Best time to dive Kona (Big Island)
Resident mantas make the night dive a year-round fixture; May–October is calmest and clearest, while December–February swells cause more cancellations.
Peak season: year-round
Overall diving, month by month
Balanced scoring · forecasts include the 2026/27 El Niño outlook
Confidence: Nov medium · Dec medium · Jan medium · Feb medium · Mar medium · Apr medium · May medium · Jun medium · Jul medium · Aug medium · Sep medium · Oct medium · Nov medium · Dec medium
What's good when
Each attribute scored 0–10 for every month
| Nov2026 | Dec | Jan2027 | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelagic & big animals | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Macro life | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Coral & reef health | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Visibility | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Water temperature | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Weather & sea state | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Operations & access | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Climate outlook
How this year's forecast differs from a typical year
- Coral & reef health -1.3 · El Niño marine heat stress (severe Hawaiian bleaching in 2015) (Nov 2026 – November 2027)
- Weather & sea state -1 · El Niño fuels a busier central Pacific hurricane season (November 2026)
Water temperature & visibility
| Month | Water | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 25–35 m |
| December 2026 | 25.0 °C (77 °F) | 25–35 m |
| January 2027 | 24.5 °C (76 °F) | 25–35 m |
| February 2027 | 24.0 °C (75 °F) | 25–35 m |
| March 2027 | 24.0 °C (75 °F) | 25–35 m |
| April 2027 | 24.5 °C (76 °F) | 25–35 m |
| May 2027 | 25.0 °C (77 °F) | 30–40 m |
| June 2027 | 25.5 °C (78 °F) | 30–40 m |
| July 2027 | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 30–40 m |
| August 2027 | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 30–40 m |
| September 2027 | 27.0 °C (81 °F) | 30–40 m |
| October 2027 | 27.0 °C (81 °F) | 30–40 m |
| November 2027 | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 25–35 m |
| December 2027 | 25.0 °C (77 °F) | 25–35 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| reef manta | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| spinner dolphin | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| green turtle | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| garden eels | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.
About the diving
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Current strength
- 2 / 5
- Luxury level
- 4 / 5
- Typical depth
- 5–30 m
- Max depth of interest
- 35 m
- Dive styles
- Day boat, Shore
- Suggested certification
- Open Water
- Nearest airport
- KOA
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- reef manta, spinner dolphin, green turtle, blackwater night dives
Famous sites: Manta Village night dive · Garden Eel Cove · Blackwater (Pelagic Magic) · Turtle Pinnacle
Season notes & sources
- Resident mantas make the night dive a year-round fixture; May–October is calmest and clearest, while December–February swells cause more cancellations.
- Kona Diving Company targets Hawaiian garden eels on the daylight dive at Makako Bay (Garden Eel Cove), before the manta night dive. Use daylight for the garden-eel colony; this resident calendar does not imply night-time eel viewing or a seasonal peak.