Hawaii - looking for specific feedback

[Aquonox]

My family and I are planning to visit Oahu next year. I would love to get a couple of dives in on one of the days we are there. I did some research online already (Makaha Caverns seemed most interesting to me if I can find an operator who goes out there), but would be interested in anyone’s opinions on best Oahu dive spots.

 

[ECHIV]

Jack's Dive Locker in Kona on the Big island was wonderful for us. They were professional, helpful and do the Manta Ray Night Dive as well as anyone on the Island. You should also look at Puako on the west side of the Island for an amazing number of Shore Dives if you are bringing your own equipment or want to rent a kit and go out on your own.

 

[FreqFlier]

Maui has probably the most to offer, including Molokini crater and backwall, both Cathedrals, multiple shore dive options. Big Island would be #2, Oahu #3 and Kauai #4 in my book.

 

[landphil]

The one piece you might be missing for Big Island diving is that most of the dive shops take snorkelers and divers out on the same boat for the manta night dive. So, you can get a bonus manta dive while your non-diving family has a manta snorkel. And the manta dive is right around 10m deep, so won't keep you from driving up the volcano the next day.

Living in California Hawaii is our go-to place for a zero-planning tropical dive trip. We'll usually end up on Maui or the Big Island. The two really special dives on the Big Island are the manta night dive and the blackwater dive. We usually schedule both on the same night. The blackwater dive probably isn't for everyone; since you're hanging off the bottom of a boat in 4000 ft of water at night. But the things you see are truly other worldly. If you're not doing either of those dives you'll find plenty of diving off Maui that's similar to the Big Island. On Maui you'll want to get at least a couple of Molokini dives. It's beautiful unlimited visibility blue water diving. And you'll want to get a trip out to Lanai to dive the Cathedrals.

The one thing about Maui is that it's the windsports capital of the world, which is great if you want to wind/kite/wing surf. But it also means that the dive boats have to get out super early to beat the wind. It will still be dark when you arrive at the boat; but you'll finish up with a half day left to do non-diving stuff like wind/kite/wing surfing. Also, all of the harbors and launches are upwind from the diving. It's guaranteed that in summer you'll have a bouncy upwind transit back home. Definitely do the full 12 hr, 2 hr and a spare for the boat motion sickness medicine, even if you claim not to get seasick (I've only had to take that 3rd dose once on an hour trip back from Lanai into a 30-40 knot headwind.)

If you were going between November and April I'd 100% go Maui; since it's humpback whale season and you get to whale watch on the boat and listen to underwater whale songs while you're diving. I'd probably still recommend Maui for your summer trip since you're likely not going for the Manta/blackwater dives on the Big Island (although, you should still see if you can get that bonus manta dive while other people snorkel.)

 

[jonhall]

For HI, we have booked the night snorkel (my wife doesn't dive) which seems pretty unique.

We did the same. It's also a way to save some money - 2 dives (twilight and manta) vs snorkeling. Seeing the mantas come up to the surface with those big open mouths (and roll against your body) is the same as seeing them come down with big open mouths. The biggest difference is there will be more people on the surface than down below.

Have only been diving in Kauai and the Big Island. Given a choice, the single island I'd pick would be the BI. IMO, the Big Island offers some variety: lava tubes and bigger sea life in the Kona area and some coral and smaller sea life along the Kohala Coast. These areas are about a 30 - 35 minute drive apart. Jack's Diving Locker in Kona is a good op; they also do the manta dive/snorkel. In Waikoloa/Puako, up along the Kohala Coast, Blue Wilderness Dive Adventures was a good op. I don't think you can go wrong with any op.

What a great trip you have planned. There are a lot of sights to see. Hope you're luck is better than ours has been - have been to Oahu twice, 2019 and 2022, hoping to see the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, and both times it has been closed (although we did get a boat ride out to it one time.) There is a great hop on/hop off trolley in Honolulu (Oahu) that takes you to many of the popular sites. One of the excursions at the Kualoa Ranch (Jurassic Park and other movies filmed there) is fun.

In Kauai, other than the diving for me (first and only time diving with a whale) the best thing we did was a Kauai Plantation Railway at Kilohana Plantation was a great experience - probably the best tasting fruit I've ever had, right off the tree. They actually let us pick and take some fruit with us.

On the Big Island, Volcano National Park is something to see. There are some neat botanical gardens and beaches as well. Find "Two Step" for some great snorkeling. So much to see on BI, but time it wisely with your diving, especially if driving across the island because of the elevation change.

Have a great time!!

 

[Blakerunner]

Hi,

We live in Belgium/Europe and this summer, we will be travelling to the Hawaiian Islands from July 21 till August 13
Our 3.5 weeks chill/relaxed planning is already worked out except for the diving.

Having done some homework online, I understand diving there is "different" and more important to us, summer is the period with the best viz.
We will visit these 4 Islands in this order (Ohau - Kauai - Big Island - Big Island - Maui).

However, as there is so much stuff to see/do + this (probably...) being our once in a lifetime trip to the Islands (22h of travel !), I was looking at limiting diving to 1 single island and this is exactly where I would really appreciate to receive your specific feedback.

1. Which single island would you suggest
2. Which dive sites would you suggest
3. Which dive company would you suggest
4. any other tips & tricks you would like to share ?

Thanks a lot in advance for your kind answers.

Peter

Hi Peter,

You ask some good questions about Hawaii. While I would agree that the backside of Molokini is great, that is just one dive, and unless you head across the channel over to the Cathedrals on Lanai, well, I don't think anything will compare with the Big Island- Hawaii.

Kona is famous for good vis and opportunities to do your own shore diving in certain places. For the past several years we have used Jack's Dive Locker. Yes, it's a big outfit, and but it's a well run team, and we have not found the boats to be crowded. They have many boats of different capacities. No real "cattle boats" with huge groups that I am aware of. There are small operations that get good reviews using 6 person small boats.

You are aware, I would guess that you are not going to get the amazing corals of Fiji or Indonesia on this trip, right? That said, last year I was pretty amazed by the panse of healthy coral that seemed to go on forever at a site just off the Natural Energy Laboratory--Jack's will know the name of the site. Other sites: Kealakekekua bay, Red Cliff, and others to the south of Kailua Kona are often amazing. and good night diving too. We love Puako shore diving up north, and mile post 4 just south of town (don't leave valuables in car)

here's a link Guide to Shore Diving Big Island | Kona Honu Divers

Now, for the Manta Night Dive. I am lucky, as I have be doing this dive since before it was a thing, way back in the 80's when it was only off the Kona Surf Hotel. The hotel had these huge lights on the breaking waves at night. The lights attracted plankton, the plankton attracted mantas, and it became a special place where you could sit on the bottom with your light pointed up and have these huge creatures perform a ballet inches from your mask.
The hotel closed for remodeling a few years back, and the mantas moved north up by the marina where there were sufficient lights to attract them. The night dive with mantas became a big thing. A REALLY Big thing. Now there is a hotel back at Keahou bay, and you have a choice of two places. Some nights they are north, some nights south, some nights both places.

Now, at least for me, it can be too big of thing. Way too many boats on top with blinding hi- intensity LED torches, scores of snorkelers on top, masses of unskilled divers on the bottom kicking up sand. What was once a beautiful, chill, small venue performance has turned into a messy rave. Maybe that's your thing, but you have been warned.

Also you can save a lot of money by staying at an AirBnB perhaps a mile from Kailua-Kona. The hotels are pretty expensive in town.

 

[living4experiences]

The OP's post was from May 2023 for travel in July/August, presumably of 2023.
OP: Did you take your trip? How was it?