Beach & Ocean | Snorkeling | Snorkeling Tips | SCUBA Diving | Diving Tips

The underwater world off the Big Island’s Kona Coast is known as a premier destination for scuba divers. And why not? Its calm, crystal clear water, protected from standard trade-wind patterns by two sprawling mountain masses, often allow visibility in excess of 100 feet making the view of the spectacular marine landscape and its teeming sea life a diver’s dream.

We are going to show you our favorite shore diving spots on the Big Island of Hawaii.  This is not a comprehensive list of all shore diving locations on the Big Island, but merely a personal guide of our most frequented shore diving sites.  Want to take your digital camera underwater?  Check out our water-proof underwater cases.

We have divided our Diving Guide between the two sides of the Big Island, Hilo and Kona.  Visibility is typically better on the Kona side of the Big Island.  Visibility is subject to wind and surf conditions.

Before you go diving, check the latest Big Island Weather report.  Take a look at the wind and wave forecast to make sure there are no high winds or small-craft advisories.

Take a Virtual Tour of a Hawaiian Coral Reef

More info and photos of the Hawaii Green Sea Turtle

KONA

HILO

 

Pawai Bay

Location - Approx 2 miles north of Kailua-Kona, adjacent the Old Kona Airport Beach Park.

Water Entry / Exit - If you are hiking, take the path from the north end of the Old Kona Airport and the second cove you reach (with shady trees and sandy beach) is where you enter.  IF you come by kayak, tie up to the buoy just off-shore.

Diving Route - You can go either direction paralleling the coast.  About 10 yards from shore the reef is shallow enough to snorkel.  Beyond that the reef gently drops off to below 60-feet.

Check out our Pawai Bay diving section with more photos and maps.

Kealakekua Bay

Location - Approx. 20 miles South of Kailua-Kona.
Water Entry / Exit - Easy via the steps at the end of the wharf next to the two boat platforms.
Diving Route - Head out towards the middle of the bay and then follow the reef to the south along the bay.  The area immediately to the left of the wharf is only about 25 feet deep.  Stay in the shallows to see the most fish and coral.  The center of the bay is mostly just sand flats.  In the shallows you will find a variety of tropical fish and colorful coral heads. Here you will also have a good chance of seeing eels and octopi.

Extras - Ample parking; large wharf;  scenic outlooks on drive down to bay, stop the car to take pictures.  You may see spinner dolphins in the bay.

Directions - Take Rte 11 South from Kailua-Kona until the Kealakekua turn-off (Hwy 160) at the 110.5 mile marker.  Turn right and continue 4 miles down the hill.  As the road curves back to the right, you can see a fantastic view of the bay ahead of you.  The road leads all the way down to the bay and ends at the Kealakekua Bay parking lot.

Captain Cook Monument

Location - Approx. 20 miles South of Kailua-Kona.

Water Entry / Exit - Pack up the kayak with your equipment before lowering it into the water on the left side of the wharf.  Make sure you hang on to a strap when you place the kayak in the water so it does not float away.  Have one person hold the kayak steady while the second person gets in.  We have fit 4 SCUBA tanks and all our gear and two people on a kayak before.  Kayak across the bay towards the white obelisk monument.  Beach the kayak underneath the trees in the small cove to the left of the monument.  Enter the cove on the right side to avoid the lava rocks.  Be sure to put on boots / water shoes before stepping out onto the lava rocks.  Leave your equipment in the shade of a tree.  When you have your dive gear on, walk down the lava ramp into the warm clear water.  You can also walk down the trail from the cove, which leads to Captain Cook monument.  You can enter the water by dropping down off of the wall, but be sure you jump out so you do not hit the rocks immediately below.

