Suggestions for Maui

[kat.hayes]

I'm going to go to Kapalua, Maui for a week in January.

1. Is this a good place to go diving?
2. Any suggestions for places or things to do?
3. Anywhere to swim with dolphins?

Thanks!

 

[boulderjohn]

It's not like I know Maui like the back of my hand, but where you are staying is a little north of the best places. Fortunately, you can get anywhere pretty quickly. The places I have dived are in the Lahaina and Kihei regions.

If you go to the Regional Travel section of ScubaBoard and find the Hawai'i 'Ohana site, you can get answers from people who really know what they are talking about.

 

[boulderjohn]

As for swimming with dolphins, I don't know of any there, and I am not a fan of them to begin with (see The Cove to see why).

When I was in Lahaina, I had just gotten in the boat after a dive and a school of maybe 200 spinner dolphins came by. I jumped back in and swam with them as they passed me by. That was the kind of dolphin experience I prefer.

 

[kat.hayes]

how did the dolphins seem to respond to you jumping in and swimming with them?

 

[Bappelt]

There are some nice shore dives up in the Kapalua area. Contact Tim Rollo (timrollo on here), he runs Tiny Bubbles Scuba and can show you the best sites in that area.

I went diving with him in September and was very pleased.

 

[DiveMaven]

Kapalua is at the northern tip of Maui and tends to get more weather than other parts of the island. You'll find that you're going to want to either go to Lahaina or Kihei if you're going to boat dive. Lahaina is about a 20 minute drive and Kihei will be a good hour away. Boat diving on Maui is an early morning thing, with boats departing as early as 5:45am, but not later than about 8am. Shore diving can be booked at almost every resort on island, or with Maui Dreams or Shaka Doug in Kihei.

I usually recommend that folks make the drive down to Kihei to catch a charter to Molokini and S. Maui sites, but I've also done the trip a few times with Lahaina Divers and enjoyed the boat ride to Molokini very much. You don't indicate your experience level, so I'll say that if you're a newer or less experienced diver, Lahaina Divers would be an excellent choice. January is also whale season, so the ride to Molokini or Lanai with Lahaina Divers is a great way to get an excellent whale watching trip at the same time.

Other things to do would be: zip lining, activities at Haleakala (hiking, biking, driving), go to the winery, go whale watching with Pacific Whale Foundation, drive to Hana (stopping at the sites along the way), go to the Old Lahaina Luau (if you've never done one), hang out on the beach, walk around Lahaina, check out the I'O Needle, snorkel at Black Rock (or dive!), walk around Whaler's Village......etc., etc., etc.

 

[boulderjohn]

how did the dolphins seem to respond to you jumping in and swimming with them?

The just swam by me. I was taking breaths and going down to their level. I had a camera, but they were going too fast for me to take aim. I just kept clicking and hoping to get something, and I got some great shots.

 

[Huck BB62]

I'm going to go to Kapalua, Maui for a week in January.

1. Is this a good place to go diving?
2. Any suggestions for places or things to do?
3. Anywhere to swim with dolphins?

Thanks!

Lahaina Divers on Dickenson St. Does great trips. On Saturdays, you can go to Molokai. We typically stay at Kihei though to be near the boat ramp and superior shore diving and snorkeling. Things I like on Maui:
Ed Robinson's, I just like the way they do things and am fond of their folks. They're like old friends. (hey Kim, Bert, Dave, Joe, Dave, Will, Ken and gang!)
Happy hour at Gannon's and Canoes! Oh man, those wicked Armold Palmers...
Ahihi Cove, go out, way out. Dozens and dozens of turtles and awesome coral fish.
La Perousse Bay. Early early in the morning this is your best bet to swim with the dolphins. Great bottom life too.
Blue Water Rafting, the long trip. It's a hoot!
The Molokai trip and Cathedrals with Lahaina Divers. Don't miss it.
More later! Gotta get on the plane.

 

[Tunaman68]

Lahaina Divers on Dickenson St. Does great trips. On Saturdays, you can go to Molokai. We typically stay at Kihei though to be near the boat ramp and superior shore diving and snorkeling. Things I like on Maui:
Ed Robinson's, I just like the way they do things and am fond of their folks. They're like old friends. (hey Kim, Bert, Dave, Joe, Dave, Will, Ken and gang!)
Happy hour at Gannon's and Canoes! Oh man, those wicked Armold Palmers...
Ahihi Cove, go out, way out. Dozens and dozens of turtles and awesome coral fish.
La Perousse Bay. Early early in the morning this is your best bet to swim with the dolphins. Great bottom life too.
Blue Water Rafting, the long trip. It's a hoot!
The Molokai trip and Cathedrals with Lahaina Divers. Don't miss it.
More later! Gotta get on the plane.

We always stay in Kaanapali, which is a little south of Kapalua, but I love that area of the island! If you can find it, go to the Gazebo at Napili for breakfast one morning not fancy but really good - other than that, Huck nailed it all!! We were in the water with wild dolphins (one time in 10 years of visits) at Honolua bay just north of where you are staying....

 

[diversteve]

There is some local diving in the Kapalua Bay area. Kapalua Dive Company

If you golf, the Bay course is epic. Especially #5 http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/e7/98/3defee154f3b990952b1bbafd92e.jpeg

fyi, La Perousse Bay is all the way south of Wailea. So probably 1-1/2+ hrs. drive from Kapalua.