First Scuba Dive trip to Hawaii - Oahu? Big Island? Maui? - from June 26 to July 1st

[diversteve]

I'm still not sure though where we'll stay... any recommendation? What area in Maiu would you guys recommend? in the Kaanapali area?
Is Mckenna landing close to any of these areas recommended by Diversteve?

Makena Landing is in south Maui. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Makena Landing of Maui, Hawaiian Islands

IDK how familiar you are with Maui - and traffic patterns but it's a good 45min. drive between West Maui - the Kaanapali/Lahaina area and South Maui - Kihei/Wailea. So factor that into plans of where to stay/who to dive with. If you want to shore dive with either of the two operators I mentioned above, they only work in the Kihei area.

For a shorter trip Sheraton Black Rock is pretty nice. Decent shore dive there also. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Black Rock (Sheraton) of Maui, Hawaiian Islands

Or the Grand Wailea - the Wailea Beach shore dive site is just off their property. It's a little pricey though. There's also several other adjacent resorts. It's a decent dive, interesting near the south point w/o getting too much depth. There's a fish there seldom seen on Maui - I've never seen one though. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Wailea Beach of Maui, Hawaiian Islands

We rent condos - either on the north side of Wailea or north of Ka'anapali on the way to Kapalua. No specific recommendations just usually find a good deal on vrbo.com. Ka'anapali is too developed for us. We tried Ma'alea one time also but it seemed like everything was a drive from there.

 

[Teamcasa]

OP has 25-49 dives. All the dives off Ni'ihau are Advanced - most are drift dives. The first dive is a 100-120' blue water dive off a vertical wall with the bottom at 280'.

I loved loved loved diving Niihau but it is definitely an advanced dive and you had better have a solid grip on your buoyancy.

That said, Kauai does have some amazing diving in its own right but unless Niihau is on the list, I'd go to Kona and dive with the Mantas!

Here is a video I shot last time I was there.

 

[scubahawk27]

Hey Steve, Now we go to Mart'ys then Jody's then the caves. Sounds like you are ready for the 60 minute scooter dives.

 

[Steve Eady]

I am packed and ready to go, email me what day or days you want to go. Dinner is on me.

 

[joe8mofo]

My vote goes to Big Island; the diving is amazing there and having done it when I had 25 dives under my belt, means that most anyone could do it. 11 of the 13 dives I did there were shore dives. I would recommend the Kona-side of Big Island for diving. Check-out http://shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/TBI/index.htm. The diving is fantastic and the island has a lot to see and do. I even had the chance to enter a largely unexplored lava-tube (on land) which was only known about by some locals.....

 

[gamcm]

Thank you all so much for a great thread. I got very rich information here. A special thank you to Diversteve.
I just booked our tickets to Maui. So Maui it is.
Since we are arriving on june 26 (tuesday) and leaving on july 1st (sunday) we are planning to dive on wednesday, thursday and friday. And then, we will rest on Saturday. Our flight on Sunday is in the morning.
We still didn't decide on where to stay: Lahaina or Kihei.
Kihei is apparently more interesting, closer to molokini and a place where we can meet other divers. However, Ed Robinson dive op has a very small boat, which scared me a little bit because of sea sickness.
Lahaina has Lahaina Divers that has a bigger boat as Diversteve already mentioned and they leave at 7am instead of 6am (Ed Robinson dive op leaves at 6am).
So hard to decide...
Also, for 3 days dive, what would you guys suggest? You guys mentioned: molokini, carthaginian, shark pit dive, cathedrals and need to check with dive op about manta cleaning station. Since we won't have time to do all these places, any recommendation? A must go?

 

[DiveMaven]

Get some dramamine or even better, Bonine and take some in the morning before you get on a boat...if you're prone to seasickness, it is the best insurance you can find. Also note that in Hawaii, the earlier you get out the earlier you'll be back, thus more likely to avoid the trade winds that whip up surface chop, making sea sickness more likely.

IMO you'll see FAR more diving with Ed (or B&B, or Dive & Sea, or Makena Coast Charters, or Mike Severns) than you ever will diving with Lahaina Divers. And with charters being so expensive, quality of dive makes a huge difference IMO.

Remember that Hawaii is 3 hours behind the west coast, so a 6am meet time at the boat ramp is really 9am in California! Also, you'll be back by noon giving you more time to play in the afternoon.

Personally, I'd say find a place in Kihei, take sea sick meds and plan on catching a boat at the Kihei boat ramp for your charters. Hopefully we'll be able to put together an SB shore diving group and do Makena Landing one day.

If it were me and cost wasnt a factor, I'd do 3 days of boat diving to Molokini and South Maui (there is soon much to see). If money was a factor, I'd do one charter and 2 days of shore diving, either hooking up with experienced shore divers or booking with Shaka Doug.

 

[Steve Eady]

I like to stay in Lahaina myself. But my trip coming up I'm staying in Kahana, got a cocean view condo for $ 525.00 for 7 nights.

 

[scubahawk27]

Diver Steve just PM me, if you do scooter once, it's hard to do a regular dive

 

[Midge907]

Just got back yesterday from Maui, and must say I liked staying in Kihei. I was on a vacation with my wife so I only made it out on the boat one time with B&B Scuba, and we made a special trip to Lanai that day. I would of gone out again, but it was real windy on what could of been my last dive day, so I chose to do topside stuff, but had a awesome time while there. The diving on Lanai was great, and the snorkling I did at Makena beach was the best ive ever done. I would recommend B&B as they seemed accomodating to people doing multiple days of diving. If I were to go back for a dive trip I would do some shore dives.