Quick Details
Certified Diver
$ 189
Dive Rating
Advanced
This dive is rated advanced every night. You enter and exit over lava rock in the dark, see only what your light shows you, and navigate without daylight. Our divemaster reads conditions before every dive and makes the call before you get in the van.
Book at your level. Check the rating and the local weather before you book. Be honest about your experience.
About the Dive
Wai’olena after dark. We meet at the shop before sunset, load your gear, and drive you out to the same reef we dive by day. You walk in over lava rock with your light on and drop onto a reef that runs on a different schedule at night.
This is the same shoreline as our 1 Tank Shore Dive. Doing the day dive first is strongly recommended so you know the entry and the terrain. It is not required if you are comfortable with shore entries and night diving.
You need solid buoyancy, steady footing, and to stay close to your buddy and your divemaster the whole dive.
Price & What’s Included
Certified Diver
$189
Included
- 1 tank of air
- Weights
- Divemaster guide, small group
- Primary dive light
- Night dive briefing and rock-entry support
- Round-trip transport for you and your gear
- Snacks and bottled water
Gear Rental (Per Day)
Rent only what you need. Full set is $69.
- $18: BCD
- $28: Regulator and computer
- $13: Wetsuit
- $5: Mask and snorkel
- $5: Fins and booties
- Backup lights available
Need prescription lenses?
Prescription masks are available at no extra charge. Note it when you book.
Bringing your own gear? Make sure it has been serviced in the last year. Our service department can help.
Ready for the dark?
Pick your night and add the gear you need when you book.
Requirements & What to Bring
Requirements
- Open Water certified, or equivalent from another agency.
- Ages 12 and up. Minors dive with a parent or guardian.
- Last dive within 2 years. If not, book a Refresher first.
- Able to carry your gear and walk over uneven lava rock in low light.
- Night diving experience recommended, or the day dive at Wai’olena first.
What to Bring
- Your certification card (physical or digital)
- Swimsuit and towel
- A warm layer for after the dive
- Your own backup light, if you have one
- Your logbook, if you keep one
Dive Details
- Site: Wai’olena (Leleiwi), a few miles from downtown Hilo.
- Depth: 20 to 60 ft, set by conditions and your experience.
- Duration: About 3 hours, shop to shop.
- Meet: At our shop, 1717 Kamehameha Ave, before sunset. We drive you and your gear to the site and back.
- Group size: Up to 6 divers.
- Water: 75 to 80 °F (24 to 27 °C). A 3 mm wetsuit year-round.
What You’ll See
Here is what divers commonly see at this site.
- Octopus out hunting and changing color under your light.
- Parrotfish and reef fish asleep in the cracks and coral heads.
- Eels, crabs, shrimp, and other night shift invertebrates.
- Bioluminescence when the group switches lights off for a moment.
Guided by Local Divemasters
Your divemaster dives this site week in and week out, day and night. You get a night briefing on light signals, buddy contact, navigation, and the entry and exit before you gear up. Underwater they set the pace for the group and the conditions, and point out what you would swim right past.
We dive with fin awareness and reef-safe sunscreen, and we expect the same from you. Read about our conservation work and help us mālama i ke kai, care for the ocean.
Flying & Elevation
Wait at least 12 hours after a single dive before flying or going to elevation, and 18 hours after multiple dives or multiple days of diving. That includes driving Saddle Road to Kona, Mauna Kea, and Volcano. Plan your dive day around it.
Make It Count
Turn your night dives into a certification. The Night Diver specialty builds the skills, and it counts toward Advanced Open Water.