Caribbean or Hawaii ????

[redrover]

All good advice & I think I understand. Its somewhat like Bonaire & Freeport. Bonaire has lots of small stuff & colorful coral where the Bahamas have more of the larger stuff.
I would like to try Hawaii as I'm really into the bigger stuff like rays & turtles & sharks + I'm using FF miles. But I'm traveling solo & as far as a dive resort or hanging with other divers, Hawaii doesn't look as appealing. May check out the liveaboard.

I’m not clear (is AI all inclusive?) if you want to be with other divers for the longer surface intervals or not. Maybe just that a liveabord restricts dining choices.

The Kona Agressor is from what I’ve read a good experience and does have very good dining – a chef was in my BOW class – she liked being able to cook well there. I haven’t seen or heard anything negative about it. If what you want is a solid several days of nonstop diving I’d say the Agressor would be a nobrainer. Lot more hassle to schedule with dive ops and probably more repetitive dive sites. Weather is an issue tho, I’d call them up and see how they handle things like our current winter swell challenge. Usually they go to further dive sites than the local Kona boats but might be restricted also.
BTW, I have yet to cancel a dive day here locally due to weather but I’m sure it does happen. The swell if prolonged may restrict diveable sites but I’ve always found somewhere to go.

To my knowledge a true larger than life seeker would do better elsewhere than Hawaii, we’ve got it but other places specialize. Hawaii does have the large endemic populations or unique sightings – may not be appreciated by many.
I don’t agree Kona is not a diving destination – read and spoke to many who feel it is. I will say it is not a exciting nightlife included diving destination. It’s there but the running joke is a black postcard labeled Kona nightlife.
I perceive several draws to Kona. (BTW I cannot compare to anything else – Kona is all I know – so this is just info. and not indicating these aren’t available elsewhere.)

The endemics, Manta night dive, easy and enjoyable warm, good vis boat and shore dives with out long swims or boat trips. No sweat solo traveler for boat diving and doable or easy shore solo sites. Good rental equip if not inclined to haul yours around. In what seems like a third world country but with a lot of the modern conveniences and not so completely tourist oriented (what I read of places where people cannot walk with out getting barraged to purchase crapola.) That video was good, although a lot no doubt seen was left out. Zillions of fish etc, the feeling of being in a large aquarium, so much to see. Basically a relaxed, unstressful diving vacation with Aloha.

 

[RonDawg]

Is it my eyes, or my monitor, or is that man really KNEELING ON THE CORAL!!! :11:

 

[doolittle]

My husband and I are going to Maui in August (an opportunity we couldn't pass up) and we want to dive a few days while we are there. We are staying at the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas North and would like suggestions of dive operations to go through. We would like to go with an outfit that takes a small group and is not rushed for time. Heard sometimes it could be like hurtling cattle there. We found one site that goes out at 7:30 am and does only one group a day (can't think of the name right now) which is 45 mins away from where we are staying. Does anyone have any other suggestions. There also seemed to be a lot of shore diving also? Would really appreciate the suggestions.