Going to Maui - need advice

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Barry Goode

Contributor
Messages
90
Reaction score
2
Location
Howell, MI
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi,

I'm planning to go to Maui in early April. Anyone have any advice on where to stay (budget), which op to dive with, and which dive sites are a must?

Also, if anyone know how to get a decent deal on airfare that would be really helpful.

Thanks!

Barry
 
VRBO.com is your friend! Rent a condo and save a fortune on meals. Look for a place in Kihei. I really like Ed Robinson's for boat diving. They take wonderful care of you. All you have to do is step off the boat-they take care of everything else. You can save some money by shore diving. You will need to rent a car. Check Hawaiicarrentals.com, I get the best rates through them.
 
I will be in Kahana April 20-27

Air from LAX to OGG ran $500 per person and a rental car for the week was $303 for a full size through Dollar.

I traded my timeshare for the week.

I am looking for a dive op to finish the OW referral for my wife through a PADI instructor.
 
vrbo.com IS your friend, BUT we found out from other condo owners that you can also google the condo complex name and come up w/ other people who don't use vrbo. We had a scare in Jan.-- the couple we supposedly were going to rent from in Feb. rented it out from under us!! Of course we are coming at a peak time and only had a month to find a place.

we ended up using this co. A bit higher than we were used to, but they had a place for us!

ResortQuest Hawaii - Maui Condo & Home Vacations

Hope this helps! Maggi
 
If you are staying south Ed Robinsons does a wonderful job. Though I live and DM on Kauai I have dove with them several times and thought they were great. North (Lahaina etc) I think Extended Horizons is great. See if you can speak with Eric - or find out when he is on the boat. I know Eric from years past and he has a great operation/staff. Really nice boat and great dive locations. Take a peek at "The Guesthouse" if you are staying north. I've stayed there and it is an unreal deal! They cater to divers and offer a beautiful setting that is low key with great ammenities including private hot tubs in each of the 5 rooms. Tanna is the owner and a truely wonderful person.

Good luck

oh, I have heard nothing but great things about Shaka Doug for years. Every report I have ever heard about Doug is positive. I am hoping to dive with him personally with some DM friends this spring.
 
We dove Maui last summer and had a great experience with ScubaShack. They also have condos at Kamaole Sands (on the southwest side), which was great.......all organized through the dive shop.

We rented an older Jeep from Maui Car Rentals, was nervous at first but it was great. It was cheap and waiting for us at the airport, did it all on the internet, it was sweet to ride around Maui with the top down in a non-rental company looking jeep, felt more like a local I guess....

Molokini Crater, Turtle City, Ulua Beach for a night dive.....are must dives, at least in my opinion.........the vis and stuff (big and little) at the crater is awesome. I think April is whale season, so we would live at the crater if we were there.

This is the diver comment we posted on ScubaShack's website:

Great crew, great boat, great dives what more can we say about our Maui experience! Awesome at finding critters and making each dive one to remember seeing the mantas and turtles was the highlight for our daughter. We were treated like one of the family and the boat gear was new, makes travel to the Islands much easier. Way to go. PS. We also loved the condo, great location!

Hope this helps.......M

PS - the note about rental gear is key, their gear was nice and like new, so we traveled light to the Islands....
 

Attachments

  • DSC00235.jpg
    DSC00235.jpg
    410.7 KB · Views: 73
I can't say enough about staying at the Hale Hui Kai just south of the Kihei boat ramp, nice quiet units right on Keawakapu beach. For car rental go with Maui cruisers. Junky Toyota Celicas that blend right in with the locals. A great deal at $20/ day. No kidding, that's all. I've done my diving with B&B and have always had a good experience.
 
Isn't scuba shack the one with the "no peeing" rule? Beware if you need to relieve yourself during the dive....
 
Yes, they have that rule, worked OK for our family, no issues......since we used their rental gear we kinda liked the rule........M
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom