We are back on the island. It's time to rent our gears here at Aqua Zone again. This is our go to place for gears. On our last day of snorkeling one of the fins ripped. My son was putting it on and it ripped. The day of the return Paul was the person helping my wife. My wife told Paul the the other fin ripped. My wife called me on the phone about this matter. He was going to charge us $29 for the damage fin. I was pissed because those fins was old and thin already. I can understand If it's new. We didn't want to pay the $29. Aqua Zone was about to lose a customer and a bad Yelp review. Paul called the owner and the owner was nice enough to not charge us. So I'm a happy customer once again. Thanks to Paul for working with us about this problem. Aqua Zone is still our go to place!! read more

Had the best time snorkeling with sea turtles today! Boat ride was ~20 minutes. Anchored out by Waikiki Beach, just past the surfers. The reef itself is not colorful like Finding Nemo, but there were plenty of fish to see and quite a few turtles swimming around. We saw a handful of large sea turtles and a few baby ones. Loved watching them come up for air and swim around beneath me. Glad to see how comfortable turtles are with snorkelers. We had one person chase after a large turtle to try and touch it. There's always that one kid in class... Crew members were great! Friendly, knowledgeable, and brief! My partner went diving and had a lot of fun seeing the little sharks down below in the caves of the reef and swimming with turtles. Water visibility was good, not as clear as Molokini in Maui, but this place had turtles!! I THINK they're limiting capacity due to COVID, which is nice since the boat only had 8 people. Definitely would do this again! read more

Devon and his crew (Alan and Ken) were awesome with our group of teenagers for their first intro to scuba diving! They were highly knowledgeable and enjoyable to learn from. A couple of us stayed back and snorkeled and everyone had an awesome experience. They knew just where to take us to see sea turtles! We had two experienced scuba divers on our trip and even they said that they saw more turtles with this crew than they ever have with other tours! We highly recommend them for your scuba or snorkeling experience. They provided snacks and drinks on board and it was extremely comfortable during the breaks in between dives. They were patient and calm with the little kids from another group that were on board - proving to us they are great with all ages! You won't be disappointed if you book with them. read more

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Being born and raise on Oahu I am a water person. In my younger years I was a competitive swimmer, canoe racer and lifeguard. As such I recognize kindred spirits with the same expertise and love for the ocean. My husband and I went through our Open Water certification with Aqua Zone. The diver masters that we work with in both the pool and ocean were knowledgeable and fun. If you are interested in snorkeling or diving while on Oahu I would highly recommend you call Aqua Zone! read more

Driven by Kayla from our hotel (waikiki spa marriott) to boat location. She was patient with everyone and gave great directions. The crew on the boat was pretty awesome also. Once we got to our location we all got off the boat and started snorkeling right away. For those that were worried about not being the greatest swimmers, they have kickboards you can use until you get more comfortable. I had a gopro with us so we took lots of pictures. The crew will also take pictures and send you a link later if you pay a $20 fee at the end of the tour. Saw lots of turtles! Spent a good amount of time at sea. The boat ride is about ten minutes off the coast and it's a great way to be sure you get to see turtles and beautiful reefs under water. read more

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Captain Devon and crew were awesome! Great snorkel tour with tons of turtles. Highly recommend. read more

Aqua Zone - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Devin and Ken provided an excellent excursion experience with the most amazing locations around. This is likely the best deal in town! Small group, large vessel.. perfect! read more

It has been way too long since I've been scuba diving and I wasn't sure if my gear was still good. Luckily someone referred me to Aqua Zone. They have a 2 hour pool class/refresher session which they hold in the Waikiki Beach Marriott pool. I called Aqua Zone and explained my situation and they added me to a class that week. Our instructor, Tyler, was awesome. He reviewed the essentials to diving and the plan for our pool time and then it was time to hop in. He helped me check out my gear and made recommendations for what needed to be replaced. Overall I couldn't be more thankful. If you are looking for a dive shop to learn to dive, take a refresher, buy gear, or book a boat dive, go to Aqua Zone. read more

