Introduction

Especially for people from Europe, Hawaii is a magic name and a dream destination for many divers. The archipelago is made of seven main islands, and presents many faces to the visitors; Hawaii is a US state with a strong Japanese influence, and its islands are a paradise for nature lovers. Especially Big Island, the largest island, where there are very attractive diving sites, a volcano (Kilauea) which is erupting since 1983 (making it the longest eruption ever observed by men), a high mountain (Mauna Kea) with a summit at more than 4200 meters (and one of the best spot on earth for astronomical observations), tropical forests with impressive waterfalls, incredible beaches (often barely accessible), and so on...

Many tourists stop on the islands of O'ahu and Maui only. They miss the best part of the archipelago...

Travel facts

Diving type

Destination

easily accessible

bargain destination

Diving level & type

for beginners

for advanced divers

shore diving

liveaboard

Diving Characteristics

pelagics

lots of fish

lots of corals

interesting underwater scenery

Other activities

attractive natural spots

gastronomy

night life

beach

snorkeling

Infrastructures

• diving center
  

  Dive Makai

  
  Dive Makai (diving center)
  telephone : 1 (808) 329-2025

  fax : 1 (808) 329-2025

  address : PO Box 2955, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745, USA

  email : dmakai@divemakai.com

  internet : www.divemakai.com

  rerservation : Direct link for booking or to receive detailed information : www.divemakai.com/reservations.htm
  rating : 4 / 4 stars

  comments :

  We have dived a lot, in many different places, et often had the chance to visit really great diving centers. Even though, Dive Makai left us with a very special impression. For almost 30 years, Tom Shockley and Lisa Choquette were guiding divers around Big Island with such an energy and passion that most visitors were easily bewitched. A new owner took over in 2005, but the philosophy remains the same. This diving center is using only one boat, and a small team working like a family. The knowledge they acquired are invaluable to the divers, which are brought to the best dive sites at the best moment - and no need to mention that divemasters knows exactly where to find the interesting stuff underwater.
  Dive Makai is often introduced as the best diving center on Big Island. But its reputation goes much further that the island itself...

  
  
• new
  diving center
  

  Jack's Diving Locker

  
  Jack's Diving Locker (diving center)
  telephone : 1 (800) 345 4807

  fax : 1 (808) 329 7588

  address : 75-5813 Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

  email : dive@jacksdivinglocker.com

  internet : www.jacksdivinglocker.com
  rating : 3 / 4 stars

  comments :

  A large dive operation with several boats. Possibility to rent material for shore diving, in which case free maps are provided.

  
  

Diving Sites

• 

  3 Room Cave

  rating : 4.0

  depth : 20 m
  description :
  
  Cave diving is always an interesting experience. But when you can visit two different caves on the same site, the diving can be unforgettable (and probably, if you trust the name of the dive site, there must be a third cave somewhere around)! Divers go from brightness to darkness, while the daylight creates fantastic shadows. In one of the cave, we saw a Spanish dancer - extremely difficult to see during a day dive. One of the best diving sites in Hawaii...
        
  
• 

  Horseshoe Canyon

  rating : 4.0

  depth : 25 m
  description :
  
  From the boat, this site looks really inhospitable. The sight is dominated by a cliff made of black volcanic stone diving in the sea, while the waves are loudly breaking on the shore. About a hundred meters from that shore, a pinnacle stands alone: the dive takes place around it. Underwater, on the other hand, the location is fascinating. Because of the current, large animals are often seen there, and we could even observe a hammerhead shark for a couple of seconds. A moray, several shellfish as well as an interesting small fauna have been observed, too.
              
  
• 

  Pinnacles of Illusions

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 20 m
  description :
  
  A hilly underwater landscape, with caves and cavities in which many animals are found. Also lots of schools of reef fish.
          
  
• 

  Suck Em Up

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 30 m
  description :
  
  An unusual scenery for this dive, since the sea floor is covered with remains of old lava flows, including a 30-meters long lava tube. This site is very close to the shore, and divers can see the waves breaking on the rocks. Also a cave and several tunnels through which divers can swim. In the cave, we saw a Spanish dancer and several porcupine-fish. Lots of beautiful small yellow corals on the ceiling of the cave.
      
  
• 

  Turtles Heaven

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 25 m
  description :
  
  A fault at a depth of 10 meters, and an interesting landscape for this dive. As the name of the site would suggest, we saw four turtles swimming just next to the divers! Also some interesting nudibranchs.
        
  
• 

  Kaloko Critters

  rating : 2.0

  depth : 20 m
  description :
  
  A site that is not dived often, apart perhaps by some divemasters from Dive Makai: there is no buoy on the site. The bottom is shallow (10-12 meters) and almost completely flat, covered by rocks and sand. Interesting for small fauna, as some species are not visible elsewhere in Hawaii. By swimming away from the buoy, a slightly more attractive landscape is visible. But apart a huge moray, this dive was not that attractive.
    
  
• 

  Kaloko Sandpatch

  rating : 2.0

  depth : 15 m
  description :
  
  Quite similar to Kaloko Critters, and also a little disappointing.