Palea Point

★★★★☆ (113)

Premier east side drift dive with 100ft/30m wall section as well as 40ft/12m reef. Only available with low east winds and a small south swell. Rarely dove. Generally 100ft+/30m+ viz with no nearby runoff.

Green sea turtles, white tip reef sharks, large schools of various kinds of red night time reef fish hiding in the caves. Nearby, large fields of sponge covering expanses of rock.

Dive Activity

Potential Wildlife Sightings

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 19

Alamy-Alex Mustard
Seal

Seal
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
3
N
0
D
0

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

Island Divers

Island Divers

377 Keahole Street suite E101, 96825 Honolulu, HI - United States
Trident Adventures

Trident Adventures

Bldg 6800 D Street, 96863 Oahu, HI - United States

Dive Sites Nearby

Mares, Janez Kranjc
Kahala Barge (★4.2)

Kahala Barge (★4.2)

Kahala Barge is an advanced dive site at 80 - 90 feet deep, with the possibility of strong currents hitting the wreck. Kahala Barge is a very dilapidated wreck. It is not safe to penetrate the wreck due to the condition.
Mares
Split Rock (★4.1)

Split Rock (★4.1)

120-160ft. This is an expert dive site generally suitable for those with Deep training and specialized equipment. Wall from 110ft to 130ft drop to 135ft to 160ft. Drift diving. Site named for a split in a huge boulder found at the point of one fo the ledges.
Aqualung
New Barge (★4.6)

New Barge (★4.6)

New Barge is at the end of a ledge that extends from Baby Barge. Generally deeper with the deck at 90ft/27m and bottom can be over 100ft/30m. There is a nearby artificial reef pile where the top is at 55ft/16m.
Mares, Janez Kranjc
Spitting Cave (★4.4)

Spitting Cave (★4.4)

Spitting Cave is one of Oahu’s more exciting, deeper dives and is accessed via boat only. This dive is for more advanced divers as it starts around 50 feet and drops down to 140 feet with natural caves carved out in the lava rocks. The current is also fairly strong here so it is considered a drift dive.
MARCO M. (#3118868)
Baby Barge (★4.3)

Baby Barge (★4.3)

Baby Barge sits in roughly 65-75 feet of water. There is a possibility of strong currents in the area. The wreck is pretty dilapidated, not much of the wreck is left. South and slightly east of the wreck is a large pile of concrete blocks where sharks commonly hang around. Do not touch the wreck, it is very fragile.
Scubapro
Fish Garden (★4.6)

Fish Garden (★4.6)

Fish Garden is a wall dive in the area between Spitting Cave and Sea Cave. In the area the drop off from the sea cliffs is very steep with slopes starting at 60-90ft. Some large boulder fields.
Mares
YO-257 (Wreck) (★4.6)

YO-257 (Wreck) (★4.6)

This WWII Navy ship is one of Honolulu’s most popular dive sites and sites next to San Pedro wreck. The YO257 sits upright at 95 feet deep, about a mile off Waikiki’s coast. Those qualified to do so can penetrate the wreck through several cut-outs that have been placed throughout the wreck.
MARCO M. (#3118868)
Koko Craters (★4.3)

Koko Craters (★4.3)

A short 10-minute boat ride just outside of Kai Boat Marina sits Oahu’s Koko Crater dive site. Topside views of Koko Head mountain from this side are unforgettable. A great dive spot for beginners.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic
Hanauma Bay (★4.4)

Hanauma Bay (★4.4)

Hanauma Bay is the most popular nature preserve in Oahu and a great place not only to stay the day at the beach but for snorkelers, beginning divers, and experienced divers alike. This bay is teeming with life and no boats are allowed so the waters are calm and protected.
Aqualung
Turtle Canyon (★4.3)

Turtle Canyon (★4.3)

Turtle Canyon reef is one of the most popular dive sites on the island of Oahu due to the sheer number of sea turtles here. This reef is a turtle cleaning station and is fairly shallow, making it also a great snorkel site.
Aqualung
Turtle Canyon (East) (★4.2)

Turtle Canyon (East) (★4.2)