Ryan was exceptional! He took the time to refresh me since I hadn't dove in about 5 years. He gave me some good one on one time and made me feel so much more at ease. While we were diving he took us around and we saw several octopus and so many turtles! He even took our GoPro and got us some amazing footage. Everyone on the boat was friendly and knowledgeable. We also loved the boat dog and gave her some good pets read more

Aqua Zone - If you wanna "sea" turtles, these guys are your operators! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Aqua zone is amazing! They were referred to me by a friend that has been using them for years. He's super picky and only likes the best so I knew they would be good. Sorry about the super long review but I wanted to get everything in. Setting up the appointment and paying online from California was super easy. Talking to them over the phone was great. The girl I talked to was very nice, had great costumer service, and answered all of my questions. In person she was amazing as well. The process of getting certified and learning how to scuba dive was absolutely amazing. I had Tyler as my instructor and I couldn't have asked for a better instructor! He made learning fun and took the stress out of everything by being super professional, easy going, patient, funny, and super good looking ;p Scuba diving for the first time can be a little scary but it's great knowing their whole team was there to help every step of the way. I knew I would see sea turtles but I had no idea how many I would see and how close I was able to get to them. Being inches away and face to face with these magnificent creatures took my breath away. I also got to be a few feet away from sharks that were about 2-3 feet long!! I hung out with a huge blow fish inches away. -funny story: I was so hypnotized by the blow fish that I forgot my training on buoyancy and because I'm super clumsy I fell on and got stung by a sea urchin. Whoops. The who crew was amazing about helping me and not making me feel bad for my stupid mistake! You can tell everyone working at Aqua zone has been doing this for a long time. Their skill and confidence shows. I told Tyler that I would love to see an octopus. He somehow found TWO baby (or maybe just small) octopi camouflaged under rocks and I got to hold them both! One of the best experiences of my life. Talk about skill! Tyler grabbed the slippery octopus- wrestled and caught it while it inked and jumped out of his grasp until he rocked it slowly back and forth like a baby. Watching him lull it into a peaceful relaxation, petting it, then handing it over to me to hold was mind blowing. Oh! And they have a boat dog named Buddy! He is the sweetest and most amazing dog ever! He made my first 2 dives even better! I couldn't have imagined a better experience!! Any other scuba scuba center I use from now on outside of Hawaii wont even begin to compare. read more

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Renting snorkel gear was a breeze! Had a bit of trouble finding your store (FYI, it is inside the plaza), yet your customer service was so pleasantly welcoming. I believe the gentleman and beautiful blonde assisted us at checkout (Nov 1st). Prices did change ( by $2+) yet I still appreciate the 24 hour deal since our flight was the next day and plan to snorkel in the morning beforehand. For such a tourist bound area near Waikiki beach, the beaches behind the Aquarium & War Memorial had sightings of turtles, handful of fish, and less crowded so great for picnics with you and your beau. *Will definitely come back to try your turtle tours read more

Aqua Zone - my boyfriend choose the Silicone one because the snorkel at a "stopper" at the tip so you won't inhale too much salt water - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've used Aquazone on 5 separate trips now to Honolulu. I found them via PADI website. The crew is top-knotch ... always very helpful and friendly, and constantly conscious of safety. I've been on small boats with as few as 5 of us diving, and also larger boats when there are a dozen or so people snorkeling above while we divers are below. The reefs in Hawaii are not near as large or as colorful as the Caribbean. But the sites are great year round, including some great wrecks - the Corsair, and the Sea Tiger. My favorites are Dive Master Travis, and boat captain Ryan. Super friendly guys, who have guided us on many dives. And I've also been guided by others good people of their staff ... all of them very professional and thorough. And the best part, still being a relative novice diver (32), they handle all the equipment for us, so we get to relax and enjoy the sites on the dive. If you're going to dive from Honolulu, I highly recommend Aquazone. read more

Aqua Zone - Corsair in 107' water, about 1 mile off Oahu - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Devon gave us the best hawaii experience for a last minute trip since everything was overbooked. Went above and beyond to make sure my wife was not bored while I was diving. I rarely leave reviews, only when it's worth it. Don't waste time with other companies, here you get professionals, great pricing and fun read more

I had fun snorkeling. I got see lots of fishes and some turtles. They had 2 snorkeling spots which I enjoyed. Lots of snacks and cold drinks on board as well. read more

