Under the Sea is Where You’ve Gotta Be.

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Surrounded by the beautiful waters of the Pacific, I find that underwater adventures in Hawaii are underrated. With an unparalleled diversity of marine life and coral reefs, Hawaii vacations would truly be incomplete if you didn’t take the time to enjoy the endemic Hawaiian underwater adventures. Whether you’re a marine life enthusiast or if you fashion yourself a walking mermaid/merman, Hawaii really does have something in store for every kind of diver/adventure seeker out there.

Photo by Ilse Reijs and Jan-Noud Hutten via Flickr.

For beginners (snorkeling):

Unlike the next couple of adventures, this one is actually a snorkeling adventure. Not that I think that snorkeling is any less exciting than diving, but it is much more suitable for children and beginners. Especially if you’ve never dived before, I would definitely recommend trying your hand at snorkeling before going diving. For an absolutely amazing snorkeling location, I recommend going to Hanauma Bay. An aerial view of the bay will reveal that Hanauma Bay is a curved marine embayment. As a Natural Preserve, Hanauma Bay is home to over 400 species of fish and as an additional bonus, the Bay is also known for an abundance of Green sea turtles! It’s a protected cove so it’s a much safer snorkeling location, especially for children. As an FYI, the Bay is closed to tourists on Tuesdays so to allow the fish a day of feeding without interruptions from swimmers or visitors.

For intermediate divers:

Off the coast of the Garden Island (or Kauai) is Tunnels Reef and Beach. You can also, if you’d prefer, go snorkeling here as well. At a depth of 65 feet, Tunnels Reef is perfect for beginner to intermediate divers. Averaging around 70-80 degrees (water temperature) year round, it offers clear waters and amazing inner and outer reefs that you can explore. You’ll find a large diversity of fish and green sea turtles swimming within these reefs; you’ll also find lava formations, tunnels and caverns, if you’re looking for a challenge. It has been said that the reefs here are so large that they can be seen from space (since I’ve never been to space, I cannot corroborate that story for you, but that is still pretty exciting). The reefs here are usually pretty calm, but do take extra caution during the winter months when surf conditions are high and the sea can become rough (and if you’re not careful, dangerous).

Photo by by SteveD via Flickr.

For intermediate-advanced divers:

North of Kona offers a diving location unlike any other. Known as the Haunted Caverns, the Mauna Lani Caves is home to a great number of coral and caves for the intermediate-advanced diver to explore. Though not as deep as Tunnels Reef, the Mauna Lani is littered with sloping coral reefs and some caves that are barely large enough for a diver and a tank, so I definitely recommend this location to divers who’ve had a little more experience. However, there are some caves that are large enough to house a party of divers, so if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, this site is still suitable for beginners-intermediates as well. Marine life common to this dive site includes unicornfish, surgeon fish, coral, and green sea turtles! With visibility up to 100 feet on a clear day, the diving conditions of this site couldn’t be more ideal.

For advanced divers:

Located about 500 yards off Mokapu Point in Oahu is Moku Manu. Because this dive site is not particularly popular (and therefore not dived often), it has a rich marine life that is unlike any other dive site. Since this rich environment is not frequented by many divers, it provides a much more stable home for a lot of the fish that call this area home. Wind conditions determine whether or not diving will be allowed. On days it is allowed, break away from your stay at one of the many Oahu hotels, and take a dive! Remember to bring a flashlight because the cave (about 90 feet below the surface) is pitch black and tapers to a point. At different depths, you’ll find different nocturnal sea creatures. Because of the strong currents that are characteristic to this area, taking caution when diving in this area is strongly recommended. But if you’re willing to take the risk (with the extra care), you’ll find this place to be rewarding and a story that I’m sure your friends couldn’t boast.

For the OMG-I-WAS-BORN-TO-BE-A-DIVER diver:

Of all dive sites, I think if you’re a diving enthusiast, your trip to Hawaii would be incomplete without a dive to the First and Second Cathedrals off the southern coast of Lanai. The First Cathedral has a depth of about 45-60 feet and features a large lava tube that is approximately 100 feet in length (and almost 2 stories high!). It’s been said that when the sun’s rays come through the holes of the ceiling, it illuminates the cave in a way that words cannot describe. Some have likened it to the way stained glass windows affect sunlight coming into a church. The Second Cathedral is similar to The First Cathedral, but is different in that it is much larger than the First, with a larger population of marine life that lives within the cavern. Untouched and untarnished by human technology, these beautiful caverns are products of earth’s evolution and are worth every minute of your time.

Diving is an experience that is, I think, unlike anything else that can be experienced on land. Even if you frequent aquariums and study marine life during your free time, nothing will compare to the experience of seeing these creatures swimming amok in their natural environment. So I hope your next adventure is an underwater one! And until next time, have a good one!

Photo by MatMatson via Flickr.

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