Diving Kauai – Certified Diver

Certified divers will enjoy exploring Kauai’s beautiful reef systems. All necessary scuba equipment is provided at no additional charge, including a full length wetsuit for extra warmth. Certified divers will enjoy an interesting site and marine biology orientation. Our detailed site briefings include an explanation of all aspects of the dive such as depth, topography, marine life and safety procedures. Our marine biology briefings include fish identification along with interesting facts about endemic and rare species that may be encountered at each site. Each dive is approximately 45 minutes long depending upon air consumption with an average depth of 35-60 feet. Divers will enjoy a relaxing surface interval which always includes delicious snacks, and cold beverages, and then it’s back to the water for your second dive.

We offer:

1. South Shore Boat Dives
2. South Shore Dives
3. North Shore Dives
4. Scooter Dives
5. Night Dives
6. Advanced Open Water Courses
7. Rescue Diver Courses
8. Specialty Dives

All dives with Kauai Down Under include:

Guaranteed small and personalized groups of 6 divers or less per instructor!
Detailed site and marine biology briefings before every dive!
Delicious snacks and cold beverages!
All pricing includes equipment at no additional charge!

The average time for a standard 2-tank dive experience is approximately 4 hours from arrival to departure. Should you choose to only do a 1 tank dive, the approximate time from arrival to departure is approximately 2 hours.

Kauai Down Under operates a 25 ft. ZODIAC RIB (Rigid hull Inflatable Boat) called the “Hokupa’a”.  Our ZODIAC is a US Coast Guard approved vessel for sixteen passengers that takes visitors to areas of marine interest along Kauai’s southern coast. When you’re diving with us we generally have 6 divers or less to ensure everyone has a unique and memorable experience. Kauai Down Under is the only company on Kauai that incorporates a zodiac adventure while you dive in the gentler waters off of Kauai’s south shore.
Encounter occasional dolphins an abundance of exotic Hawaiian reef fish and beautiful coral formations.  Let’s not forget, one of the most exciting creatures we will encounter is the Honu; i.e. the Hawaiian green sea turtle. There is so much to see on these southern coasts in terms of pristine reefs and off-shore caverns that diving in these areas becomes a true pleasure. The fish in these areas are plentiful, the reefs are gorgeous and the weather is almost always sunny and beautiful. Our Captain and crew look forward to sharing their passion and knowledge of marine life and island history with you.

$195.50+tax/person for a TWO tank Boat Dive
No Additional Charge For Equipment

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The most popular south shore dive site is called Koloa Landing. This is a shore dive located in very protected Hanaka’ape Bay, which is sheltered from surf, wind, and chop. The entry and exit point is a convenient former boat ramp which we use to access the reef. There is very little surface swim involved, as the dive site begins just steps off the ramp. We set up all of your equipment close to the water in a comfortable setting complete with carpet, chairs, and an ice chest full of refreshments and snacks. Koloa Landing is known as a colorful dive, full of vibrant stony corals as well as a huge abundance of marine life. The large horseshoe-shaped bay allows us to dive in two distinct areas, perfect for a two tank excursion. The maximum depth here is approximately 50 feet with an average bottom time of 45 minutes, depending upon air consumption. Our dive times are 8:00 am, 1:00 pm or dusk. Mornings are typically calm on the south shore of Kauai with trade winds picking up in the early afternoon, so our morning dives are amazing.

The animals we encounter at Koloa Landing on a regular basis are: Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, up to seven species of moray eels (including the rare dragon eel), leaf and devil scorpionfish, octopus, hermit crabs, a variety of invertebrates (cone snails, auger snails, helmet snails, shrimp, sea stars, urchins), and hundreds of tropical fish! We also have a pair of Hawaiian scarlet cleaner shrimp who will hop right into your mouth if you let them to clean your teeth! This is their job for the fish living on the reef! On rare occasion, we are lucky enough to encounter frog fish, dolphin, spotted eagle rays and even the elusive Reef or Galapagos shark. During the months of December through April, we are also fortunate to hear the sound of Humpback whales singing during our dives here.

$155.50+tax/person for a two tank shore dive
No Additional Charge for Equipment
Book Online!

