Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi · United States · Reef
Kahekili Beach Park
A reef running for miles, dived from 6 m down to 24 m
Area photo: Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
A shore dive off Kahekili Beach Park where a coral reef stretches out for miles, with coral islands sitting farther offshore. Depths run from about 6 m to 24 m, so the profile is yours to choose: stay shallow along the reef or swim out and drop deeper. It is dived year round and suits all levels.
Also known as Old Airport Beach, Airport Beach.
Where it is and how deep
20.9383° N, 156.6936° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Kahekili is an easy shore dive and a popular one with divers of every level, largely because you decide the shape of it on the way out. A massive coral reef stretches out for miles from the beach, and the depth range on offer runs from about 6 m to 24 m. Stay inshore and you have a long, shallow reef swim with plenty of gas in hand; head out and the same dive becomes a deeper one.
Farther offshore the reef gives way to coral islands, and reaching them is the part worth planning: it is all done under your own power from the beach, so the distance out has to be set against your turn pressure. The bottom of the stated range is about 24 m, which is the other thing to settle before you get in, because a 24 m dive and a 6 m one are different dives on the same reef. The site is dived year round, so the choice on any given day comes down to conditions rather than to a season.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi: Humpbacks are in the channel Dec–Apr; summer brings the calmest crossings and best visibility at Molokini's Back Wall.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Kahekili Beach Park?+
Depths range from about 6 m to 24 m. It is described as a highly customizable dive, so how deep you go is a matter of how far out you swim and what your qualification allows.
When is the best time to dive Kahekili Beach Park?+
It is listed as a year-round dive site, so the decision on any given day comes down to conditions rather than to a season.
Sources
- Kahekili Beach Park dive site — Scubago
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