Captain and Alan did a fantastic job teaching the kids how to snorkel properly while keeping it fun and relaxed!.It was a small group, so it was better than one of the large group ships from Waikiki! read more

Scuba diving was the ONE thing I really wanted to try in Hawaii, and I'm so glad my first experience was with Aqua Zone. My friend and I called around to a few places before deciding on Aqua Zone. Our main deciding factor was availability because we did not book way ahead of time so other places were already filled up. Since we were staying in Kailua, trying to find parking in Waikiki was a huge pain. Fortunately Aqua Zone gave us a good tip of parking at the zoo and walking over to the Marriott shopping center where they are located. Once we arrived (few minutes late) our instructor Greg turned out to be one of the chillest and most awesome people I met during my week in Hawaii. He made us feel relaxed as first-timers and went through exactly what we needed to know when diving without sounding like a monotone college professor. Super engaging! For some reason, my friend and I were the only two people in the class (usually there are more) so it was great to have personal attention while learning. We spent a few hours in the hotel pool to practice basic scuba diving techniques before heading out to Ala Wai Boat Harbor for the real deal. Unfortunately the swell was too strong for the boat to sail out that day, and my only complaint is how long we had to wait until receiving that news from the captain. We were able to reschedule for the following day (good thing we did not have anything else planned) and before we knew it, I was diving in the ocean for the first time. Breanna was the instructor that took us on our dive, and she was absolutely wonderful. She made me feel safe, and we had so much fun checking out the giant turtles and schools of colorful fish! During the second dive, I felt super exhausted so she even strung me along and helped me make it back to the boat. How kind of her to help a weakling like me! Ha. Anyways you can purchase photos of your scuba diving adventures afterwards for $35 and though I would have liked more, some of them were pretty good. Yes, Facebook worthy. Overall I would recommend Aqua Zone to anyone looking for an exceptional scuba diving adventure, whether you are taking an introductory lesson or just joining the crew for an outing as a certified diver. Everyone is very friendly and all about having a good time! read more

Absolutely amazing. This was my 1st time snorkeling. They explained everything very well and checked on us often. We saw so many turtles and fish. One was getting their shell cleaned by fish. Awesome experience and would go back again with Aqua Zone next time we are here. read more

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Excellent experience and great service. If you told me I'd be surrounded by turtles in waikiki I would not believe you. But it's true. Aquazone took us a little ways out and we saw all the turtles we wanted.The Captain and crew were extremely helpful. My son's favorite hat blew off his head. The Captain quickly turned the boat around an hooked it out of the water. Now that is service! read more

We booked a snorkel excursion but the night before, trade winds were predicted. When we asked about the water conditions, the owner/captain, Devon, told us, "If you don't like it, don't go". Refused to give us another date or a refund, although their website said 'they' would cancel if bad weather. He could not have cared less about his passengers safety and had at least 45-50 people on a very small, dilapidated-looking catamaran. We lost over $500. Noticed that Devon posted after our above review. It's very easy to say, "sorry" and sound like a reasonable person online. Too bad that's not his in-person behavior. read more

This place is AMAZING! From the guy we talked to at the shop to book and the guy that did our training and the boat crew, all wonderful! The guy at the shop was very flexible with us and when we told them we had 6-8 people that wanted to dive, he called to see if they could get enough divers since we may need an extra brought in that day. They worked with us as we didn't know who was going to do it out of group until a day before. The morning of our training, we had a couple people nervous. Devon was WONDERFUL! I call him Papa Scuba lol. The guy that booked us made a note and Devon took extra time and care with us to make sure we were comfortable and good to go. The training alone was worth it. Devon went through all the ins and outs of what the pressure will do, etc. Then we did some exercises with the gear in the pool. He was straight with us. That alone was GREAT and made those that were nervous feel much better and ready to dive. We got to the pier and had to wait a few minutes for the crew to finish getting ready but it was not big deal. We hung out under a beautiful tree and enjoyed the view of the water. Got on the boat and got all the head fitted and already while we headed to the spot. There were other boats around but it was expected. The crew explained that they each have their own section and it's a good place to see the turtles and other sea life. It was not distracting at all for us. The divers were very patient with us and super friendly. I couldn't seem to stay down and Chris and Ariel were so patient and super! We saw a good bit of turtles, even got up close to them. Got to touch and some of us, hold, a little octopus. It was an AMAZING experience! I couldn't go on my second dive due to health issues but my whole group had nothing but great things to say about it. And the whole trip for that matter. This was all of our first time and we all said this is the best thing we've done so far here. WELL worth the money. In fact, we all discussed afterwards how we were surprised it wasn't more expensive. We would definitely recommend and encourage! Even if you're on the fence and nervous! Do it! You won't regret it. Everyone should experience it! read more

