Kaanapali -- need advice

[crispix]

Hi!

I'm very excited about my upcoming trip to Maui from May 28-June3. I'm staying at the Westin Kaanapali. I'm not planning to rent a car, so are my options are limited for diving? Or am I nuts and should I just rent a car to keep my options open? I want to dive for at least two mornings while I'm there. I do not have a dive buddy with me and will need to buddy up with someone. I'm going to bring all my own gear except tanks and weights.

I need some advice on where/how to dive while I'm there. My web research shows that there is a dive shop at the Westin, but they do not have a boat and only lead shore dives from the Kaanapali beach for $65. Is it worthwhile?

If the shore diving is outstanding, what are my chances of just finding a decent dive buddy, renting some tanks and weights and diving on my own?

Any boat dive operators I should look at? What's the best way to get to the dive boat from the Westin? (Do I have to rent a car?)

Thanks for any advice.

Crispix

 

[princessaprilia]

Rent a car.

Seriously.

And get ahold of Shaka Doug. Do a couple dives with him.

 

[smellzlikefish]

I'd do one day with Shaka Doug, he's taken a few people out from this board and they all seem to have had a good time. I like to spend a little money on a dive while I'm there and treat myself to Molokini. I use Mike Severn's diving, but they are all good. The best dive on Molokini is the back wall. I also went with Lahaina Divers to Molokai to watch hammerheads-well worth the money.

 

[DiveMaven]

If you don't want to rent a car, at least consider getting a cab (or shuttle) into Lahaina and catch a boat with either Lahaina Divers or Extended Horizons. I'd strongly recommend at least one charter to Lanai to dive the Cathedrals.

 

[adjuster-jd]

I've always considered a car almost essential on Maui, especially for diving. You want to be able to go rent some tanks and get you and your gear to the dive site as well as just get out for a dinner or some food other than at your resort.
As for paying $65 for a shore dive - seems kinda steep - does that include equipment rental? $65 a tank is about the cost of a boat dive.

 

[Spg01]

I just got back from the Westin. I did my discovery dive with the hotel shop a few years ago and we went to black rock just up the beach. It was a good dive because I was the only one who signed up that morning. They only take out 4-5 people per dive 2 times per day, I think it is like 10am and 1pm. All gear is included for the $65 and there is no discount for additional dives.

I ended up taking a boat out to Lanai one day (7am to 12pm) and dove 2 spots with Shaka Doug the the next day. There are a few boats that leave out of Lahaina which is 5 or 6 miles south of where you are staying, for the Shaka dives you will need to get to the south end of the island. It is a tough call, but I think I liked the shore dives with Doug better than the boat.

I think that most of the shops that have shore dives require you to have your own transportation. I ended up bringing my snorkel gear and computer, that way I could snorkel black rock on the days with no dives.

 

[socaldiver]

I suggest you rent a car on the days you want to dive. The resort should have a car rental office onsite so it won't be that inconvenient.

I do believe you will need to go to Lahaina to rent tanks anyway. I don't believe the resorts just rent tanks. There is also a bus that goes to Lahaina (as opposed to hiring a taxi).

Black Rock is a couple hundred yards up the beach by the Sheraton and a few hundred yards further up the beach is Airport Beach. Both sites are good.

The reefs in front of Westin, Marriott and Hyatt are not that good.

 

[Blazinator]

Someone here at SB referred to this company for renting cheap, and I'm booking them for a car when I go to Maui in early May, for 23 bucks a day. Can't beat that!

Maui Rental Cars, Discount Car Rental Maui Rates, Cheap Car Rental Maui, Maui Cheap Car Rental from MauiCruisers I plan to do mostly unguided shore dives with the car so I can spend a little with Doug at Shaka divers and go to Molokini at least once.

Haven't been there yet, but since reading every day here on SB and the entire book Maui Revealed, it appears that a car is a definite. Want proof? check out Maui's dive site locations and reviews here: Scuba Shore Diving Region: Hawaiian Islands

 

[KrisB]

Diving on Maui without a car is challenging to say the least. The buses don't always like people toting gear, and seem to ALWAYS refuse to take tanks.

Bottom line -- if you're doing shore diving, or "valet" diving (i.e. they supply tanks & weights and anything else you need), you can get away with it, but you'll have to deal with challenging schedules (perhaps waiting at the shop for an hour before they open, if that's when the bus gets you there).

$65 for a 1-tank shore dive is pretty standard. They'll probably do an "upsell" for a second tank, at $20-30 for the second dive.

 

[DiveMaven]

Actually, the kiosk at the Sheraton rents tanks for diving Black Rock and Maui Dive Shop at Whaler's Village on Kaanapali Beach also rents tanks.