Figuring out the right scuba diving package in Hawaii really comes down to what you want to get out of your trip. The best options will always bundle your boat dives, good quality rental gear, and a knowledgeable guide. You'll find everything from multi-day charters to can't-miss single trips, like the world-famous Manta Ray Night Dive.
For those of us diving on the Big Island, the packages are specifically designed to show off Kona's famously calm, clear waters and incredible underwater lava tube formations.
How to Choose Your Perfect Hawaii Scuba Diving Package
It might seem like there are a million choices, but don't worry. It really just boils down to matching a dive package to your skill level, what you want to see, and the overall vibe of your vacation.
The Hawaiian Islands have earned their spot as a world-class diving destination for a reason. With over 1.5 million scuba dives happening here every year and more than 215 licensed dive shops, Hawaii is right up there with Florida and California as a top US spot for divers. That massive infrastructure means you've got plenty of great options, whether it’s an all-inclusive resort deal or a specialized boat charter.
Breaking Down The Package Types
Most Hawaii scuba diving packages fit into a few main buckets. You have your all-inclusive resort packages, which are fantastic if you want everything—your hotel, a set number of dives, maybe some meals—all bundled together. It’s super convenient. The trade-off, however, can be less flexibility in choosing your exact dive sites or the dive operator you go with.
On the other hand, dedicated dive shop packages offer a much more focused experience. This is where you’ll find everything from a classic two-tank morning dive to multi-day charters that let you explore a whole range of sites. This approach lets you hand-pick tours based on what you’re most excited about, like a night dive with mantas or an advanced trip to deeper reefs. Choosing the right operator is everything, and our guide on how to choose a Kona dive shop is a great place to start.
What really sets Kona apart is the topography. The volcanic coastline has created a stunning underwater world of lava tubes, arches, and dramatic drop-offs. It's a completely unique environment you just won't find anywhere else.
What To Look For In a Dive Package
When you're comparing your options, look past the initial price. You'll want to check a few things:
- Is high-quality rental gear included, or is that an extra fee?
- For certified divers, is Nitrox available? Top-tier shops often include it for free, and it’s a huge plus for extending your bottom time.
- What's the boat like? A comfortable, well-equipped vessel with amenities like a hot shower and snacks can make a good day of diving into a great one.
To help you sort through it all, here's a quick rundown of the most common package types you'll encounter.
Quick Guide to Hawaii Scuba Diving Packages
This table summarizes the common scuba diving package types in Hawaii to help you quickly identify the best fit for your trip.
| Package Type | Ideal For | Common Inclusions | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Inclusive Resort Bundle | Travelers who love convenience and want a fully packaged vacation. | Accommodation, a set number of basic boat dives, and some meals. | 5–7 Days |
| Multi-Day Boat Charter | Certified divers looking to maximize their time in the water. | Multiple two-tank dives, tanks, weights, and often rental gear. | 2–5 Days |
| Single-Day Excursion | Divers with limited time or a specific interest (e.g., Manta Ray Dive). | One or two guided dives, all necessary gear, and boat transport. | Half-Day |
Ultimately, whether you're here for a week or just a day, there's a package that fits your schedule and diving goals perfectly.
Comparing Kona’s Top Scuba Diving Tours
When you're looking at Hawaii scuba diving packages, the specific tours you choose are what truly shape your underwater adventure. On the Big Island, Kona Honu Divers has built a solid reputation as a top-tier operator by offering a range of trips that cater to just about every skill level and interest. Don't just take our word for it—their diver reviews speak volumes.
So, let's break down their main offerings side-by-side to help you figure out which dives are the right fit for you. This isn't just about listing features; it's about understanding who each trip is really for and what makes it a standout experience.
The Classic 2-Tank Morning Dive
The 2-Tank Morning Dive is the bread and butter of Kona diving. It’s the perfect trip for any certified diver looking to experience the vibrant reefs and incredible volcanic topography that make the Big Island so famous.
On these dives, you'll be exploring Kona's beautiful coral gardens, navigating ancient lava tubes, and swimming through dramatic arches. The sites are teeming with life—expect to see green sea turtles, moray eels, and huge schools of colorful reef fish.
This tour is the workhorse of any great dive vacation. It’s reliable, beautiful, and offers a fantastic overview of Kona's underwater world, making it a must-do for first-time visitors and seasoned regulars alike.
The pace is generally relaxed, and the morning conditions are typically calm, making it a great option for divers who want a comfortable, visually stunning adventure. It's also the perfect way to get back in the water if you haven't been diving in a while.