The only thing better than the prices, is the outstanding customer service. The Honolulu and MCBH team are a class act that really take care of their patrons. read more

Aqua Zone - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We had a great experience my boyfriend and I. We got a little sea sick but we are never on boats in NYC, the staff was very kind and friendly! Devon thank you for our Hawaiian snorkeling experience read more

My family of and I had a fantastic time with the guys from Aqua Zone. Three of my family are not certified and completed the free pool training with Daryn followed by a two tank boat dive. The dive spot was excellent, the variety of sea life amazing, turtles, tons of fish, eels, frog fish, puffer fish and octopus. The thing I most appreciated about Daryn, other than his sense of humor, was during boat ride to the dive spot he told my daughter (14) once in the water she will be stuck to him at all times which he did. Daryn never separated from her which put me at ease. Ryan our other guide was an awesome photographer, the CD was money well spent. Most of the photos look like they belong in a dive magazine. The staff, dive, equipment exceeded all my expectations. I will definitely visit Aqua Zone on my next trip to Oahu. read more

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Good service. The girl working there was very nice and helpful when my wife needed some snorkel gear. She also gave tips on where to go snorkel. Good place and better than the other one we visited beforehand! read more

Aqua Zone definitely worked for my one star rating, I'll preface this review with that. Where do I begin? I'm a certified diver and my friends were getting their open water certification during our vacation. I booked a dive with Aqua Zone, as a certified diver, on their second day of training. I was told this would be the better day to go diving since they would largely be done with their training. When I arrived I found out Aqua Zone was renting another boat, presumedly because their boat broke down. It seemed like there were 2-3 other dive companies also using the boat. Organization was at a minimum and chaos was at a maximum. This detracted from a pleasant experience. That's one star. We also left a hour late, that's a second star. Once we got to the dive site, there was A LOT of hand holding. Star number three. While my friends completed their open water certification, I swam around without a guide. I wasn't too sure what was worth checking out or where I was going. That sucked because I specifically booked this dive because I was told my friends would be doing their fun dives. Meaning, we would be guided. Star number two. Once they finished their training I was told I needed to come up because we were going to go to our second site. Unfortunately I still had half a tank left and nobody else in the group was low on air. This is where not having our own boat sucked, because we were working off of somebody else's schedule. Welp, there goes star number one. This was the same story on the second dive, now we're in negative star territory. The whole experience was rushed and when we got back the captain kicked everyone off because he had another charter. I wish Aqua Zone had gotten their own boat or recommended another company to dive with. I'm still debating whether or not I want to ask for a partial refund considering I wasn't permitted to use all the air in my tank on both dives. There are plenty of other dive companies on Oahu, I'd find somebody else if I were you. read more

Called to ask for fmore details and reservations before I decide to buy my tickets. DEVIN -- the person who picked up the phone -- was extremely rude to me. He answered with just a " hello" , but it sounded like he was having a bad day from just that. I asked him a couple of questions and he answered them rudely and made me feel stupid and intimidated. I didnt want to talk to him anymore and said " Thank you" and he just hung up without any reply back. If he was a little nice and professional with me over the phone I would have included Aqua Zone in my vacation plans, but if they don't even have good customer service over the phone, I don't think they will be nice to me in person. I decided not to purchase any tickets with them. There are other places in Honolulu I can book from. read more

