Dive 100 feet under Kailua Bay in a real submarine, over a lava reef and two
shipwrecks, without getting wet. What you really see down there, and the best ways to book it.
What you really seeDepth, colours and wrecks, from guest photos
Real guest ratingsAs shown on Viator & Tripadvisor
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every tour here
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tickets
Choose your Kona reef trip
The Atlantis submarine in the centre. Beside it, the two trips people weigh it against: the
glass-bottom boat from the same pier, and Kona's famous manta ray night snorkel.
Kona's signature night out: float at the surface while manta rays feed in the lights below. You need to be at ease snorkelling in the open ocean after dark.
What's included
Evening boat trip from Keauhou Bay to the manta feeding site
Snorkel gear and wetsuits, plus hot chocolate after the swim
Snorkel guides in the water with you
No mantas at all? Come back free on another night of the same vacation, if there is space
The real choice is between depth and colour. The submarine takes you deep and dry; the
glass-bottom boat and the snorkel trips stay shallow, where the reef is brighter but you see less of the deep.
The submarine is $160 for adults (13 and over); at the time of writing Viator has it 10% off
until 15 October 2026, and children 12 and under pay less. Parking at the check-in hotel is extra ($10 all-day
validation). Every trip here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.
What you actually see
A real dive to 100 feet: deep, calm and very blue.
The Atlantis boat is a true passenger submarine, not a semi-sub: once the hatch closes it sinks
slowly down the side of a natural lava-rock reef in Kailua Bay, a 25-acre reef that guides describe
as some 18,000 years old. For about 45 minutes you sit in an air-conditioned cabin with your face at a big
round porthole while the pilot threads past coral heads, open sand and two sunken boats, and a
naturalist names the tangs, parrotfish, triggerfish and eels drifting past.
Here is what the brochures skip: at 100 feet the red light is gone. The water filters out warm
colours in the first few metres, so the reef looks blue and grey, not rainbow, and one recent guest was
disappointed that "the corals were all black or grey". Come for the depth, the calm and the fish at the
glass. If bright colour is what you want, snorkel the shallow reef at Kealakekua Bay instead.
100 ft
The usual depth. Guests photograph the cabin gauge at
104 to 107 feet; the dive itself lasts about 45 minutes.
Lava-rock reefTwo shipwrecksYellow tangMoray eels
Illustration: Kailua-Kona's waterfront, where the shuttle boat leaves from the pier.
01
Will I get wet?
No. You board from a shuttle boat at sea and stay dry and seated for the whole dive.
02
Is it claustrophobic?
It is a narrow tube with up to 48 people, but it is bright and air-conditioned, and most guests find it roomy enough.
03
Can everyone board?
You must climb a near-vertical ladder on your own. Children need to be 36 inches tall. No wheelchairs.
04
Who might skip it?
Confident snorkellers who want bright coral. Kealakekua Bay or the manta night snorkel will suit you better.
The dive
How a submarine dive unfolds
About 1.5 hours from check-in to the pier, of which 45 minutes are underwater.
01
Check in at the hotel
Find the Atlantis desk inside King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, collect your boarding pass and validate your parking.
30 min before
02
Shuttle across the bay
A short boat ride from Kailua Pier to the waiting submarine. Look out for dolphins, and whales in winter.
5 minutes
03
Down the ladder
Climb down the hatch, take a porthole seat and watch the depth gauge tick past 50, 80, 100 feet.
At the dive site
04
Reef and wrecks
The pilot works along the reef and past the two wrecks while the naturalist names what swims by.
Times and check-in, tickets and ages, the rules and what to bring: one tab each.
Dive times on Viator: 10:15, 11:30, 12:45 and 14:00.
Check in 30 minutes early at the Atlantis Submarines office in the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel.
The shuttle boat leaves from Kailua Pier, right beside the hotel, and returns you there.
There is no hotel pickup: drive, walk from the Ali'i Drive hotels, or take a taxi.
Cruise passengers tender straight into Kailua Pier, a few steps from the check-in.
Adults are 13 and over, from $160 on Viator; children 12 and under pay a lower fare.
Children must be at least 36 inches (91 cm) tall; there is no minimum age.
A child under 3 who meets the height rule rides with a paid child ticket.
Up to 48 passengers per dive; the whole sub can be chartered privately through Atlantis.
Every passenger climbs a near-vertical ladder into the submarine unaided.
Not wheelchair accessible; strollers can come as far as check-in.
There is no restroom on the submarine: go before you board.
Narration is live in English, with audio in Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish and Korean.
Your parking ticket, for the $10 all-day validation.
A light layer: the cabin is air-conditioned.
A phone or camera with the flash off, for photos through the porthole.
