I'm so we have a fishing/ diving supply store in Kapolei…read more The store owner Kevin is awesome n polite. The lady at the counters is very friendly with great customer service and very polite and friendly. They have what I need for both sports. Parking is good. Place is clean n neat. It's like a candy store to us fishermen n divers. Prices are reasonable n great quality. To much to choose from. Kevin always keep up with the new stuffs coming out. Gotta say this place is awesome

They are a little hard to find , but when you do , you'll find a friendly helpful staff. Lots of…read moreFishing and Diving gear available .

Kapolei Aquatics Center is a hidden gem for scuba gear and swim lessons. Our 5 year old daughter…read morewas extremely nervous in the water and we signed her up for weekly lessons here. Now, only 4 classes in --- I cannot believe how much she has learned and how confident she is. We have met 3 of the instructors and they are amazing. Very professional but also great with children. NOTE: We have also taken lessons with the YMCA and Leihi Swim School - and while similar in pricing and length of time, Kapolei Aquatics Center is by far the best. They will not exceed 4 children per instructor and they are extremely flexible in available times for classes. The class is a definite 30 minutes (not 25 with 5 minutes to switch classes). So far, because they are working on getting more clients, we have been lucky enough to have one on one sessions with the instructor. It's not just fun and games, but real survival skills. In the beginning class they have taught my daughter to swim straight to the wall when she jumps in, and how to float and glide, and hold her breath well. The owners said they also offer classes for adults. I think I may sign myself up too! :) Highly highly recommend!

Kapolei Aquatic Center is newly opened and offers a whole lot!…read more A division of American Renaissance Academy, Kapolei Aquatic Center is more than a dive shop. Don't get me wrong, they have tons of dive gear and will help you find the right gear for what you do and will help you get the right fit, but they also have a huge retail space. It's not crowded and it's easy to see everything. It makes it super comfortable and easy to take your time. They also offer swimming lessons for the super young through adult. And if you want to take a dive class, they offer both technical and recreational classes. The pool is on site too. The parking lot is huge. GPS takes you to the wrong side of the building, so take the road down to Midway and turn from that side. Enter in the first entryway-the others are blocked off.

I highly recommend Kraken Marine Divers if you're in Oahu looking to get your scuba diving…read morecertification or even just looking for a dive master to go scuba diving with. Matt was very knowledgeable, patient, and focused on safety throughout the 3 days and 5 dives that it took me to complete my open water scuba diver certification, which I appreciated very much. He could tell when I was anxious and provided the support I needed to complete all my skills. If I vacation in Hawaii again, I will definitely be reaching out to Matt to dive again.

I'm a very experienced retired scuba instructor although I had not dived in a number of years and…read morewanted to dive in Hawaii. I contacted the concierge at our hotel for a recommendation for a scuba diving operation and they recommended Matt at Kraken Divers. I contacted Matt, he responded promptly and we scheduled two days of diving. He offered to supply all necessary equipment but I preferred to bring my own and he supplied tanks and weights. He is a consummate professional. I asked him to observe me and make sure that I made no mistakes, and he did. We did a one tank beach dive and a two tank boat dive. He gave terrific and thorough safety and site briefings on all three dives. I have no hesitation in giving him a five star recommendation. And, believe me, as a multi agency instructor myself, he skipped nothing. I would happily dive with him anytime.

All female crew, a first for us, and a nice smooth sail with Tamiko @ the helm. Courtney, Mariam,…read moreand Kaley (fingers crossed on spelling) were all very attentive, friendly, and made for a very pleasant experience. Snacks were individually packaged, MAJOR bonus cos it's nasty when you get passengers clamoring for cheese 'n stuff off of a tray. And, rather tasty, I might add. Didn't partake in the drinks cos we've had plenty leading up to sunset cruise. Big lot for parking and seamless check-in. Save time, a tree, and sign your waiver online.

The staff was incredibly friendly, which really made the adventure worthwhile. We spent a good…read moreamount of time snorkeling, it was actually more than enough since the majority of the passengers returned to the boat before the time was up. The buffet at the end of the trip was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately we did not see any dolphins or whales, but that is not their fault. I love the fact that the boat was not that packed and there's plenty of room to lounge and sit. They could've packed more people, but they didn't which is a huge upside. Don't forget the open bar!!!!

