What's special about diving in Hawaii?

[Scubagolf]

I recommend the manta night dive and the blackwater night dive.

We did these two on an otherwise non-diving 40th wedding anniversary trip to the Big Island in November of 2021. The Manta Ray Night Dive was truly fantastic. I had done it twice before over the years all with Jack’s Dive Locker and have never been disappointed. OTOH, the blackwater night dive was very disappointing, probably just the vagaries of diving, but it was one and done for us.

 

[JohnN]

Thanks everyone.

The order of the trip is Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Oahu. My friend has booked all his internal flights already. So I can most easily add some time for Maui and Oahu. I'll try to make it about three weeks. I'm keen to see the endemic reef fish, of which I gather there are quite a few, and I suppose they can be found in most places. Mantas are great, but I have seen them before. To see whales while diving would be amazing, but I don't think June would be the right time of year, would it?

Seeing Mantas and having them dive bomb less than a foot over your head are very different things

 

[Arbu]

Certified in Maui 30 years ago so it has a place in my heart, but last time we were there (2021) the boat dives were pretty awful given they were several hundred dollars

Go to the shop near Mala wharf, get a couple tanks, and dive there (don’t forget a flag). Much better diving

Oh and *nothing* like indo

When I said that I imagined it was like Indonesia, I was thinking that fish can be quite similar across the whole Indo-Pacific because suitable habitat extends right across the two oceans. But I suppose Hawaii is a little colder, and doesn't have the coral. Perhaps it's more comparable to the Azores. Except that the fish must be completely different from those in the Atlantic. The special thing about the Azores is not the regular diving off the shores, where you will see some fish sure, but a couple of seamounts where you can see eagle-rays gathering. So I am thinking about things in Hawaii that I can't see elsewhere.

I am worried that I might be disappointed by some of the dives, given how much they cost, and that I've dived a lot in warmer, more coral-rich places in the Pacific. And it's frustrating that I seem to be expected to book the dives up weeks in advance, so I can't try one excursion and see how much I like it. Maybe I'll just book a day or two before I go, and see how it works out when I'm there for more. Diving independently, as you suggest, would be good, if I can find someone to dive with.

 

[spoolin01]

The diversity of fish species in Hawaii is good, but probably not like what can be found further west, just basing this on species counts. Malaysia-Philliphines is the cradle of fish life after all. Hawaii does have a number of endemics, and species that are not as common elsewhere. I guess it depends what you are after. If you do a lot of travel diving, you may not get the impressive experience you might be expecting or used to, but how bad would even that be, really?

Costs are ridiculous, there's no denying that. I'm wondering though why you feel you need to book far in advance? I just returned from 3 wks on the Big Island, and watching the calendar of the shop I used, their schedule for the basic day dive trips was usually open at least until several days before, and often right up until the dive day. They said they had been seeing little pattern in demand - at times high, at others not. I never book much in advance, partly because I want to know something about conditions forecast before I do.

 

[ChrisM]

When I said that I imagined it was like Indonesia, I was thinking that fish can be quite similar across the whole Indo-Pacific because suitable habitat extends right across the two oceans. But I suppose Hawaii is a little colder, and doesn't have the coral. Perhaps it's more comparable to the Azores. Except that the fish must be completely different from those in the Atlantic. The special thing about the Azores is not the regular diving off the shores, where you will see some fish sure, but a couple of seamounts where you can see eagle-rays gathering. So I am thinking about things in Hawaii that I can't see elsewhere.

I am worried that I might be disappointed by some of the dives, given how much they cost, and that I've dived a lot in warmer, more coral-rich places in the Pacific. And it's frustrating that I seem to be expected to book the dives up weeks in advance, so I can't try one excursion and see how much I like it. Maybe I'll just book a day or two before I go, and see how it works out when I'm there for more. Diving independently, as you suggest, would be good, if I can find someone to dive with.

There are endemics. Which is cool. Not $190 - $250 for two dives cool. but still

If you go to Maui in whale season, there is a chance of seeing humpbacks. Closest I've come was missing a swim by as I ascended for the safety stop a little later than another diver

If you do go to Maui, dive with Maui Dreams. I've dived with most all, Severns, Old Ed Robinson's, Maui Dive, Lahaina Divers, Extended Horizons (their Lanai trip is now FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS - But rent tanks/weights here for Mala - if comfortable Mala is a fine solo dive, easy nav, shallow, altho there may be a Maui county law on that....), B&B Scuba and Maui Dreams has been by far the best (do NOT use Lahaina Divers, I've never met capts and DMs that could have cared less)

If you hit the big island, def do the manta dive and also pelagic magic can be great. We've done the Kona Aggressor twice, and while I think it's nicer than Maui diving, it's not much different at any dive site.

Can't speak to other islands. We are going to Kauai this fall for a family trip. Probably bring gear and only do a couple shore dives

 

[Arbu]

Malaysia- I'm wondering though why you feel you need to book far in advance?

An earlier poster, Rick Brant, suggested it would be necessary.

 

[spoolin01]

An earlier poster, Rick Brant, suggested it would be necessary.

Ah, I see his comment about Niihau and Kauai diving. The other islands may be better served - I went to Kauai once in March, and no one was running any trips up north yet, not even tank rentals (but I had a great time shore diving Tunnels anyway! - got lobster, and had a white tip reef shark swim lazily right over my head in one of the tunnels. Coulda licked it!). Probably worth looking at a few booking calendars in advance of your trip.

 

[vastag]

Ni'ihau is the best diving in the state. You go out of Kauai, several outfits make the trip. It's an all-day thing, 3 dives typically. May is starting to be Ni'ihau season, with boats going over almost every day. You'll see lots of endemic fish & are almost guaranteed sightings of Hawaiian monk seals. One of the seals loves divers and often dives with them. We got 30 minutes with him when I went a few years ago.

 

[Rearviewmirror]

I'm on the Big Island right now and from what I can tell most operators seem to have spots 1-3 days in advance. Not sure if cruise ships being in town affect that but I've seen cruise ships probably 2-4 days out of the week. I'm going to try out a few operators (Kona Diving Company, Jack's Diving Locker, and Kona Honu) and see which I prefer and then book my remaining dives with relatively short notice (i.e. towards the end of next week). The only slight downside so far is that KDC don't offer DIN tanks. Other than that folks have been very helpful.

I'll post a full trip report either once I've done the first 2 weeks of diving or at the very end of my trip.

 

[Alekseolsen]

I recommend the manta night dive and the blackwater night dive.

Just booked that for Friday. I'm travelling for work and have booked only a light and computer. Anything I will regret not bringing? (Apart from drysuit, bpw and so on)..