"Best" island in March for shore and boat dives?

[tortybeans]

Hi all. I've been reading through tons of posts the past couple of days and really appreciate all the detailed feedback and advice. Now I'm looking for some for our specific trip. Any insights or suggestions are appreciated!

My husband and I are planning a 7-9 day trip the last week in March. We just moved to California and so getting to Hawai'i is much easier now than it was from New Jersey, and we're looking forward to starting to explore the islands. We are both experienced divers in warm and cold water and prefer small boats or shore diving on our own.

It seems that the best places for both shore and boat diving might be Maui or Kona. Kauai seems great but I've seen less about the shore diving possibilities there. Have I overlooked something or is Kauai more boat-based? Is there a better choice for which island we pick given the time of year we're going? And for Maui in particular, it seems like we need to pick the specific area to stay/dive to avoid long drives, but I'm not sure which areas have more access to shore dives. We will probably try to rent an apartment rather than staying at a hotel, so suggestions for areas to look at are appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all the advice! We're looking forward to exploring a new dive destination!

 

[tracydr]

March is so awesome to visit the Big Island. Whales will be there, dolphins. I even saw an Oceanic Whitetip! Manta Rays if you're lucky.

 

[diversteve]

Late March is the tail end of the whale season for either island. There's Mantas seen off Maui regularly but they're hit/miss. They're seen almost nightly at the Manta Dives off Kona.

Maui is probably the best for easy entry shore dives. And there's more of them - particularly in South Maui around Kihei/Wailea. There's also a lot of condo options there. Some are oceanfront but many are just across the street from the beach. We like the Wailea area, it's quieter and more of the properties are either beachfront or have access to the beach on property - often a short walk downhill. But it's a little pricier than Kihei.

Both Shaka Divers and Maui Dreams Dive Co. in that area do escorted shore dives - most of the boat dives leave from the Kihei Boat ramp nearby. I like Ed Robinson's, B&B Scuba or Mike Severns (haven't dove with them) and there's many others also. Everybody charges basically the same price, it's a competitive market. Get tanks for shore dives from Maui Dreams, most of the Maui Dive shops or B&B. Scubahawk27 (here on SB) or Shaka Doug or Maui Dreams also do scooter dives.

The other option is the Ka'anapali (tourist) area or slightly farther north near Napili - or Kapalua which is pricier and still farther north in West Maui. The dive boats in that area, Lahaina Divers or Extended Horizons, leave from the Lahaina area (see post below this one) which would be about a 5-10 min. drive. EH also does shore diving as does Tiny Bubbles nearby.

As you've figured out it's better to stay/dive in either West Maui or South Maui. it's roughly a 45min. drive between Lahaina and Kihei. There can be some congestion near Ka'anapali at times. Also the boats leave very early from the Kihei boat ramp to beat the tradewinds coming back - some between 6-7am.

Kona has less shore dives and access is often more difficult over lava down to the water's edge. And more spread out along the coast - the Big Island really is. There's a lot of reasonable condo options just south of Kona - oceanfront but usually not beachfront. We found a 1br, recently remodeled, oceanfront (no beach - big lava rocks) for $700/wk. Nice place, flat screens, marble, decent pool etc. Just a little too far to walk to south Kona but there's a shuttle bus in that area. My buddy dove with Kona Diving Co. - they're often recommended here. Besides the Manta night dives, twice they dove with pods of spinner dolphins. Place of Refuge is the must do shore dive on the Kona coast.

There's also some resorts/condos up in the Waikoloa area but it's quieter with less restaurants/shops nearby. Most all of the dive boats leave from Honokohau harbor just north of Kona so it's a 20+ min drive down from Waikoloa. We did that once, it gets old fast. Shore diving in that area is mostly near Puako - a short drive north.

http://www.vrbo.com/ for condo options for either island.
Scuba Shore Diving Region: Hawaiian Islands for shore dive options on all three islands with descriptions/entry photos.

You've read Kauai correctly - diving there is more boat based. In March conditions would still be a little rough on the north side so everything would be from the Poipu Beach area to the south. The signature boat dive - Sheraton Caverns is there - and Koloa Landing for shore diving. Tunnels is the best shore dive but will still be too rough in March most likely. There's less than a dozen shore dives there total. Ni'ihau is possibly the best diving from Kauai but it won't be accessible in March, it's a rough crossing even in the summer months. And an all day trip. If you ever do get out there, Seasport Divers or Fathom Five get good recommendations. I've dove with Seasport several times and find them very accommodating.

 

[DiveMaven]

DiverSteve said everything very well! I will add that Maui also has great beaches and a lot of topside activities, but not an active volcano like the Big Island. It surprised me at how few beaches the Big Island had, and most of them were in front of the big resorts and created from sand brought in from other islands.

Keep in mind that you're planning to travel during the spring break season, so you might want to start looking for a condo sooner rather than later to make sure you can get one you like. You'll also want to pre-book your dive charters, though a month or two in advance should be plenty of notice. I will add that Makena Coast Charters and Dive & Sea are two operators I recommend highly as well as the ones that DiverSteve mentioned. Dive & Sea has a 12 pack boat that they typically limit to only 6 divers. Also keep in mind that most dive operators in Hawaii give you "valet" service. Not only do they set up, change over, and break down your gear, they often will rinse it as well. You'll also find between dive snacks and drinks. Rental gear is usually in excellent condition so if you don't have your own gear (or don't want the extra baggage), renting is very safe in Hawaii.

One correction I'll make to Diversteve's post is that Lahaina Divers moors their boat at Lahaina Harbor and Extended Horizons launches their boat from the Mala Boat Ramp.

Whatever you decide, try to find operators that have reputations for excellent dive guides. For those not experienced in Hawaiian waters, having a dive guide will make or break whether or not you see the maximum number of creatures. Hawaii has a lot of endemic marine life that you can ONLY see in Hawaii, and unless you know what you're looking for (and where it lives), you'll likely swim right by it. The topography in Hawaii is HARD, nothing soft, just hard corals and lava rocks, so people often mistakenly identify it as "dead" and complain there's nothing to see. My response is that if they went diving more than one day, at one site, then they had a lousy dive guide. Because we all know that a site can be amazing one day and empty the next (literally), but if there is nothing to see at any site, you had a terrible guide.

 

[bobmaggi]

don't forget about B & B scuba out of Kihei boat ramp!

 

[tortybeans]

Thanks for all the input! Sounds like Maui might be the destination for this trip!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Shore diving on Maui is much easier and varied than on the Big Island, and much better than on any other Island. Also in March, the trade winds are likely to be lowing so boat excursions that stay close to the west/south shore will be a lot less bumpy than running over to Lanai or Molokai, unless you can go there in the early morning. Check conditions everyday. Maui Dive shops give away a nice shore dive site guide. Pick one up early during your stay. They also have about the best rates on tank and weight and dive flag rentals. For boat dives, on Maui I like Lahaina Divers best. They launch right from Lahaina, and have great boats and people. But who you dive with is a matter of choice. There are a lot of good operators on Maui.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Shaka Doug]

I gotta put my vote in for MAUI!!

No Ka Oi!!