Shark and Turtle Dive: Explore Underwater Wildlife in a Vibrant Reef for Certified Divers
4.9
133 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
(133 Ratings)
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1 star
Ryangq6751ob
Jun 3, 2024
Black Rock and Mala Ward Shore Dives - Joe was an amazing guide. Had a blast diving Black Rock and Mala Warf. Got lucky and got to see a monk seal on the Black Rock dive plus lots of great fish, eels, octopus, turtles and even a white tip shark at Mala Warf. Will definitely come back to dive here when we come back to visit Maui again 🤙🏽.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Akash
May 30, 2024
Best dive after 6yrs of staying dry. Thank you Joe. - Went for a dive after 6 years since my last dive. Joe did a quick refresher and took us to Black Rock and Mala Wharf. Ultimate experience. My best scuba experience so far. 100+ ft visibility and pristine blue waters with so many kinds of fish. Saw Eagle Rays, Octopus, White tip sharks, many large sea turtles and many more different fishes that I couldn't even recognize. Also swam through a large school of fish. I was initially nervous before booking as I hadn't done an open water dive for 6 years, but I had a phone call with Joe and booked the two dives before flying to hawaii. Both dives were relaxed, small group of 4 ( including Joe), and Joe made sure he walked us through any possible issues and tips to make the dive experience perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alessandrolj3194qh
May 6, 2024
Diving in lahaina - Really professional and good communication. Even from shore we managed to see dozens of turtles. If we get back to maui we will definitely come back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Athenap2024
Apr 30, 2024
Fav shore dive I've ever done! - My partner and I did a turtle and shark dive (Mala Wharf) in April with Dive Maui! The booking process was so straightforward and everything and all the info was emailed to us immediately. When we got there, all of our gear was already laid out, Abbi was so efficient and gave us a great brief on what to expect etc. Abbi was enthusiastic, relaxed (in the best way) and made sure we were all accomodated. It was a shore dive so it was not as deep as our usual boat dives but it was such as good time. We saw so so many turtles, tons of fish, sharks, octopus. Abbi was great at checking in on us during the dive and made sure everyone in the group saw all the little creatures in every nook and cranny. We had a blast. Would recommend in a heartbeat!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
169derekr
Apr 21, 2024
A wonderfully guided shore dive! - Maiah was our guide and it was a great 60+ minute dive around Mala. Sharks and turtles galore, along with schools of beautiful local fish. She went above and beyond to show us every nook and cranny of Mala. I would go back for this dive any day of the week! Very highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour33662169765
Apr 19, 2024
Great place to book for dives! - Fantastic place to book a dive, our dive master Joe was super friendly and informative! I would definitely book with them again
Review provided by Tripadvisor
969tarao
Apr 6, 2024
Family of 4 gives 5 stars - Joe was awesome, kind, laid back, but also professional, an expert of our dive locations. We knew we were safe and prepared. We will be back! Our family of four have only dove together a couple of times as our teens are new to scuba. Everything was spectacular.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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
Javier
Aug 14, 2023
Highly recommended - Diving with Annika was awesome. After putting on your equipment in the store, we head comfortably to the beach, which is less than five minutes away, the diving equipment can be carried easily. We enter little by little and it takes us to an old pier that was knocked down by a hurricane and is full of marine life. We saw a large number of giant turtles, we found three reef sharks and countless fish of different types. Highly recommended. After the serious fire in Lahaina I hope everyone is safe and healthy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 4 guests
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June 2024
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