The Waikiki Aquarium is one of the world’s most prestigious marine science institutions as well as one of the state’s most visited tourist attractions. Founded in 1904, the aquarium is the third largest public aquarium in the United States and is part of the University of Hawaii system. A good portion of proceeds from the exhibit side of Waikiki Aquarium goes towards funding the scientific and research portion of the organization. Additionally, the aquarium’s location among some of the best Hawaii Waikiki real estate has placed it in a convenient location to attract some of the best researchers and large groups of visitors. Its location along the shore helps to bring in real sea water to create an authentic environment for the animals that live in the aquarium.

Today, the aquarium hosts more than 3,000 organisms of over 450 species – both marine animals and plants. On a daily basis, almost 1,000 pass through the entrance doors. One of the most treasured parts of the facility is the display of living corals that was begun in the 1970s. Living corals are more complex to sustain in aquariums than actual marine fish, so nurturing the complex coral was a great accomplishment for the aquarium. The Waikiki Aquarium was the first in the world to maintain a chambered nautilus and is the first to breed the species.

Although the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island, is most well known for its active volcanoes, the Big Island is also home to many excellent diving sites, especially on the Kohala Coast, which is the oldest part of the island. However, because the island is still relatively young, divers can find unique underwater volcanic features that make any dive on the island special. In addition to finding a wide variety of marine life, divers can explore volcanic mounds, lave tubes, and many other volcanic attractions.

One popular dive site located on the North Kohala coast is Crystal Cove. Divers can explore the unique black sand and a utopia of marine life including beautiful coral reefs. Spinner dolphins and manta rays can also be found every once and a while. Another dive site worth exploring is the Lava Dome, which is a 30 foot high volcanic dome covered in plate and knob coral. Many schools of fish like to congregate in the area, as well as blue dragon nudibranchs. In South Kohala you might want to check out an area known as the Puako cleaning station, which is known for being the site of numerous turtles being cleaned by the yellow tangs, damsels, and wrasses picking parasites of the turtles. Other dive sites you should explore include Turtle Mound, Puako Point, Ulua Cave, Horseshoe Reef, and Black Point.

If you wish to find what dive experiences lie beyond Oahu, another great island to explore is Kauai. Kauai is home to some of Hawaii’s best diving and snorkeling sites, all of which will satisfy beginner and experienced divers alike. Many of Kauai’s popular beaches are surrounded by reefs filled with beautiful marine life, and many protected lagoons and bays around the island also provide for excellent diving. Many of the dive sites on Kauai are ideal for beginning divers, those who can’t swim as well, or those who only wish to explore shallow waters.

Poipu Beach is one of the best beaches for inexperienced divers because of its shallow waters and clear waters. Another diving site for perhaps both skilled and unskilled divers is Tunnels Beach, where there is shallow reef filled with deep, cavernous ravines and a maze of underwater passages. Ke’e Beach near the beautiful Napali Coast is another popular dive site, where numerous marine animals including green sea turtles can be found. If you can travel a little farther, diving sites near the island of Ni’ihau offer incredible views of blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, a wide variety of tropical fish, and octopus. Kauai dive sites are often more accessible during the summer months because ocean swells and strong winds tend to pick up during the winter season, making diving conditions a little more dangerous.

If you don’t want to limit your dive experience only to the island of Oahu, another great island to find excellent dive sites is Maui. Of all the Hawaiian Islands, Maui is perhaps one of the most popular vacation destinations because of its lush greenery and wide variety of outdoor activities, especially diving. With pristine waters filled with rich, marine wildlife, divers of all skill levels can have a great diving experience on the island of Maui.

Located three miles off the southeastern coast of Maui is Molokini, which appears as a half moon crater from the surface of the water. This popular dive site is a marine sanctuary for both land and sea animals. Towards the beginning of Molokini is an area known as Reef’s End, where the seabed slopes rapidly from ten feet down to about 350 feet. This area is home to a wide variety of marine life including white tip reef sharks, eels, Grey sharks, lobsters, and a many different types of plant life. In the center of the Molokini crater is an area known as the Mid Reef, which ranges from shallow 20 feet of water to 80 feet. Divers can find a variety of plant and animal life, including garden eels and the rare Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Another popular dive site is the Back Wall. Although it is recommended more for experienced divers since the drop goes from 200 feet to 400 feet, there dive site contains much open water for animals such as whales, dolphins, and sharks to roam. Some other popular dive sites to explore include Pu’uola’i, St. Anthony Wreck, and the Lana’i Cathedrals.

Although people often come to Oahu to enjoy its excellent, dining, shopping, and entertainment attractions, as well as the island’s beautiful beaches, many don’t realize how great the island is for diving. Along with the rest of the Hawaiian Islands, there are many beautiful and interesting dive sites that are appropriate for divers of all skill levels. There are also many dive tours and dive instructors that will take you around the island in groups to explore many of the island’s amazing dive sites.

One of the popular dive sites on Oahu is the Corsair Wreck and China Wall Drift. This 110 foot dive is home to an old World War II plane engine, as well as a sea of garden eels. Also nearby is an area known as the “Spitting Caves,” where divers can find numerous caves and crevices to explore. Another popular site is the Baby Barge and Fantasy Reef, which is an extremely popular destination to find white tip reef sharks. Angler’s Reef and Koko Craters is another beautiful dive site where you can explore plenty of reefs filled with fish and other tropical wildlife, as well as sea turtles. Divers should also explore Palea Point and Witches Brew Drift, which is mostly for professional divers, because it is home to the rare Dragon eel. Another popular dive site is the LST wreck, Tire Reef Drift, and the Sea Cave, which offer plenty of wildlife found throughout the beautiful reefs. Sea turtles and white tip sharks can also be found there.