Good company to dive with out of "A" Bay, but I am not fond of the dive sites north of Waikoloa. My family and I were staying up at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and the 10 mile drive down south to hop on the Lani Kai was really convenient. I booked the trip through Ocean Sports that has a shack on the beach at "A Bay" also known as Anaeho'omalu Bay. My sister has lived on the Big Island for a few decades and I visit quite often, but I still give up on pronouncing most of the Hawaiian names. DIRECTIONS TO A BAY: If you are heading south from Hapuna Beach turn right at the second light which is Waikoloa Beach Drive. Go past Marriott and make a left when you see Kolea Resort. There is a gate, but look to the left and you will see the public parking lot. Park and walk down the path through the lava field and you'll see the Ocean Sports Beach Shack. Check in there and you'll see the Lani Kai sitting in the water. See my photos. WEBSITE: http://www.waikoloacoastdivers.com PHONE: (808) 895-8387 MY TRIP DETAILS: Date: Thursday, August 23, 2012 Time: 8:00 a.m. to noon COST: $177.00 for two tank dive, including the gear. Walked out into the water and boarded the Lani Kai. Met James and Brooke and we headed north to our first dive site near Puako. All the wet suits, tanks and BC's are provided. James Bach was our captain for the day and Brooke Landt was the Dive Master. Captain James headed north toward our first dive site. On the way there we saw a huge pod of dolphins and we all headed to the bow to take photos. Our first dive site was near Puako. It wasn't my favorite place, but we went through some lava tubes. I don't recall seeing any memorable sea life while down below. James and Brooke caught two big Ono on our way to the second dive site near the Hilton Waikoloa. We saw a blacktip reef shark and some Horned Helmet Snails which were cool during our second dive. I think the next time I go diving on the Big Island I will concentrate on sites south of Kailua-Kona because I think the sites are much better. The Lani Kai was convenient for our hotel though, so we didn't have to drive an hour or more to board one of the vessels down south. read more

Waikoloa Coast Divers - Captain James and Divemaster Brooke caught Ono - Scuba Diving Near Me

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Doug was very helpful with scheduling my diving and answering all my questions ahead of time. He is a transport from Malibu to Waikoloa. His son James was our captain and was awesome. We also had Danny as our dive master who was also fantastic (and wanted me to make sure I wrote about him even though he has no idea what Yelp is!) They took us out to a spot called Buddha Point and Pentagon. The Pentagon is very popular and I loved loved loved that dive. Ask for the Pentagon. The boat is wonderful and leaves from the Marriott beach which is each to get to. James even found us a school of dolphins in-between dives. It was fabulous. Call them, you will not be disappointed! read more

Just got open water certified through their instructor Adam and he was great. Spent the time to explain everything, was calm and patient in the water, and was always in control of our safety during our tests. They followed up the dive test with a final fun dive at the Pentagon which was awesome. Went through the lava tubes, saw some amazing fish, conch, and an octopus. Captain Doug, James, and Bob were great and had everything ready to go at each stop. Boat is docked right at the beach so it was really convenient to get to in Waikoloa. read more

Waikoloa Coast Divers - Scuba Diving Near Me

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I loved my time out with Gayle, Bob and Wesley. Gayle was very patient with me for my first dive and I would definitely choose this team again on my next visit to Kona Mahalo! Leah read more

Waikoloa Coast Divers - On our way back from a great dive morning - Scuba Diving Near Me

Wow. Just wow. I had done some digging online before we came to Hawaii and stumbled across Doug and his crew. We had two older kids that wanted to scuba and a nephew who was thinking about it. With a family of 14 coming to the island, I had lots of questions, and Doug patiently answered them all. When we showed up on Tuesday morning at 0730, we met Doug, Jason and Wesley. They were polite and helpful as 8 of us loaded up on our private tour. Our divers were all first-timers and were 12-21 years old. Wesley did such a great time explaining what was going to happen in a way they could clearly understand, and it was a lot of information. Once the diving started, they were so patient and helpful. We had one diver who couldn't complete the challenge and they were kind and gentle and complementary. They had fun with the family, they brought an octopus for those of us not diving, and had fun sharing information about ocean life. I'd love to give myself the credit for hunting down such a great group, but I really just feel like we got incredibly lucky. We will be back, we will recommend them and we will let everyone know how great they are! read more

