Scuba Diving the Big Island
About Hawaii – Big Island
The Big Island is home to the world-famous Kona Manta Ray Night Dive where giant Pacific manta rays with wingspans up to five meters swim within inches of divers attracted by plankton under powerful dive lights. This extraordinary encounter occurs nightly off the Kona coast at sites including Keauhou Bay, Garden Eel Cove, and Manta Village. Beyond mantas, the island offers diverse volcanic diving including the Cathedral swim-through cave, the Place of Refuge shore dive at Honaunau Bay with turtles and tropical fish, and advanced hammerhead drifts. The unique Black Water Night Dive offers pelagic drifts for bioluminescent creatures, attracting scientists and photographers worldwide. Puako's shallow coral gardens with moray eels and lava tubes round out the diverse offerings.
Highlights
- ✓Kona Manta Ray Night Dive with 5-meter mantas
- ✓Black Water Night Dive bioluminescence
- ✓Place of Refuge shore dive with turtles
- ✓Cathedral swim-through cave
- ✓Hammerhead drift dives in deep water
Dive Site Map: Hawaii – Big Island
3 mapped dive sites in this region. Click a marker for a quick look and a link to the full site guide.
Getting There
Fly into the nearest regional airport and arrange ground transport. Local dive operators provide boat access to offshore sites.
Local Transport
Rental cars provide flexibility. Local dive boats operate from main harbors.