I cant swim. I could doggy paddle and kick myself when I'm on a float but can't swim on my own. Before I booked snorkeling with sea turtles, I asked the lady if knowing how to swim was required to go snorkeling. She told me no so I booked it. When I got there, I told them I didn't know how to swim. They gave me an option of a blown up neck floaty thing (not a life jacket) or a bogie board. I went with a bogie board because the neck thing didn't look safe. At least I could hold on to the board to stay afloat. They also give you fins. I've never worn fins before or know how to work them. I was looking for a little talk on how to use the equipment. They just show you how to breathe through the snorkeling mask, thats it. It was my turn to go down and so I grabbed the board. I got on it and tried to kick myself out to see the turtles and I got flipped under. The waves were so strong and it flipped the board over. I tried to go back up but the fins just got in the way and it slowed me down. I thought I was going to drown! lucky for me, my cousin was right there to get me. I took off my mask to breath and the captain started yelling at me because he didnt want me to lose his equipment. What? I almost drowned!!!! worry about your equipment? whatever. Don't give somebody who doesn't know how to swim options for safety. They dont know!!!!! I put back the mask and fins in the bins. I switched for a life jacket and got back down to the ocean with the board while my cousin pull me around lol Got to see the turtles for a little bit. You don't stay in the water for an hour. The whole experience is an hour and it takes about 20 mins to get to the area. It is very beautiful and cool once you get to see the turtles! you don't get to touch them or anything. It is not hard to get to the boat because you can meet at their store location inside the Marriott hotel and they will drive you there! read more

The BEST dive and snorkel tours on island. I am a certified diver and go several times a year and this is the only company I dive with. The crew on the boat is fun and I feel safe with them. They always keep an eye out for everyone underwater which is nice (even if I am certified!) Aqua Zone is excellent for beginners or first time divers because of the pool dive they offer. (The morning before you dive in the ocean, they take you up to the Marriott pool and you put on all the gear and practice.) This is SO great for people who have never been diving. My mom nearly had a heart attack she was so frightened, but we were able to convince her to do the pool and then she was comfortable enough for the ocean. She LOVED it! (And I was completely shocked she did it.) There are a lot of different dive locations and where you go depends on the weather and the group. But you will always see fish and almost always see turtles too! One time we saw a shark....lucky for my fellow divers it's too hard for me to scream underwater or I would've. For our friends that we can't convince to go scuba diving, they have a new snorkeling trip that rocks. It's on a big catamaran that leaves from Kewalo. (And unlike those maitai cruises they actually let you sit on the net!) This is one of my favorite things to do because it doesn't take as much prep as scuba and the site is awesome. It's like a turtle zoo under the water and I love following the turtles! Plus the anchor spot is right out from Waikiki so you get a great view of the strip. One time we even followed a pod of dolphins on the boat. That never gets old! I recommend this trip to all of our friends and family who come to visit. It doesn't matter if you're a tourist or a local - diving and snorkeling trips are fun! read more

It was my first time snorkeling (first time doing anything in the ocean, actually), and I'm glad that my first time was with Aqua Zone. The boat is a bit hard to find, but just give them a call, and they will give you good directions. The people running the boat are very friendly and understanding. They explained everything in great detail, and I didn't feel rushed at all. If you feel uneasy in the water, you can get a life jacket and boogie board to help keep you afloat. I'd recommend the boogie board because it gets tiring trying to stay afloat. We only saw 3 turtles, and we weren't allowed to touch them. As you can tell, there wasn't much action happening, so things got pretty boring after 15 minutes. This was a little disappointing. On the ride back, we saw a lot of dolphins and flying fish, which was enough to satisfy me. It was a fun and relaxing activity. I enjoyed it and will probably go snorkeling again, but next time I will choose something with more to look at than just turtles. read more