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First family dive... 17, 15 and 10 year old sons with us. Took the 2 hour intro class and then did the open water dives 2 days later. Wesley did a wonderful job going at the pace of our 10 year old while Adam kept the rest of us busy looking for sea life. So impressed with Wesley and his patience/kindness. Our 10 year old loved te experience and cannot wait to go again. read more

Waikoloa Coast Divers - Wesley and our 10 year old son after the dive! - Scuba Diving Near Me

These guys were very accommodating and our dives were super fun! It's not as easy as one would think to find the public parking nestled in between the hotels. We were roughly 7 min late w/a full dive boat and they still waited for us. If the parking had been better signed that would not have happened, but I suspect that's out of their hands. What is in your hands guys is changing your yelp address from the corporate office (possibly you may have your reasons for doing it) to the hotel's address so the gps doesn't lead you away from the beach. I know, it's pretty captain obvious, but it would have helped us get there on time. Anyway, you guys rocked, thanks again we had a blast and sorry for being late. read more

Waikoloa Coast Divers - Scuba diving in warm water with snow in the background?!!! So fun!!! - Scuba Diving Near Me

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We prefer to support local family businesses and WCD is the best of the best. I did an intro to diving with Adam at the Hilton then 2 days later did my first open water dive. The whole crew is extremely experienced, patient, SAFE and very fun. Our dive was on Christmas morning and Capt Bob, Adam and Wesley made it a very special Christmas. We had snorkelers, new and certified divers. Everyone was well briefed on the locations and equipment. The boat, the crew and the equipment are top of the line. We will be back and WCD is the only crew we will be diving with. Mele Kalikimaka read more

Our 17 yr old daughter had an amazing diving experience It was her 2nd diving experience .This will be a great lifetime memory for her. We had full confidence in Capt Doug and his crew/ family Capt Doug was very helpful friendly experienced We definitely highly recommend this diving co! read more

Rob, and Gail were so helpful and friendly. We did a night dive for manta rays and were so lucky to spend 40 mins with 2 huge rays at a site that was not heavily trafficked. We have to enter boat via kayak but they were more than happy to keep us dry until the dives!! They took great care of us and our gear. thank you DOUG and crew!! read more

I went diving with Wiakaloa Divers and they were great. We had Adam as our dive master and Bob as the boat captain and he found us a white tip shark ,octopus, and other fine creatures under the sea. It was very relaxing and they are very knowledgeable. I can't wait to come back and dive with them again. Capt. Doug is the owner and also the boat captain. He was very kind and accommodating as I wanted to dive at the very last minute. I will definitely come back and dive with this group again. read more

I really enjoyed the day out on Waikoloa Coast Divers' boat - the captain (Carl) and dive guide (Wesley) were both super friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and pleasant. The conditions were nice, and we were one of the only boats out there. It was nice that it wasn't crowded! Dolphins seemed to really love the boat and stayed with us for most of the trip, during dives and were surfing the boat wakes between dive sites. Definitely recommend these guys for diving up north! read more

This past August, my husband and I traveled to Hawaii, and we had the luck of meeting Doug. In addition to being a supreme dive master, with top of the line equipment/boat/crew etc., Doug was such great company and a most gracious host. With short notice Doug offered to rearrange his schedule to accommodate our needs to make the dive a possibility for us. He was reliable, and a real professional. My husband is a very experienced diver (diving all over the world), where as I am a beginner. Doug was able to accommodate our varying experience levels, and provide us both with our favorite dive to date. The Pentagon, the dive spot where we dove, was breathtaking. Doug and his dive master were extremely knowledgeable about the reefs and diving wouldn't have been the same without him. If you are considering a scuba experience while on the big island, look no further. Doug is your guy. You won't be sorry. We can't wait to dive with him on our next trip to Hawaii. (This post is long overdue.......) read more

