Kauai or Maui?

[qb79]

My wife and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in late October/early November. She has been diving for a while and has advanced PADI certification. I just finished my open water dives and have never dove in saltwater. I want to get my advanced certification when we go. We are trying to pick between Maui and Kauai.

Does anybody have suggestions as to which island we should go to if we don't go to both?

 

[caymaniac]

I haven't been to Kauai, but have been to Oahu, the Big Island and Maui. Of the three I've been to I would choose either the Big Island or Maui. Of those two and for first time visit I would choose Maui as there are many things to do such as: Ride a bicycle down a mountain, the road to Hana, Molokini Crater is off shore (great diving), Lahina is a great place to eat, Black Rock for snorkeling, check out the surfers and wind surfers (kites too), Kaanapali beach, rent a Harley, plus check out water falls over the Island, take a helicopter ride.
The Big Island has diving with Mantas on a night dive, the active volcano, point of refuge - great snorkeling, ranches on the west side, hike on a lava field, helicopter rides plus this Island is a bit more quiet than Oahu or Maui.

Point of Refuge (Big Island):

Whale breach off Molokini(off Maui):

green turtle@St. Anthonys wreck (Maui):

notice the great visibility

Kaanapali Beach(Maui)

 

[Teamcasa]

I've never been to Maui but I have been to Kauai, Big Island and Oahu. I love the diving, people and the laid back pace of Kauai. The Big Island (Kona) is also slow paced but the top side stuff requires a lot of driving to visit but the diving is terrific.

My next trip to Hawaii will be back to Kauai.

 

[okieguy]

Like Caymaniac I haven't been to Kauai (next trip), but Maui or the Big Island are both good choices (in my opinion) - we went to both earlier this year as well as Oahu. Caymaniac already pointed out many of the highlights of each. My personal favorite between the two is Maui, but the night manta dive on the Big Island is very cool too and worth the trip over IMHO. We went to Molokini Crater off of Maui with Dive and Sea Maui - diveandseamaui.com and had a great time (great boat! - not sure if they do any advanced classes or instruction) as well as doing some refresher shore dives with Shaka Doug, who also does classes and AOW - shakadivers.com - I would recommend both.

We also did the Big Island and did the night Manta Dives with Wanna Dive and also did a few dives with Jack's Diving Locker. I would recommend either of them (Wanna Dive is a small 6 pack and Jack's is bigger but still doesn't feel like a cattle boat).

There are lots of posts and threads out there with opinions on where to go in Hawaii and I'm sure you will have a great time wherever you go.

Hope this helps. Enjoy Hawaii!

 

[AquamanKauai]

Sounds as though you have a problem many would like to have - MAUI OR KAUAI? Not gonna draw much sympathy I promise!

Having lived on both islands I can tell you that they are so different from one another that it depends on what exactly you are looking for. Kauai is generally thought to be a sleepier island and a little more laid back. But don't get me wrong - peace and quiet can be found on Maui as well. Kauai is not known for it's night life to say the least so know that going in.

What are some other considerations/interests you have for your visit. Maybe that will help narrow it down.

Underwater both islands have similarities for sure. Turtles galore and numerous endemic species of marine critters. Lava reefs with hard stony corals and opportunities to explore lava tubes from both shore and boat. On the whole Maui has calmer waters with the sheltering offered by the other islands. Visibility will likely be at or exceeding 60 -80ft depending on location with dives like Molokini or Niihau offering vis well over 100-200ft. Shore dives probably in the 30-50ft range depending on swell, tides etc...

Kauai is primarily an algae reef and that is what drives the ecology. Though you will see the same corals as Maui you don't see the abundance here. Inverts and Turtles are slightly more plentiful in my opinion but you would never know the difference. Maui will give you the opportunity to dive Lanai, Molokini and possibly Molokai as well. Kauai offers the chance to dive what I feel is the very best of diving in Hawaii with a trip to Niihau.

Lots of folks here will bend over backwards to help you so keep firing away with any questions. Excited for you to be joining us in the island for a wonderful vacation and memorable diving!

Aloha

 

[sweathog13]

Just was in Kauai this spring and was in Maui about 5 years ago. Divewise, Maui's got Molokini (partially submerged volcanic crater) a short boat ride away. Did my first drift dive out there and it was great. Kauai's got 'the forbidden island' Niihau as well, but I didn't dive there (wrong time of year) so I couldn't say anything about it.

