First time to Hawaii, looking for info (diving, places to stay, things not to miss)
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grantwiscour
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tarponchik
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Hammerhead around 10 am?
grantwiscour
Contributor
The Hammer would have been about 9-9:15 am. My wife spotted an octopus as we first dropped down about 20". As we hit the drop off @ 70" we saw the Hammer...hung out with us for 5-10 minutes. Shortly after the Hammer a very large Spotted Eagle Ray came by.
Thanks for all of the shout outs guys!
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T've been to Maui 1/2 dozen times and all the major islands once. Some of my favorite dive and non-dive things.
The Waikiki Aquarium - it[s a small place with a few interesting outdoor tanks with glass walls. They also have several critically endangered Monk Seals. Inside in a dark room near the back were a pair of Chambered Nautilus. We didn't like Waikiki Beach much - too many people and large tower hotels that reflect the sun in strange ways. Did kind of like the east end on a drive out there. We tried Pearl Harbor/Arizona but the lines were too long . Have not dove there,
My favorite is probably Maui. Good boat diving to Molokini or Lana'i - there's huge schools of fish off Lana's west side = a DM estimated about 4-5000 butterflies off Shaekfin. Around the corner maybe 1000 Moorish Idols, And whitetip reef sharks patrolling the edges, It's also possible to dive with Mantas off Umekahme Beach - it's a cleaning station. For non-dive, there's the bike down the crater, jetskis, parasailing, etc. You said you don't care about beaches but Kapalua Beach is one of the nicest I've ever seen and also a shallow shore dive. There must be close to two dozen shore dives on Maui's west/southwest side.
One thing we really enjoyed was the helicopter flight - ours went over one of the two volcanoes then up the uninhabited east side. At one point we hovered so close to a waterfall that it splashed the canopy. It's also a fast way to Hana with one company - the Road to Hana is an all-day trek - one of the twistiest roads in the US,
If you get over to the Big Island there's often spinner dolphins at the dive sites south of Kona. Plus the famous Manta Night Dive - it's on several Top Dives in the World lists. The other big draw being Volcanoes National Park - it's south so allow a day for the drive.
Kauai is smaller and quieter with less diving options although it's also good diving. Mostly around the Poipu area to the south - two shops keep their boats nearby. Not as many shore dives but two good ones are Koloa Landing south or Tunnels Beach to the north. Kauai is just lush everywhere with hiking options.
I agree with the others - with only a week either stay on Oahu and maybe one other island. Interisland flights are pressurized so no-fly rules apply after diving.
hope my travelog helps. I can't help much with resorts as we almost always rent condos.. The Grand Wailea in South Maui was pretty nice.
The Waikiki Aquarium - it[s a small place with a few interesting outdoor tanks with glass walls. They also have several critically endangered Monk Seals. Inside in a dark room near the back were a pair of Chambered Nautilus. We didn't like Waikiki Beach much - too many people and large tower hotels that reflect the sun in strange ways. Did kind of like the east end on a drive out there. We tried Pearl Harbor/Arizona but the lines were too long . Have not dove there,
My favorite is probably Maui. Good boat diving to Molokini or Lana'i - there's huge schools of fish off Lana's west side = a DM estimated about 4-5000 butterflies off Shaekfin. Around the corner maybe 1000 Moorish Idols, And whitetip reef sharks patrolling the edges, It's also possible to dive with Mantas off Umekahme Beach - it's a cleaning station. For non-dive, there's the bike down the crater, jetskis, parasailing, etc. You said you don't care about beaches but Kapalua Beach is one of the nicest I've ever seen and also a shallow shore dive. There must be close to two dozen shore dives on Maui's west/southwest side.
One thing we really enjoyed was the helicopter flight - ours went over one of the two volcanoes then up the uninhabited east side. At one point we hovered so close to a waterfall that it splashed the canopy. It's also a fast way to Hana with one company - the Road to Hana is an all-day trek - one of the twistiest roads in the US,
If you get over to the Big Island there's often spinner dolphins at the dive sites south of Kona. Plus the famous Manta Night Dive - it's on several Top Dives in the World lists. The other big draw being Volcanoes National Park - it's south so allow a day for the drive.
Kauai is smaller and quieter with less diving options although it's also good diving. Mostly around the Poipu area to the south - two shops keep their boats nearby. Not as many shore dives but two good ones are Koloa Landing south or Tunnels Beach to the north. Kauai is just lush everywhere with hiking options.
I agree with the others - with only a week either stay on Oahu and maybe one other island. Interisland flights are pressurized so no-fly rules apply after diving.
hope my travelog helps. I can't help much with resorts as we almost always rent condos.. The Grand Wailea in South Maui was pretty nice.
Dzydvl33
Contributor
I was there last November. It was so warm I kept having to let water into my suit to cool down some.
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