I dove pendagos yesterday... It was great... I dove with Bob, he is a great guide and the whole crew was cool... I want to go again

The guys at WCD were amazing. Of all the "activities" my wife and I did, diving with Adam and Capt. Bob was by far the best. I had never been scuba diving before and was worried about wasting the guys time. Adam was a patient instructor with a calming, fun demeanor, perfect for first timers. You're in good hands with WCD and the dive sites were spectacular. Looking in to getting certified when I get back home... -Jon read more

Dive master Wesley and captain Doug are absolutely amazing. It was just myself and my husband, and we had the best time. My husband is PADI certified, but I had never been scuba diving. Wesley was incredibly patient and knowledgable, and he always made sure I was ok. The dive spots were gorgeous. We will definitely be coming back and referring them to anyone we know who goes to Kona! read more

Capt Doug and Capt James run the best family owned dive business on the Big Island. We have been diving with them for the past 12 years and the are consistently awesome, knowledgable and always make us feel like family. The instructors/dive masters on the boat are the BEST! We love Gail, Andrew and Big Bob. The boat is easy to locate at A Bay in the Waikoloa Beanch Resort area. They take you to some great spots that are listed on their website at www.waikoloacoastdivers.com. I highly recommend this dive company. read more

I just returned from a vacation to Hawaii and while in Waikoloa I dove with Waikoloa Coast Divers (WCD). Wow! This outfit was great! A family run operation that really made my dive experience special. I hadn't dove in three years. WCD was calm, patient, understanding and went out of their way to make sure I was safe and enjoyed the experience. The dive master 'Brook' gave a great briefing. The boat captain 'James was super helpful. This was one of the best dive experiencecs I've had (41 dives in Calif., Carib., and Hawaii). No cattle-car' experience here. BTW, the marine life one mile off the Kona coast,at the Pentagon, was fantastic! I can't wait to go back! And when I do I'll gladlly use WCD again! read more

I have been diving on this boat for over 10 years. Each and every time I have been to the Big Island I have dove with these guys. Gail, Brooke, Doug and James are a class act. I have been on the boat when it is full and with only 2 other paid divers. It always feels like you have chartered a boat with friends to go diving. It is "Their attention to detail" that will keep me coming back, See you in the next 2 years.. Hopefully :) read more

I dove with Bob as dive master and James as the captain in January. They were fantastic. They know all the best spots. As a newly certified diver, they made us feel totally comfortable and safe. Super knowledgable about the marine life and super fun. I can't wait to get back to Kona and do some more diving with them. The lava tubes, turtles, conch shells, octopus, every manner of fish. Can't get enough of it. read more

Professional friendly and efficient. Wife thought she was signing our daughter and me up for intro to diving class, but through a mixup we caught Doug by surprise - he thought we were certified when we met him at 0700 morning of dive. I thought we might lose out on the dive experience - my daughter's main goal for the visit to the big island. No worries - he was flexible and had Wesley give us the initial training and safety brief and equipment walk through on way to dive site. After we satisfied Wesley we were comfortable in the water, he led us and two other certified divers on two separate dives (two tanks) of the reef - Puako and turtle mound. Spectacular in all respects - turtles, white tip sharks, every kind of reef fish, and an ornery octopus. I was much more efficient on my second dive- a shallow learning curve but a curve nonetheless. Great experience for all and now I have to get certified with my daughter before she heads off to college in six weeks. Calm quiet pros who exemplify all that I love about Hawaii and miss since I left almost 20 years ago. Now I have to go back again - cannot stay on the mainland and finish my days away from HI. read more

Having just completed my open water diver certification with Wesley, I highly recommend Waikoloa Coast Divers. The whole team is extremely experienced and pride themselves on offering safe and fun dives. Wesley is an excellent instructor who is able to provide thorough education and a patient demeanor. You will not be disappointed when choosing Waikoloa Coast Divers! read more