Are you guys going to be diving all day every day? If not, I'd vote for Kauai. They've got the Na Pali coast and Waimea Canyon to see, both of which are absolutely spectacular. Tons of hiking in Waimea if that's an interest.

One piece of advice if you decide to go to Kauai. Don't stay in Princeville (on the north shore). Not cause it's not a nice place (it most definitely is), but because most everything to see is a long drive away. Lihue (the biggest city on the island) is about an hour away, and a lot of the boat/air tours are just past Lihue. So you've got an hour there and an hour back. Waimea Canyon's about 2 hours each way.

 

[TSandM]

I have stayed (but not dived) on all the major islands, and Kauai was my favorite -- but I liked it because it was undeveloped, largely unspoiled, and very scenic. If you like organized activities, it's not as rich in them. Maui has a well-developed tourist infrastructure, whether it's diving or other things. Maui also has less rainfall, so you're more likely to have lovely weather through an entire visit.

But Kauai was really beautiful. I'd love to go back and try the diving.

 

[qb79]

Thank you to everyone who replied. Nice pictures caymaniac.

Right now we are leaning towards diving Molokini and Lanai , and then going to Kauai later in the week. I was also considering taking a ferry to Molokai, but I hear they don't like tourists that much. I don't know if we will dive in Kauai. I think it will be the wrong season for Niihau which may be beyond experience level anyhow.

I looked into taking Advanced Open Water when we get there, but my wife doesn't want waste dive time doing classwork. So, I think I am going to try to fit in the Advanced class here in MA before we leave. This type of diving may be polar opposite of Hawaii. It will be a wreck dive in Gloucester with hood and boots. It still sounds like fun though.

Concerning my experience, what is realistic to expect for diving in Maui or Kauai? If I get my Advanced PADI Certification, I will still only have a total of 9 dives logged (4 being in 20ft of water in a lake). Do you think this would prepare me to do the Molokini Back Wall, Molokai, or Niihau? If I am not going to dive these places anyhow, should I even think about getting my Advanced certification before going?

 

[fisheater]

I did my AOW in Kauai and there was no classroom time involved. I did the reading and knowledge reviews prior to the trip. All that was left was some chatting with the instructor/DM and my dives, which was done along with other non-class divers. I had fun, learned a lot and wasted no dive/vacation time.


Posted via Mobile Device

 

[diversteve]

I will still only have a total of 9 dives logged (4 being in 20ft of water in a lake). Do you think this would prepare me to do the Molokini Back Wall, Molokai, or Niihau?

No, don't know, NO.

The backwall is a live drop meaning that the boat doesn't anchor. Coming up you have to be able to hold position for a safety stop with no visual reference or anchor rope to hold onto. And know how to reboard the boat while it's likely pitching and tossing in open water. Gettting hit by the ladder will ruin your whole year.

There are currents there that will take you along the wall faster than you can react and often upwellings, get caught in one of those and you're at the surface before you would know how to react at your skill level. And there's no visual bottom in most areas - a lot of it is around 200'.

Stay inside the crater at your experience level, there's a lot of interesting things to see, fish, prolific coral, often white tip sharks.

Ni'ihau is out of the question at your experience level. But the boats won't even be running over at that time of year so it's a moot point. It's a rough, long, ride over and back. Unless you're really good on boats, you'd likely feed the fish one way or the other. You're an awful long way from a hospital/chamber if you get bent also. You would need better skills at Ni'ihau than to do the Molokini backwall.

Wait a few years, get some experience. No point in getting hurt your first trip out doing dives over your skill level. There's an awful lot of good shallow diving on both islands. Be sure that you tell any operator you're diving with how many dives you have, most people will have 5-10 times more dives than you before they get their AOW so it may be assumed that you do also.

Nothing personal but you're way underqualified for the dives you're mentioning.

I'm not PADI but I think you can do the classroom in MA then get a referral to do the dives in Maui with just about any of the operators. I know Extended Horizons does check-out/beginner dives in the afternoon just off the coast somewhere - when the tradewinds pickup in the afternoon most boats stay near shore. You can also do some easier, personalized shore diving with Shaka Doug or Maui Dreams Dive Co. in the Kihei area.