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Map of Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven (Makako Bay)
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Boat entry

Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven (Makako Bay)

Hawaii, United States
Open Water suggested9–24 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven (Makako Bay) at a glance

Garden Eel Cove / Manta Heaven (Makako Bay) is a boat dive site in Hawaii, United States with depths of 9–24 m (30–79 ft). Typically most favorable Jun–Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Moray eels, Octopus, and Squirrelfish. Recent reports put the water around 28°C (82°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 4h ago
1.5 mwaves — about a meter and a half expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 28°C · seasonal avg 27°C

Site hazards: Night diving, boat traffic, current, crowding around manta viewing areas, light failure, sandy-bottom silt, and manta no-touch/no-obstruction protocols.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Fri
Sat—
Sun6:00–20:00
Mon6:00–20:00
Tue6:00–20:00
Wed6:00–20:00
Thu6:00–20:00
Fri6:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:34 · Sunrise 5:57 · Sunset 19:03

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 8.5 km from site · graded 4h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Reef manta ray, Hawaiian garden eel
Best time: Manta viewing is year-round; operators choose Garden Eel Cove when conditions favor the northern site. Day dives are best in calm Kona conditions.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan65%26°C1.6 m
  2. Feb91%25°C1.3 m
  3. Mar95%25°C1.2 m
  4. Apr99%26°C1.0 m
  5. May99%26°C1.0 m
  6. Jun100%27°C1.0 m
  7. Jul100%27°C0.9 m
  8. Aug96%27°C1.0 m
  9. Sep100%27°C0.9 m
  10. Oct99%27°C1.0 m
  11. Nov94%27°C1.1 m
  12. Dec84%26°C1.3 m

June, July, and September havetypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Moray eelsOccasionally seen
  • OctopusOccasionally seen
  • SquirrelfishOccasionally seen
  • Reef manta rayCommonly seen
  • Hawaiian garden eelCommonly seen
  • Green sea turtleOccasionally seen
  • Whitetip reef sharkOccasionally seen
  • Flying gurnardRarely seen
  • Bigeye scad (akule) schoolsSeasonal

  • Mobula alfredi recorded here May, Oct–Nov (3 records)

    most recent 2019

  • Mobula birostris recorded here Sep, Nov (3 records)

    most recent 2017

  • Enchelycore pardalis recorded here Nov (2 records)

    most recent 2014

  • Gorgasia hawaiiensis recorded here Nov (1 record)

    most recent 2014

  • Gymnothorax eurostus recorded here Nov (1 record)

    most recent 2014

  • Stenella longirostris recorded here Oct (1 record)

    most recent 2014

Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Site details

Garden Eel Cove, also called Manta Heaven at Makako Bay, is Kona's northern manta night-dive/snorkel site near Keahole Point. By day, divers can see garden eels on the sand slope and reef life around the margins; after dark, boats set up a lighted viewing area for resident reef manta rays. It is boat-only and operator-managed, with conservation rules focused on no-touch/no-chase manta viewing.

boatreef

Night diving, boat traffic, current, crowding around manta viewing areas, light failure, sandy-bottom silt, and manta no-touch/no-obstruction protocols.

Reviews

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