Dove again with this company 2 years later. Brought a first timer with us ands Gayle was amazing adapting to all our needs. She even provided us with small booklets to keep track of our dives for the next excursion. Great dive locations, great crew! read more

We had captain Bob and Wesley. The dive master Wesley knew all the amazing sites on each dive. He knew where the lobsters were hiding and shrimp;)...the favorite spots where the white tip reef sharks hang out and of course where the octupi are hanging out! This is an intimate crew and the service is amazing!! And most of the time you run into dolphins on the way to the dives:)! Fabulous all around:)! read more

We heartily recommend Doug and WCD. Another dive company cancelled us because there "weren't enough divers signed up for the trip". We called Doug last minute and he was ready to take us the next morning at an extremely fair price. Very comfortable boat, all necessary equipment, friendly dive master, and an incredible dive. read more

We dove two mornings this last week. We were a group of 7. Four already certified (two adults, one young adult, one teen). The three remaining had done pool instruction with Doug the morning prior to our first dive (mom plus 14 year old and 12 year old). Out on the boat, James was our captain, Wesley and Gail were our instructors/guides, both days. Everything was top-notch, every step of the way, and for all of the different level of divers' experience. They were all mellow, and *very* nice, but also thorough and careful. We felt quite free to explore within the safe guidelines that they set for us. The dive sites were beautiful (Arena and Pentagon). We saw sharks, rays, octopus, and so many beautiful bright schools of fish. If we have a chance to get back there it is 100% certain we will dive with WCD again, especially since our kids are now totally hooked - we definitely plan to follow up by getting certified! read more

Committed to maintain small groups allows for personalized attention, laid back and very relaxed diving experience. The dive master, Gail, was interested in me seeing what interested me and look to find the most rememberable aspects she cold. If you want a comfortable and professional dive experience in some of the best waters Konan has to offer, this is your crew. Great boat and captain. Will be back! read more

I went on a 2-tank discover dive with Waikoloa Coast Divers and had a great experience. The pool lesson was the morning prior to the dive at the pool at the Hilton and Doug was a great teacher. Bob was the Captain and Adam was my dive instructor when we went out on the boat. The dive spots were very interesting and we saw lots of fish and octopus. What a fun activity! 2 dives, some whale watching in between and we even saw a manta ray from the boat. I would do this anytime again. Bob and Adam were super fun and always very professional. read more

Can only explain my experience with these guys as absolutely amazing! I was a little (a lot) nervous as I am a newly certified diver going by myself. Right from the start I was comfortable. Boat was very nice equipment was in great condition. I ended up going 3 times on my 6 day holiday I had so much fun, wish I could have went more. We checked out 6 different places, found tons of cool things: 5 reef sharks, 3 octopuses, many eels (some HUGE ones), 3 different type of lobsters, 2 turtles, puffer fish, manta rays, tons of other fish, too many to mention all. James was an awesome captain, Wesley was a great dive master, and Bob was so amazing as a dive master and captain. One day Bob had at least 12 spinner dauphins in front of the boat playing and jumping out of the water. It was the most amazing experience. I would recommend these guys 100 times over. It was such an interactive experience! Not only did Bob and Wesley mind me taking my camera and getting pictures, they took pictures for me! Planning to visit The Big Island when my husband and I go back to Hawaii to see these guys because my husband was so Jealous of my experience!!! :D read more

My boyfriend and I did an intro scuba dive. Since it was my first time, I was initially apprehensive, but our scuba instructor, Adam, was amazing. He made sure that I was comfortable at all times, answered all of my questions, gave clear instructions, was supportive, and never pushy. Thanks to the crew, we had a great dive! We were even able to see Dolphins, a manta ray, and an octopus, in addition to the beautiful fish and coral. Definitely recommend for anyone wanting to scuba dive. read more

Great Team, very professional and helpful crew of Dive Masters and Captain. Great dive sites. Crew was patient with beginners and refreshers. The important equipment (BCDs, etc.), was fine; however, I was disappointed with the worn condition of the wet-suit they provided, as well as the "slip-on" fins. If those had been in better condition they would have gotten a "5" from me. read more