Shark and Turtle Dive: Explore Underwater Wildlife in a Vibrant Reef for Certified Divers
4.9
130 Ratings
Lahaina
Dive into the vibrant underwater world of a condemned pier turned reef. Encounter schools of fish, camouflaged frogfish, and graceful turtles, with a pregnant reef shark as a highlight.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 1223 Front St - Dive with Maui’s resident turtle population (honu), encounter white tip reef sharks, and more on our favorite shore dive at Mala Wharf.

Since being destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992, Mala Wharf has become the best dive site on Maui. A quick walk from our shop, Mala is home to so much life that if you only have time for one dive while you’re on island, this should be it. In addition to turtles and sharks, the sunken pier is home to large schools of fish, octopus, eels, nudibranchs, and the elusive but popular frogfish!
The Dive Maui team loves diving and all of our dives have the potential to be one hour long, air permitting. Unless otherwise requested, all our shore dives are conducted on 80’s (standard size tanks) which means you can expect close to an hour underwater.

All our shore dives are private or in small groups of no more than 4 divers so you’ll get the most out of your experience. Smaller groups, make it easier for your PADI professional to give you individualized attention and point out the cool stuff.

What's Included
  • SCUBA equipment provided
Additional Information

You plunge into the water and, following a brief swim on the surface, you dive towards an abandoned pier that has become a lively reef. Various schools of fish inhabit the wreckage, now adorned with vibrant corals and sponges.

Amidst the orderly disarray of swimming turtles, you play hide-and-seek with stealthy frogfish, casting your gaze in all directions. You trail your guide as they navigate you through the labyrinth of the sunken structure, maneuvering below and within the ancient dock where a gestating reef shark lies underneath a slab of concrete, temporarily halting you with its charm. On your return journey, you’re captivated by the tranquil ballet of numerous turtles elegantly gliding through the transparent waters.

  • This is an activity for certified divers only. You must be able to carry your own SCUBA gear in and out of the water.
  • Need to have dived in the previous 2 years to participate
Location
1223 Front St
Front Street
We meet at our shop which is located in Lahaina close to Baby Beach. There is parking for guests in our front lot and free overflow parking on Front Street. All shore divers must have their own transportation as we may have to drive to an alternate site if the conditions at Mala are not favorable.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(130 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Mattne2970ph
Dec 30, 2023
Great Experience as Always - Second time diving with Dive Maui, always a great experience. Staff and Instructors are friendly, fun and accommodating. Joe saved my dive when my personal equipment went down, and really went above and beyond to make sure I was taken care of. If you're headed to Maui I highly recommend diving with them. Help keep a small business open and bring some work to Lahaina locals! Matt
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jersey0626a
Aug 24, 2023
Amazing - We came to Maui in May and I have been meaning to write a review every since. Lovely dive operation. We had all of the dive masters over the course of a few days and I HIGHLY recommend them ALL. We didnt really get to see the hammerheads but thats clearly not at fault of the shop. Sometimes mother nature has other plans. But felt incredibly safe and in good hands. Lovely lunch as a bonus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lukeha7559vu
Aug 11, 2023
Wonderful Dive shop - Awesome company incredible dive! Our dive master was Maya and she was excellent. Spotted about 50 turtles, 5 white tip reef sharks, cone snail, scorpion fish, a harlequin shrimp to name a few. Support this small dedicated and super fun group of great people. Send your positive energy for the safety of the people in Lahaina as they cope with the tragedy of the fire.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jel4754
Aug 5, 2023
Tool box full of hammers - Amazing experience. Two tank hammerhead dive. Brooke was our guide. Very experienced and confident and made our day great. Very personable and smart. She brought the hammers big time. She led us to a toolbox full of about 50 or so.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z4387xrjessicab
Jul 30, 2023
Incredible Dive - Many Turtles and Awesome Guide (Maiah!) - Maiah is an AMAZING guide! This was my first recreational dive (not training) and everything about it was incredible. Dive Maui was prepared and professional. I would 10/10 recommend diving with them! Maiah in particular was incredibly kind, calm, and knowledgeable. Request her if you can, she’s pretty as much as cool as the sea turtles you’ll see!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G837dasteves
Jul 25, 2023
So many turtles!! - Annika was great!!! We saw more than 30 turtles and both pregnant and baby white tip sharks. The dive was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dream59155516349
Jul 23, 2023
1 tank shore dive with Maiah - Maiah was fantastic, she did an amazing job and was very friendly while being informative on what exactly we were seeing
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Finando12
Jul 22, 2023
Lahaina Pier Dive with Dive Maui - Frannie was great! She was a knowledgeable and skilled dive master who focused on safety while ensuring everyone on the dive had a great time. The small group included inexperienced certified divers (10 years old) and more experienced divers. Frannie found a balance for all skill levels! The dive shop looks underwhelming from the outside….but WOW! It has the best location in Lahaina for a dive shop. We walked in the front door, put on gear and walked a short way into the water. We saw over 50 sea turtles at two cleaning stations and about 8 white tip sharks of varying sizes. Schools of fish are plentiful too. Visibility was surprisingly good because we were diving a day after a major storm. This was a memorable, fun and safe dive. I highly recommend Dive Maui for divers capable of carrying their gear 50 to 75 yards.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffrey
Jul 15, 2023
Amazing dive for everyone, especially fish nerds! - What an amazing dive! One of the best dives I have been on in any location. The amount of sea life that you are surrounded by is amazing if you are a fish nerd (Brooke) or just a regular diver. Brooke was an amazing guide and made it a fun day. I heard Maiah is also good but I would stick with Brooke 😜! Highly recommend for any skill level.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J1469sspaulc
Jul 14, 2023
So many turtles - If you’re having a hard time deciding which diving Conpany to go with you won’t go wrong with these guys. We just finished the Shark and turtle dive with Brooke, it was a dive of a lifetime. There was so much to see and brooke was amazing in showing us all the wildlife and helping us identify everything. Absolutely would go back. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 4 guests
1
Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today