What is the best time to dive Hawaii (Kona)?

The best months to dive Hawaii (Kona) in United States are April, May, June, July, August, September. Water temperatures range from 23°C to 27°C during peak season.

How deep is Hawaii (Kona)?

Hawaii (Kona) reaches a maximum depth of 40 m, with visibility ranging from 15–30 m. The full depth range requires Advanced certification at minimum; some zones are technical diver territory.

What marine life can you see at Hawaii (Kona)?

Hawaii (Kona) is known for encounters with manta ray, dolphins, whale shark, moray eel, octopus, sea turtle. The site features reef diving across 20 named sites, with a marine life score of 74/100 in OkToDive's ranking.

Is Hawaii (Kona) good for beginners?

Hawaii (Kona) is better suited to experienced divers. Currents can be moderate and depths reach 40 m. A minimum Open Water certification is required, and OkToDive recommends at least 100 logged dives before visiting.

How much does it cost to dive Hawaii (Kona)?

A 2-tank dive at Hawaii (Kona) averages around $120 USD, placing it in the mid range tier. Both boat and shore access are available, giving divers flexibility on budget.

Hawaii (Kona) Diving — Manta Night Dive & Reefs

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World Class

Intermediate

Hawaii (Kona)

United StatesPacific

65.0

SCORE

19.6400°N

-155.9969°E

Kona's manta ray night dive is a bucket-list experience — sit on the sand at 30ft as mantas barrel-roll through plankton-attracting lights just inches from your mask. The 'Pelagic Magic' blackwater night dive over 6,000ft of open ocean reveals bizarre deep-sea creatures. Hawaii's best diving is on the Big Island.

Hawaii's Manta Ray Night Dive

Visibility15–30 m

Temperature23–27°C

Max Depth40 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$120

Best MonthsApril, May, June, July

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

74.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine life diversity

74.0

Coral & reef health

72.0

Visibility & conditions

81.0

Dive site variety

33.0

Water temperature

68.0

Depth & access

62.0

Operator quality

73.0

Topside experience

64.0

Getting there

68.0

Value & cost

50.0

Crowding

57.0

Social proof

57.0

Key species

manta ray dolphins whale shark moray eel octopus sea turtle

Dive types

reef

Traveling with non-divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for non-divers

manta ray night snorkelVolcanoes National ParkKona coffee farm toursMauna Kea stargazingbeach hoppingdeep sea fishing

Nearby cultural sites

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge)
Hulihee Palace
Kaloko-Honokohau NHP

Non-diver score

9/10

Excellent for non-divers — they'll love it here.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifevibrant

Safety & emergency

Dive insurance

DAN recommends dive insurance for all divers.

Learn more at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber5 km — Hyperbaric Medicine Center, Kona Community Hospital

Nearest Hospital5 km

Full hospital and chamber in Kona; excellent emergency services

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top operators

Kona Diving Company

PADI

4.8

420 reviewsNITROX

Jack's Diving Locker

PADI

4.7

380 reviewsNITROX

Big Island Divers

PADI

4.7

280 reviewsNITROX

Compare this dive site

Hawaii (Kona) in United States scores 65.0/100in OkToDive's 12-category data-driven rating. Best for reef diving with 15–30m visibility and 23–27°C water temps. A 2-tank dive costs ~$120 USD. Peak season: April, May, June.

Last updated: 2026-05-24

Who should dive here

Best for

+ Wide-angle photographers wanting crystal visibility
+ Anyone visiting Pacific for the first time
+ Groups seeking 20+ named dive sites in one area

Skip if

− You don't have Advanced certification
− You need shore access — this is boat-only

Verdict

Choose Hawaii (Kona) over similar Pacific destinations when visibility matters more than site variety

How Hawaii (Kona) compares

Site	Score	Visibility	Cost/dive	Best for
Hawaii (Kona)	65.0	15–30m	$120	reef
Puerto Rico	72.8	12–30m	$105	wall, reef
US Virgin Islands	72.3	15–35m	$110	reef, wall
Palm Beach (Drift Diving)	72.0	15–30m	$110	drift, reef
Lanai	70.3	20–45m	$200	reef, wall

