Flying Sea Cliffs - Hawaii

Flying Sea Cliffs, for us, is one of those sites that just feels… big. It’s hard to put your finger on it, but the scale of the place is impressive. We usually descend into a pretty good current, which we don’t mind; it means you’re essentially flying along a dramatic wall. Think sheer drops and overhangs, carved out of volcanic rock. The water here always has a kind of deep blue intensity that makes the fish colours pop. We love seeing the Big Long-nosed Butterflyfish, they’re just so elegant, drifting past the Pavona coral formations. And the Ambon Pufferfish always raises a smile, often just hanging out, unbothered. Keep an eye out for whitetip reef sharks too, they’re usually patrolling the deeper sections. We’ve found the best visibility tends to be in the mornings before the wind picks up, so an early start is always our pick here. It’s definitely a drift dive, so you need to be comfortable with a bit of current and have good buoyancy control, but the reward is a genuinely exhilarating dive that feels wild and untamed.

Location
Hawaii, United States, North America
Coordinates
20.630468, -156.494200
Type
wall

Marine Protected Area: Offshore Island, Molokini Seabird Sanctuary, Light

Best Time to Dive in Hawaii

The warmest water temperatures in Hawaii occur in September, averaging 29.0°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 25.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 26.2°C
  • February: 25.7°C
  • March: 25.6°C
  • April: 26.0°C
  • May: 26.8°C
  • June: 27.6°C
  • July: 27.9°C
  • August: 28.5°C
  • September: 29.0°C
  • October: 28.6°C
  • November: 27.9°C
  • December: 27.2°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Hawaii

Nearest Dive Centres to Flying Sea Cliffs

Marine Life in Hawaii

Home to 23 recorded species including 17 reef fish, 3 other, 2 sharks & rays, 1 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Flying Sea Cliffs

Based on average water temperature of 27.2°C, currents 9 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories