Kona Diving Company — Local services in Hawaii

KDC is an awesome find. First, they don’t advertise, their word of mouth. Second, they really want to know who they’re taking out on the boat and are very concerned that everyone have a safe and awesome experience. There’s no just “booking” a reservation and that’s it. Yes this requires more work from you. You actually have to call or email and talk with them about what you are hoping to do on your dives. Imagine that…a company that doesn’t just want your $$$, but wants to be sure you have a good and safe experience. We went out with them on two different days. The first day we did a two tank morning dive. We were a group of 6 and all relatively new to diving. We booked a second dive master as part of the dive. As a note, they typically take no more than 5 people per DM anyway. (10 divers, 2 DMs split in to 2 groups is the typical maximum-this is not a cattle herding operator). It was such an awesome and personalized experience. The DMs had clearly read the info we provided (experience level, who we were, past dives, etc). They shared the dive plan, info on ocean life, etc. We rented gear and they had all our gear ready along with wet suits. For others on the boat with their own gear, the DMs took it and set it up so it was ready to go. It was winter so they thought carefully about sites for where we would dive, swells, currents, etc and a DM went in the water and checked out the site to ensure conditions were acceptable before starting. The dive itself was bar none, the DMs were perfect and the dives were amazing experiences.

But…if my novice experience isn’t enough, the other 4 people diving on the boat with this outfit on this particular morning….they all had logged over 1000 dives, one was also a DM from California and at least 2 dove with KDC in the past…all that to say, this is a company that experts choose to dive with and that experts choose to return to. KDC caters to all levels, but they will want to know who you are before you come and they will ask you lots of questions. Take the time to engage vs just clicking the book button on another site. You really and truly want your dive outfit to care! It’s worth the extra effort on your part.

I did a ton of research and came back to KDC over and over again. There is not another company on the island with this level of detail and advanced preparation. Oh and the DMs, all of them (we met 6 in total Over 2 days) were top 1%, fantastic.

We engaged KDC for a private charter for the manta night dive with another family. 1/2 were diving, 1/2 snorkel. This was one of the only charters that would do a split excursion, and again bc they keep things small and personal, it was awesome! Everyone had 5mm wet suits, each group was briefed, all the DMs were amazing (snorkelers had a DM in the water too and divers had 2 DMs). The captain even searched for whales on the way out which was an added bonus. We saw some blow holes and tails! And of course say amazing Mantas later that evening.

As an aside, one our DMs recommend Umekes for lunch after our morning dives. If was fantastic, but had a wait. We tried Harbor House at the marina before the manta charter, very mediocre. We also ordered sushi from Izakaya Shiono (delicious!!!!!) after a separate Catamaran sailing charter from the marina with Paradise Sailing Hawaii (see my other review). KDC does have snacks, and yummy pbjs on board along with cup a soup, hot cocoa, and drinks. We brought snacks too. In general though don’t bring a huge spread. There’s not a huge amount of space for it and too much food btw dives can be a problem for some. If you can eat between dives then maybe bring a sandwich if you want something different, but really KDC has several yummy options. They also have Tums, just in case you need it!

When planning, keep in mind that the drive to Hilo has higher elevations and Mauna Kea is above the clouds… either do those things before you dive, or plan to wait 24 hours after diving. If you have questions, just ask!

Reach out, stop searching. You have definitely found the best dive outfit Kona...

I spent a fair bit of time going to the various dive shops located in the area before deciding to book with Kona Diving Company. All the shops have somewhat similar offerings and pricing, so it really came down to the interaction with the staff. I found a higher level of enthusiasm and positive interaction with this company at the time of booking. They seemed to genuinely be interested in my business, but were very honest in regards to discouraging me from booking later in the week as they felt their was a high probability that the impending tropical storm would cancel operations. They certainly could of just taken my booking and then made me have to deal with getting a refund, but they helped me to avoid that hassle. Ultimately, this honesty and friendliness earned my business.

I proceeded to book the late afternoon dive followed by the evening Manta dive. Upon arriving at the prescribed meeting spot all the crew were extremely friendly and made sure to ask pertinent questions. The boat was crewed by a captain, a divemaster for each of two separate groups and a guide for the smaller group of snorklers. There was not a lot of spare room on board, but finding a seated area under cover was possible. After breaking up into our respective groups we had a very informative and enjoyable dive briefing while journeying to the dive location.

The first dive was enjoyable, and you are not forced to exit the water early as part of the group. Rather you are allowed to dive until you exhaust your air. I found all the gear to be clean and in good condition. The second dive is what many of us were really here for. After about an hour surface interval in which we were provide with deli wraps, drinks and brownies, we proceeded to gather as a group (along with many other groups in the area) around an underwater ‘camp fire’. This consisted of a ring of divers surrounding a gathering of several very bright lights which attracted the plankton that subsequently lure in the Manta Rays. We had several large Manta Rays join us for over 45 min, all of which became even more spectacular as the various other groups left and our divemasters moved the bright lights very close to us to encourage more close encounters. After about 45 minutes we proceeded back to the boat. However, we did do little bit of underwater exploring on the way back as opposed to heading straight to the boat which was fun.

Back on the boat the staff assisted with gear and were quick to offer hot chocolate and tea to warm you up. It was also refreshing that the ride back was not used to solicit tips, with their only request being a honest review online to help others when considering their company.

All in all it was a very enjoyable experience, made even more so by the quality and positive attitude of the staff. I have done the Manta Ray dive previously with other Dive Companies, and while I did enjoy those experiences, I personally enjoyed the experience provided by Kona Diving...

Look no further than KDC for your diving on Kona! This is hands down one of the best scuba outfits I have ever gone diving with. Every member of the crew was professional, friendly, and passionate about the ocean. I logged 14 dives with KDC over the course of a few weeks, and there's a reason why I kept coming back (and I dived with two other dive outfits while on the island, neither of which I would return to).

Special mentions to Cody, Lindsay, and Hailey - who were some of the very best guides I have come across in 10+ years of diving. They are patient, enthusiastic, and make sure all divers have a great day out regardless of their experience level. Captains Jason, Kelly and Hollis were all excellent, and on hand to help navigate to the best sites and assist divers getting in and out of the water.

KDC's pre-dive briefings are some of the most comprehensive I have ever received on a dive boat, and they take safety very seriously. They take a meticulous approach to tying on to dive sites, practice respect for animals and corals, and treat all divers with respect.

The diving on Kona is outstanding, and KDC provide the best experience for the manta night dive. Their boat puts divers in the water last, and so we got around 20 minutes of time with the mantas that was just our small dive group. The guides excel at finding wildlife, and are able to find microscopic nudibranch, and figure out where to see octopus or turtles. The dive boat vibe is extremely relaxed, and divers are allowed to dive their tanks - meaning some divers with run times of over 80mins. I wish all boats were this relaxed and comfortable - it feels like diving with a group of friends. Their team is diverse, with a great gender balance, and is woman-owned - a far cry from the bro-y culture of some dive shops.

The dive boat is extremely well kitted out - with a warm shower and homemade brownies. Tank fills are generous (my tanks were almost always 3100+ psi for an AL80), and when diving nitrox the first tank is 32% and the second is 36%.

A couple of my dives had to be rescheduled due to weather, and Kerstin was extremely helpful and proactive in finding new dates that worked for me. KDC's whole operation speaks to their commitment to quality and teamwork, and it shows up in every interaction with divers.

KDC is very clearly a dive company that is run by people who love diving and understand what takes a dive from fun to unforgettable. I can't wait to be back on the Big Island for more diving, and I hope to get to dive with KDC for many...