Seasickness remedy if you need one, for the shuttle boat.
Sunscreen and a hat for the ride across the bay.
UnderwaterThe lava reefCoral heads, sand channels and lava ledges down to about 100 feet.
UnderwaterTwo shipwrecksTwo sunken boats on the sand, now homes for fish.
Often seenReef fishYellow tang, parrotfish, triggerfish, puffers and moray eels.
SometimesSharks and turtlesGuests report the odd shark, turtle or ray. Nothing is guaranteed.
On the wayDolphinsSpinner dolphins are sometimes seen from the shuttle boat.
WinterHumpback whalesFrom about December to March, humpbacks pass the Kona coast.
Where it starts
Check-in and parking
Atlantis Submarines Kona
Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Rd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
The check-in desk is inside the hotel at the north end of Ali'i Drive, beside Kailua Pier and the
little beach in front of Kamakahonu. Park in the hotel's self-park lot, keep your ticket, and buy the
$10 all-day validation at the Atlantis desk: it covers you if you stay on to explore Kailua town.
After the dive the shuttle brings you back to the same pier.
Check in 30 minutes before your dive
$10 all-day parking validation at check-in
No hotel pickup; the pier is a short walk from Ali'i Drive
4.7★★★★★ 759 reviews · Atlantis Kona Submarine Adventure as shown on Viator & Tripadvisor, October 2026
★★★★★
The experience was off the charts. The crew was great. If you don't want to snorkel, this is the way to see underwater fish and sea life.
★★★★★
First time going 105 feet under water! Fish swam right up to the windows including puffer fish. The shipwrecks were really neat to see. Grateful the sub was air conditioned.
★★★★★
My kids enjoyed it! The staff was really friendly! We even saw dolphins on our way to the submarine! We were able to enjoy the reef, fish, sunken ships.
★★★★★
We had a lot of fun checking out the cove from below. We saw tons of fish, a turtle, coral, sea grass and shipwrecks. They had kind and humorous staff to tell us what was what.
★★★★★
Excellent tour. A true experience of a SCUBA diver without the trouble of SCUBA equipment. Much better than a glass-bottom boat!
★★★★★
The boat and sub crews were amazing. We saw so many fish, sea urchins and a moray eel. My son really enjoyed the two shipwrecks they went by.
★★★★★
Very cool experience to ride in an actual submarine. We went 104 ft below sea level and got to see amazing wildlife, ship wrecks, and coral reefs.
★★★★★
The crew was friendly, professional, and made the experience enjoyable from start to finish. It was amazing to see the underwater world up close, with colorful fish, coral, and even a small shark.
★★★★★
Great adventure! Worth the money and time! Great way to see the reef, tropical fish and two boat wrecks!
Going to Maui too?
The sister dive on Maui
Atlantis runs the same kind of submarine off Lahaina, over a famous scuttled sailing ship.
Maui Atlantis Submarine Adventure
★ 4.8 · 826 reviews · 2 hours
Island-hopping? Atlantis runs a sister dive off Lahaina on Maui, and it is the one with the famous wreck: the Carthaginian II, a century-old sailing ship that was scuttled in 2005 to grow a reef. Same kind of submarine, same 45 minutes underwater, and the highest rating of the three Hawaii dives.
The Atlantis submarine is the Big Island's easiest way under the sea: no swimming, no gear,
no getting wet. Here is what the dive really shows you, what it costs once you add parking, and how to
decide between it and Kona's snorkel trips.
A real submarine, in the middle of town
Atlantis Adventures has run passenger submarines in Hawaii for decades, with dives off Waikiki, Lahaina
and Kailua-Kona. The Kona operation is the most convenient of the three: you check in at the King
Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel in the heart of Kailua town, walk onto a shuttle boat at Kailua Pier, and five
minutes later step down a hatch into a battery-powered submarine that carries up to 48 people. Seats run
along both sides facing big round portholes, usually one window between two people, and the cabin is
air-conditioned. Then the tanks flood and the sub sinks, slowly, to about 100 feet.
Illustration: the five-minute shuttle from Kailua Pier to the waiting submarine.
What you see, and the colour question
The dive follows a natural lava-rock reef in Kailua Bay, about 25 acres of coral heads, ledges and sand
channels, and passes two sunken boats that now shelter schools of fish. Guests report yellow tang,
parrotfish, triggerfish, puffers, sea urchins, moray eels and, on some dives, a shark, a turtle or a ray.
What the adverts do not show is the light: sea water absorbs red first, so below about 30 feet the reef
turns blue and grey, and at 100 feet it is all blues. The submarine's value is depth and calm, not colour.
Seeing a moray eel at eye level from a dry seat is the point.
