The Hilo discover scuba diving program by Hilo Ocean Adventures is a 4-hour intro for non-certified divers: a 45–60 minute pool session, then one supervised shore dive on Hilo's east side. It suits first-timers aged 10 and up staying near Hilo. The drawback is price, $363 per person on reseller sites, plus a $50 fee for incomplete medical forms.
Highlights
No certification needed: a short presentation, gear fitting and a 45-minute to 1-hour pool session come before the ocean dive (Greetwell listing).
Shore dive from Hilo, where reef fish are common and green sea turtles are possible but not guaranteed.
Minimum age 10, and participants must be able to swim unassisted in water too deep to stand (Greetwell listing).
Full refund for cancellations made 48 or more hours ahead; no refund for late cancellations or no-shows.
Operator holds a 4.7-star average from 846 Google reviews across all its activities, as shown on Greetwell in October 2026.
What to Expect
Check in at the Hilo Ocean Adventures shop at 1717 Kamehameha Avenue, hand in your completed PADI medical form and get fitted for gear.
Sit through a short presentation on how scuba equipment works and the basic safety rules.
Practice breathing, mask clearing and buoyancy in a pool session that lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Drive or walk to the shore-dive entry and make one supervised dive on a Hilo reef with your instructor.
Return to the shop; the whole program is listed at 4 hours, with snacks and beverages included.
What's Included
Pool lesson
Snacks and beverages
Scuba instructor supervision on one shore dive
What's Not Included
Certification (this is an introductory experience, not a course)
Physician clearance if your medical form flags a condition
What to Bring
Completed PADI medical form; a $50 fee applies if paperwork is incomplete
Physician sign-off if any condition is marked on the medical form
Swimsuit and towel
Restrictions and Requirements
Minimum age 10
Must be able to swim unassisted in deep water and use a snorkel or regulator
Does not qualify you to dive without a scuba professional afterward
$50 rescheduling fee may apply, waived when circumstances are beyond your control
Cancellation Policy
Cancel 48 hours or more before the start for a 100% refund. Cancellations inside 48 hours and no-shows are not refunded. If the operator cancels, for example for weather, you receive a full refund. Checked October 2026 on Greetwell.
Hilo Ocean Adventures shop, 1717 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, HI 96720
Check-In
Check-in time not published; arrive early enough to complete paperwork and gear fitting before the presentation
Parking and Getting There
Complimentary parking is listed for the operator's shop on hawaiiactivities.com
Ratings from every source we could find
Google
4.7
846 reviews
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
Hilo-based dive operators are a smaller category than Kona's, generally valued specifically by travelers based on that side of the island who don't want the cross-island drive.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We have not yet read individual reviews for this tour. The rating below is the public Google score shown on the Greetwell listing as of October 2026; Greetwell's own summary of those reviews is noted under operator-wide feedback.
About the Operator in General
Greetwell's summary of the operator's 846 Google reviews credits the instructors by name, mentions turtle sightings on dives, and notes one reviewer who described aging gear such as fin straps and one who reported a rough day with safety problems in difficult surf. We have not read those reviews ourselves.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
This program is worth considering only if you are staying on the Hilo side and want to try scuba without crossing the island to Kona. At the $363 reseller price you get one shore dive, not a boat dive, so compare it with Kona boat-based discover programs before booking. The pool session before the ocean is a real plus for nervous first-timers.
Book This Tour If…
You are based in Hilo or the Hāmākua side and do not want a day trip to Kona
You have never dived and want a pool session before entering the ocean
Everyone in your group is at least 10 and comfortable swimming in deep water
You can submit the PADI medical form ahead of time and have no flagged conditions
Skip This Tour If…
You are already certified; the operator's one- and two-tank dives are the better fit
You want two dives or a boat dive for your money
Anyone in your party has a medical condition that needs physician sign-off and you cannot get it in time
You are flying out within 12 hours of the dive
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Submit the PADI medical questionnaire before the day; the operator asks certified divers to send it 72 hours ahead and charges $50 for incomplete paperwork.
Book early in your stay so a weather cancellation can be rescheduled.
The operator's other listing warns that late arrivals are not waited for and missed tours are not refunded, so aim to arrive before your check-in time.
Do not plan a flight within 12 hours of diving; the operator lists this restriction on its one-tank boat dive.
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a scuba certification for the Hilo discover scuba dive?
No certification is required for the Hilo Ocean Adventures discover scuba program. You complete a presentation and a 45–60 minute pool session, then dive under direct instructor supervision. It does not certify you, so you cannot dive without a professional afterward.
How long does the Hilo discover scuba program take?
The Greetwell listing gives the full program as 4 hours. That covers paperwork and gear fitting, a short presentation, the pool skills session of 45 minutes to 1 hour, the shore dive itself, and the return to the shop at 1717 Kamehameha Avenue.
What is the minimum age for discover scuba in Hilo?
The minimum age for the Hilo discover scuba dive is 10. Participants of any age must be able to swim unassisted in water too deep to stand in and must be comfortable breathing through a snorkel or regulator before the ocean dive.
What is the cancellation policy for the Hilo discover scuba dive?
The cancellation policy allows a full refund when you cancel 48 hours or more before the start. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded. If Hilo Ocean Adventures cancels for weather or sea conditions, the operator refunds the full amount, as checked October 2026 on Greetwell.
How much does discover scuba diving in Hilo cost?
The discover scuba shore dive was listed at $363.06 per person on Greetwell in October 2026. The operator's direct price was not confirmed on a fetchable page, so check the FareHarbor booking calendar for the current rate before you commit.
Contact
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TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Hilo Ocean Adventures directly.
