Best Hawaiian Island for Diving???

[kimwrighta]

Hi!

We are planning a two-week trip to Hawaii for the last week of September and the first week of October.

Right now, we are planning on spending 3 nights on Oahu and then from there??? Maui, Kauai, the Big Island???? We are not crazy about the packing/unpacking "thing" and would like to find a spot to park, sight-see, dive and of course relax!

It appears as if Maui might be the place??? We'd love to hear your insights and suggestions, including where to stay, reputable dive shops, etc.

Thanks everyone and safe diving!!!!

 

[DandyDon]

This would be better covered in the Hawaii forum. I'll ask a Mod to move it for you. :b_cowboy:

 

[Wildcard]

I guess that all depends on what else you want. Lived in Maui before moving to the Big Isle. Like it here for living and diving much better but for night life and more "touresty" activities, prolly gotta go with Maui, but there is plenty here also. It's all good!

 

[Damselfish]

I slightly preferred Big Island to Maui for diving, but both are good. The islands are very different, again both are good. It really depends on what you want to see and do. Maui is more resorty, and more lush, and you can see Haleakala. Hawaii is more open spaces, longer drives to things, lots of lava fields instead of all the lush tropical thing (also cool but different.) You can see all the things in Volcanos Nat. Park, and maybe see lava flowing.

 

[Wildcard]

Big Isle has plenty of "lush tropical" too. The Lava is floving again! Just started up a few days ago. Check out Hawaiiscubadiving.com for some awsome pics! Haleakala is nice, you can look almost 4000 feet down on it from Mauna Kea.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I <heart> Maui

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Never done Maui, but between Kauai and Big Island, the diving was better on Big Island.

Make sure you run a search for this topic. It has been covered in detail many times even in the past few months. So, if you aren't getting a lot of responses, it may be because some of us have already posted longer thoughts in other threads.

Have a blast no matter where you go!

Gregg

 

[Charlie99]

In general you will find that the newest island, the big island of Hawaii, has the newest and roughest lava formations. Less sand, and therefore less silt and outstanding viz.

Kauai, as the oldest of the major islands has more eroded and smoothed formations, with much more algae.

In the Maui area, Molokini and Lanai have that really rocky look common in the big island. South Maui (generally a 2nd dive after Molokini) has the more eroded, more algae, more sand sort of look. In all areas the surge is pretty strong and you won't find much in the way of large soft stuff like the gorgonian, sea fans, and large sponges so common in Florida and the Caribbean.

My comments of Maui Dive Charter Operators.

Pretty good diving on all the Hawaiian islands, but for most people, when you factor in both underwater and on land activities, Maui No Ka Oi!!

 

[Tom Winters]

There were a bunch of places that I wanted to dive in Hawaii while I lived there, but I never got around to them. Oahu has some awesome diving, but most of the spots are not on any commercial itineraries - too remote or maybe a little too hairy for most divers.
I did some great dives on Molokai from Kaunakakai to Laau Point - the sea cliffs on the Kaluapapa side looked awesome but are probably diveable only on a handful of days each year. No one gets out there much.
I managed to shoot 7 tons of bullets at Kahoolawe during one long day of Naval Gunfire Support training, but I never got to dive there - I knew some guys who did bomb clearance who had a ball diving in those waters.
When the village of Kalapana on the Big Island was eaten by lava, I ran into a guy who was shooting the offshore lava flows for National Geo I think. That sounded pretty cool. He got sucked into an underwater downdraft and went from 20' to 180' in seconds, but he knew what he was doing so he was ok.
I would pass on some of the stuff Chris Newbert did diving down the FAD buoys offshore at night to 200' to see what came up to see him. Even I have my limits now.
I know that none of this helps you - you're looking for dive operator recommendations. There's good ops on all the islands.
For a tourist, go for Maui or the Big Island Kona side. Kona I still recommend Dive Makai. Plus both islands have a Costco which might come in handy or not.

 

[ronrosa]

Hi!

We are planning a two-week trip to Hawaii for the last week of September and the first week of October.

Right now, we are planning on spending 3 nights on Oahu and then from there??? Maui, Kauai, the Big Island???? We are not crazy about the packing/unpacking "thing" and would like to find a spot to park, sight-see, dive and of course relax!

It appears as if Maui might be the place??? We'd love to hear your insights and suggestions, including where to stay, reputable dive shops, etc.

Thanks everyone and safe diving!!!!

Dove both Maui and Big Island. Enjoyed Maui diving, but definitely prefferred the Big Island topside and for diving.

Oh, and one other thing. I guess you haven't heard, but the Big Island has the manta ray night dive. Do a little research. This is something you don't want to miss.