Maui Dive Operator and Dive Site recommendations

[leannejh]

We will be in Maui February 19-27, staying in Wailea. Can people recommend operators and dive sites? We are Intermediate advanced divers and wouldn't mind seeing a few whales too:cool2: We will only dive one or two days, 2-3 dives as we love land adventures too! I have a 3 and a 5 mil wet suit, what should I bring?

(You can recommend your favorite land adventures also )

thank you!

 

[diversteve]

Ed Robinson's does a 3-tank Adventure (intermediate) trip on Tuesday and Friday. There's also a 2-tank Adv. trip on Wednesday with Ed. B&B Scuba and Mike Severns are often recommended also. All leave from the Kihei boat ramp nearby.

For shorediving there's several good sites nearby. Five Caves, Makena Landing, others. Maui Dreams Dive Co. rents tanks, etc. Shaka Doug is an option for an escorted shore dive in that area also. Some options here: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maui, Hawaiian Islands

I liked the helicopter trip over the volcano and the east side. There's some pretty vertical waterfalls you don't normally see elsewhere. We hovered down near one and had spray splashing the bubble - about 100' in the air. I looked over and 50' away a goat was nonchalantly staring at us.

I should have skipped the parasailing, it was oddly enough sort of boring. When they winched me in I was ready to come down.

 

[DiveMaven]

Bring your 5mm full suit...the water will be around 74 degrees. If you do any boat diving, you'll automatically have a full whale watch trip as well. If you want pretty much a guaranteed intermediate to advanced level dive experience, booking with Ed Robinsons for their 3-tank charter will do it. The Adventure charters on Sundays and Wednesdays are also for more advanced divers, however, if they don't have enough people for 2 boats, they'll often only send one boat out and choose the dive sites based on the least experienced diver. If you're concerned about that, ask before you book.

For land activities, there are some really cool ziplines, and a drive up to Haleakala is always cool. Both should be done on non-dive days and at least 18 hours after you dive. Also plan to drive south from Wailea to La Perouse. VERY interesting lava formations and topography to see (it's the same underwater....super cool). You could also drive into Lahaina for a day to walk around. If you've never seen the Banyan Tree, it's for sure worth seeing. Also, if you've never been to Hawaii and never done a luau, the Old Lahaina Luau is definitely worth the time, money, and effort IMO. It is easily the best luau on the island.

 

[bobmaggi]

B & B Scuba.... tops in our book!

 

[bobmaggi]

ps. we'll be over there at the same time. If you want to do the road to Hana (and around the backside of Haleakala) and don't want to drive it, Polynesian Adventure tours offers a wonderful all day tour for that. We did this around 10 years ago and hope to do it again this year...

 

[baystr]

I have had great experience with B&B however, I wouldnt consider them advanced. Not really too many advanced sites, although I dove Molokai with the Hammerheads in August, that was semi advance as Live Drop and Pick up in the Blue, pretty tough surface conditions, but it was amazing and will defiitely do it again......btw, that was with Lahaina Divers. Back Side drift at Molokini is great too............All the cathedrals at Lanai (especially the 2nd) are great, but only a few ops go their (lahaina divers and Extended Horizons) that I am aware of, there are probably more. If it were me...........I would contact lahaina divers and try to catch the molokai dive 1st, lanai cathedrals 2nd, then B&B for molokini back side 3rd...........and I dive a 3mm full comfortably, but everyone is different!

 

[leannejh]

Thank you all so much for the posts. I have found this very helpful! We are excited!

 

[nshuff]

Stayed in wailea in October, planned on doing a lot of boat diving while there. However, started off with Shaka Doug and dove with him 5 or 6 times, didn't even make it on a boat. I stayed in wailea, which is we here he dives. Its nice to meet in in wailea at 9, driv 5-7 minutes to dive site and that's it. A lot more cost effective also.

Highly recommend Shaka Doug.

 

[leadweight]

Mike Severn is pretty good. Go to Molokini Crater, and definitely have a 5 mil or even a 7. Someone left a bunch of shot bags in my BC. I realized it right away and compensated, but it might have been a wild trip for a new diver. Turned out my guide had a connection to home.

Most dive operators trailer their boats and launch every morning about 6:15 AM. An unusual system, but it works well. It's quite a scene in the parking lot seeing all these aluminum 36 footers on their trailers.

Right now the whales are in residence and their songs were evident at Molokini crager, plus you get a free whale watch on your way out and back.

 

[Vale Tudo]

I just returned from Maui today and stayed at the Grand Wailea, which is amazing by the way, so I will try to give you my perspective. 3mm full wetsuit was fine for me, water was 71 - 75. Hearing the whales underwater was amazing as well.

I went diving two days with Scuba Shack. We hit Molokini inside and outside, 5 caves, and Red Hill. Saw everything from some reef sharks, to a million sea turtles, anglers, leaf fish, etc. I will try and upload pictures this week. I had a great time with scuba shack, and if you don't own your own gear they are the cheapest. If your booking two days it will be $120 per day, with all equipment rental, including dive computer, included. You won't beat that. I'd say they are more geared towards the experienced divers because they aren't suffocating. They are safe, but they expect you to know what you are doing. If someone is sucking down air, they go up and do their safety stop above the group and then return to the boat, it doesn't end the dive for everyone else. Jim, the younger guy, was great at finding all the little nudibranches and critters that you would probably just pass over. Two things seem to bug people about them though: 1. They tell you not to pee in their(or your own) wetsuit, and 2. On the way back to harbor, you get a quick 4 minute pitch about the used gear for sale and about the owners rental properties. It was really nothing, and I can't believe how sensitive some people are.

Now obviously I have very limited experience to be suggesting an outfit to go with, but if you look, everyone has there own choice they are comfortable with, but I really think there is little difference among them all, so I say go the most convenient and cheapest.

As for other things to do, I went snorkeling off the rocks to the left and right of the Grand Wailea's beach to supplement my itch for diving. Tons of coral, turtles, and fish to see right over there. We also did whale watching and the crater, both awesome. Some awesome photos including about 6 breaches and one monster fully out of the water.

That's all for now, I'll let you digest that and if you have any other questions let me know!