Terms & Conditions
Effective Date: October 13, 2025 / Last Updated: October 13, 2025
Please read these Terms & Conditions ("Terms", "T&Cs") carefully before making a reservation or utilizing the services offered by Puako Dive Adventures ("us", "we", or "our"). By booking a tour or service with Puako Dive Adventures, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
1. Contact Information
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us:
Legal Name: Flippers Under The Sea LLC dba Puako Dive Adventures
Email: puakodiveadventures@gmail.com
Phone: +1-808-443-4497
2. Bookings, Cancellations, and Refunds
A. Cancellation Policy (Returns)
Cancellations must be communicated to Puako Dive Adventures via phone or email, or may be processed on our website. Our policy is as follows:
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Full Refund: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation is made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting time of your tour or dive.
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Late Cancellation/No-Show: Cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to the meeting time, or failure to show up for a booked tour, will result in forfeiture of the full payment.
B. Rescheduling for Weather and Safety
The safety of our guests is paramount. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule tours due to inclement weather, poor sea conditions, or other factors that may compromise safety.
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Rescheduling: During the event of inclement weather, particularly in the winter months, we will attempt to reschedule your tour.
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Refund/Credit: Should rescheduling not be available or suitable for the guest, then a full refund or a credit for one dive will be issued.
3. Diver Requirements and Safety
Certified Divers Only
All guests who are participating in a dive must provide proof of certification from a recognized training agency (e.g., PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc.) upon check-in.
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Newly certified divers are welcome, even if this is your first ocean dive.
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Puako Dive Adventures reserves the right to deny participation to any guest who fails to provide proof of certification or who is deemed by the dive master to be unfit for diving (e.g., due to illness, impairment, or lack of proper equipment).
Adventure Over Agenda
Every dive is about discovering the site. We commit to an "Adventure Over Agenda" philosophy, meaning we are not here to make you chase a checklist. We encourage guests to let us know what they are excited about seeing, but the dive plan will prioritize site discovery and safety over a fixed itinerary.
4. Guarantees
The Manta Guarantee (Current Policy)
We offer the following guarantee for specific tours:
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Applicability: The Manta Guarantee ONLY applies to the Close Encounters: Manta Edition (one-tank dive, snorkeling).
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Guarantee: If you do not see mantas during your qualifying tour, you are cleared for redeployment (re-booking the same tour) at no charge until you do. This free re-booking has no expiration date and is non-transferable.
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Honoring Past Guests: We will also honor Blue Wilderness's original manta guarantee for guests who dove under that name and did not see mantas on their original trip.
5. Limitation of Liability
You acknowledge that scuba diving and ocean activities are inherently adventurous and carry certain risks. You agree to assume all risks associated with participation.
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Puako Dive Adventures, its owners, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any personal injury, property damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned by reason of any defect in a vehicle, or through the acts or omissions of any third-party providers.
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By booking a service, you agree to sign a Liability Release Form (Waiver) prior to participation.
6. Intellectual Property
All content on our website, including text, graphics, logos, images, and service names, is the property of Puako Dive Adventures and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our content without our express written permission.
7. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of The State of Hawaii, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
8. Changes to Terms
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time. We will provide reasonable notice of any new terms. By continuing to access or use our Service after those revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms.