Private Dive Charters
Overview
We can customize the trip to be truly yours—your trip, your way!
Our crew will make sure you get the most out of your underwater adventure. Divers regularly see endangered Hawaiian monk seals, humpback whales, and some phenomenal coral formations. We will show you the best of Oahu’s underwater wildlife!
There is a greater option to decide where your group would like to dive as long as conditions are good and approved by the captain!
Tours depart from Kewalo Basin Harbor or Maunalua Bay, depending on which one you book. We provide transportation to and from the harbor. We rotate between a selection of reef dive sites, including:
Turtle Canyons
Turtle Canyons is THE turtle spot of Waikiki. You can quite frequently see 10 to 20 turtles on a single dive in this location! The maximum depth of Turtle Canyons is 35 feet. Here, there are a series of reef fingers that are home to an incredible array of marine life. This vibrant underwater community makes it a great location for everyone, including snorkelers. Since this is a pretty calm site, Turtle Canyons is a great dive site for beginners. On a clear day, though, even the most experienced divers will come up amazed. Because the site has such a large span, we cannot cover the entire dive site in two dives.
Koko Craters
Koko Craters is a site formed when Koko Head erupted and created a series of underwater craters. It is also a great place for novice divers! Its sandy bottom reaches a maximum depth of 40 feet. Koko Craters is also a cleaning station for Hawaiian green sea turtles. Some even say it’s the turtle capital of the world! Captain Chris claims this shallow reef as one of his favorite dive sites because all different kinds of marine species visit, including humpback whales and the endangered Hawaiian monk seals. There’s also a healthy population of soldierfish and large friendly puffers in the area too.
Angler’s Reef
Angler’s Reef is an underwater heaven for octopuses and spotted eagle rays. Frogfish are often found here too. The dive site has a maximum depth of 40 feet and is balanced on a straight ledge that runs as far out as a tank lasts.
Hawaii Loa Ridge
When conditions are good, Hawaii Loa Ridge is a great dive site. However, it is also subject to low visibility quite often. Made up of a series of large craters slightly bigger than those at Koko Craters, Hawaii Loa Ridge is home to tons of fish and the occasional white tip reef shark. Great for novice and experienced divers alike, this site offers an awesome experience.
Portlock Reef
Novice to intermediate divers will enjoy this extremely unique dive site with depth ranges from 35 to 50 feet. Featuring an underwater wall, Portlock Reef houses lots of hard corals, moray eels, goatfish, and octopuses. During humpback whale season, you can even hear these majestic animals singing!
Spitting Caves
This dive site is great for intermediate and advanced divers with a depth of 45 to 55 feet. The Spitting Caves site is an unusual wall filled with corals and several different types of vibrant butterflyfish.
Corsair
When it comes to wrecks, this is a Hawaii must-see. The Corsair was a plane on a training exercise from Pearl Harbor in 1948 when the needle on its fuel gauge began to drop. Thinking the gauge was defective — which was a common problem with planes at the time — the pilot continued his flight. Soon, though, the engine began sputtering. The pilot executed a perfect water landing and survived the crash. Today, the plane is still in great condition at its new home 107 feet under the water. When you explore this wreck, take a look at the plane’s propeller that was initially bent on impact. Captain Chris LOVES this wreck dive! There’s also the chance to see monk seals, large sharks, and humpback whales scratching themselves on the mooring ball. Tons of garden eels live nearby too!
Pawa’a
With a maximum depth of 40 feet, Pawa’a is one large crater with a ledge that heads toward Koko Craters. Both sites are similar in many ways. Pawa’a has a large amount of fish and sea turtles in a relatively small area. This is an ideal beginner spot because it is not a far boat ride from Waikiki Dive Center.
Fantasea Reef
Captain Chris and Captain Dan say that Fantasea Reef is their favorite dive on the island. They have been spearfishing in this spot since they were both 18. Here, you will dive at a maximum depth of about 60 feet. Fantasea Reef has incredible coral formations with some of the largest fish in Oahu. Underwater conditions are typically pristine, but the water can be choppy, so we typically recommend this site to more experienced divers. The Submariner only makes its way here when the stars align and the wind is down.
Baby Barge
This site is home to a sunken barge whose underwater remains were intended to become a new home for coral and fish. The barge lies on a shelf 85-feet below the surface, which includes an abundance of marine life. White tip reef sharks call Baby Barge home. During whale season, you can even hear the beautiful song of humpback whales echo throughout the space.
