I Get One Dive Spot. Help

[Kicker1866]

Wife and I are taking first trip to Hawaii June 2017 and are preparing itinerary. We both dive but she is good for one day whereby I could spend 5 hours a day underwater.

This being said she is letting me pick the spot we do one day of diving.

Help me out. Gimme your best suggestions. If if it helps, she doesn't like wrecks. We dive Cozumel frequently.

Thanks

 

[tarponchik]

Which island?

 

[Kicker1866]

Which island?

Any one I choose

 

[tarponchik]

You can't spend 18 hrs in the air just for one day of diving. What else you plan to do?

 

[Kicker1866]

We have no agenda yet and going to island hop. We will be there week or more. Looking for best day of diving and will build stuff around that location the next day or two before hitting another island.

 

[KDAD]

We have spent 7 to 9 days on a single island several times touring just that island and have had plenty to see and do. I guess that you could get on overview of two or three islands in or you could focus on one or two. You will miss alot of what the island has to offer if you hop too much.

Take kauai for example. It is known as the garden isle. Think jurassic park. We have been there several times and use centrally located Lihue as our base. From there we make daily excursions north or south to check out different beaches, parks, waterfalls, towns, canyons, local eateries, etc. Pull up to a beach, put your snorkel gear on, and head out. Rinse, repeat. Could do that for a week and not see everything. You could also stay put in the resort if that is more your thing.

Maui is a great island also. Good diving there with plenty of topside activities. Mount haleakala, molokini, the road to Hana. So much to see and do. If you are on the road to Hana and you get to the point where the signs say turn back now just keep going It's a big circle you will get back to where you started from and see things that you have never seen before.

I think that we spent 3 days or so on Oahu. It was enough to see a few major attractions but didnt get to really know the island and all that it has to offer. Had to pack up and head to the next one...

 

[olphart]

I had a similar situation a few years back. Dove the Molokini crater off Maui. Compared to Coz, it was a big yawn. No pretty coral, not many fish, though the ones I did see were quite pretty. From what I could find out before the trip, Hawaii didn't seem like that great a dive location, compared to Coz or Belize as examples.
That being said, the Manta night dive from Kona looks like fun, and I'd love to try the "black water" night dive.

 

[tarponchik]

I had a similar situation a few years back. Dove the Molokini crater off Maui. Compared to Coz, it was a big yawn. No pretty coral, not many fish, though the ones I did see were quite pretty. From what I could find out before the trip, Hawaii didn't seem like that great a dive location, compared to Coz or Belize as examples.
That being said, the Manta night dive from Kona looks like fun, and I'd love to try the "black water" night dive.

Thank you! I collect quotes like this.

 

[DiveMaven]

I had a similar situation a few years back. Dove the Molokini crater off Maui. Compared to Coz, it was a big yawn. No pretty coral, not many fish, though the ones I did see were quite pretty. From what I could find out before the trip, Hawaii didn't seem like that great a dive location, compared to Coz or Belize as examples.
That being said, the Manta night dive from Kona looks like fun, and I'd love to try the "black water" night dive.

It's really sad to read posts like this. I have 300+ dives in Maui and Molokini and when I see remarks like this I simply think that the diver didn't have a very good guide. Hawaii should not be compared to the Caribbean (or anywhere else for that matter). Its like comparing apples to cows.

Hawaii literally sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is completely different than anywhere else. The location and conditions prohibits soft or gorgonian corals, the formation of tall, giant sponges, and large sea fans. The number of endemic fish and marine life is absolutely mind boggling, especially when you realize you cannot see these creatures anywhere else in the world.

IMO it is critical for folks new to diving in Hawaii have an experienced guide or local that can show them the wonderful uniqueness that is Hawaii. Without that a lot of folks simply just see a pile of rocks, a few hard corals, and some fish....missing literally everything.

We visit and dive in Maui about 6 weeks per year and it is a rare trip that we don't see something new and exciting during our dives.

 

[KDAD]

I agree. You have to set the correct expectations. You can't dive Hawaii expecting Cozumel. You will be disappointed. I haven't done much diving in Hawaii but have done tons of snorkeling there, mostly from the beach. I loved it and saw tons of stuff.

I dive each locale for its attributes and don't compare it to others. Puerto Vallarta was not at the top of my list last August but it was the destination for a multifamily vacation. I dove there and had a great time. Had I compared it to Cozumel or the Philippines I would be disappointed.

Hawaii is awesome. And you still are in the United States. Besides, where else can you dive in a volcanic crater?