Great service- need a military ID or CAC card to use facilities…read more A lot to choose from and great prices. Beach is clean and safe

Great service!…read more December 30, 2015 We were able to take advantage of this place because of the military status of my sister-in-law, my late brother was in the U.S. Army. This is a one-stop place that offer special discounts to some of the best attractions and activities on Oahu and the neighboring islands. MWR stands for morale, welfare, recreation for Hawaii military personnel. We were assisted by an employee named Joshua. They had a numbering system to which you take a number and you will be helped when your number is called. We didn't know to do this but he came out and helped us immediately once we walked in the door. Perhaps it wasn't that busy at the moment yet. Joshua was helpful, witty and informative. He gave us pricing, best deals, and answered all our questions. He was patient with us and assisted us till the booking was finalized. We inquired about a tour at the Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and a place for a luau. We finally settled on Paradise Cove for a luau and some of our family members are going to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Aside from luaus they also offered discounts on shows, dinner cruises, tours and activities on land and on the water, event tickets, mainland theme parks and lots more! Glad our military have this place to get cheap tickets.. they deserve much more. This is located at the Naval Station in Pearl Harbor. Thank you, Joshua! Review #0406

The ride alone is worth the $14.95 per person that Nelson's charges to have a direct pickup &…read moredropoff from your hotel to Hanauma Bay. Brian P. and I went on a snorkel tour on 09/03/14 thanks to a coupon that was provided by our hotel. It was a nondescript coupon that simply said "snorkel tours." (Same price without a coupon.) When reserving the tour, they answered "snorkel tours." It wasn't until we got on the van did we find out the actual name of the company. The vans are pretty wrecked inside. Definitely not luxurious. Imagine having your friend pick you up in their beater van and that's basically what you're taking. Our driver was on time and we picked up 2 more couples before heading out. Once we got to Hanauma, we were given masks, snorkels and flippers and asked when we wanted picked up. Our pickup was 7:30 am which meant we were in the water around 9 am and we chose the earliest pickup of 11 am. On the way back, we knew by seeing which van had a bunch of trash in the windshield that it was our van to pick us up. Our driver made a weird stop and had us transfer vans about 5 min down the road back to the hotel, but it wasn't a big deal. Very, very no frills. Worth the cost just to get a ride and avoid the bus. Even if I had my own snorkel, I'd probably use them again just because it's so cheap for the ride alone, and the other stuff is a bonus.

As the old saying goes: "you get what you pay for", and while not always true, this certainly and…read moreundoubtedly is the case for Nelson's Snorkel Tours. Rachel S and I found their coupon while looking through a coupon book given to us by our hotel. The coupon simply said "snorkel tours" and stated that a RT van to Hanauma Bay from Waikiki including snorkeling gear was $14.95 plus admission fees into the park. There were 2 phone numbers on the coupon and when I called the 1st one, a lady answered with the name "Snorkel Tours", so I was led to believe this was the name of the company. I told her I wanted to book a pick up for 2 adults at our hotel the next morning at 7:30 am The next morning at about 7:15 am, the same lady called me back and told me that we would be picked up at 7:20 and to be outside waiting for them. We quickly rushed downstairs to find a beat up old van with a cardboard sign in the dash that read "Nelson's Snorkel Tours". When we got on the van, I almost regretted booking the cheapo tour because the van smelled funny and the lady shuffled us around at each pick up location and separated individual parties, including Rachel and I, so that we'd fit better or something. Very odd. Riding in the van was also an experience in and of itself because the lady was a terrible driver and it didn't help that she attempted to multi-task on several occassions on top of that. It seemed like she was answering the phone while driving and booking future tours... Upon arrival at Hanauma Bay, the lady handed out snorkels, masks, and fins and collected the $14.95 + tax from each passenger. She also asked us what time each party wanted to be picked up and we chose the earliest time of 11 am so that we could get to our afternoon plans on time. Nervous that the lady wouldn't return at all and based on the Yelp reviews we read during the initial trip over to Hanauma, we sat at the pick up area hoping that the lady didn't forget about us. As we sat, we noticed a van turning into the parking lot and holding up a line of many other vans. We looked through the windshield of this van and saw a bunch of garbage on the dash and said to each other "I guess Nelson's is here"...and sadly we were right. We handed our rental equipment back to the lady and boarded the van. About 5 min down the road she had us get out and change vans with another group so that a male driver could take us back to Waikiki. WTF! At least this guy was a much better driver and we made it back safely. So why does our experience still deserve 3 stars you ask? Simply because just the ride down to Hanauma Bay is worth it for the 15 bucks per person. Next time if remember to bring my own gear from home, I would still consider Nelson's just because it's a cheap, quick ride compared to a long, multi-stop ride on TheBus. There are definitely many many other snorkeling tours around but none are cheaper than Nelson's. Other ones I saw were at least $20-25 per person although you may have a more enjoyable and trash free ride.