LCU (Landing Craft Utility)
The LCU is an upside-down barge, which creates an extremely unique dive site. The orientation of the vessel actually causes the fish to swim upside-down too! This wreck was also purposely sunk to encourage growth in local marine life. Underneath the wreck lies a large open area that has amazing natural lighting and resident reef sharks.
The Sea Tiger
The Sea Tiger is a shipwreck dive site with an interesting backstory all its own. Contrary to what most people would think, the Sea Tiger did not sink because it had pirate treasure, hit a bad storm, or was attacked by kamikaze fighters. Instead, this vessel was intentionally wrecked in 1999. In 1992, 93 undocumented immigrants were found aboard this 168-foot ship, which — at the time — was known as the Yun Fong Seong No. 303. All five crew members were arrested, and the boat was seized. Sold to a local fisherman in 1994, the vessel was renamed the Sea Tiger. After the fisherman continued to receive fines from the Coast Guard, he abandoned the boat in Honolulu Harbor. Voyager Submarines bought the Sea Tiger for $1.00 and subsequently sank it.
Located about a quarter-mile south of Kewalo Basin, the Sea Tiger has a max depth of 130 feet, but dives are usually limited to about 100 or 125 feet. Visibility is between 35 to 200 feet. This dive site is Waikiki Dive Center’s deepest recreational wreck on Oahu. However, the wreck itself is very close to shore with relatively calm water surrounding it, which makes this dive a great option year-round.
Today, the Sea Tiger has a community of new homeowners, including a ‘Captain Giant Sea Turtle’ who often can be seen lounging on the deck. Spotted eagle rays regularly frequent the wreck, and at night, lone reef sharks come out to play.
YO-257
With a depth of about 100 feet, the YO-257 wreck is a particular favorite of the Waikiki Dive Center crew. Commissioned in 1944, this ship was used to fuel other Navy vessels at sea during World War II and the Korean War. Measuring 174 feet long, YO-257 carried 250,000 gallons of fuel along with a large gun on its stern. At some point in the 1950s, the ship was decommissioned and mothballed in Guam. In 1989, Atlantis Submarines intentionally sank the ship in hopes of creating a new habitat for marine life. When currents and conditions allow, you can actually swim the 40 yards from this shipwreck site to the San Pedro. With two fantastic wrecks in one dive, you’ll have plenty to explore!
The San Pedro
The San Pedro is a 111-foot-long vessel built in Japan and operated by a Korean fishing company. In 1975, the ship was carrying bait, food, and other cargo to a fishing fleet when it caught fire off the coast of South Point. Badly damaged, the ship was towed to Keehi Lagoon, where it remained anchored for nearly two decades before Atlantis Submarines purchased and sank the craft in 1996. This dive site offers the best chance for seeing white-tip reef sharks up close.
Nautilus Reef
Located right outside Kewalo Basin Harbor, Nautilus Reef has a maximum depth of 40 feet. Great for beginners and experienced divers alike, the reef is home to several octopuses and large eels. This site is also one of the only places where large schools of Mu fish can be seen.
Kewalo Pipe and Horseshoe Reef
Kewalo Pipe is a very large dive site. Depending on where we moor up, dive depths can be anywhere from 30 to 60 feet. This site is notable for the old storm drain that travels from shore to a massive coral bed located in 60 feet of water. At the end of the pipe, large schools of barracuda often hang out alongside their pals, moray eels. On the east side of the pipe is Horseshoe Reef, which is absolutely abundant with life. The west side of the site is home to Bob’s Bunker.
Kewalo Pipe and Horseshoe Reef
Kewalo Pipe is a very large dive site. Depending on where we moor up, dive depths can be anywhere from 30 to 60 feet. This site is notable for the old storm drain that travels from shore to a massive coral bed located in 60 feet of water. At the end of the pipe, large schools of barracuda often hang out alongside their pals, moray eels. On the east side of the pipe is Horseshoe Reef, which is absolutely abundant with life. The west side of the site is home to Bob’s Bunker.
Important Payment & Check-In Policy
To ensure compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations and our insurance policy, all guests must present a government-issued ID along with the credit card used for online or phone purchases at check-in. The name on the credit card must match the booking name. If proof of ownership cannot be provided, guests will be required to make a new payment in full at our shop, with the original payment refunded.
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What to bring
Waikiki Dive Center provides all diving gear and equipment, but feel free to bring your own wetsuit if you don’t want to use one of ours.
Also, make sure to ask about our GoPro9 rental at the dive shop!
Reviews
Private Dive Charters
$749
