First time vacationing to Hawaii.....suggestions please?

[ericg753]

Hi I'd like to take my family (myself, wife and 2 kids 17 and 10) spring/summer 2018 to visit Hawaii. I'm an intermediate diver with approx 150 dives, Nitrox and drysuit certified. I would appreciate suggestions as far as airlines (good service, reasonable pricing), hotels, dive operators, areas of Hawaii to stay in, excursion options, etc. I am just starting my research so I can begin making reservations, any help is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.

 

[Deinonych]

Are you looking for specifics on Hawai'i Island (aka Big Island), or the state in general?

 

[ericg753]

Are you looking for specifics on Hawai'i Island (aka Big Island), or the state in general?

I’m looking for best part of Hawaii as far as site seeing, activities and especially scuba diving excursions. Who are the better dive operators, better hotels to stay at, etc

 

[Deinonych]

"Best" is somewhat difficult to define, and I'm sure you'll get differing opinions on what the best part of Hawai'i is. The diving is good on all the islands, although I'm partial to Hawai'i Island and Kaua'i. Each island offers something different. It all depends on what you are looking for in a vacation (apart from diving, of course).

 

[drrich2]

I can't answer your questions, but can maybe add one or two that may help you, based on what others have posted on the forum. I've never been (& get lost listening to people rattling off the weird-sounded place names).

There's shore diving in Hawaii; how big a draw is that for you? Or do you mainly want to boat dive?

I read high praise of the manta night dive out of Kona. Is that a big draw for you? Do people have to either be based on Kona or on a live-aboard, or is it practically reachable for dive op.s on other islands?

Richard.

 

[Deinonych]

I read high praise of the manta night dive out of Kona. Is that a big draw for you? Do people have to either be based on Kona or on a live-aboard, or is it practically reachable for dive op.s on other islands?

LOB or staying on the leeward side of Hawai'i Island is the only way to do the manta dive. The other islands are too far away (e.g. the channel separating Hawai'i Island from Maui is 30 miles wide).

 

[Scubanoobi]

I've spent weeks at each Island with my non-diving wife and small child (so not a diving based vacation but try to get out for 6-10 dives). Maui and BI were my favorite for diving/topside activities with the edge going to Maui. Kauai I found was just too difficult for diving unless you're staying on the south side (beautiful island though). If you're a morning person you can do a 2-tank dive in Maui out of South Kihei (B&B Scuba) and be back on land by 9:30 am. That is huge for me, it allows me to dive more while still having the rest of the day to do activities with the fam.

I skipped the Manta dive, I just don't think I'd enjoy sitting on the bottom with 100 other divers watching Mantas, I've heard it's excellent, just not for me.

 

[Deinonych]

Here's a brief summary for the Top 5 islands according to Hawai'i Magazine readers. There are more articles on the site that may help guide your decision.

The best island in Hawaiʻi is...

 

[scubadada]

Hi @ericg753

You didn't say if your wife or older kid also dives

My favorite for a combo of divers/nondivers is Maui. There are many fine operators and you have a choice of Maui, Molokini (crater/backwall), Lanai, and Molokai. There are many things to do, Haleakala (flying after diving applies @ 10,000 feet), road to Hana with hiking pools and waterfalls, beautiful Iao Valley State Park, helicopter tours, and, of course, many beautiful beaches with swimming and snorkeling

Water is not as warm as you might think, mid to high 70s is usual. I dive a full 5 mm, sometimes with a hooded vest for 4 dives/day. Exposure protection is obviously personal

 

[spoolin01]

I've been to Hawaii a bunch as a diver, mostly diving the Big Island, Maui, and a little on Kauai. Only one dive trip to Oahu. I mostly shore dive and prefer the BI over Maui by quite a bit - IMO clearer deeper water, more and bigger fish, and better and more shore dive sites. Most shore dives on Maui are going to be shallow, many no more than 15-20 ft. Kauai is a distant third from shore. Having said that, for your first trip you can find plenty from shore from either island, and you might prefer the sandy beach shore entries on Maui to the lava bench entries on the BI. I prefer the bench shoreline but either can be dangerous and absolutely demand a sober eye (there are a couple of spots on either island with generally reliably tame entries). It might be that beach entries are just more obvious when they are no-go (but also tougher per se IMO).

Boat diving is a toss up IMO. Figure $85+/tank before gear. Maui has Molokini and possible hammerhead diving at Kahoolawe, which the BI can't match. BI has pretty reliable manta diving, and more lava tubes. Maui has more beaches by far. Topside attractions local and on the rainy side I rate about the same, possible edge to Maui. General layout - where you can stay on a "budget" and what it's like around where you stay = BI.

You need a car if you want to do much away from your lodging. For lodging I prefer the condo district running south from Kailua on the BI. From several you can shore dive right from the property. For hotel lodging, Maui probably has better situated hotels, with large enclaves both north above Lahaina, and south in the Wailea district. Most on the BI are isolated artificial oases up north on the windswept barren lava fields of Kohala. Some good diving and dive support up there even so.

Plenty of posts in this forum regarding dive ops.