Top 10 Dives on Oahu

Okay, we’ll be honest: we are SPOILED here in Oahu! We have world class wrecks just minutes from the harbor, and reef networks that span over 25 acres! So it’s very hard to narrow this down to just ten, but we’re giving you the favorites from our staff. Does this make you crave a  dive? Check out our Daily Dive Trips!

1. Sea Tiger

Only 10 minutes by boat from the marina, the Sea Tiger is a world-class shipwreck and the local favorite. It’s in great shape, with some fun swim-throughs for adventurous divers. There is a huge variety of fish, turtles, eels, octopuses, and sometimes even rays and other pelagic critters. The shipwreck is a hunting ground for dolphins, jacks, and whitetip sharks because of the complete ecosystem here. Keep an eye out for our infamous blue dragon nudibranch, too!

2. Rojo Reef

Part of the vast Horseshoe Reef System, Rojo Reef is a deeper coral garden. It isn’t often visited by divers, so it offers acres of untouched beauty. It is a wonderful area for scrawled filefish, cornetfish, eels, shrimp, crabs, and other small creatures.

3. Horseshoe Reef

Horseshoe Reef is the most visited reef off the south shore of Oahu. It still offers an expanse of healthy corals. These corals provide homes to octopuses, eels, and an incredible variety of fishes and invertebrates. Look between the corals and you may be lucky enough to spot imperial nudibranchs or even the elusive dragon moray.

4. Nautilus Reef

This reef sits due east of the Horseshoe Reef system. It consists of a couple of long ‘fingers’ of coral. Nautilus tends to be more populated with large schools of fish than some of the other reefs. This area is popular for the baby whitetip sharks that nap under the ledges.

5. YO-257/San Pedro

This destination is a favorite because you can explore two incredible wrecks on one dive. The remote location is a great place to see spotted eagle rays, turtles, sharks, dolphins, and many larger creatures passing by on their way into Oahu. You may also see the Atlantis submarine cruising around to show the wrecks to their not-so-adventurous clients. Remember to wave hi!

6. Secret Reef

This reef sits on the eastern edge of the Horseshoe Reef System and is a special treat, well-worth the swim over. You usually see giant Hawaiian green sea turtles napping in the sand under the ledges. Sometimes they are in the company of the odd whitetip reef shark or monk seal.

7. Mahi

The Mahi is a piece of history and one of the oldest artificial reefs in Hawaii. Located off the west side of Oahu, this ship was in the Pacific during WW2. It is now home to hundreds of fish, eels, rays, turtles, and is often visited by pelagic animals in search of a meal.

8. Shark’s Cove

The name of this place is a bit misleading as sharks aren’t very common here. Located off Oahu’s north shore, this site is only diveable for a few months in the summer when the swells are down and the water goes flat. It is a shallow shore dive full of giant caverns, monolithic structures, and easy swim-throughs. The volcanic seascapes combined with the fact that you can only dive it in the summer, make this place a rare treat.

9. Corsair

This wreck is the result of a crash-landing off the east side of Oahu in 1945 and has been a popular dive destination for decades. Not much remains of the plane, as it shifted over time. It is still home to octopuses, pelagic fishes, and a large number of garden eels, poking out of the sands around the Corsair.

10. Turtle Canyon

Turtle Canyon is an underwater canyon with a lot of turtles. This is a shallow site, making it popular for divers and snorkelers alike. Hordes of turtles swim in to have their shells and bodies picked clean of parasites by reef fish. These are the famous “cleaning stations,” and the turtles often follow up with a nap in the sand. This is also a great location for schools of black triggerfish, parrotfish, and the occasional shark.