Scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands

Located more than 2,500 miles from the nearest landmass, its isolation means that scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands brings you into close encounters with endemic species, or marine life found only in Hawaiian waters.

There is no such thing as a typical dive. There is a stunning variety of marine life and underwater environments which differ from island to island. You can dive among coral-encrusted lava tubes and arches in the Big island, massive caverns near Lanai or enjoy wall diving off the back of crescent shaped Molokini.

Sightings of large marine animals

You can see large marine animals such as green turtles being cleaned at stations at Poaku Point off the Big Island or swim with the rarely sighted and endangered Hawaiian monk seal in newly discovered dive sites around remote Lehua Island. The undiscovered virgin reefs of the Forbidden Island of Niihau are being discovered for unmatched visibility, sightings of monk seals and dolphins and sharks.

In the winter months while scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands, divers can hear the stirring songs of the humpback whales under water.

Spectacular wall diving

One of the most spectacular and popular sites for scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands is off Molokini Island, just a few miles away from Maui. It is a marine preserve and it is here that you can encounter big marine animals like whale sharks, and an uncommon variety of tropical fish such as pyramid butterfish. The back wall is a vertical drop way beyond the hundred-foot visibility that is common in these waters. Long-nose hawkfish and gobies swim in and out of the black coral. White tip reef sharks are seen here more often than in most other dive sites in Hawaii.

 Divers are starting to head towards Maui’s North Shore. Little dived in the past, Puka Maui is being hailed for underwater archways, pinnacles and hammerhead sharks

Night diving off Kona

For those looking for the next great experience while scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands, look no further than Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Just a few hundred feet of the Kona volcanic bluffs, in a night dive armed with chem stick night lights, you come up real close to the manta rays feeding off the light-seeking phytoplankton. This night dive has been labeled one of the top ten dives in the world and often renders even the most well traveled diver speechless.

Big Island divers like to keep blackwater diving a secret, but the news is getting out. Miles out to sea and late into the night, it is a surreal experience in ink black water. Divers see diaphanous jellyfish dance across their field of vision like aquatic ballerinas, unidentified ribbons of pelagics undulate in the water and countless strange animals rise from the abyss to feed at night.

Although the maximum depth is only 45ft, this is a spine-tingling experience even for the most experienced diver. On this dive, the night ocean which seems so empty is found to be full of the life which has combed the deep oceans for billions of years.

Oahu Wreck diving

Wreck diving is best off Oahu. In Maunalua Bay on the South Shore, there is the wreck of a World War Two plane in which a family of octopus has made their home. Although the surrounding area looks barren, it is home to fields of garden eels.

 Another favorite for wreck scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands is the minelayer ship, the Mahi, which is only 45 minutes from shore. It is a remote wreck but the wreck is crowded with turtles which appear to not resent the diver in their midst.

Novices and experts alike enjoy scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands. Most dive sites are found off the leeward side of the islands along the sheltered west-facing coasts. The eastern coasts are exposed to the constant trade trades and have rougher surf. Divers who want to dive the eastern coasts are highly recommended to work with a professional dive guide.

Book early

Trips to Lanai’s dive sites can be arranged through dive operators in Maui while Kauai dive shops run dive trips to Niihau. These dives should be booked well in advance. Be warned too that the seas for scuba diving in the Hawaiian waters are not always calm. Dive operators will arrange alternate activities if the seas are too rough.

Visibility while scuba diving in the Hawaiian Islands often exceeds 100 ft and the water temperatures are mid to high 70s in winter and spring, low 80s in summer and fall.

 A note of caution!: If you are planning to visit high altitude attractions such as Mt Haleakala on Maui or Mauna Kea on the Big Island, Please allow for enough time before or after diving. You dive instructor or guide should be made aware... It is for your own safety...