Turtle Canyon is an easy, beginner level dive with a maximum depth of only 40ft, and good visibility being common any time of the year. A mild to strong current can occasionally come through, though usually current is little to none. Moorings are present, making for easy ascents/descents.
Mares, Janez Kranjc
Skimin’s Reef (★4.5)

Skimin’s Reef (★4.5)

A beautiful long ledge that drops from 25-40ft/7-12m to 60-80ft/18-24m and runs at least a half mile long. Arches abound. Named for Pretty Officer 1st class Dave Skimin who died in a USCG training accident off Diamond Head in 2008. Shortly after that event, the site was “discovered“ and named after him.
Joe M. (#2992121)
Sea Tiger (Wreck) (★4.7)

Sea Tiger (Wreck) (★4.7)

The Sea Tiger is one of the most popular wreck dives on Oahu and is the closest wreck to scuba dive from Waikiki Beach, taking only 10 minutes by boat to get there.
Mares
Halona Blowhole (★4.6)

Halona Blowhole (★4.6)

A steep descent from the nearby parking lot. Not suitable with a large east swell. Beach entry can be dangerous. Start diving into the current. Large boulders and slabs, generally good visibility. This can be a challenging dive.
Mares
Ewa Pinnacles Reef (★4.2)

Ewa Pinnacles Reef (★4.2)

Ewa Pinnacles is a beautiful dive spot on the Hawaiian island of Oahu set amongst beautiful lava formations and huge overhangs with lots of coral. This is a great cleaning station so there are lots of reef activities to see.
Mares, Janez Kranjc
Rojo Reef (★4.4)

Rojo Reef (★4.4)

Rojo Reef is one of Oahu’s healthiest reefs located on the south side of the island. This is an easy, pleasant dive as it is deep enough that ocean swell does not affect the bottom and, therefore visibility is good.
Joanie H. (#3091588)
Nautilus Reef (★4.3)

Nautilus Reef (★4.3)

A unique reef made from an ancient lava field, Nautilus Reef is an easy boat dive just offshore from Ala Moana Beach on the island of Oahu. The northwest side, closer to shore, is shallower and then drops off to about 100 feet on the south side.
Mares, Janez Kranjc
Horseshoe Reef - Hawaii (★4.4)

Horseshoe Reef - Hawaii (★4.4)

Horseshoe Reef is one of the most popular dive sites in the Hawaiian islands. Located just off the south coast of Oahu this area usually has a lot of boat traffic and is, therefore, best done as a boat dive.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink
Secrets Reef (★4.4)

Secrets Reef (★4.4)

Secrets Reef is a boat accessible dive site off of Kaka’Ako Waterfront park in Honolulu, Hawaii. This is a fun and easy dive with a max depth of about 50 feet.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink
Cherry Pipe (★4.7)

Cherry Pipe (★4.7)

There are four moorings along this outflow pipe that are no longer in service. This is the 3rd farthest from the shoreline. Many critters along the pipe and in the surrounding reef.
Mares
Kewalo Pipe (★4.3)

Kewalo Pipe (★4.3)

Boat and ocean sports traffic in this area is high so for safety reasons it’s best to do this dive from a boat and not from shore. This old waterline pipe is an iconic dive that looks desolate at first glance but has lots of little critters living in and along it.
Mares
Nashua Navy Tug (Wreck) (★4.5)

Nashua Navy Tug (Wreck) (★4.5)

Purposefully sunk in 2012, this old Navy tugboat sits alone in the sand around 65 feet and is a great artificial reef for many reef species. This tug has also become an active training site for the US Navy.
Mares
Rabbit Island (★4.2)

Rabbit Island (★4.2)

Rabbit Island is actually called Manana island, but it looks like a rabbit, and the actual 25’ to 60’ drop-off is the typical dive in the area is really NE or the smaller of the two islands at the site, nicknamed Goat Island and called Kaohikaipu. There are no moorings, so it is all drift diving.
Scubapro
Manana Island (★5.0)

Manana Island (★5.0)

Manana Island is the one that looks like a rabbit. But a typical tour to “Rabbit“ island actually dives NE of the nearby Kaohikaipu (Goat) island. An actual rabbit island dive is on the steep wall on the east face that drops to 90’. Large rubble field at the bottom (good shelling).