Maui Scuba Diving Tours

Maui Scuba Diving Tours - What to Know

With water temperatures consistently around seventy-five degrees year-round, scuba diving in Maui offers excellent shore and boat diving no matter the month. Guided by knowledgeable local guides, you’ll likely encounter eagle rays, sea turtles, reef sharks, countless tropical fish, and even hear the enchanting songs of humpback whales during the winter season. Experienced guides and captains select the best dive sites based on daily conditions to ensure the safe and best experience.

For those new to diving or those needing a refresher, Discover Scuba Diving and refreshers are available, allowing you to dive without the need for certifications. A dive master will teach you the basics and accompany you to explore the underwater world of Maui’s colorful coral reefs!

Why Choose Maui for Scuba Diving

Maui is famous for its pristine coral reefs and unique geological formations, creating some of the most well-known dive sites around the world. From the Lanai cathedrals, with their incredible lava tube swim-throughs, to artificial reefs created with sunken vessels, Maui offers divers the chance to encounter marine life found nowhere else in the world. Approximately 20 percent of Hawaii’s fish species are endemic and Hawaii is home to the world’s rarest seal, green lionfish, and several types of coral. Maui also boasts coral reefs right off the shore, providing the flexibility to choose between shore dives and guided boat dives, each offering unique marine life and topography.

Maui's shore dives like Makena Landing and Ulua Beach are featured in our article: Top Scuba Diving Destinations You Can Feel Good About! Many are within the Mokuleia Bay Marine Life Conservation District or other no-take zones, offering healthy reef systems and protected species. Shore diving here allows for low-impact exploration without boat fuel or anchor damage.

Where to Go Scuba Diving in Maui

TripOutside's scuba diving guide partners offer trips that can be customized to the divers' experience and preferences! Here are some of our favorite dive spots on the island of Maui.

Lanai Cathedrals

Located off the coast of the neighboring island of Lanai, there are two underwater lava tube dive areas forming these large caverns with sunlight streaming through.

Molokini Crater

Two areas to dive at the crater include the protected bay on the inside where you can find the elusive octopus and see pristine reef. The backside of Molokini is a cliff dropping nearly straight down to 360 ft (110 m), offering the chance to see dolphin pods, manta rays, whales, and larger sharks.

Carthaginian II

An advanced dive with a depth of 100 ft (30.5 m), this is a historic replica of a whaling brig sunk in 2003 to create artificial reefs off the coast of Lahaina. You’ll be able to swim through the open hold and peer into the engine room where you should look out for eagle rays, trumpet fish, and sergeant majors.

Makena Landing - Turtle Town

Known also as Turtle Town or Five Graves is home to a shore dive with lava arches to swim through and home to white tip sharks, many turtles, eels, and even manta rays. 

Mala Wharf

This site boasts old remnants of a concrete pier from 1922 that partially collapsed during a hurricane. This is a great place to find Hawaiian green sea turtles, white tip sharks, and frog fish.

Airport Beach

Close to several resorts, this is the perfect place for Intro Scuba courses with depths from 25 to 47 ft (8 to 15 m) and a short entry into the water. You’ll see colorful coral reefs, Hawaiian green sea turtles and the rare hawksbill turtle.

Top Tips for Scuba Diving in Maui

• Best Time to Scuba Dive: You can dive year round, but from April to May and September through November there will be fewer crowds with ideal weather. The best time of day to dive is early in the morning before the wind picks up and when the seas are flatter with better visibility. During the winter, you have the chance to hear Humpback whales singing and witness them breaching from the boat.
• Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen: Please use reef-safe sunscreen to avoid polluting the clear waterways! With so many visitors a year, it is essential to keep the waters as clean as possible for the wildlife!
• Respect Marine Life: Observe wildlife from a distance without chasing or harassing them. Never feed or touch animals, even if they approach you out of curiosity. Please stay off the reef at all times. Green sea turtles, seals, dolphins, and many more species are protected, resulting in a fine or jail time if you’re found harassing them.
• Stay Hydrated: Swimming, diving, and relaxing on the boat in the hot Hawaii sun can be intense. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Follow Leave No Trace Principles: Keep all trash with you and secured down while on the boat or shore and dispose of it properly when you’re near a trash can or back at your hotel.

Other Maui Adventures

Check out other Maui Adventures at Maui, HI Outdoor Activities! These include snorkeling, paddleboarding, surfing, kiteboarding, kayaking, freediving, and windsurfing!