The Premium Advanced 2-Tank Trip
For divers with a bit more experience and an Advanced Open Water certification, the Premium Advanced 2-Tank Trip takes things to the next level. This trip is specifically designed for those who are comfortable with deeper dives and more challenging conditions.
These charters often head to more remote sites, exploring dramatic deep-water pinnacles and sheer vertical walls that most divers don't get to see. The goal here is to find more elusive marine life—think sharks, eagle rays, and other big pelagic species that patrol the deeper waters off the Kona coast. This trip is all about a bigger thrill and the chance for some truly unforgettable encounters.
The World-Famous Manta Ray Night Dive
You can't talk about diving in Hawaii without mentioning the Manta Ray Night Dive. It’s Kona’s signature attraction and a genuine bucket-list experience for divers from all over the globe. The tour takes you to a specific site where underwater lights attract plankton, and you get to watch giant manta rays gracefully feed just inches away.
At Kona Honu Divers, the go-to spot is Garden Eel Cove, a protected location known for its excellent viewing "campfire," healthier reef, and generally calmer conditions. Its superior setup often leads to more reliable and intimate encounters than you'll find at other sites. It's a truly magical and humbling experience.
The Mysterious Blackwater Night Dive
If you're looking for something truly out of the ordinary, the Blackwater Night Dive is an otherworldly journey into the open ocean. Tethered to the boat in deep, dark water, you’ll witness the planet’s largest vertical migration as bizarre, bioluminescent creatures rise from the abyss to feed near the surface.
This is nothing like a reef dive. You're literally floating in the void, observing creatures that very few people will ever see in their lifetime. It’s a highly specialized dive that attracts photographers and marine life junkies searching for a completely unique adventure.
If you’re trying to get a feel for the bigger picture, our guide on the top 10 Kona diving companies ranked can also provide some useful context.
Kona Honu Divers Package At-A-Glance
To make the decision a little easier, here’s a quick rundown of what each trip offers and who it’s best suited for.
| Dive Package | Experience Level | Key Highlight | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Tank Morning Dive | All Certified Divers | Exploring vibrant reefs & lava tubes | A classic, beautiful Kona dive experience |
| Premium Advanced Trip | Advanced Certified | Deeper profiles & pelagic encounters | Divers seeking a bigger challenge & thrill |
| Manta Ray Night Dive | All Certified Divers | Up-close encounters with giant mantas | An unforgettable, world-famous spectacle |
| Blackwater Night Dive | Advanced Certified | Observing rare, deep-water creatures | The ultimate adventure for the curious diver |
Ultimately, choosing the right tour is all about matching your skill level and personal interests with the incredible opportunities Kona has to offer.
The Unforgettable Manta Ray Night Dive
Of all the incredible Hawaii scuba diving packages you can book, the Manta Ray Night Dive is the absolute jewel in Kona’s crown. It's a surreal, bucket-list experience that consistently leaves even the most seasoned divers speechless.
But here’s something most people don’t realize: the quality of this iconic dive isn't just about if you see mantas. It's about where you see them. The dive site location is hands-down the most important factor in what kind of encounter you'll have. Not all manta sites are created equal.
Why Garden Eel Cove Is The Premier Choice
The undisputed champion location for the manta ray dive is Garden Eel Cove. This isn't just a matter of opinion; it's a fact rooted in geography and marine biology. The cove is naturally sheltered from the open ocean, which means you almost always get calmer, clearer water. That right there makes the dive safer and a whole lot more comfortable. Its protected location, superior viewing area, and healthier reefs make it the superior choice for a manta ray dive tour.
Because it's so protected, Garden Eel Cove is also home to a healthier, more vibrant reef ecosystem. A thriving reef attracts more plankton—the mantas' favorite meal—which, in turn, draws in more rays for a reliable and breathtaking show. You can learn more about what makes this so unique by reading up on the Kona Manta Ray Night Dive experience.
The dive itself is often called an "underwater ballet." You'll descend to a sandy bottom, settle in with your group, and point powerful dive lights straight up. This beam of light attracts a thick cloud of plankton, basically creating a giant buffet for the graceful manta rays.
Having a 12-foot manta ray glide silently, just inches above your head, performing effortless barrel rolls while it feeds in your light beam… that's a moment you'll carry with you forever. It's a powerful, humbling connection with one of the ocean's most magnificent creatures.
The Growth of a Signature Dive Experience
This world-famous dive didn’t just appear out of nowhere; its popularity grew right alongside Hawaii’s dive industry. The Big Island's dive scene has exploded, now welcoming around 150,000 dive tourists every year, supported by more than 50 professional operators.