Sources & references

NOAA Pacific Islands Coral Reef Watch — Real-time SST monitoring and bleaching risk for Pacific reefs
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority — Reef condition reports and zoning regulations
Reef Check Pacific — Community-based reef monitoring across Pacific island nations

Current conditions

10/10Excellent

Waves1.26 m

Swell0.94 m

Wind10.1 km/h

Air26.1°C

Overcast

43d ago

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

40+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Advanced Open Water

“Most reliable megafauna encounter in all of diving. And the blackwater dive might be the most otherworldly.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 40 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
→Manta dive is beginner-friendly but blackwater over 2000m at night is psychologically intense.

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down.

Morning

Viz
high
Current
mild
Crowd
light

manta ray night dive
pelagic magic blackwater
wide angle

Most reliable manta encounter in the world. Lights attract plankton, plankton attracts mantas. They barrel-roll through your beam from 6pm until you run out of air.

Afternoon

Viz
high
Current
mild
Crowd
moderate

reef dives
blackwater dive
dolphin encounters

Pelagic Magic blackwater is a night dive over 2000m. Larval aliens from the deep.

Night

Viz
high
Current
slack
Crowd
empty

manta ray night dive
blackwater dive
everything

Kona's night dives are the main event. Manta is famous, blackwater is what experienced divers talk about.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	19–27	25	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	conditions vary
Feb	18–26	25	Mod	Calm	Dry	65%	conditions vary
Mar	18–26	25	Mod	Calm	Dry	78%	conditions vary
Apr	19–27	26	Mod	Calm	Dry	88%	conditions vary
May	19–28	26	Mod	Calm	Dry	88%	conditions vary
Jun	19–28	26	Mod	Chop	Light	88%	conditions vary
Jul	19–27	25	Mod	Chop	Light	88%	conditions vary
Aug	18–26	24	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	conditions vary
Sep	18–26	25	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	conditions vary
Oct	19–27	25	Mod	Chop	Wet	78%	conditions vary
Nov	19–28	25	Mod	Calm	Light	65%	conditions vary
Dec	20–30	25	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	conditions vary

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects33

Wide angle69

Viz stability65

Hover friendliness70

Natural light57

Recommended kit

→General reef kit — mid-range wide or a 60mm macro depending on the specific site

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Night diving confidence
foundational
Kona's night dives build darkness comfort that transfers everywhere.
Blackwater diving
advanced
Open ocean, pitch black, 2000m below. Psychological edge management.
Manta behavior
foundational
Hours of manta interaction teaches more than any documentary.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$2,650–$3,750

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $1,350–$1,650
Accommodation / day: $50–$100
Diving / day: $100–$120
Food / day: $30–$55
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$4,050–$5,950

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,900–$2,300
Accommodation / day: $120–$220
Diving / day: $120–$160
Food / day: $60–$120
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$6,600–$10,100

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $2,700–$3,300
Accommodation / day: $260–$500
Diving / day: $160–$200
Food / day: $130–$250
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Budget decision guide

Choose Budget if you prioritize dive count over comfort — hostels and shore diving maximize bottom time per dollar. Choose Mid-range for the best balance of comfort and value — most divers land here. Choose Splurge for premium operators, private guides, and top-tier accommodation — worth it for special trips or non-diving partners.

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Hawaii (Kona) Diving — United States

Score breakdown

Marine Life

Key species

Dive types

Traveling with non-divers?

Activities for non-divers

Nearby cultural sites

Non-diver score

Safety & emergency

Dive insurance

Top operators

Kona Diving Company

Jack's Diving Locker

Big Island Divers

Who should dive here

Best for

Skip if

Verdict

How Hawaii (Kona) compares

Sources & references

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Night diving confidence

Blackwater diving

Manta behavior

7-day trip, per person

Budget decision guide

Build a trip around it