Diver Reviews:    (Please share your own experiences by clicking here!)

03/31/2008 Joe Foster (Avg: 3.70 Review) - This is a site that just saves you money! I dove here with my 2 boys. A short walk over the Lava field from where you park, and a short swim (about 100 feet out) and we had a one hour dive right under 3 dive boats, all with people who paid $85 each to dive this site from the harbour less than 1000 feet away! From 55 feet, we looked up and watched as the twin prop dive boats left to go back to ring up their VISA's. It didn't stand out as being the best dive site in Hawaii, but it was satisfing knowing that we didn't spend $175 for the 3 of us to dive it! Overall, a good dive for ease of entry and exit, and lots to see.

10/13/2007 Mohawk Diver (Avg: 4.63 Review) - Dove here 15 times in the last 2 months. Always something to see. Eagle rays, whitemouth morays, a resident undulated moray by the cove, yellowmargin morays, and sharks. Twilight dives are super. Garden eels galore. If it's in Hawaii, it's here. It's best to snorkel out to edge of sand and then drop in. Aloha!

08/15/2007 Anonymous (Avg: 3.31 Review) - Dove this site 4 times on recent trip. Always something different. Saw eagle rays, eels, etc. Nice cave out to left with sleeping turtles and other creatures. Be sure to wave to the people on the dive boats that anchor there, since they paid $125 for a 300 yard boat ride from the harbor to dive the same site you're shore diving. If you're renting tanks from Jack's, it's really easy to swap out at their harbor shop before or after your dive.

07/01/2007 Maria (Avg: 4.72 Review) - Lovely site! Dove here on 6.27.07. A bit shallow at the entry (you have to walk about 10 feet out in 1' of water) - we found it easier to enter on the left site of the beach. Parking and facilities are great (the beach is right at Honokohau harbor), very short easy walk to the shore. Boat traffic is intense near the harbor but is not a problem: you can always hear a boat approaching, so it's safe. Underwater life is outstanding in day time, and must be even better at night although we haven't done it! Moray eels are literally under every coral head + white mouth morays swimming around! Saw an octopus, a red-spotted nudibranch, several shell crabs! There were also two huge schools of goatfish hanging right around the left corner of the cove, maybe 100 fishes at once, totally unafraid: we almost had to push them out to make our way through them!

01/06/2007 Brian Xavier (Avg: 3.38 Review) - Alua Beach is a nice dive except for the boat traffic entering and leaving Honokohau Harbor. You need to make sure you don't pop up out in deep water because there are lots of boats here. The bottom is great with lots of fish. The beach is a very easy entry when the swell is not up. Some locals say this is their favorite dive spot on The Big Island, but I like Honaunau and Mahukona much better. Easy entry and lots of people on the beach.

04/12/2004 Anonymous (Avg: 3.69 Review) - Aloha, we went in the morning we were about 60ft when we encountered pods of spinner dolphins about 200 yards from entry. We saw a white tip shark and the rest of fish life was plentiful.

09/28/2002 The Crists (Avg: 3.44 Review) - We found this site by accident. Watch for red urchins in the shallow rocks ringing the beach. We enjoyed the lavender coral growth.

09/07/2002 Bill Stohler (Avg: 3.34 Review) - I've done this dive several times as a twilight/night dive, and it's a very mellow place with a great reef, and typical Kona drop-off to the abyss. There are some large fish that swim by, turtles, eels, lots of other critters. Sheltered bay/entry. Bit of a hike over the pahoehoe lava (ropey basalt), but it's worth it. Just watch out for the black sea urchins in the shallows (ouch).

08/06/2002 Kim (Avg: 3.63 Review) - Fantastic site - don't let the hike over the lava put you off. We went to 90' and found garden eels, an eagle ray swam past and there were lots of reef fish and white mouthed morays in the coral.

12/01/2001 Phil Garner (Avg: 3.74 Review) - One of the least crowded sites in Hawaii where you can see virtually everything on one dive. I've seen Manta Rays, many turtles and a large Marlin once. Nearly every coral head has a White-mouth Moray living inside. If you swim to the outside of the cove at 130 feet and lay motionless for a moment, you're in for a treat. The sand is full of Garden eels who will pop up until you move. Bring a bamboo mat, available at every store in Kona to keep sand out of your gear. The entry is very easy. Shallow sand gives way to coral at about four feet deep. From the beach, it is a short snorkel away from easy, relaxing diving Hawaiian style.

09/10/2001 Jim Goodenough (Avg: 3.59 Review) - I love this spot. The beach is totally uncrowded. The entry is via a small "lagoon" and even though you have to walk out from the parking area, I think this is one of the most relaxing shore entries around. Saw a big frog fish there. Won't disagree with the other reviewer, but the turtle pinnacle must be a heck of a kick to swim to in SCUBA gear!

07/20/2001 C Hepburn (Avg: 3.36 Review) - I was skeptical about this spot after watching all boats cruise by but was pleasantly surprised. When the surf was kicking up everywhere else, this spot has a good sheltered entry. We only went to about 40-50' but this was one of the better shore dive spots we dove. Don't let the boats scare you off, it pretty good diving. The hike from the car wasn't that bad and easily manageable.

07/11/2001 Roger Johnson (Avg: 3.25 Review) - Dived here several hundred times, never get bored. Lots of reef fish, you usually can spot an Eagle Ray or turtle. Nice gentle drop-off for a deep dive. Good divers can make it out and back to a turtle cleaning station. The only workout is the hike in and out over the lava rock.

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