It's a huge leap from the 1970s, when fewer than five shops catered to less than 10,000 divers annually. As dive technology and conservation awareness evolved through the 2000s, the industry cemented its reputation, allowing sustainable, awe-inspiring experiences like the manta dive to become a true cornerstone of Big Island tourism.
That's why choosing a top-tier operator who puts the best location and sustainable practices first is so critical for this dive. A well-managed trip to Garden Eel Cove is your ticket to the most magical encounter possible.
Advanced Packages for Experienced Divers
So, your logbook is full of colorful reef tours and you’re starting to wonder what’s next. If you're a certified diver ready to trade the familiar for the phenomenal, certain Hawaii scuba diving packages are designed just for you. These advanced trips are built for divers who are comfortable going deeper, handling potential currents, and embracing the wild, volcanic underwater terrain Kona is famous for. It’s a step beyond the everyday dive into something truly memorable.
Kona Honu Divers offers two adventures that perfectly fit the bill, though they couldn't be more different from each other. One takes you deep into volcanic formations during the day, while the other sends you into the mysterious, open ocean after dark. Both require solid skills, but the payoff is an experience you’ll be talking about for years.
Exploring Deep Structures on the Premium Advanced Trip
The Premium Advanced 2-Tank Trip is for divers with at least an Advanced Open Water certification who want to see what lies beyond the sunlit shallows. This trip deliberately targets more remote and challenging sites, focusing on the deep-water pinnacles and sheer vertical walls that make Kona's underwater topography so dramatic.
On this charter, you’ll likely be exploring depths between 80 and 130 feet, where the whole environment shifts. The mission here is to find the pelagic species that cruise the deep blue. The real excitement comes from the unknown—the chance to spot eagle rays, sharks, or other big marine life that rarely venture into the shallower reef zones.
This is the perfect package for confident divers who crave that genuine feeling of exploration. It's less of a gentle float and more of a purposeful adventure in search of big, awe-inspiring encounters.
The Otherworldly Blackwater Night Dive
On the complete other end of the spectrum is the Kona Blackwater Dive—a trip that feels like visiting another planet. This is easily one of the most unique dives in the world. You’ll be tethered to a boat miles offshore, suspended in the pitch-black open ocean, waiting for Earth's largest vertical migration to happen all around you.
Every single night, a universe of bizarre and often bioluminescent creatures rises from the abyss to feed near the surface. You're not exploring a reef; you're floating in the water column as a spectator to a parade of organisms so strange they look like they were dreamed up for a sci-fi movie. Many are tiny, gelatinous, and completely mesmerizing.
The Blackwater Dive is less of a dive and more of a profound sensory experience. Floating in that immense darkness, with only your light cutting through the black, you feel like a visitor to a realm very few people will ever witness. It completely redefines what a night dive can be.
This dive is a must for anyone with excellent buoyancy control and a calm, curious mind. It’s a huge favorite among underwater photographers and any diver looking for an experience that is truly out of the ordinary.
Comparing Two Kinds of Adventure
So, which one is for you? Choosing between these two advanced packages really boils down to the kind of thrill you're chasing. They represent two totally different, yet equally rewarding, sides of advanced diving.
| Dive Package | Core Experience | Key Challenge | Ideal Diver Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Advanced Trip | Exploring deep pinnacles and walls for large pelagic encounters. | Managing deeper profiles and potential ocean currents. | The confident diver seeking classic big-animal thrills. |
| Blackwater Night Dive | Witnessing a vertical migration of strange, bioluminescent creatures in open ocean. | Maintaining perfect buoyancy and comfort in complete darkness. | The curious adventurer and photographer seeking a unique experience. |
Ultimately, both of these Hawaii scuba diving packages push the boundaries of what you might expect from a dive trip. One is about exploring the grand, powerful scale of the ocean's depths, while the other is an intimate look at its smallest and most mysterious inhabitants. Whichever you choose, you're guaranteed an adventure you won’t find on a standard reef tour.
Booking Your Dive and Essential Planning Tips
Alright, let's bridge the gap between dreaming about diving in Hawaii and actually getting in the water. Planning ahead is the secret to a stress-free trip, especially when you've got your heart set on an in-demand charter like the Manta Ray Night Dive. A little bit of prep goes a long way.
One of the best things about Kona is that the diving is fantastic all year round. We're talking warm, clear water pretty much whenever you decide to visit. The flip side? Everyone knows it, so the best trips fill up fast, particularly during the holidays and summer months. Booking in advance is truly the single best thing you can do to lock in your spot.
