Upon arriving in the "Aloha State," many visitors immediately begin thinking about quitting their jobs and selling their houses on the mainland in order to move to this tropical paradise.
Since it's a U.S. state, no work visas or passports are required for Americans and U.S. currency is used, making for an enticingly easy transition. And, Hawaii truly has it all: the ever-present, beguiling "Aloha spirit," miles of powdery white sand beaches, tropical rainforests, active volcanoes, glowing sunsets and, of course, unique tropical diving in clear, warm water.
 Owing to Hawaii's geographical isolationism, geological youth and subtropic location, its bottom topography and marine life are unique. You can expect dramatic lava formations, fantastic visibility and a likely chance of encountering manta rays, turtles or sharks.
Divers who take the time to learn about the marine life, who slow down and "look beyond the obvious," will soon be able to identify an incredible abundance of endemic tropical fish species and colorful invertebrates found nowhere else in the world. Combined with Hawaii's accommodating dive conditions and easily accessible sites, its diving is truly worldclass.
The vast majority of the diving takes place from one of the four main islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii, with each offering its own special blend of diversity and excitement above and below the water.
 As the largest tropical island in the entire Pacific, the Big Island has more land mass than all other Hawaiian islands combined--and since it contains the world's most active volcano, it?s still growing. The most popular dive areas are on the western, leeward coastline, where the waters tend to be glassy calm and very clear, with visibility averaging 100 ft (30m) or more. You can expect to see an array of lava tubes, caverns and caves, often home to crimson soldierfish, Hawaiian reef lobsters and spiny lobsters as well as pristine hard coral reefs, green sea turtles and manta ray encounters at Manta Ray Village.
Maui holds a special charm that partially stems from its historical whaling village, Lahaina, the former capital of the kingdom of Hawaii. Divers usually venture to neighboring Lanai and Molokini Crater. At the crater you can glide along the 400 ft (120m) sheer vertical wall on the backside or enjoy myriad tropicals in the calm inside.
Lanai offers a great variety of sites with caves, caverns and archways such as First and Second Cathedral, both dramatic two-story grottos that allow for spectacular light effects when the sun's rays pierce the porous ceiling. Throughout the grottos you'll discover elaborate sponge and coral growth and numerous nooks and crannies that are home to cowry shells, lobsters and nocturnal fish species.
Oahu offers an excellent blend of sites that range from offshore lava formations and grottos to airplane and shipwrecks. Considered one of Oahu's most popular dives, the 800 ton wreck of the Mahi offers encounters with eagle rays, Hawaiian stingrays, huge porcupine puffers and schools of lemon butterflyfish and blue-stripe snappers. The YO 257 wreck, beautifully embellished with sponges, hydroids and cup corals, offers excellent macro photo ops with its population of frogfish, nudibranchs and crustaceans.
Rising like a majestic sea castle out of the blue ocean, Kauai derives its magical aura from its wild landscapes; sheer cliffs, dramatic mountains, lush tropical landscapes and cascading waterfalls, along with some pristine white sandy beaches. Underwater, Kauai is just as variable, wild and pristine as it is above water. Although inaccessible during the winter months, the thrilling dive sites near the spectacular Na Pali coast are what make Kauai diving so special. Oceanarium boasts a dramatic wall that plunges into the deep, making it an ideal spot for large black coral trees and rare species such as morwongs, boarfish and long-handed lobsters. Mana Crack is usually blessed with terrific visibility, and encounters with black-tip reef and hammerhead sharks, eagle rays and other pelagics are common.
There are daily non-stop flights to Honolulu, the state capital on Oahu, from Tokyo, Guam and various cities in North America. Inter-island travel is easy, owing to the frequent daily flights among all main islands.
With consistent year-round weather, Hawaii is truly an outdoor recreational paradise.
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