The Ultimate Guide to Scuba Diving Hawaii

Don’t worry, you don’t have to cross an ocean to enjoy Pacific scuba diving. It’s full of thrills, curiosities, and color.

Cue Hawaii. The flight is just six hours from LA, as opposed to the 22 hours or more necessary to reach other Pacific locales.

Hawaii Island dives are known for abundance, from schools of exotics to endemic reef fish, plus weird wonders including frogfish, eels and the leaf scorpionfish, a critter not found in the Caribbean or closer to home for most American divers. These islands also pack daily big-animal encounters. The most common sightings include spinner dolphins, monk seals, whitetip reef sharks, and of course, manta rays, found reliably off the Big Island.

There is no best Hawaiian island for scuba diving—every island packs its own flavor.

The Big Island leads in dive sites and biodiversity—from "pelagic magic" night dives among alien-like sea creatures to the legendary "campfire" manta ray night dive. Kauai boasts the most green sea turtles and the neighboring island of Ni'ihau is known for it's dramatic underwater landscape where you can see sandbar sharks and endangered monk seals. Oahu satisfies wreck and adventure divers—you can even enter the water by helicopter. For those on a budget or simply seeking additional adventure, Maui is a good pick for shore diving and unique day trips.

As for the landscape, much of the underwater terrain is shaped from lava flows, creating tunnels, arches and caverns that make for dramatic dives.

Best Dive Spots in Hawaii

From Kona’s legendary manta night dive to colorful reefs and wrecks, Hawaii offers some of the most diverse scuba diving in the Pacific. These are the best dive sites across the Hawaiian Islands.

Big Island

Crescent Beach
Manta night diving
Pelagic magic blackwater diving

Oahu

Sea Tiger
Mario World
YO-257
Navy Tugs

Kauai

Vertical Awareness, Niihau
Sheraton Caverns, Kauai
Turtle Bluffs/Fish Bowl/General Store
Koloa Landing

Maui

Five Caves at Makena Landing
Honolua Bay
Black Rock
Mala Warf
Olowalu Reef
Kamaole Beach Park
Molokini Crater
Lanai Cathedrals
Molokai — Hammerheads
Molokai — Black Wall

Related Reading: Seeking Adventure-Packed Diving in Hawaii

Planning Your Hawaii Dive Vacation

We’ve broken down the best diving in Hawaii island-by-island to make planning your trip an ocean breeze. Each Hawaiian Island has something unique to offer for scuba diving and topside excursions. If you are looking for a laid-back vibe, then a Hawaii dive vacation on Kauai or the Big Island might be your preference. But if it's limitless diving and nightlife you are after, consider Oahu or Maui when planning your scuba diving trip to Hawaii.

Explore amazing Hawaiian dive vacations HERE.

Divers Guide to Hawaii

When to Go
Hawaii is a year-round destination, with the presence of whales offering the biggest difference between winter and summer months. November through May, humpbacks return to the islands to mate and calve; peak viewing is January to March. Divers won’t likely see whales underwater, but they do hear them; booking a whale-watching trip is not to be missed. Value seekers note that September through November offers the biggest discounts, although this is the tail of hurricane season.

Water Temps
Year-round conditions remain consistently favorable. Expect summer water temps to be around 83 degrees, with winter averages slightly chillier at 76. “What to wear depends on what you’re used to,” says Laurel Steenhuis of Kona Honu Divers. “We all wear 5 mm fullsuits, but cold-water divers will be comfortable in a 3 mm.”

Average Viz
Visibility averages 60 to 100 feet. The west coast of the Big Island isn’t known for storms, but the island is subject to occasional afternoon showers in the summer.

Hawaii Travel Tips
Local operators hold themselves to a high standard; one way this plays out is rental gear. To stay competitive, operators trade out their gear frequently, so expect new, top-rate equipment. If you want to skip bringing your own gear and travel with just carry-on, you’re covered. Keep in mind that all of Hawaii has banned sunscreens that harm the reefs—most notably, formulas with oxybenzone or octinoxate. You can buy reef-safe sunscreens on island.