The honest small print: the complaints in recent reviews are about expectations, not
the crew: grey coral at depth, few fish on some dives, and seats that sit low for tall people. Choose a
midday dive for the most light, sit where you can see the naturalist, and treat any shark or turtle as a
bonus rather than a promise.
Submarine, glass-bottom boat or snorkel?
From the same pier, the glass-bottom boat costs less than half as much and shows the shallow reef
in brighter colour, but only from the surface. The Kealakekua Bay snorkel cruises give you the most
colourful coral on the coast if you are happy in the water. The manta ray night snorkel is Kona's
bucket-list moment, but you float in the open ocean after dark. The submarine is the one to pick for
non-swimmers, small children who meet the height rule, grandparents who can manage a ladder, and anyone
curious what the ocean looks like 100 feet down.
Illustration: the wrecks sit on open sand; at this depth everything turns blue.
Making the most of the dive
Book the 11:30 or 12:45 dive for the most light, arrive 30 minutes early with your parking ticket, and
use the restroom before you board. Keep your phone's flash off and press the lens to the glass. If you
are on a cruise, the pier where your tender lands is next to the check-in, so it is one of the simplest
shore excursions in Hawaii.
Illustration: porthole seats run along both sides of the cabin.
Straight answers to what visitors ask most about the Atlantis submarine in Kona.
How much does the Atlantis submarine in Kona cost?
On Viator the Atlantis Kona Submarine Adventure is from $160 per adult (13 and over) in 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before; a 10% sale running to 15 October 2026 brings it to about $144. Children 12 and under pay less, and the date picker shows the exact child fare. Parking is extra: an all-day validation costs $10 at check-in. See the ticket guide.
How deep does the Kona submarine go?
To about 100 feet (30 metres). Guests regularly post the cabin depth gauge reading 104 to 107 feet, and one reviewer reported 115 feet. At that depth there is no swell, so the ride is calm even when the surface is choppy.
How long is the Atlantis submarine tour in Kona?
About 45 minutes underwater. Add a 5-minute shuttle boat ride each way from Kailua Pier and a 30-minute check-in, and plan on roughly 1.5 hours from check-in to return, or two hours with parking.
What will I see from the Kona submarine?
A natural lava-rock reef in Kailua Bay (about 25 acres, described as some 18,000 years old), two sunken boats, and the fish that live there: tangs, parrotfish, triggerfish, eels and the odd shark or turtle. Be ready for the colours: at 100 feet the red light is gone, so the reef looks blue and grey rather than rainbow. Read what you really see.
Is the Atlantis submarine in Kona worth it?
It is worth it if you cannot or do not want to snorkel or dive: it is the only way to sit dry at 100 feet and watch fish swim past the window, and it rates 4.7 from 759 reviews. It is less good value if you are a confident snorkeller chasing bright coral, which you will find in shallow water. See the honest verdict.
Is it a real submarine?
Yes. Unlike the "semi-submarines" and glass-bottom boats sold in many resorts, the Atlantis vessel is a battery-powered passenger submarine that closes its hatch and dives, carrying up to 48 passengers who sit back to back facing large round portholes.
Can kids ride the Atlantis submarine in Kona?
Yes, if they are at least 36 inches (91 cm) tall. There is no minimum age: a child under 3 who meets the height rule can ride with a child ticket. Every passenger must climb a near-vertical ladder into the sub on their own, and there is no restroom on board. More in Kona submarine with kids.
Where do you check in, and where do you park?
At the Atlantis Submarines office inside the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, 30 minutes before your dive. Park in the hotel lot, bring your parking ticket, and buy the $10 all-day validation at the Atlantis desk. The shuttle boat leaves from Kailua Pier next door.
Will I get seasick on the submarine?
The dive itself is smooth: at depth there is almost no motion. The short shuttle boat ride and the transfer at the surface can rock on a windy day, so take your usual remedy beforehand if you are prone to it.
Is the Atlantis submarine wheelchair accessible?
No. Boarding means climbing down a near-vertical ladder of about ten steps. If someone in your group uses a wheelchair, the Body Glove snorkel and dolphin catamaran from the same pier is listed as wheelchair accessible.
Is the Kona submarine a good cruise ship excursion?
Yes, it is one of the easiest: cruise ships tender passengers to Kailua Pier, and the submarine check-in is in the hotel right beside it. Book a dive at least two hours before your all-aboard time.
Submarine or manta ray night snorkel: which should I do?
They are different experiences. The submarine shows you the deep reef by day with no swimming; the manta night snorkel is Kona's signature wildlife encounter but needs you in the open ocean after dark. Many visitors do both. See submarine vs manta snorkel.
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