Had an amazing time! My wife and I booked with Aqua Zone due to the location (inside our hotel at the Waikiki Marriott) and great reviews. Add me as another satisfied customer! Read below with the knowledge that generally I am a cynical, bitter, and somewhat negative person, so this review is way more positive than I could describe! I could go on and on about the actual dive, equipment, etc, but honestly this was my first time so I have nothing to compare it to. What really made the experience worthwhile was the fact that the entire staff (Christina was my actual guide, Lindsey was my pool instructor) were the kind of people that really seemed like they loved coming to work each day and it reflected in the entire day. There was a lot of "hey hun come here" "yay who wants to dive" "did everyone have a good time" and things of that nature throughout the day. It sounds cheesy but it wasn't overdone whatsoever (like it was forced), it was just a bunch of people enthusiastic about helping other people learn to dive and have a good time doing it. At the end after we paid for all the digital pictures Christina took during the dive and exchanged phone numbers and emails, she came around the corner to give me wife and I a hug before departing. Anyhow, onto the details. We showed up and were in the pool for a bit of time where they showed us the basics of how to use the equipment and everything. Too easy, good explanations, very patient, etc. Eventually we left for the boat. This takes a bit - be patient - as you sit in the shade near the dock. They load up all the tanks etc onto the boat. Some people complain but you need to understand that these tanks are heavy and they bring like 20+ on the boat (I think close to 30) and all the gear is set up when you actually get on. They don't expect you to help so just relax in the shade, and use the bathroom near the dock before boarding if you need to. The ride is only about 20 minutes away (the second tank dive was only about 10 away). The crew is friendly the whole time, the captain is very nice (Randall). They bring juice and cookies but if you want sandwiches etc you bring your own stuff. They do have a cooler to put things in. They do not provide towels on the boat; however, they do provide them in the pool session. Again, I can't stress how nice and friendly everyone is. They really just seem like they are so excited to show up to work, dive, and take care of customers. They make you feel like you are old friends just going out on a boat for a day - not customers who mean nothing to them. Nothing was pressured - yes they take a ton of photos that are 35 bucks (they send you a link to a Photobucket account), but at the end it wasn't like an amusement park where they force you to feel guilty about buying or not buying. It was just "hey if you want pictures come into the dive shop and if not, have a great day and thanks for coming!" The same was for the boat itself - they had a tip jar, but never mentioned it until the end and then again it wasn't pressure. Honestly they were so friendly I wish I would have known about the tip jar in advance so I could put money in it, but I hadn't brought any cash with me. If you are wondering about the bathroom like my wife and I were, there was no need to pee in your suit because they do have a bathroom on board (it's only for number one though), lol. If I absolutely had to complain about anything (and honestly I don't feel that I need to with this trip) I would say that it takes some time after the first dive to bring the snorkelers back to shore (not sure if that's normal or not) before going back out to the second dive. This was helpful to some of the girls on the boat though that used the opportunity to go and smoke (you can't on the boat). I think they might have had to come back to load up more air tanks though, which would make perfect sense and negate this minor negative comment. One other thing, I did notice that they bring the snorkelers with us on the first dive. However, I didn't feel like the staff or anyone on the boat made them feel like they were less important than the divers etc. They actually got more water time than us as they were allowed to stay in the water until the last group of divers came out of the water (I think we had four total groups of a 3-4 each). Anyhow, hopefully this long and somewhat disjointed review was helpful. I had an amazing day, and I really enjoyed the company. For someone who never did this before I felt very confident in my abilities after the short instruction, and I always felt like if I ran into any issues the staff was very competent. read more

Overall, the experience was positive. After all, scuba diving in Hawaii is hard to knock. The staff was friendly and I enjoyed talking with Travis. The downside.... The boat is not well cared for. It definitely is not scrubbed down daily as it should be. Windshields broken and boarded up. Tacky! The wetsuits were tattered and smelled. The mask and fins were cheapo BCD and regulator setup was fine. The staff showed good concern for safety. read more

