Maui, Molokini & Lānaʻi · United States · Reef
Wailea
Fingered shallow reefs averaging about 4.6 m, in calm water
Area photo: Henrik Kibak · CC BY 4.0
Wailea is a shore dive on Maui's south coast, run out over a set of fingered shallow reefs that average about 4.6 m. Divers who keep swimming reach an outer reef at 12 m and beyond. The water here is usually calm, which is why the site is used for intro dives as well as easy shore dives.
Where it is and how deep
20.6834° N, 156.4441° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
This is a shore entry, and the dive is built around the fingers of reef that run out from the beach. Depths over them average about 4.6 m, so most of the dive sits in water shallow enough that gas planning is barely a factor and the reef stays well lit. The site is used for intro dives because the water is usually calm, and a beginner can follow one finger out and come back along the next without ever leaving the shallows.
Divers with more in reserve carry on past the inner reefs to the outer reef, where the profile drops to about 12 m and beyond. That stretch is the deepest part of the dive and the part that sets your turn point, because the way back is the same swim in reverse. Coming home over the shallow fingers keeps the last part of the dive within a few metres of the surface, which is an easy way to end a long shore swim.
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 the Wailea dive site?+
The fingered inner reefs average around 4.6 m. If you swim out to the outer reef the bottom drops to about 12 m and beyond, so the depth you dive is largely a matter of how far you swim.
Is Wailea suitable for beginners?+
Yes. The water is usually calm and the inner reefs are shallow, and the site is used for intro dives as well as by certified divers doing an easy shore dive.
Sources
- Wailea dive site — Scubago
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