Captain Chris, Liliia, and Kingston are the awesomest boat crew ever experienced !…read more They were all so friendly and supportive throughout the entire experience. Ensuring everyone had a great time, they also gave information on safety so that we can enjoy the adventurous activities without any hiccups I know how to swim but I chose to use the floating vests to preserve some energy because it does take a lot of physicality from you - pro tip: BRING WATER (with liquid IV if you like it) they provide snacks, tea/water, two clean restrooms and a fresh water shower on the front deck to rinse off the salt water which is nice bonus The best activity is the slide - DO NOT PASS ON IT you just might regret it The jump from the second level is also great !!! Definitely not for the fearful lol The kayaks and paddle boards are tied to the boat so you don't get lost in sea You see a bunch of fish while snorkeling and can also see the bottom of the reef, didn't see a turtle but it's all good - it was still a great first time experience Seriously, just SO MUCH FUN ~ 10/10 would recommend !

Great vibe from the crew. If you're looking for a great family fun adventure with the kids, E Sea…read moreDiver puts it all together. The only downside is the popularity of this local snorkel, with many optional fun add ons, is the number of people on board. Tip: if you line up to board early, you get the opportunity to claim your cruising spot. I was with a family with kids from the mainland and our goal was to grab seating on the forward deck outside for the best Capt view during our cruise. My awesome wife also staked out a seat inside the cabin where the snack bar & restrooms are, to stash our beach bag & lunch cooler filled with our own beverages. Note: They have water and instant iced lemon tea with cups available. Also sweet & salty snack bars for all inside the main covered cabin. I enjoyed the boat ride! We were not disappointed with several distant but exciting whale blows, surfacing & whale tail waves along the way. The view of Wikiki and Diamond head was worth my price of admission. Note: You can book on line and select from 3 options; Boat ride observer only, Ride & Snorkel, Deluxe all inclusive ticket to participate in all the fun extra activities besides snorkel. Stand up paddle board, kayak, water slide and trampoline. I bought the snorkel that also allows you to jump off the upper deck if you so desire. I ultimately sat back and enjoyed watching everyone have fun. You can also buy a Groupon for this type of event. You'll enjoy their hospitality but be prepared to experience that tourist crowd kind of atmosphere. Four Fun Stars for a get what you pay for tourist-style adventure! Don't forget to bring your own beverages, sun block your feet first & the rest of your vulnerable spots! Also be patient, live the Aloha spirit and tip the hard working crew!

One of my pledges this year is complete more reviews of dive sites and dive shops I've used or…read morevisited. I'm a current member of the Sea Lancers Dive Club (SLDC). Located on the Hickam side of Joint Base Pearl Harbor/Hickam, They are the oldest military diving club, started some 75 years ago in 1958. SLDC offers a number of services, including equipment rentals, air tank visual inspections, hydrostatic testing (referred out), and self-service air tank refills. SLDC will also organize of number of club dinners and dives throughout the year. The self-service tank refill stations are available 24/7 to club members. Once you get the hang of it, it takes less than 30 minutes to do it yourself, perfect for the serious dive hobbyist! Membership dues are currently $25/mo or an annual membership for $275. They are slightly out of the way, but I have been a member of other more convenient dive clubs that have turned out to be disappointing, mostly in air tank refills not being filled in a timely manner or not up to full pressure. Will repeat and recommend if you have base access!

If you actively scuba dive and have base access this is the perfect place to rent gear, meet…read moredivers, and get clean air refills.

Great dive with Ed! The boat ride was nice and quick to our dive sites and I saw a turtle on each…read moredive! The equipment was set up for us and it was a great experience overall. Thank you so much!

We had semi-private diving (only 4 divers) which was great. Dive guide Faith is so nice, asking for…read moreour experience, caring during the whole time. I had issues with fins underwater and she jumped to help! We also got to see wreck which we didn't expect, which is awesome! We had pineapple for lunch, which was conveniently cut and was so yummy! Only downside is that their new dive computers didn't kick in during safety stop and I didn't see deco time - it was showing total dive time.

A little bit of ocean right in the midst here in Aulani…read more.. Not only can you get a free peek of the fishes though some windows located right across Lava Shack you can actually take a dip along with the fishes for the day or your length of stay though the hours here are short 10am to 3pm so plan your experience accordingly your day pass does allow you to enter and exit as you like as for the day it's $25 for adults and $20 for keiki and for your length of stay it's $45 for adults and $35 for keiki. It is a fun option without packing it all up and voyaging out to the beach this fun and cool place makes exploring something new a breeze as everything here is contained to snorkel and explore nothing like I've ever seen and it's Aulani of course. Thank you!

Yes! Perfect place to start a snorkeling experience. My 7 year old daughter loved it! I loved it…read moretoo. Plenty of beautiful fish, a lifeguard, they provide float vests and snorkel gear. You can also bring your own gear and they allow you to wear it. I took my own.