Which island has the best diving?

Which island in Hawaii has the best diving?

  • Kauai

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Oahu

    Votes: 3 14.3%
  • Molokai

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lanai

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Maui

    Votes: 8 38.1%
  • Hawaii Island

    Votes: 8 38.1%
  • No preference/unsure

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Total voters
    21

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dnote

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Per the poll, which island has the best all around diving?
 
All around is pretty meaningless. Coral is BI, wrecks is Oahu, ease of getting around to numerous cool shore sites is probably still Oahu. Kauai is Niihau, which is probably the only argument for flying to HI just for diving.
 
Good input, thank you. We're considering traveling to Hawaii and have never been before. I'm really a sucker for coral so i assume it would be best going to BI (Big Island?)
 
That'd be my suggestion, though because I'm not much for coral myself I'd suggest a second opinion. Still, of all the islands, it seems like Big Island has the most healthy and spectacular hard corals.
 
I can't vote either since its comparing apples to oranges. I'm partial to Maui since you can dive 4 islands from here and the shore diving is great (plus great beaches and lots of on-shore activities), but I get the draw to the Big Island.
 
Thanks DiveMaven. I intentionally used the term 'all around' to invoke this type of feedback.

If it's difficult to target an all around best, i'm still interested in hearing favorites, so thanks again.
 
I pretty much agree with the above^.

One thing about your poll to note is that on Lana'i you pretty much have to be Four Seasons folks to stay there. Also there's one dive operator - Trilogy Water Sports - and only one shore dive at Hulopoe Bay - the rest of the island is too tall. Trilogy prices reflect that they work mostly with the Four Seasons guests also - they're in the $175 range compared to the day boats from Lahaina who do the same dives from Maui for $129. There's a lot of nice coral off the west side of Lana'i. And certain areas near Molokini also. Both easily accessible on morning trips from Maui.

The best shore diving is off Maui also IMO. Entries are certainly the easiest, many off the beaches. In the Kihei/Wailea area there's about a dozen dive sites within a 5-10min. drive. I like that area best as Wailea is a few large resorts interspersed with condo complexes - some waterfront. Up around Ka'anapali and Kahana you get a lot more of the mega-condo towers dotting the beach. Napili is pretty nice also - Kapalua is more upscale.

Sites on the Big Island are significantly more spread out so there's a lot more driving between the best of them. Most of the boats moor in Honokohau harbor just north of Kona so if you go there - probably finding something just south of Kona is your best option. Besides all the big resorts there's a lot of affordable condos on sites like vrbo.com.

The not to miss dive off Kona is the Manta Night Dive. It regularly makes the top 100 dives in the world lists.

All I know about Molokai is that the only operator there seems to be Scuba Dive Molokai - which is Molokai Dive & Fish's dive business.

Even though the list I linked to below shows more, there's really only two good shore dives off Kauai - Koloa Landing and Tunnels Beach. The rest are mostly too shallow or closed. One is north and one south so plan on an hour to drive between them. We tried Lydgate, it was too shallow. And Ahukini is closed to divers now. fwiw, Kauai is probably the most scenic of the islands, certainly the most green. All that active volcano stuff makes the Big Island look bleak by comparison.

At your dive count, Ni'ihau is probably not the best idea. It's also a deep wall dive where the thrill is the reef sharks and the occasional monk seal. Google Vertical Awareness to see one of the famous dive sites there. It's also an all day, rough crossing from Kauai - only done in spring/summer.

This might be useful: Scuba Shore Diving Region: Hawaiian Islands

I voted Maui - for first timers it's IMO the best overall Hawaiian experience. Unless you want to see Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach. Or Volcanoe's National Park - which I found underwhelming from the viewpoints.
 
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diversteve, thanks for the great writeup and links.

I hadn't drawn the parallel in the pictures that I've seen about the vegetation and the volcanic activity, but now that you mention it, i do see that the other islands appear lush with vegetation. You also make a good point to be considered regarding the space between good dive sites on the big island.

I've seen videos of the manta night dive on youtube and i really want to go on this dive! I would probably have to buddy up with someone other than my wife, as, even in exchange for a million dollars, it would be hard to get her in the water at night. :crying:

I'm leaning towards Maui as i read more.. Plus it's currently winning in the vote count :D
 
Many of the night dive operators also have snorkelers on the boat. Since they also have lights shining down, the Manta's come up to feed. Some say it's better. The person with the most light on the Manta dives gets the most Manta's. Although the lights on the bottom generally bring them in for everyone. My buddy has a 4000lumen video light - he was pretty popular.

There's also Manta's on Maui. Just not as many. Some congregate at a cleaning station off Umekahame beach - several of the operators may go there on afternoon dives. My buddy dove with three there once. Apparently there's more now. http://www.mauidiveshop.com/Maui-Dive-Trips/2-tank-manta-west-maui.htm

I'm sure there's places on Kona that are lush - I just can't recall many. There was a river cruise that went through one area. And there's Akaka Falls near Hilo. But if you've ever watched an Ironman Race that's what most of what we saw looked like - lava with some sparse growth on it. Even the older lava fields are pretty bare. Inland around Parker Ranch is more like ranch country - it was the largest cattle ranch in the U.S. or something like that once.

Another consideration about Kona is that once you leave the coast line you climb to elevation quickly. The Saddle Road to Hilo tops out around 6000' and the Volcanoes Nat'l Park around 4000' so you'll want to do those on a non-dive day. Maui is pretty flat except if you go up Haleakala for the Sunrise/Bike down. Obviously the helicopter flights on any of the islands also...

If you go inland on Kauai to the lookout or Waimea Canyon, that likely won't be a dive day due to the distance. One thing I forgot to mention is that the north shore diving is shut down until about April/May - they get a lot of big waves. That includes Tunnels and Ni'ihau.
 
I've dove Maui and BI and find it hard to say which I prefer between those. I'd almost pick based on which topside I was more interested in.

If there's any chance of getting your wife in the water at night, the manta night dive would be the time. I've been on darker daytime dives.
 
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