Your Essential Hawaii Dive Trip Checklist
Packing for a dive trip is an art. Forgetting one small thing can throw a wrench in your plans, so here’s a quick checklist to make sure you've got the essentials covered.
- Dive Certifications: Bring your physical C-cards—Open Water, Advanced, Nitrox, whatever you’ve got. Digital copies are handy, but nothing beats having the actual card.
- Logbook: This is your underwater resume. It’s crucial for proving your experience for advanced dives and the best way to remember all the amazing things you’ll see.
- Personal Dive Gear: If you love your mask, fins, or dive computer, bring them! Diving with gear you know and trust makes a world of difference in your comfort and enjoyment.
- Reef-Safe Sunscreen: This is non-negotiable in Hawaii. Our coral reefs are precious, so please only use sunscreens without oxybenzone and octinoxate. Protect your skin and our ocean at the same time.
- Swimwear and Towel: A quick-drying towel is a game-changer on a dive boat.
This kind of preparation is key, especially as diving continues to grow in popularity. The global scuba diving tourism market is projected to hit USD 1,748.5 million by 2032. That's a lot of divers! You can dive deeper into the market trends with this report from Congruence Market Insights.
Safety First Always
Beyond your packing list, a few safety practices are absolute musts. Think of these less as rules and more as the habits of a smart, responsible diver.
Being honest about your experience level with your dive guide is the cornerstone of a safe dive. Never feel pressured to overstate your skills. Your guide needs accurate information to choose a site that's right for you.
Keep these key safety points in mind:
- Dive Insurance: We strongly recommend it. A provider like DAN (Divers Alert Network) offers plans specifically for divers, covering emergencies that regular travel insurance might not.
- Understand No-Fly Times: You must wait a certain amount of time after your last dive before hopping on a plane to prevent decompression sickness. For multiple days of diving, the rule of thumb is a minimum 18-hour surface interval.
- Stay Hydrated: This one is so simple but so important. Drink water constantly—before, between, and after dives. Dehydration can be a major factor in decompression sickness.
A little planning on the front end means you can relax and just focus on the incredible underwater world waiting for you in Kona.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diving in Hawaii
It's natural to have a few questions as you finalize your trip details. Getting those last-minute queries sorted out is key to feeling confident and ready for your adventure. Here are some of the things we get asked most often about booking Hawaii scuba diving packages.
What Certification Level Do I Need to Dive in Hawaii?
For the vast majority of our boat dives, you'll need at least an Open Water Diver certification. This is the standard entry-level cert that opens the door to Kona's incredible reefs and vibrant underwater world.
But what if you're not certified yet? No problem at all. We offer a fantastic Discover Scuba Diving experience, where you can get in the water with a professional right by your side—no prior experience needed. For some of our more challenging charters, like the deep reef trips, an Advanced Open Water certification is the way to go, ensuring you have the training to handle those dive profiles comfortably.
Is Rental Equipment Included in the Packages?
Yes, a full set of high-quality, well-maintained rental gear is included in our dive packages. That means your BCD, regulator, wetsuit, fins, and mask are all covered, so you can pack light and know you'll have safe, reliable equipment waiting for you.
Tanks and weights are always part of the deal. If you need something specific like a dive computer, just let us know when you book. We can confirm availability and any small extra cost.
A key sign of a top-tier operator is the quality of their rental equipment. Well-serviced, modern gear not only improves your safety but also enhances your overall diving experience, allowing you to focus on the incredible marine life around you.
What Is the Best Time of Year to Book a Scuba Package in Hawaii?
Honestly, any time is a great time to dive in Kona. We're incredibly lucky to have fantastic, year-round conditions. The water stays warm and the visibility is generally clear no matter the season, so there’s never really an "off-season."
That said, certain times of the year offer unique bonuses. Humpback whales, for instance, grace us with their presence during the winter months, and hearing them sing underwater is an experience you'll never forget. Just remember that peak seasons like summer and major holidays get busy, so booking well ahead is always a smart move to guarantee your spot.
Can Non-Divers or Snorkelers Join on the Dive Boat?
Absolutely! We love having snorkelers and ride-alongs join the fun. It’s common for families and groups to have a mix of divers and non-divers, and we’re happy to accommodate everyone. Many of our sites are perfect for both activities.
This way, everyone gets to enjoy a beautiful day out on the water together, sharing the experience from different perspectives. When you're booking your Hawaii scuba diving packages, just give us a heads-up that you'll have snorkelers in your party so we can plan accordingly.
Ready to see Kona's underwater paradise for yourself? Kona Honu Divers offers a full range of world-class dive and snorkel tours for every skill level.