Miloli'i Bay

Here, the entry is quite easy: just walk down the shore and ease your way into the water. You'll find the best diving around the point to your right. Be aware of small boat traffic. You can grab some snacks at the General Store, 50 yards from the entry.

Locals here have gotten more and more unwelcoming to obvious tourists and even some residents that don’t actually live in the neighborhood or know anyone that lives in the neighborhood. It’s a very close knit local community and I don’t even personally go down there unless I have a local friend with me. It’s not always the case but I have heard of other divers say they have had altercations with locals wanting to fight them or just coming back to the car with windows smashed.

Just as an update to a previous post in 2012. I did make it back to this site in Jan. 2103. It's still easy in and out, but I was pretty surprised at the change in the dive site in just over a year. The topography is still interesting (of course) but the coral seems to have taken a real beating. Much of it was bleached and broken. Also, until you get quite a ways out from the pier, the fish life seems to have vanished probably due excessive amounts of spear fishing (Milolii IS a fishing village)and they are down to even harvesting urchins at this point. We did see one spotted and one green moray, but other than some butterfly fishes, there wasn't much in the way of observable fish life. It's still worth the drive to dive it...in my opinion.

Beautiful shore dive! Donned gear in the water and went right out. What beautiful coral formations, large pinnacles, gorgeous healthy reefs, wow. Couldn't ask for anything better. Did find some trash and fishing line, so collected it. Also, boats overhead, so stay low and/or carry a reel+SMB. Super local spot, it's out of the way but incredibly worth it when the water is calm. I can see how it could be unsafe when the swells pick up.

My son (12 years old) and I could not believe the beauty of this site. We started our trip taking dive boats in Kona. Why spend all that extra money when you can have the best Big Island dive in Miloli'i. Our dive boat took us to a spot called 'Aquarium', I assume due to the fact that it is supposed to have tons of fish. Yeah, right - NO COMPARISON TO THIS SITE. Easy entry at the crane, you can even jump off the wall for fun during high tide. Went to the south side first, could not believe the large schools of soldier fish hiding in the caves. Saw huge puffer fish, lots of Morays, scorpion fish, was told there were sharks there but did not see one, unfortunately. We got the best pictures of the whole 3 week tour. The fish look at you like they have never seen a scuba diver before. My son wants to keep going back, and so do I for that matter!!!

This is a fantastic dive site! My wife and I started diving multiple shore sites in early Oct. of 2011. Our last dive south of Kailua-Kona was this one and after diving it, I sure wished we could have planned differently to spend more time here. When you get into the little village, look for the concrete 'pier' with a crane on it (I assume the crane is used for unloading big fish!). You can park just above the water and there are stairs to carry your gear down to the water. Just one giant-stride and you're in! We followed the cliffs around to the north and then they gradually turn to the west. There is much to see in the way of topography with the cliffs, pinnacles and basalt rock fields. There are areas with abundant soft corals, and lots of typical Hawaiian fish species abound. The visibility was 80-100'. Our deepest point was around 70'. When you get back to the pier, the locals have built a pvc ladder to get out. The best idea is to slip out of your gear while in the water, have your buddy hold it while you climb out and then hoist it out and help them with theirs. There were several local folks swimming and snorkeling next to the pier and we found them to be most helpful and very friendly. In fact, when we first started transferring gear, a young man offered to help us hand it down from the parking area to the pier platform. Before I could even get turned around, he had my wife's BC set up with the tank and regulator. I of course checked everything over and he set it up perfectly! (Thanks Kyle!)These are really good people, so do be respectful of their beautiful village! My only regret is that I didn't allow more time for this site...we'll be back!

The last Hawaiian Fishing Village. I grew up right across the beach which I swam all my days growing up in Miloli'i. I want to say this is the most beautiful place in the world. Memories in my heart, mind and soul. Please appreciate this place for it is written in the skies that Miloli'I is the true authentic Hawaiian Culture.

Miloli'i…. Breathtaking. I came to Big Island for 10 days to explore the different dive sites, and after dropping into many of the sites in the Kailua-Kona area, I decided to drive to South Kona and Miloli'i. I dive solo and shoot digital underwater and could not have found a better site. The Coral alone was the best I've ever seen. The locals are great. Keep the speed down on the roads as there are lot's of kids and dogs. The best access I thought was from the beach, a little tricky, but very do-able, even dragging a camera system with you. Bring heavy, hard soled booties. It's an incredible area. I ended up doing two tank dives a day here for seven days in a row. And STILL didn't see everything. Great formations U/W. Fishwise..pretty much your typical smaller types. But the Coral is what you come for, and the relaxed feel of the area. Would be a great place to spearfish in the summer, I think. The water in Jan 2008 was 75 degrees. Thank you, to all of the Miloli'i Locals, for such a beautiful place. I was the guy down there parked next to the Monk Seal sign at the beach in the rental clown car, the blue PT Cruiser :-) I look forward to coming back soon with more heavy duty camera equipment. Stunning is all I can say :-)

I have not gone diving through this company but I am a long time resident of Miloli'i. Born and raised in the fishing village. Now I take resident in Omaha, Nebraska. While growing up, I learned how to free dive during the day and night. Let me tell you, it's the best place to go. For commercial, excitement, whatever it is, it's the best place. I love it and miss it a lot!

A narrow winding road meanders some five miles down from the highway to an old Hawaiian fishing village at Miloli`I Bay. Here, most of the houses are modest, two-story structures with corrugated steel roofs, a water catchment system (water from the houses' roofs is caught in gutters and transferred to a tank), a satellite dish, and an old fishing boat. It looks as if at one time, nearly every one of the owners of some 50-plus houses made their living by fishing; during our dive, only four boats were out to sea. A sign at the local park (a covered picnic area with a volleyball court/basketball court) says that beginning in 1998, all pigs not on a leash will be confiscated. The area is over fished, leaving a paucity of game fish, but eels and reef fish abound in the pukas in the walls and arches that abound here. Great site!

This is the best place I have ever dove. The visibility is great and the spear fishing is wonderful. You will see all kinds of fish, lobsters and eels. You can't ask for an easier entry. If you want a beautiful relaxing dive, this is the place. Enjoy!

A nice site. No crowds, but I get more and more concerned when I am at such a remote site in the event of any emergency. The pier is an each giant stride, and there is a ladder for your exit. Swan through a couple of archways that were to the right after the entry. Was impressed with some of the land highlights. Interesting water systems that catch the rainfall into storage tanks. Liked the sign declaring wild pigs were to be captured after 1998.