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10Best Itinerary: See Dolphins, Sea Turtles, Exotic Fish in Honolulu

Explore Oahu's vibrant underwater world over three days
Jade Eckardt

July 1, 2012 // By Jade Eckardt

By Jade Eckardt
July 1, 2012

 

Honolulu and the surrounding locales offer some of the most unique sea explorations trips in the islands. Why stick with the usual terrestrial attractions when you can experience something totally different and outstanding under water? If you like to swim with dolphins and/or sharks, sea turtles, eels, flying fish and other colorful creatures, a unique sea tour of Honolulu's waters is for you.

Swim with dolphonsSwim with dolphons — Photo courtesy of Sail Hawaii

To help you see the best of Hawaii's share of the Pacific Ocean, we've compiles the best six snorkel and dive excursions around the island for three days. Start your day early on day one at 7:30 a.m. with Sail Hawaii, an ocean tour outfitter based out of the Waianae harbor on the Leeward Coast. This is quite unique because even the drive and time spent out here is very different than the busy streets of Honolulu. This three hour tour takes you to see green sea turtles and fish, but unlike most other tours, it's makes a point to try and find dolphins for you to swim with.

Next pay a visit to Haleiwa on the North Shore to swim with another kind of sea animal - sharks! Both Hawaii Shark Encounters and North Shore Shark Adventures offer boat trips out into the deep blue and cage diving with the wild sea animals. They take you out about three miles into the ocean where they search for sharks, and when they find them they drop the cage with you in it! What's great about this is that it's fun for the whole family, even young children can join in the underwater excitement.

Swim with sharks!Swim with sharks! — Photo courtesy of North Shore Shark Adventures

The next day your ocean adventures will be centered around Honolulu on the south side of the island. Spend some time on the Outrigger Catamaran called the Welakahao. The former record breaking racing cat is one of the better snorkel tour outfitters, and take you out for a two and a half hour dive in the waters off of Diamond Head. They offer an open bar for the cruise too. This day feels like more of a high end catamaran cruise as you sail around on the luxurious boat while viewing the busy streets of Waikiki from the water.

[PHOTO_206862]

For what may be your most exciting in the ocean, spend your last day with SeaBreeze Water Sports Hawaii. Here you have the opportunity to choose from para sailing, jet skiing, and wearing a jet pack to shoot you about 30 feet into the air, James Bond style. After a short training session you can turn on the pack (only eight them are out in the world and being used commercially), spin in circles for a bit and shoot high into the air where you rotate and hover high above the ocean. From there it's dipping back into the ocean before rising above the earth again.

Get your suit, and don't for get the sunscreen and the water camera and enjoy our unique water experience itinerary.

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Next Up

A Local's Guide to Honolulu's Best Water Activities for Families

Read More »


Jade Eckardt

About Jade Eckardt

A water person herself, Jade loves learning about new and unique things to do in the ocean.

Read more about Jade Eckardt here.

Connect with Jade via: Google+


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