General overview of diving/vacation in HI

[H2ODoc]

I've got a business meeting for a few days this November in Honolulu cool2 and I'm thinking my wife should come along and we can make a nice trip out of it!

So... I'm looking for a little help. I've never been to Oahu, so generally speaking, if this were our one chance to visit the islands, what would you do?

> stay in Oahu? Vacation/dive/tour around?
> island hop to.... Kauai? Maui? ????

We'd probably stay for another 5-7 days after the meeting and diving would be great. It doesn't have to be a dive, dive, dive, trip, though. Know what I mean? Just a great vacation with some diving thrown in!

 

[Black_3000psi]

honestly if your only going to be here once then i say go to the big island (Kona)and do the manta ray dive.although i dont know what the weather would be like that time of the year but if conditions allowed and i hope they do for you, do the manta ray dive if that doesnt work ouf do to conditions "waikiki dive center" is a great option here on Oahu.

 

[ScubaSaipan]

I am not a Hawaii expert, but if you decide to stay on Oahu then my first dive choice would be Sharks Cove on the North Shore. Second choice is the YO-257 and SeaTiger wreck dives from Waikiki. I went diving with Oahu Diving at the YO this weekend. They have a Military/US Gov discount for $99 which included equipment and a two tank boat dive, plus hotel pick-up. I thought that was pretty reasonable. The YO site was very fun, lots of fish and some huge turtles.

 

[H2ODoc]

I finally got around to planning this trip, so we'll be in Oahu in Nov for 8 days!

Business part of the trip is at the Sheraton near the airport. I'm thinking after the meeting, we should duck out of Honolulu and find somewhere more secluded as a jumping off point for swimming/diving/beaching/exploring/biking/vacation.

Any ideas would be appreciated! What part of the island has that laid back/walk to a coffee shop/small restaurant/low-stress feel?

Thanks!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I'm thinking after the meeting, we should duck out of Honolulu and find somewhere more secluded as a jumping off point for swimming/diving/beaching/exploring/biking/vacation.

Any ideas would be appreciated! What part of the island has that laid back/walk to a coffee shop/small restaurant/low-stress feel?

In November on Oahu, there is no real "laid back/walk to a coffee shop/small restaurant/low-stress" that is also "a jumping off point for swimming/diving/beaching/exploring/biking/vacation."

There are condo's in Kihei (South Maui) that might fit the bill.

 

[Black_3000psi]

In November on Oahu, there is no real "laid back/walk to a coffee shop/small restaurant/low-stress" that is also "a jumping off point for swimming/diving/beaching/exploring/biking/vacation."

There are condo's in Kihei (South Maui) that might fit the bill.

actually there is plenty of that right here in honolulu. the problem is the time left to find what will fit your needs. would suggest you check thru the local advertising medium, thats if your looking to hit honolulu.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

In November on Oahu, there is no real "laid back/walk to a coffee shop/small restaurant/low-stress" that is also "a jumping off point for swimming/diving/beaching/exploring/biking/vacation."

There are condo's in Kihei (South Maui) that might fit the bill.

I think you're very wise to duck out of Honolulu. If you consider renting accommodation in Kailua or Lanikai on the windward side of the island, I think you'll be well served. See http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=kailua+oahu+bed+and+breakfast&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 , or just type Kailua + Oahu + bed and breakfast into a search engine. It's fairly easy to bike around Kailua/Lanikai, and there are a couple of decent eateries, too. The beaches are quite nice - do check out Lanikai Beach while you're here - and you can try hiking up to the so-called Pillboxes if you're in the mood for exercise and also want to try whale-watching. There's also sea-kayak rental facilities, too. Diving...not so much. There are some dive sites on the windward side, but they generally require a degree of familiarity and comfort with the area that's hard to acquire without living here for some time. That said, there's plenty of other dive sites elsewhere on the island to check out. You could easily make arrangements with a dive shop - there's one in Kailua, but really, you can call any dive shop or independent guide you want - and drive yourself in a rental car to the boat/designated shore diving site. They're all easy to find, especially the dive boats' docks. At this time of year, your diving options will be confined to the leeward and southern sides of the island, and there are plenty of dive operators here on Oahu that offer daily charters from both locales.

I haven't been fortunate enough to dive the neighboring islands, but I hear that the Big Island and Maui are truly wonderful. Maybe you can post a report and tell me all about it

Good luck, and I hope you have heaps of fun.

 

[H2ODoc]

Thanks for the advice.

We booked a studio over in Kailua and a few dive trips with Gabe / Kaimana Divers. Looking forward to dropping into the Pacific in a few weeks!

 

[Hank49]

I am not a Hawaii expert, but if you decide to stay on Oahu then my first dive choice would be Sharks Cove on the North Shore. .

If you're going to dive Shark's Cove on the North Shore in Nov, you better practice your surf entries....a lot.

It's likely that it'll be impossible to scuba dive the North Shore that time of year.

 

[DennisS]

Oahu has a great scenic drive up the east shore, it is impressive with overlooks and cliffs. Drive to the end of Waikiki and head out of town. Stop at the shrimp trucks (the shrimp/prawns are raised on nearby farms) for lunch, do not order spicy hot. Visit Haleiwa on the North shore, it's that small walk around town you are looking for. If you have time you can drive out past the airport to where the road ends. There are no hotels, that's why it still a small town with charm. You can take the highway back after your sightseeing for a quick return route to Honolulu. It's a good way to spend a non-dive day.