Hawaii - Where to Begin

[fred3798]

My wife and I are in our 50s. We are intermediate divers. We've never been to Hawaii and have the possibility of going for two or more weeks in late July/August. I have no idea how to decide which islands to see although the Four Seasons Lanai sounds like heaven. We'll probably stay Air BnB or VRBO where we can. We'll want to mix touring and hiking with diving. We re too late to get a spot on The Aggressor to get an overview tour. All I know for sure is that I must see manta rays. I would really appreciate a reference to a site that gives ideas on how to pick islands for a first trip. Any commentary that you folks can offer - diving or just touring - is greatly appreciated.

 

[Canadave]

Big Island widely accepted as having the best diving. Just shore dive the whole west coast of the island from Mahukona to Miloli'i. Lots of info on various sites such as shorediving.com on all the best shore dives with maps and detailed information. Don't waste money on charters except for the Manta Ray night dive. Most all of the dive shops offer this dive as it is a must do at least once anyway. Rental tanks by the week at the Scuba Shack by the Costco has a pretty good deal and convenient with a system for after hours drop off or pick up of full tanks. Most dive shops happy to offer detailed info on entries, hazards and other info at the popular shore diving sites. Most shore dives easy if surge and waves not too crazy and summer should provide the best diving conditions. Lots of hiking opportunities at Volcano National Park too down south. Been back a few times and still love Diving Hawaii.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Hawaii Revealed Guidebooks

 

[AquamanKauai]

A first trip to Hawaii will not disappoint no matter what island you should choose. There are numerous excellent dive shops and professionals throughout the Hawaiian islands. The islands do differ greatly depending on what all divers are interested in. I have worked on the Aggressor on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. While I may be a little biased .... I think the very best diving is found off the island of Niihau. It is reachable only via Kauai. Since you have indicated that you are mostly interested in Manta Rays I would say that diving off of the Big Island probably gives you the very best chance. At the same time Maui and Niihau have frequent sightings as well. These beautiful rays are found at cleaning stations that they return to over and over. The Big Island has a very famous night dive that is done in two different locations that are easily accessible via short boat trips. While I have done the dives on very rare occasions without the mantas showing up, it is very rare. If you are planning on island hopping and splitting your time then I would say do a week on the Big Island and then choose a stay on Maui or Kauai perhaps. Maui allows you to enjoy countless sights with great diversity between local dives and trips to Lanai, Molokini and Molokai. Maui also has endless shore dives with various degrees of ease/difficulty. Kauai is a little more on the adventurous side sometimes and doesn't offer calm conditions with quite the same regularity. Perhaps the upside of this is that "some" of the areas have less diver presence and with that can come rare and special encounters with curious critters. Niihau affords the opportunity to dive with the critically endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal up close and personal which is an amazing and unforgettable experience for any diver. Hawaii boasts the highest endemic ratio of fish anywhere in the world so you are sure to see plenty of new critters! It is also among the very best of world class turtle dive destinations.

I'll extend the offer to try and help with any specific questions as you plan your trip and don't want to make it more confusing. The good news is that it truly gets confusing/hard to choose because of just how great the options are. You won't be disappointed with any decision that you make in my opinion.

If you are going to be going on numerous dives you should should consider obtaining the John Hoover fish book. It will help get you really excited about your upcoming trip - and then also add to your familiarity of the amazing wildlife you are going to see!

Feel free to PM me with any questions about the islands going forward. You have an amazing dive vacation ahead!

Cheers and I hope you have a wonderful day
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[AquamanKauai]

Adding a thought to the hiking

This is a win / win no matter which of the 3 islands you choose. Volcano National Park on Big isle is awesome. Haleakala on Maui is just one are on Maui with great hikes! Kauai has breathtaking hikes in Waimea Canyon that are sure to please all levels of hikers.

A