Fantastic experience. My fiance and I were first time divers, and the free intro course in the 7 foot pool at the Marriott was great. We started by filling out waivers, then sat through a speedy 30 minute crash course before donning tanks, weight-belts, and masks to practice "diving" around the pool for 30 minutes. Then, we headed out to the Honolulu harbor for 2 dive sites. Each dive was about 30-40 minutes (less time if you're a larger person - you use up air faster) with a max depth of 40 feet. Since we were new, we dove with one other inexperienced person and one guide who was watching us like a hawk, constantly adjusting and giving us tips so that we could maximize the experience. Thanks, Dylan! My impressions and tips were: - Diving is the complete opposite of swimming. I'm a swimmer by nature and swimmers want to FLOAT: look at the bottom of the pool, kick from the hips, coordinate arms in front of you (superman), and belly up. Diving is the opposite: neck up, gaze in front, kick from the knees, arms at your side, and back arched as if you were pregnant, You'll sink more, which is the point of diving! - Popping my ears every 3 seconds helped me acclimate to the pressure more comfortably. - If you have a small mouth like I do, the mouth gauges don't fit and you need to remember to press it manually against your lips. Otherwise you break seal and start inhaling water (salty) - You truly cannot control your limbs during the first dive. - It's colder in the water than you think. Wet suit is necessary no matter how warm the water is in Hawaii. - you cannot dive if you're flying 18 hours or less afterwards! - in case it's not apparent, one free 3-hour course does NOT equal certification afterwards I highly recommend doing both dives (two tank); the first one is awkward and you're still learning how to breathe and maneuver. The second was fantastic - saw sea turtles! - and was much easier to control my limbs. Other perks: - boat has free beer and snacks! - for $35 you can purchase a digital copy of your photos. Highly recommended because even if you have your own camera, you likely will not be taking pictures of yourself while you're underwater - bring a swimsuit, snacks if you want (no meals provided from 9am until 3:30pm) - all equipment provided I'd totally do it again! Thanks for a wonderful vacation experience! read more

The training session was a lot of fun in the Marriott's pool. Bree did a great job explaining what we needed to do. She could have made it more fun, but she was patient and caring when two of our people freaked out. It really is pretty gross to see pubes floating around in a pool, but what do you expect? My partner was one of the people who couldn't hang, but they were cool and gave us a partial refund and let him snorkel with us. The drive over to the boat was fun. We were joined by the other instructor who seems to get a lot of great reviews here on Yelp. We loaded up and went to the dive site. Halfway through the first dive the old guy of our group freaked out and we had to cut the first dive short. You really should expect people to punk out when they're trying something for the first time as bizarre as scuba diving. It's part of it, and I don't dock them for that. They also had Rx goggles which was great since I wear glasses. The second dive site wasn't as much fun as the first, but it was still really amazing. People were getting sea sick left and right on the boat, and I feel like a rec of some dramamine might be worthwhile. Okay, so everything's pretty much a 5-star rating until now. My experience to this point was seriously one of the most fun things I've ever done. If what happened next, never happened, I'd gladly send everyone I know to this place. Our fearless leader Bree kept fumbling with the camera after the first dive. She told us in the van that she was discounting our $35 picture fee to $20 because she didn't take as many pictures as she'd like. The pictures are half the fun, right? Well, almost all of the pictures she emailed were not from our dive. The people were definitely not our group. I think maybe 2 or 3 of the set were actually from our dive. You can see the date stamps on the pictures, and they're all over the place. I feel like that money is really just a way for the instructors to make extra money, which is fine, but it feels unethical to sell me pictures of other people's dives. There was a dude who looked enough like me and the setting was basically the same, that it may well have just been me, so I got my humble brag Facebook pic. But, seriously. Why be dishonest? Really worth the $60 you got from our group that day to have people think you're cheating them? And, really, $20 and $60 is nothing. It's the deception that's the problem. Overall, the camera probably isn't going to malfunction during your dive and you probably won't be cheated out of $20, so go with this place an have a great time. read more

