What's special about diving in Hawaii?

[sea_ledford]

I hope you are going for the whole month! Hitting all 4 islands over a typical 7-10 trip will lead to more time packing/unpacking and in the airport than anything else.

 

[Arbu]

The diving in Hawaii is not anything like Philippines or Indonesia. Hawaii looks very different, with more drab rocky volcanic reefs with mostly encrusting or smaller hard corals. Lots of unique topography. Not colorful coral reefs with soft corals. The water is actually on the cooler side. But it is very isolated, and has many critters only found there. Lots more color in the fish. Depending when&where you are diving good opportunities to see big stuff like whales, sharks, dolphins, mantas, huge turtles.

How many days are you going for?

I'm planning a tour of about two weeks, with a friend who will be more interested in birdwatching. So, while I want to go birdwatching too, I can probably take the odd day to go diving instead. Or more, if there's something I really want to do.

 

[Damselfish]

I'm planning a tour of about two weeks, with a friend who will be more interested in birdwatching. So, while I want to go birdwatching too, I can probably take the odd day to go diving instead. Or more, if there's something I really want to do.

a lot of people, including me, will say 2 weeks is not enough time for 4 islands. Even if you weren't diving.

 

[scubadada]

I have dived Maui and Oahu because I was there for other reasons. I enjoyed the diving very much and am very glad I had the opportunities. I would not be likely to schedule a dedicated dive trip to Hawaii. On the other hand, I have had great land-based vacations to Maui and Kauai. If you want to see mantas, go to the Revillagigedos. Several operators in SE FL offer black water dives.

 

[Arbu]

I hope you are going for the whole month! Hitting all 4 islands over a typical 7-10 trip will lead to more time packing/unpacking and in the airport than anything else.

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?

 

[Boarderguy]

I did Kona and Oahu over 10 days in May 22. It was not enough to appreciate anything in detail and I only got wet twice. 1 week per island is a good baseline if you're being touristy.

 

[Doc Harry]

Shore diving on the west side of the Big Island (e.g., Puako)

 

[kinoons]

There are no whales around Hawaii in June.

I have been diving on Maui every other year for about 12 years now. Honolua bay is great to snorkel or dive. Mala is a great dive. Both are easily accessible from the shore. If you have your own gear tanks and weights are inexpensive. Likely the least expensive thing you’ll do on the island.

Molokini is a 1/2 day boat trip. I’ve made that trip twice and enjoyed both.

I’ve been over to the south side of lanai once for cathedrals. A great set of three dives that takes all day.

 

[jonhall]

I will say that 1-2 days of diving is probably not enough to get the flavor of what an island has to offer, let alone 4 different islands. Don't forget the search feature of SB - it will get you plenty of specific information.

IMO, it's too bad the Big Island isn't one of the bookend islands you're going to. It, as others have stated, is the island that may have the most to offer. On my first trip, which was 1 week, I dove 3 days. The first day had me seeing mostly the volcanic topography and some common reef life. Day 2 had a little more life, but day 3 is when 100+ spinner dolphins went by with several breaking away and swimming right to me. Just saying that 1 day of diving may not get you a true feel for what is really offered. Having gone back to the Big Island, I found that going up to the Kohala Coast gives one a completely different type of diving (topography and life) as compared to the more popular Kona Coast.

Went to Kauai in the month of April and was told that the whales had moved on....except for the one in the picture below!! Other than that, I don't feel there is as much life to see as on the BI. As far as the island is concerned, it is the most laid back and I think a helicopter ride may be the only way to really see the diversity of the land. A diving option might be to book shore dives from Koloa Landing - if you do, be sure to wear dive boots. Also go to the Kilauea Lighthouse for the red footed boobies.

Oahu has been my only bust diving. On first trip, the dive op cancelled because of activities in town closing roads (something to think about.) The dive was planned days ahead, but the op didn't let us know until we called the morning of the dive to see why they hadn't picked us up where we were told to wait. Second trip was with family, so no diving. The Honolulu Zoo has a large display of birds (I guess that might make birdwatching too easy) which is pretty nice.

My buddy dove in Maui and liked it except that, at the time, they met early before daybreak on dive days.

Each island has plenty to do. One can definitely stay busy without diving, but hope you get some in.

 

[IslandDiversHI]

I'm planning a tour of about two weeks, with a friend who will be more interested in birdwatching. So, while I want to go birdwatching too, I can probably take the odd day to go diving instead. Or more, if there's something I really want to do.

Make sure your friend has researched Hosmer Grove on Maui. Great easy birdwatching spot.