The ocean waters around the Hawaiian Islands host a wide variety of marine life. Dive into the depths and discover wrecked remnants of past wars, coral reefs with scores of colorful fish and curious dolphins wanting to find out what makes you tick. To get the most out of your Hawaii scuba experience, join a dive tour available on all the islands. They know the best places to safely jump overboard.
Oahu -- Wreck Diving
Dive into history when you slip into the waters off of Oahu. Scuba dive trips take you to explore World War II military relics, such as a sunken Saipan landing craft or a ditched Corsair fighter plane. Natural wonders await as well, including Koko Crater, the Hanauama Sea Caves and Turtle Canyon, so named because of the number of green sea turtle visitors. Take a lesson or two if you are not certified. Instruction includes a practice dive in a pool setting. After that, head out into Oahu's waters with experienced divers to more than 30 dive spots. If you want to get certified, a process that requires both book learning and hands-on experience, many dive companies offer the course. Certification usually takes four days.
Maui -- Molokini Island
Molokini Island is the remnant of a dormant volcano cone that collapsed into the sea. Over time, the sunken crater became an underwater coral reef that now teems with tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles and visiting pods of dolphins. Now a designated marine sanctuary, this tiny islet is one of the best dive spots off Maui. The inside of the crater has gentler waters, and scuba divers and snorkelers can take advantage of this. On the crater's outer rim is a structure called the Molokini Wall. It is a sheer drop down into deeper waters and is only attempted by experienced scuba divers. Several snorkeling and diving outfits out of Lahaina and Maalea harbors on south Maui offer trips to Molokini. An added bonus between the end of November and April are the humpback whales that make the channel their winter home. Think of this as a whale-watching and diving tour combined.
Big Island -- Kealakekua Bay
British explorer Capt. James Cook landed on the shores of Kealakekua Bay during his voyages through the Pacific. Unfortunately on his second visit, there was a misunderstanding and he ended up being killed on this beach. A tall, white obelisk-type monument marks the spot of that tragic event. Many people come to the waters of Kealakekua Bay Marine Sanctuary to snorkel and scuba dive. One of the main attractions is the spinner dolphins that use the bay as a nursery. They aren't shy, and though you are not legally allowed to approach them they have no qualms about swimming close and giving you the once over. You will also finds schools of tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles and an occasional sea lion. Tour operators offer half- and full-day dives to this marine-rich location.
Big Island -- Manta Ray Night Dives
Add another level of intrigue by taking a night dive off the Kona coast and swimming with giant black-and-white manta rays. Tour operators typically leave port before the sun goes down, letting you enjoy a colorful Kona sunset from aboard your boat. Once at the dive site, the crew shines bright lights on the ocean surface. Plankton, the favored food of manta rays, are attracted to the light and move toward the surface with the manta rays in pursuit. The giant fish swim back and forth and somersault, all the while taking in huge quantities of water and filtering out the plankton. Scuba divers can watch the action from below the mantas, while snorkelers look down from above. As the manta rays concentrate on the plankton they can get very close to you in their pursuit of dinner.
Kauai to Niihau -- Dive the Private Island
Niihau is a privately owned island. It also has some of the best dive sites in Hawaii. Bubbles Below Scuba Charters has an agreement with the owners and permission to take divers to Niihau. A dive trip to Niihau is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for novice divers. The channel crossing between Kauai to Niihau takes about two hours and is very rough. The dive site has vertical dropoffs and large caves, and surface conditions can be choppy. The reward is to see a rare Hawaiian monk seal, reef sharks, an assortment of whales and dolphins and a seemingly endless number of tropical fish. Other dive sites on this all-day adventure include Lehua Crater and the Mana Crack located off Kauai's northwestern shores. Bubbles Below also offers dive trips to the western and southern coasts of Kauai.
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