My wife found this place on some online deal and I'm glad she did. I love getting surprised with a great experience when I'm not expecting it because I really didn't know what to expect aside from we're going snorkeling somewhere. I'll start from the beginning. Their marina where they load is pretty convenient to get to from any part of Waikiki and there was plenty of parking, just feed the pay stand and your set. We had to wait a bit for everyone to get there before loading on the boat but it gave us a chance to people watch and see other people doing diving tours and other ocean type stuff. After a quick orientation you're on your way. Keep your camera handy since you'll have unique views of Waikiki from the boat as your taken out to what looks like the deep ocean, probably a mile out or more from the shore. After a short ride we were jumping into the water with our snorkel gear and hunting turtles. This review wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention Christina, our guide and photographer. She got our group ready, was entertaining and did a great job trying to make everyone's experience amazing! She was out in the water helping us find the turtles and we were able to find them within minutes. There was probably about 7-10 of us in the water so it never felt overly crowded and we were for the most part spread out. There were divers from other companies (and our own boat) out there too but Christina just worked with us snorkelers. The awesome part was she had her own waterproof camera and for only $20 will give you ALL of her photos from the trip. She encouraged us to get near the turtles so she could take photos of us with them but I think we were the only ones who remembered. She also dived down and took some great up close shots of the turtles that none of us novice snorkelers could pull off. After what seemed like 5 minutes but was really much longer, we were loading back on the boat to get back to the marina. Going back we passed some dolphins and the captain drove the boat by and stopped so we were able to see the dolphins swimming next to the boat too, an added plus to the ride! One last note for those who might be worried about their swimming ability. They have a long rope you can hang from out in the water and boogie boards that strap to your wrist so there shouldn't be any issue if you are a weak swimmer or even can't swim! I would recommend this to anyone staying in Honolulu since it's an experience of a lifetime and will cost less than what you spend on a day in food! read more

We got a great deal through Travelzoo to snorkel with turtles. The booking process was all done online and was very simple. However, I had a couple questions about the tour and sent them several emails with no replies. I finally decided to call them and the person who answered the phone was rude and only gave one word answers. He then practically hung up on me. It didn't leave a good impression, and I had regrets in booking with them instead of paying a bit more with another company. However, I'm happy to say that the actual snorkeling experience was great! Maya was our guide and she was personable and knowledgeable. She took amazing photos of the turtles and of the group. For a small fee she was able to email it to us, but there was no pressure to purchase anything. She gave us her email address and told us to contact her directly instead of Aquazone if we do not get the photos. After the snorkeling, We had access to water, juice and cookies on the boat, which I thought was nice. read more

Came in for Rx Goggles - and the gal working was super friendly and even offered us some brochures on great snorkeling spots. Great, friendly, and knowledgable customer service! read more

I was staying at the Marriott Beach Resort where Aqua Zone is located and I was able to take their free introductory scuba lesson in the pool. Can I just say that from Leah who signed me up, to Francis who did the dry land and hands on pool training, to the friendly and understanding Devon the Owner, Aquazone was a great experience! Unfortunately, I scheduled my day badly and wasn't able to go on the real dive, but I recommend this highly for any new scuba diver. I had never been before, but they made me feel very comfortable and I feel like I learned a lot. I reallly wish I had been able to go on the dive with my people that I learned with. Anyhow, when I do go back and am ready for a dive, I will go to Aqua Zone first. I suggest that you do too. :) read more

Aqua Zone is a great place for scuba diving and I was very happy with my experience here. Not only was the staff really helpful and knowledgeable, but they were really fun too. Our instructor added the perfect amount of humor to the "textbook" part of the dive lesson, making it educational and memorable. He also took a lot of time working with the two girls in our group who were really nervous/having hesitations about diving, and made sure they felt absolutely comfortable in the water and in their scuba gear. My group did the Beginner Dives in Koko Crater. Both dives were awesome and we saw abundant reef life, including several turtles. Our instructor took amazing photos of our dive and the photo CD is well worth its very reasonable cost. While the best part of the experience were the actual dives, the crew on the boat were pretty great as well. At times just talking and joking around with the guys was almost as fun as diving! My friend (a certified diver) and I looked into several options for scuba diving on O'ahu, and by far Aqua Zone had the best price and service (PADI, free beginner lesson, full equipment use included in the quoted price, transportation and two dives in one day!). I recommend Aqua Zone 100% and I will definitely dive with them again if I have the chance. Also, remember that if you like your dives, TIP your boat crew and TIP THEM WELL! They do everything for your dive so all you have to do is enjoy your time underwater. read more

Excellent Dive outfit in Hawaii. I go diving with them every time I go to Hawaii. I even got my certification here 15 years ago! Consistent dives and friendly staff. Equipment is always ready to go and they do a good job of making sure everything is coordinated as schedule. I love the turtles spots they bring you to. So majestic. Highly recommend a dive with them if you are visiting Oahu. read more

Professional, safe l and overall great diving company to enjoy diving with. Nice wide open boat with good quality rental gear. Would most definitely recommend! read more