Kona Honu Divers

Our Review: Kona Honu Divers

Kona Honu Divers is the Big Island's deep-water specialist. With 21 tours and an average quality score of 76.3/100, the catalog is large and the scoring spread is wide — but the top end of their offerings is genuinely world-class. If you're a certified diver looking for serious underwater experiences, this operator belongs on your shortlist.

Four tours score a perfect 100/100: the 2-Tank Local Morning Dive Charter, the 2 Tank Night Manta Dive Charter, the Premium Advanced 2 Tank Long Range Charter, and the Black Water Night Dive. That last one is the real draw — Kona is one of very few places on Earth where black water diving is commercially available, and Kona Honu Divers runs one of the best operations for it. The Private Charter Honu Lele rounds out the premium tier at 99/100.

The average score gets pulled down by PADI certification courses and specialty classes that score in the 54-73 range. That's not unusual — training courses are structured differently than recreational dives and tend to score lower across every operator we track. The actual dive experiences are where Kona Honu Divers earns its keep.

Their freediving program is another standout. The Level 1 Freediver course (85/100) fills a niche that very few Big Island operators touch. They also run spearfishing trips, which adds a dimension you won't find at most dive shops.

Who This Operator Is Best For

Certified divers and serious underwater enthusiasts. If you hold a PADI card and you want to do a manta night dive, a black water dive, or a long-range two-tank charter off the Kona Coast, Kona Honu Divers is where you go. First-time snorkelers should look elsewhere — this operator's strength is depth, not breadth.