If you are going to Hawaii on vacation, do yourself a favor and plan to snorkel or scuba dive in some of the best waters on earth. I wanted to provide you with some tips to help you decide how to choose the best snorkeling or diving excursion. So I went to a source that I trust, which is Trilogy out of Maui. Mike Jones, the Head Dive Master, was kind enough to conduct a Q&A with me.
Go Visit Hawaii: What makes the Hawaiian Islands a great destination for diving and snorkeling? Are there any special fish or sea creatures that are unique to Hawaii?
Mike: Hawaii has the second cleanest ocean water in the world, so we constantly experience crystal clear blue water on dives. We are a volcanic island chain so we have dramatic drop offs and underwater lava formations. Hawaii is the most isolated location on Earth so our marine organisms have evolved in isolation, 25% of our fish live no where else but Hawaii. We are blessed with a moderate water temperature range between 72F – 79F degrees, we are able to dive and snorkel all year without wetsuits.
Go Visit Hawaii: What are the top 3 to 5 dive and snorkel spots on or around the Hawaiian Islands?
Mike: The most famous by far is Molokini Crater, off the Southern coast of Maui. It is the most popular snorkel and dive location in the Pacific Ocean. The 2nd most popular would be the Cathedrals off the south shore of Lanai. Also the manta ray night dive at Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii is very popular.
Go Visit Hawaii: Do you have to know how to swim well in order to snorkel?
Mike: You don’t have to be a good swimmer, but you need to be very comfortable in the water.
Go Visit Hawaii: What are the advantages of taking an organized excursion versus snorkeling on your own?
Mike: When snorkeling on your own there are no directions, no safety orientation, no lifeguards, no naturalist information, and no site orientation.
Go Visit Hawaii: What sort of questions, specifications, qualifications, and safety questions should you ask or look for when choosing a snorkeling/scuba tour?
Mike: Does the company provide:
In water lifeguards? Flotation devices provided? On board naturalist? Environmentally aware? How old is snorkel/scuba equipment? Ratio of snorkelers/divers to guides?
Go Visit Hawaii: What do you tell people who are afraid to snorkel or dive because of sharks?
Mike: People are more likely to be killed by a bee or struck by lighting than to be bitten by a shark.
Go Visit Hawaii: What kind of camera should someone bring on a snorkel trip and/or dive excursion? (FYI – we’re rarely had any good photos results from those disposable underwater cameras.)
Mike: The disposable cameras are cheap and readily available at any store. If someone wishes to get a quality underwater camera they can purchase one before vacation online or at a camera store. With the digital revolution camera makers are now making underwater housing for most digital cameras now. If you have digital cameras check online to see if someone makes a underwater housing for your existing camera.
Mahalo to Trilogy for participating as the expert advisors for this Q&A!
Sheila Beal
6 comments
The Molokini Crater is a must do! If you like to snorkel you can do so in the protected waters of the crater. If you’re a fan of diving, the outside of the crater has some fantastic diving.
We were lucky to snorkel Molokini on a very calm day, so they let us snorkel just outside the crater. You actually get to snorkel right where the ocean floor drops from just a few dozen feet below, to hundreds of feet. It’s a phenomenal experience.
Trilogy also gets my vote – they really do take good care of you and you don’t feel like you’re on a cattle car.
Hi Sheila,
We must be on the same wavelength again! My post for today was about how to get a free Hawaiian Reef Fish ID Chart. I also linked to your post saying it answers many of the questions people may have about snorkeling in Hawaii. Mahalo for a great Q and A! Hawaii Vacation Gifts – Free Fish Chart.
great interview sheila! i will make our readers at ‘best hawaii vacations’ aware of this great information. i am happy to hear that mike mentions kona nightdive with manta rays. kohala coast visitors can actually see those graceful swimmers doing their backflips while ‘dining’ on plankton each nighttime from a lookout at mauna kea beach hotel. don’t forget our snorkel paradise on the big island at Kealakekua Bay near Captain Cook Monument. aloha, pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
I’m happy to read that Trilogy is a favrite of many, since are planning on booking with them! 🙂
Lissete – We have never been disappointed with Trilogy. I hope you enjoy your experience with them, too. We’ve done the Molokini tour twice. I’d really like to do their Lanai tour sometime. Which tour are you planning?
I went diving with Oahudiving.Com last week. I truly enjoyed turtles which made me feel as if I was one of them. Service was excellent, a perfect 10. Jeff our instructor picked us up at the Hilton, then took us on 2 very nice well populated with turtle dives. My wife and I will definitely get certified next month in preparation for our December trip back to Oahu. Oahudiving is a small company, Erik and Jeff are amazing instructors. Thank you Oahudiving.Com !