Maui or Kona???

[Al Mialkovsky]

As long as you're comfortable with crossing rocky entries then you'll be fine. There are only a couple of sandy beaches there. Or if you do boat dives then it isn't an issue. I'd check in with a shop there and see what they recommend for shore dives based on current conditions for your trip.

 

[*dave*]

Are the shore dives on Kona fairly predictable and safe for intermediate divers to do without a guide? My husband and I have dove Bonaire and Curacao multiple times with no guide and are hoping we will be able to do the same on our Hawaii trip.

Start here, if you can walk to the edge of a pool and make an entry, this will be easier. Navigation is simple, lots of coral and a wide range of depths with a lot of interesting stuff shallower than 40'.
Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Place of Refuge of The Big Island, Hawaiian Islands

The site is pretty large, so bring a couple tanks. I'd recommend getting there as close to daybreak as possible to get a chance to see a pod of dolphins and get prime parking.

Here's a few shots I took at the site.

 

[Thalassamania]

Mantas and turtles are pretty much a sure thing if you know where to do. Dolphins are a half the time thing ... again if you know where to go. When they are here (winter) even humpbacks are about a half the time thing. Additionally ... it is not unusual to see tiger shark, and lately I've been seeing a Black Marlin at a particular beach with some regularity.

 

[Thresa]

Great pictures thanks for sharing. Will definitely check out that shore dive sounds fantastic. We plan to boat and shore dive. I just like the freedom of shore diving on my own schedule although I'm not opposed to hiring a shore guide if needed at certain sites that we may want to check out.

 

[StuartT]

I am a big fan of full disclosure, so let's not go overboard with Maui wildlife expectations. Turtles are rarely seen at Molokini, Lanai and Molokai. Turtles are nearly guaranteed on shore dives and boat dives along the Maui Coast, except perhaps the Carthaginian artificial wreck. Eagle rays might be seen on 30% of those same shore and near coast dives, but more likely on the Carthaginian. Manta rays are only around 20% probable, unless you make dives "timed" to see mantas.

A good guide can increase your percentages

PS - there are very few divers with equal experience in both islands that would claim the experiences will be identical.

I guess I could have qualified my comments about turtles on all dives by excluding Molokini. Haven't been to Lanai or Molokai.

 

[krissydt]

My husband and I just got back from Kona and we really enjoyed it. On a typical day dive we saw at least 1 large creature (ie: white tip, turtle, manta, etc...) and on some dives we saw a few. Compared to our last dive vacation in Belize, I found Kona to be more about the coral and the smaller fish. In Belize we had gotten used to seeing a bunch of sharks, turtles and rays on most dives so I found Kona to be a little disappointing until I did the Manta Night Dive. That dive was unbelievable!!!! From what I'm told, the Kona Mantas seem to be the only ones that have figured out the correlation between lights and feeding so this is an experience that you won't experience anywhere else, not even Maui. I also highly recommend the Blackwater night dive which, again.... is a Kona experience.

We saw huge pods of dolphins pretty much every day when we were driving to the dive site or coming back. We didn't get to see them under water but some of the folks we were diving with got a chance to see them.

There is a dive site called Crescent Beach which is about 2 minutes away from the marina and it is every dive master's favourite spot. We did it as a boat dive but it is supposed to be a great shore dive. You can commonly see tiger sharks, turtles, mantas, eels and there is an eagle ray cleaning station but, as with every dive site, there is no guarantee.

We have not had the opportunity to go to Maui but we did a lot of asking around when planning our trip to Hawaii and found that all divers that had done both recommended Kona.

Hope that help.

Krissy

 

[acooper]

Kona has some great shore dives that are very suitable for intermediate divers. Two-Step, Old-Airport, Mahukona or particularly End-of-Road Puako. You hardly go wrong at any of the well known sites in the usual guides. My wife and I shore dive a couple times a month, with the occasional boat dive thrown in as a treat and to get to some places that are inaccessible from shore.

 

[stakanak]

I got certified in Kona and had a great time! There are so many places to shore dive with some of the most amazing sea life around every corner.
Most of the entries are rock with only a couple of sand entries I know of near town, one being crescent beach on the south side of the harbor (a fantastic dive).
You should have little problem with entries considering the lack of NW swell during the summer.
Have fun!

 

[Live Aboard Dive Boat]

You can shore dive on Kona but there are a limited number of places to safely walk into the water since most of the coastline is lava rock. But the diving is great, lots of small stuff and a few big ones also.

 

[scottitheduck]

Isn't there a shore diving book that some of the local shops sell in Kona? I know I have seen one that has hand drawn maps and entry points and such...... Kona Ohana????

G