The Big Island's leeward coast offers some of the best diving in the world; the water is calm, warm, and clear. Want to swim with fast-moving game fish? Try Ulua Cave at the north end of the Kohala Coast. There are nearly two dozen dive operators on the west side of the Big Island, plus a couple in Hilo. They offer everything from scuba-certification courses to guided boat dives.
"This is not your mother or father's dive shop," says Jeff Kirschner, of the newly opened BottomTime, 74-5590 Luhia St. (tel. 866/GO-DIVEN or 808/331-1858; www.bottomtimehawaii.com). "This is a dive shop for today's diver." Kirschner claims what sets BottomTime apart is their willingness to take their 34-foot catamaran (complete with showers, TV, and restrooms) to unusual dive sites, and "not those sites just 2 minutes from the mouth of the harbor." BottomTime also offers introductory dives in enriched air (Nitrox) for $170 and two-tank dives for $130.
One of Kona's oldest dive shops, Jack's Diving Locker, 75-5819 Alii Dr. (tel. 800/345-4807 or 808/329-7585; www.jacksdivinglocker.com), has recently purchased another longtime dive shop, Kona Coast Divers, and has combined the two businesses into one. Plus, it has expanded its former 600-square-foot retail store into an 8,000-square-foot dive center with swimming pool (with underwater viewing windows), retail store, classrooms, full-service rentals, and a full-service sports diving and technical diving facility. They offer the classic two-tank dive for $125 and a two-tank manta ray night dive for $145.
Hot-Lava Dives -- Hilo's Nautilus Dive Center, 382 Kamehameha Ave., between Open Market and the Shell Gas Station (tel. 808/935-6939; www.nautilusdivehilo.com), offers a very unusual opportunity for advanced divers: diving where the lava flows into the ocean. "Sometimes you can feel the pressure from the sound waves as the lava explodes," owner Bill De Rooy says. "Sometimes you have perfect visibility to the color show of your life." As we went to press, these hot lava dives were on hold (an unstable collapse of a recent lava field sent 20 acres of lava into the ocean; fortunately, no one was injured). Call to see if the dives have resumed ($150-$200 for a two-tank dive).
Night Diving With Manta Rays -- A little less risky -- but still something you'll never forget -- is swimming with manta rays on a night dive. These giant, harmless creatures, with wingspans that reach up to 14 feet, glide gracefully through the water to feed on plankton. Jack's Diving Locker, 75-5819 Alii Dr. (tel. 800/345-4807 or 808/329-7585; www.jacksdivinglocker.com) offers a "Manta Ray Madness" dive for $145 for a two-tank dive and $95 for snorkelers. Everyone from beginners through experts will love this dive. They do not guarantee that these wild creatures will show up every night, but they do boast a more than 90% sightings record. If they are booked, try Sandwich Isle Divers, 75-5729 Alii Dr., in the back of the Kona Market Place (tel. 888/743-3483 or 808/329-9188; www.sandwichisledivers.com). It offers one-tank nighttime manta dives for $85, including equipment ($75 if you have your own gear), and two tanks for $100 if you have all your gear or $115 if you need to rent gear.
Weeklong Dives -- If you're looking for an all-diving vacation, you might think about spending a week on the 80-foot Kona Aggressor II (tel. 800/344-5662 or 808/329-8182; www.aggressor.com), a live-aboard dive boat that promises to provide you with unlimited underwater exploration, including day and night dives, along 85 miles of the Big Island's coastline. You might spot harmless 70-foot whale sharks, plus not-so-harmless tiger and hammerhead sharks, as well as dolphins, whales, monk seals, and sea turtles. Ten divers are accommodated in five staterooms. Guided dives are available, but as long as you're certified, just log in with the dive master and you're free to follow the limits of your dive computer. It's $2,295 for 7 days (without gear), double occupancy, which includes excellent accommodations and all meals. Rental gear, from cameras (starting at $100 a week) to dive gear ($120) to computers ($125), is available.
