

I highly recommend! I did my certification with Ken over 2 days, 4 dives total. 2 100 ft wreck dives and 2 40 ft reef dives PROS: Cheapest in town, keeps groups small, provides a fun atmosphere and you don't need to bring a camera since ken takes pictures and posts them for free for you to download. Pickup and drop off at your hotel read more