Kona

★★★★★ (383)

Kona, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, has truly world-class diving, with vibrant reefs, cavernous lava tubes, majestic manta rays, fish and inverts galore, and the occasional “big animal” encounter. Kona is located on the more popular, drier, western side of the island and offers diving to suit every level.

Kona boasts amazing macro life like nudibranchs, crabs, tiny reef fish, and eels as well as amazing large wildlife like green sea turtles, manta rays, eagle rays, dolphins, and whales.

Dive Activity

Potential Wildlife Sightings

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

iStock-crisod

Reef Manta Ray
98 Sightings
J
4
F
5
M
7
A
6
M
14
J
10
J
9
A
6
S
12
O
4
N
7
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
80 Sightings
J
8
F
6
M
14
A
12
M
4
J
0
J
4
A
6
S
5
O
1
N
6
D
14
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
28 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
9
A
5
M
0
J
4
J
1
A
1
S
4
O
0
N
1
D
3
iStock/Divepic

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
27 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
0
A
2
M
3
J
0
J
1
A
3
S
0
O
3
N
3
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
25 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
8
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
4
O
0
N
2
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
14 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
3
A
4
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
3
iStock-stephnea

Spinner Dolphin
12 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
5
Alamy/Fiona Ayerst

Tiger Shark
10 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2
Tobias Friedrich

Bottlenose Dolphin
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
50 Sightings
J
6
F
5
M
11
A
6
M
0
J
0
J
5
A
1
S
5
O
1
N
3
D
7
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
42 Sightings
J
5
F
4
M
8
A
4
M
0
J
0
J
5
A
4
S
4
O
1
N
2
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
38 Sightings
J
3
F
3
M
9
A
4
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
1
S
6
O
0
N
3
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
24 Sightings
J
6
F
3
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
5
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
24 Sightings
J
3
F
3
M
10
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
20 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
7
A
6
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
18 Sightings
J
5
F
0
M
4
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
3
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
17 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
13 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
5
iStock-June Jacobsen

Whitetip Reef Shark
12 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
3
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 120

AdobeStock-Composer.

Flounder
12 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
6
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 50

istock-atese

Frogfish
10 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
1
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

Shutterstock-s_a_j

Sand Eel
8 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
5
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
8 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross

Shrimp
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 15

Shutterstock-Hans Gert Broeder

Garfish
5 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
2

Dive Sites Nearby

Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Keauhou Bay (★4.6)

This is a nice, clear water dive and not too deep- max. 30 feet. An easy entry beach dive right off the Keauhou Sheraton Hotel. Watch out for boat traffic in the middle of the bay, however.
Aqualung

Pyramid Pinnacle (★4.4)

This is a beautiful, intermediate reef dive off the Kona coast of Hawaii. It gets its name from the pyramid butterflyfish that school around the reef. The submerged lava arches, caverns, pinnacles, and finger corals peppering this site offer plenty to explore.
Mares

Golden Arches (★4.4)

Golden Arches is your typical Hawaiian reef dive off the Kona coast. Visibility gets better the deeper and further away from the surf zone you get. Check conditions as the current can get strong here at times.
Jordan L. (#277891)

Garden Eel Cove (★4.5)

This is THE place to night dive with manta rays. One of the most famous dives in Kona allows you to kneel on the bottom in about 35 feet of water in the dark of night while a huge light is set in the middle of all the divers that attract phytoplankton and krill so the mantas swoop in right over you to feed.
Mares

Manta Ray Heaven, Garden Eel Cove (★4.7)

Manta Heaven is one of three typical spots where dive operators out of Kona take divers for the famous manta ray night dives. Get ready for the show of a lifetime as huge manta rays swoop right over head at these cleaning stations while you circle around a single light source that attracts them.