*** 2019 UPDATE: DUE TO FLOODING ON THE NORTH SHORE OF KAUAI LAST YEAR THE ROAD WAS WASHED OUT TO THE DIVE SITE.  TUNNELS DIVING WILL NOT BE HAPPENING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.  WE WILL UPDATE THIS PAGE JUST AS SOON AS WE KNOW.  YOU WOULD BE WELCOME TO GUARANTEE A SPACE ON OUR SOUTH SHORE DIVES (SHORE, BOAT, SCOOTER, TWILIGHT/NIGHT) DURING YOUR STAY***

The most popular north shore dive site is called Tunnels Reef. This reef is located approximately 15 minutes past Hanalei on a beautiful white sand beach with stunning Bali Hai views. We set up all of your equipment close to the water in a comfortable shaded setting. Chilled refreshments and light snacks are provided. Tunnels Reef is a wall dive which is located just steps from the waters’ edge. The reef itself is an ancient lava flow full of cracks, crevices, and large caverns which spiral through the reef. We have both an inner and an outer reef, which makes Tunnels Reef perfect for a two tank experience. This site is known for having some of the best topography on the entire island. As divers, we can venture through the lava formations that are full of sunlight and have crystal clear visibility (only certified divers can go through overhead environments). This site is famous for its’ topography as well as for the chance to see larger pelagic animals. The maximum depth here is 55 feet with an average bottom time of 45 minutes, depending upon air consumption. The dive time at Tunnels Reef is 8:00 am. We do not conduct afternoon dives at Tunnels Reef because it gets very windy and the visibility dramatically decreases.

The animals that we encounter at Tunnels Reef on a regular basis are: large Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, White Tip Reef Sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays, schooling Barracuda, and a variety of Silver Jacks. We also see Spiny Lobsters as well as different Nudibranchs inside of the caverns. There is not much coral at this site as the main attraction is the lava tubes and tunnels that make up the formation of the reef itself.

We dive at Tunnels Reef Monday through Friday during the calm summer months, generally from May through September, conditions permitting. There is no diving allowed weekends or holidays at Tunnels Reef due to local regulations.

$235.50+tax/person for a two tank Tunnels Dive
No Additional Charge For Equipment
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Scooter Dive: (Underwater Propulsion Vehicles)

Certified divers will enjoy the latest BUZZZ in the dive industry! The motto is: “Why kick when you can fly?” These state of the art diver propulsion vehicles will pull or push a diver up to 2 ½ miles per hour. Our TUSA SAV-7 “With Saddle” diver propulsion vehicles are shaped like a miniature torpedo and are nearly weightless in the water. The comfortable handles and easy-to-operate trigger make these scooters effortless to operate. The advantages of diving with an underwater scooter are: less energy used, longer bottom times, more distance covered and they’re a ton of fun! If you’re feeling really adventurous and would like to get your PADI Diver Propulsion Vehicle Specialty Certification, you’ll be able to dive “HANDS FREE”, using the scooter saddle! This is about as close as a diver can get to swimming like our “Hawaiian Monk Seal”!

$195.50+tax/person for 1 tank shore dive (no scooter) and 1 tank scooter dive
$215.50+tax/person for a two tank scooter dive
No Additional Charge For Equipment
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This tour is for certified divers only. This thrilling experience allows divers to observe Hawaii’s underwater night life at its best. Divers are likely to encounter octopus, lobsters, eels, sleeping turtles, and a nocturnal phenomenon called bioluminescence. Each diver is equipped with all necessary scuba equipment, along with a super bright underwater primary light and a backup light. Each night dive includes a detailed site and marine biology orientation along with specific night diving procedures. Night dives typically last approximately 45 minutes depending upon air consumption with an average depth of 25-40 feet. We offer a two tank twilight/night dive for those divers who would like to see the best of both worlds; the reef before and after the sun goes down.

$175.50+tax/person  for a two tank twilight/night dive experience
No Additional Charge for Equipment
Book Online!

The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is a 2-day course which contains 5 adventure dives. Two of the required core dives for this certification are a Navigation Dive and a Deep Dive. 3 elective dives are chosen by you in addition to the 2 core dives. The choices for the elective dives come from the following: AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation, AWARE Fish Identification, Digital Underwater Photographer, Diver Propulsion Vehicle (Underwater Scooter), Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver, Equipment Specialist, Multilevel Diver, Night Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project AWARE Specialist, Search and Recovery Diver, Underwater Naturalist, or Underwater Navigator.

Please call 808-742-7422 to book PADI Advanced Open Water Certification

This course includes academic theory relating to diving and pressure-related injuries along with pool and open water training. The course also includes several hands-on rescue scenarios which train and enable you to competently rescue an injured and/or panicked diver in any given situation. You must also complete a certified CPR course before the end of this class to qualify for the certification.

Please call  808-742-7422 to book PADI Rescue Diver Course

Kauai Down Under offers a complete list of PADI Specialty Certifications. For more information on any of the following specialty courses, please call us at (808) 742-7422 or toll free at (877) KDU-DIVE.

AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation
AWARE Fish Identification
Boat Diver
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Diver Propulsion Vehicle Diver (Underwater Scooters)
Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver
Equipment Specialist
Multilevel Diver
Night Diver
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Project AWARE Specialist
Search and Recovery Diver
Underwater Naturalist
Underwater Navigator