Top Scuba and Snorkeling in Hawaii

The best dive sites on each vacation island in Hawaii.

Mar 10, 2007

Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Maui and The Big Island have their own top scuba diving and snorkeling spots. No tropical vacation is complete without a snorkel or scuba trip.

There are six main islands that make up Hawaii; The Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai. With the exception of Molokai, all are popular luxury travel destinations that offer perfect South Pacific vacations. Tourists who love ocean activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling, will find that each island has its own top coral reefs and shipwrecks. Together, they make the best diving spots in Hawaii, and any tropical vacation there would be enriched by a day or half day scuba and snorkel trip.

Hawaii's Big Island - The western shore of Big Island is home to Kailua-Kona Town. A remarkable variety of fish coexist in the water off the seashore here. From November to May, humpback whales stay here, and birth their baby whales off the coast of Kona. Now, many beaches on the Big Island of Hawaii are marked by rip tides and strong undertows; not the best spot for offshore snorkeling. However, the Kohala Coast is beautiful, and it's the best The Big Island has to offer scuba and snorkel fans. The popular Hapuna Beach State Rec Area, a top destination for beach activities, is part of the Kohala Coast. Near the Kona coast, the Sea Caves off Honaunau have calm water for snorkeling as well.

Maui - Many experienced divers agree that Maui has the best scuba and snorkel opportunities of all of the Hawaiian islands. The luxury resort area of Wailea has an accessible coastline with top off-the-beach snorkeling, in water so gentle that many young kids get their first snorkel experiences in Wailea. The best site of all of Maui, though, has got to be the Molokini Crater. It's a 25-minute boat ride to this extinct volcanic crater, also called a caldera, which is recognized as one of the top dive sites in the world. In as such, it's best to book an early-morning boat trip from Maui, as later in the day Molokini can be overrun with scuba and snorkel day trippers.

Away from the luxury resort area of Wailea, West Maui also has some great dive sites. Try Napili Bay, Olowalu, and Kapalua Bay: All are an easy drive from the popular tourist town of Lahaina.

Lanai - Lanai is the smallest of the main islands in Hawaii, with only one town. It follows that there are less beaches here, and less organized tourism activities. Lanai does have, however, the Hulopo'e Bay Marine Sanctuary, and two popular scuba destinations: The First and Second Cathedrals, and Fish Rock. Fish Rock is the best dive and snorkel spot in Lanai. Fish Rock is a volcanic cone with a depth of around 75 feet, and it's great to explore all around the underwater rock. First Cathedral and Second Cathedral are really amazing - they are old lava tubes, hollowed out to a depth of 65 feet, with light shining in from above. Many smaller species of fish seek out refuge in them, and the wall crevices are home to all sorts of crustaceans. Second Cathedral is the larger of the two, but either will provide a top scuba diving experience.

Oahu - The Mahi shipwreck is off the shore of the Waianae coast. A WWII minesweeper in its former life, the Mahi was sunk in 1982 to be made into an artificial reef. This shipwreck off Oahu is now home to reclusive moray eels, elegant eagle rays, and scores of tropical fish darting in and out of the Mahi's hull.

There are two other shipwreck scuba sites off Oahu, these closer to Waikiki. The YO-257 was a Navy Yard oiler, sunk as an artificial reef in 1989. There are a lot of large swim-through holes for scuba divers in the YO-257. There is also a sunken airplane: A WWII Corsair ran out of gas, and sunk in 1946 (the pilot escaped). The oiler and the Corsair both are home to school upon school of angelfish, butterfly fish, wrasses, and large marine animals like sea turtles and reef sharks. The best beach on Oahu for off-shore snorkeling is Hanauma Bay. Hanauma means "curved bay," and this caldera, east of Honolulu, is a popular destination for tourists looking to do something other than visit their resort hotel's luxury day spa. Hanauma Bay is likely best known for the giant green sea turtles that swim near shore and occasionally sun themselves on the beach. This makes it perfect for snorkeling, but tourists who can scuba enjoy diving deeper to the underwater caverns.

Kauai - Kauai is the westernmost of the Hawaiian island chain. Book a 40-minute boat ride to the smaller Ni'ihau, inhabited by only 200 Hawaiians. Ni'ihau means "Forbidden Island," i.e. no overnight visitors - but scuba divers are welcome here. Because it is so remote, the coral reefs offshore are the healthiest in the island chain, and the diversity of fish, blacktip reef sharks, even the occasional, shy octopus will provide a top snorkeling and scuba diving experience. On Kauai itself, the best snorkel spot is Poipu Beach. The beach itself is popular to the point of being disappointingly crowded during the peak tourist season. Because the beach is sandy (rather than rocky), snorkeling is the popular water activity here; scuba less so. For scuba divers, the Na Pali Coast on the West Side of Kauai, is the best on the island. Sea caves, dolphins and turtles are all in abundance here.

All of these top dive and snorkel sites are beautiful, and special. Please remember that coral reefs are living animals; as much as you may want to take home a souvenir, it is both illegal and unethical to break off a piece of coral for yourself.

Related, on Suite 101:

The copyright of the article Top Scuba and Snorkeling in Hawaii in Luxury Travel is owned by Jennifer W. Miner. Permission to republish Top Scuba and Snorkeling in Hawaii in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.