Diving Route - You really can’t go wrong turning in either direction as you enter the water.  The reef to the west is more vibrant and populated with a greater number of fish.  Investigate the drop off at 30 ft. depth not far from shore.  The reef stretches out beyond 80 ft. in depth.  However, there are less fish below the drop off than in the shallows.  These Hawaiian waters are crystal clear with 100 ft. visibility.  To the right (East) of the monument, the reef is not as large.  Keep your eyes open while in the shallow parts of the reef - here you will see many sea turtles.

Extras - Crystal clear water; shaded area for picnic; historic monument; abundance of sea life; possible sea turtle sightings; shallow reef offers excellent diving conditions; free-diving excellent too.

Packing List - Don’t forget anything you need, because you will be traveling by kayak.  We suggest the following items: sunscreen, dive gear, water, lunch, camera.

Directions - Take Rte 11 South from Kailua-Kona until the Kealakekua turn-off (Hwy 160) at the 110.5 mile marker.  Turn right and continue 4 miles down the hill.  As the road curves back to the right, you can see a fantastic view of the bay ahead of you.  The road leads all the way down to the bay and ends at the Kealakekua Bay parking lot.

While you can dive right off of the wharf in Kealakekua, we suggest you rent a kayak (approx $40) from one of the stores between Kailua and the Kealakekua turn-off and kayak across the bay to Captain Cook’s monument (see #4).

Bring a picnic lunch and some drinks (cooler provided with the kayak rental) and spend the day relaxing, diving, and diving on the wonderful reef next to the monument.

More information and photos on kayaking at Kealakekua / Captain Cook.

More photos and videos of Captain Cook Diving.

 

 

Honaunau Place of Refuge

Location - Approx. 20 miles South of Kailua-Kona.

Water Entry / Exit - The dive entry is one of the nicest lava-ledge entries you’ll find on the island. Have your buddy help you step down to the water level, then gently slip into the water. Be sure not to put your fingers in the small holes on the lava ledge, since there are small sea urchins in them. As with all entries and exits during rougher seas, be especially careful. The lava here is not sharp, but it is hard!

Diving Route - Honaunau is justifiably one of the most popular dive sites on the Big Island. Visibility here extends beyond 100 ft. Honaunau is a marine wildlife preserve and you can see this immediately upon entering the water. Here you can either dive deep or stay in the shallows, we recommend bringing two tanks and doing both. When you get into the water, snorkel out into the bay and descend when you see a sand patch with “Aloha” spelled out in cinder blocks (watch the video to the left). There is a drop off with a wall of plate coral on the left side of the bay. Straight out into the bay, the reef continues down to 70 ft. To the North, it extends to almost 100 ft. Honaunau is an active harbor, so watch out for boat traffic to and from the boat ramp. A good dive route is starting for the drop off, then paralleling it for a while, prior to sweeping to the South up and onto the reef, returning in the shallower part of the reef.  The shallow part of the reef is where you will come across the sea turtles.  At Honaunau you will find many sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, moray eels, a myriad of tropical fish and coral. If you show up early, you may see spinner dolphins in the bay as well.  We saw this beautiful pod of Spinners at Honaunau, just 100 yards from shore!

Extras - Place of Refuge National Park ($5 entry) immediately adjacent to beach park; bathrooms in the park; porta-potties on site; boat ramp access; crystal clear water; picnic benches; lava shelf for sunbathing; abundance of sea life; possible sea turtle and moray eel sightings; shallow reef offers excellent diving conditions; free-diving excellent too.

Directions - Take Rte 11 South from Kailua Kona for about 19 miles. Take a right on Hwy 160 (Ke Ala o Keawe Rd) near the 104 mile marker. Be sure to arrive early because parking is limited. Note - You can also reach Honaunau via Kealakekua bay by traveling south on Hwy 160 for 3.2 miles.

More photos and underwater videos of diving at Honaunau Place of Refuge.

More photos and video of Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park.

 

Related Posts:

Shore Diving - Hilo, Hawaii

Kona Manta Ray Diving

Shore Diving Tips

Diving Pawai Bay, Kona Hawaii

SCUBA Diving at Captain Cook