Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

ABOUT US

WAIKIKI DIVE CENTER, SINCE 1979

Aloha,

Welcome to Waikiki Dive Center, the best and the most experienced local scuba dive shop on Oahu.  Waikiki Dive Center has been providing outstanding scuba diving academics and complete diving services in Hawaii since 1979.

Waikiki Dive Center is the only dive shop located in the heart of Waikiki, walking distance from most of the hotels between 2-15 minutes.  This is the first PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center (IDC) on the Oahu island, pride for the top-notch instructor team in accomplishing over 4 million safe dives in addition to over 35,000 trained certification divers from all of the world.

Waikiki Dive Center can accommodate all your diving needs, whether you are a first timer (NonCertified beginner) or an experienced diver.  Waikiki Dive Center is ScubaPro (et al) authorized repair center on the island for gear maintenance,  equipment repair, gear retail (including special orders), classes, snorkel rentals, air fills, VIP or Hydro – Waikiki Dive Center can do it all.

All diving tours include free personalized premium professional diving gear, with prescription dive masks available as well.

Best of all, Waikiki Dive Center’s Course Director, Instructors and Dive Masters are passionate, caring and never cut corners in teaching scuba diving safely and correctly.  As the only most culturally diversified dive shop on the island, Waikiki Dive Center is fully capable to train divers PADI certification courses and guide diving tours in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and etc.  How much easier and relaxing when you can learn scuba diving in your native language!

How to choose the best dive center for you?

  • PADI.com – Search and Filter for 5-Star Dive Center Near You.  Choose the IDC (Instructor Development Center) rating dive centers that are the most safe, reliable and reputable for your diving needs.  Waikiki Dive Center is the first over 44 year PADI 5-STAR IDC on Oahu, leading the diving expertise and the newest diving gear in Hawaii.
  • 424 Nahua Street – Waikiki Dive Center is the only dive shop, of which the store front is actually located in the center of the Waikiki District, 90% of the Oahu hotels are located.  Consider what you see on website and if there is a physical store where you can walk in and see how the dive shop operates.
  • Never compromising safety – Waikiki Dive Center operates in a small diver to instructor ratio at the highest standard safety protocols to ensure safety, attentiveness and experience.
  • Never pick-me-up-boat garage maintained gear – Waikiki Dive Center is an Authorized and Certified Technical Representative by OEMs, such as ScubaPro, CRESSI, TUSA, GARMIN etc.  All gear is routinely maintained and tested to ensure safety in our gear shop by certified technicians.  Importantly, dive gear can be fatal and extremely harmful to human health if it is not maintained by certified technicians using proper tools at a fully equipped dive shop.
  • Never randomly boat hopping – Waikiki Dive Center operates on their very own US Coast Guard inspected and certified commercial grade dive vessels.  To enhance safety, Waikiki Dive Center is one of the very few dive operators on the island who proactively works closely with the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct routine check on the vessels.  Waikiki Dive Center dive vessels are also certified 100% drug free vessels by the Maritime Consortium and USCG.
  • Never non-licensed dive instructor or dive masters – Check to ensure your dive leads are fully insured, current and certified to teach and guide.  Ask for their Diver Number Waikiki Dive Center instructors and dive masters are all PADI certified, current, licensed and highly experienced dive professionals with over 50,000 dives cumulatively.  Try find another dive shop on the island to top that!
  • Never just about getting wet – Waikiki Dive Center dive leaders are professional, passionate and caring to each and every diver.  The dive team is patient, friendly and fun to go diving with.  Again, the team is so diversified culturally and linguistically.  Instructors and Dive Masters are available in Korean speaking, Japanese speaking, Spanish speaking, Portuguese speaking, and Chinese speaking.
  • Never hidden fees – Waikiki Dive Center includes all state of art premium diving gear and two tanks for each 4 hour diving trips.  Snap a selfie for your instagram or facebook, and see how amazingly cool on you!

At Waikiki Dive Center, your fondest experience is our commitment.  Our passionate and highly experienced PADI instructors are there to guide you every step away in making your diving adventure safe and, extremely fun!

Waikiki Dive Center carries an unique mission to attract divers to come together, and

  • Inspire
  • Discover
  • Empower
  • Advance

Furthermore, Waikiki Dive Center is specialized in small groups for personalized attention and safety. On a typical day, the divers will be diving with no more than 4-6 divers per Instructor or Dive Master on all of our boat charters. Unlike other dive businesses, Waikiki Dive Center keeps the ratio tight to deliver the best attention and ultimately the most memorable scuba diving experience.   All of our boat dives are a two-tank dive with all gear included.

Waikiki Dive Center operates their own custom USCG (United States Coast Guard) Certified dive vessels, outfitted with full safety equipment, including oxygen and an emergency radio beacon.  Let the most  experienced captains and crew on Oahu to introduce the best diving spots that will make your diving experience truly remarkable.

We invite you to dive with us.  We keep diving affordable so that we can help more ocean lovers to enjoy diving  under the eye-peeling cobble blue water.

Thank you for letting us do what we do best.  With 70% of the earth is covered by ocean, don’t spend all your vacation in the car.  Let us help you discover the magnificent underwater world,  learn to dive, and feel happiness!

Your Ohana from the Waikiki Dive Center Family.

graphical user interface, text

OUR DIVE BOATS

SNOOPY V
  • 1998
  • 39′ Custom Hawaiian Force Sportfish Express
  • United States Coast Guard Certified Vessel
  • 25 Passenger Capacity (Limit 10 per fishing charter)
  • Twin Cummins Diesel Engines

Snoopy V is just a few short minutes from Waikiki, docked at Kewalo Basin Harbor, home to the best wreck dives on Oahu: Sea Tiger, YO-257, and San Pedro. There are also numerous reef dives available to divers of all experience levels that offer lots to see, like many varieties of reef fish, nudibranchs, eels and of course the Hawaiian green sea turtle!

SUBMARINER
  • 1999
  • 25′ Force
  • United States Coast Guard Certified Vessel
  • 13 Passenger Capacity
  • Yanmar Diesel Engine

The Submariner is located on the Southeast side of the island in Maunalua Bay, near Hanauma Bay. This area provides excellent dives for those from all experience levels who want to check out octopus and Hawaiian green sea turtles. Our most famous dive in Maunalua Bay is our only natural wreck dive, the Corsair.