Dive Review of Dive Makai/Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in
Hawaii/Kona Coast, Big Island

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Dive Makai/Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Aug, 2002, by Robert Johnson, NM, USA . Report 134.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel was fantastic! The staff was extremely helpful and friendly; very service oriented. From the very first day the staff greeted me by name. The hotel pays attention to details; upon check in I was greeted with a cool wet towel and a refreshing drink. There were absolutely no extra charges for valet parking, local phone calls, use of in-room safe, porter service, etc. (Several firends staying at the Waikoloa Hilton were constantly being charged for this and that.) The hotel is beautiful; it is very quiet and secluded. The beach was voted the best in the USA by Conde Nast Traveler; it was great for swimming, but the snorkeling was not great. I found the best snorkeling at Honaunau (Place of Refuge) Bay near the National Park and Kahalu'u Beach Park. There are plenty of things to do other than dive or snorkel; the giude book "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" was extremely helpful ([wizardpub.com link]). For fish identification, I recommend "Hawaii's Fishes, A Guide for Snorkelers, Divers and Aquarists" by John P. Hoover. Dive Makai is the best day charter I have encountered. I dove with Kona Coast Divers on a previous trip; the staff was not very friendly and had a bad attitude; they enforced limits on dive time and depth; they harrased the marine life. Dive Makai was just the opposite. They were very enthusiastic and knowledgable about the island and its marine life. They dive guides were adept at finding interesting critters and were mindful of not disturbing the animals. Dive Makai allowed me to dive at my own pace. They allowed more experienced divers to enter the water first and dive on their own, while they helped less experienced divers. I saw many interesting animals: angler fish, mating octopi, spotted eagle rays, helmet shells feeding on sea urchins, to name a few.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Okinawa, Belize, Honduras, Turks & Caicos, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Bonaire, Bimini, Florida Keys, Texas Gulf Coast, Califronia, Maui
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	surge, noCurrents
Water Temp	78-79°F / 26-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-75 Ft/ 15-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Computers required, can rent computer for $5 fee; no restrictions on dive time; I was allowed to make long dives, up to 1.5 hours.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Plentiful tropical fish and small critters. Sea turtles were numerous and were unafraid of divers; very easy to approach. Dive Makai's leisurely pace made it easy for photographers to take their time; I did not feel rushed at all.

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Dive Review of Dive Makai/Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in Hawaii/Kona Coast, Big Island

Dive Makai/Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Aug, 2002,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Dive Makai/Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in
Hawaii/Kona Coast, Big Island