Pacific Islands · United States
Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
Molokini's crater wall and Lānaʻi's skylit lava caverns
Photo: Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Maui and neighbouring Lānaʻi pair a partially submerged volcanic crater with lava-tube caverns and reef-lined shore entries. Molokini's Back Wall drops away on a drift, the Cathedrals offer skylit swim-throughs, and Turtle Town and Mala Wharf put turtles within reach of a beach entry. Humpback whales visit in winter and are sometimes heard singing underwater.
About diving in Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
A diving day on Maui is a boat trip or a shore entry from the beach. Boats run out to Molokini Crater and across to Lānaʻi's southern coast for the Cathedrals, while Turtle Town can be done by boat or by a swim from the sandy beach at Makena Landing. Mala Wharf is a shore dive, entered from a small sandy beach beside the boat ramp or over the boulders of the breakwater.
Molokini is a partially submerged volcanic crater, and around Maui lava tubes form swim-throughs, cathedrals and crevices. At Turtle Town a maze of lava tubes, arches and caverns shelters whitetip reef sharks, moray eels, butterflyfish, Moorish idols and parrotfish, green sea turtles rest in holes in the reef, and crevices hide nudibranchs, octopuses and harlequin shrimp. Schools of thousands of goatfish gather at Mala Wharf, and eagle rays cross the sand.
Maui suits a wide range of divers: beginners and advanced divers alike enjoy the coral gardens at Molokini Crater, Honolua Bay and La Perouse Bay, while experienced divers drift along the back wall of Molokini. Molokini Shoal is a Marine Life Conservation District: fishing, collecting and fish feeding are prohibited, and tour boats use allocated fixed moorings because dropping anchor is not permitted.
Best time to dive Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
| Sea surface | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F |
| Daytime high | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 27°C81°F | 26°C79°F |
| Rain | 68 mm2.7 in | 78 mm3.1 in | 99 mm3.9 in | 72 mm2.8 in | 64 mm2.5 in | 42 mm1.7 in | 45 mm1.8 in | 56 mm2.2 in | 50 mm2.0 in | 62 mm2.4 in | 71 mm2.8 in | 88 mm3.5 in |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F | 27°C81°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 68 mm2.7 in | 78 mm3.1 in | 99 mm3.9 in | 72 mm2.8 in | 64 mm2.5 in | 42 mm1.7 in |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 26°C79°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 27°C81°F | 26°C79°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 45 mm1.8 in | 56 mm2.2 in | 50 mm2.0 in | 62 mm2.4 in | 71 mm2.8 in | 88 mm3.5 in |
2011–2025 averages. Sea surface: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, measured at the surface, so deeper water can run colder. Daytime high and rain: NASA POWER.
Diving runs all year. From April to October the dry season brings calm water and visibility of up to 30 m, and manta ray activity often peaks in summer. From October through April humpback whales are in the water, sometimes breaching at the surface and, for the fortunate, singing underwater. Winter months can bring larger swells on the north coast, while south-facing sites remain accessible.
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Maui water temperature and weather by month
The sea surface stays between 25 and 27 °C (77–81 °F) all year. Rain falls through the year, about 70 mm (2.8 in) a month on average, with March the wettest. Daytime highs sit around 26 °C (79 °F) all year. The coldest water here is about 23 °C (73 °F), so pack a 5 mm suit.
Dive types & marine life
Humpback whales arrive from October through April and are sometimes heard underwater on dives. Manta ray activity often peaks in summer, while turtles, reef sharks and schooling reef fish are present throughout the year.
- Reef
- Wall
- Cave & cavern
- Drift
- Night
- Coral garden
- Whales
- Sea turtles
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
- Reef fish swarms
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Eagle rays
- Dolphins
- Macro critters
Best dive sites in Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
- 1
Molokini Back Wall
Wall dropping to 91 m (300 ft), dived as a drift; buoyancy control is key.
- 2
Molokini Crater
Crescent-shaped crater islet off Maui's southwestern coast; its protected inner bay offers calm conditions.
- 3
Cathedrals I
Lānaʻi cavern lit by skylights, exiting through a lava chute into coral garden.
- 4
Cathedrals II
Huge Lānaʻi cavern with lots of swim-throughs and archways, and schools of blue-striped snapper.
- 5
Turtle Town
Makena Landing site reached by boat or a beach swim; green turtles rest in the reef.
- 6
Mala Wharf
Shallow shore dive on a collapsed concrete wharf; avoid it in rough conditions or heavy boat traffic.
Site guides
Reef
Five to ten green turtles on a dive, in 11 m off the beach
Cave & cavern
A skylit lava cavern with a fallen-rock altar
A protected bay 4 m deep, reached on foot by trail
A reef running for miles, dived from 6 m down to 24 m
A hurricane-flattened pier turned artificial reef
The outer rim's face drops 91 m into open ocean
250 fish species in a bowl the swell cannot reach
Reef
Fingered shallow reefs averaging about 4.6 m, in calm water
How to get to Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
Flights from Honolulu and Los Angeles land at Kahului Airport (OGG). Honolua Bay and La Perouse Bay are reached by car or shuttle, and many operators pick up from resorts in Lahaina, Kihei and Wailea for boat trips to reefs and pinnacles.
Photos from Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi
Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Dive videos
SCUBA DIVING MOLOKINI CRATER MAUI HAWAII - 3 JANUARY 2026 - w/MAUI DIAMOND SEASPORTS - INSTA360 x5 · Go Outside Craig on YouTube
Lanai Cathedrals with Maui Diamond: Scuba Dive in LAVA TUBES! · Amy Renee Adventures on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can beginners dive Maui?+
Yes. Coral gardens such as Molokini Crater suit beginners, while the Molokini Back Wall drops to 91 m (300 ft) and needs good buoyancy control.
Is diving on Maui by boat or from shore?+
Both. Molokini and the Lānaʻi Cathedrals are boat dives, while Mala Wharf is a shore dive and Turtle Town can be reached by a swim from the beach at Makena Landing.
Can boats anchor at Molokini?+
No. Dropping anchor within the Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District is not permitted because of the potential for reef damage, so tour boat operators use allocated fixed mooring points.
Sources
- Diving in Maui — PADI
- Maui Dive Shop — Maui Dive Shop
- Maui average sea temperature — SeaTemperature.org
- The Ultimate Guide to Scuba Diving Maui — Scuba Diving
- Scuba Diving in Maui and Lanai, Hawaii — Scuba Diving
- Molokini — Wikipedia
- Maui — Wikivoyage
- Lanai — Wikivoyage
- First Cathedrals dive site — PADI
- Molokini Back Wall dive site — PADI
- Shorediving Hawaii: Maui’s Mala Wharf is one of Maui’s Best Scuba Dives — California Diver Magazine
- Best Scuba Diving in Maui — Bluewater Dive Travel
Photo credits
- Green sea turtle swimming over a shallow rocky reef off Maui, Hawaii. by Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A green sea turtle glides past a sunlit rocky reef off Maui, Hawaii. by Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green sea turtle cruising close above a coral-encrusted reef near Maui. by Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A green sea turtle rests near the reef edge in clear water off Maui. by Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Close view of a green sea turtle's patterned shell over the reef near Maui. by Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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