Garden Eel Cove - Hawaii
Forget everything you think you know about cenote diving. Laguna Kaan Luum isn't about stalactites and pitch-black chambers. This is a cavern dive for those who still want sunlight. We love the surreal sensation of descending into the deep blue cenote at its heart, a massive sinkhole contrasting sharply with the warm, jade-green shallows of the lagoon. Below, the halocline hits you around 15 metres, a shimmering, oily layer that distorts everything for a moment before you drop into the clear, dark freshwater. The walls are mostly rock, not coral, but we’ve spotted schools of tiny sheepshead minnows flitting in the gloom and curious coney checking us out. Keep an eye peeled for the giant gobies near the bottom. Our favourite part is looking up, watching the sunlight from the surface ripple through the water, creating an ethereal glow. It's a dive that feels more like exploring an alien world than an underwater cave. Don't forget your rash guard – sunscreen is a no-go here.
- Location
- Hawaii, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 19.736100, -156.056700
- Type
- cenote
Marine Protected Area: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
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
- Airplane Canyon - 27m (cave)
- Airport Beach
- Airport Beach (cave)
- Anahola Beach Park
- Aquarium - Hawaii (wreck)
- Aquarium - Hawaii (reef)
- Black Rock - Hawaii (reef)
- Black Rock - Hawaii (reef)
- Cathedral II (reef)
- Cathedrals (cave)
- Corsair Wreck (wreck)
- Edge of the World
- Enenue
- Ewa Pinnacles Reef - 26m (reef)
- Fantasy Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Garden Eel Cove
- Aaron's Dive Shop - ["PADI"]
- Affinity Freediving
- Aloha Scuba Diving Company - ["PADI"]
- Aquatic Life Divers - ["PADI"]
- Black Rock Scuba - ["PADI"]
- Blue Wilderness Dive Adventures Corp. - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Hawaii
Home to 23 recorded species including 17 reef fish, 3 other, 2 sharks & rays, 1 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) - Reef Fish
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Remora (Remora remora) - Reef Fish
- Flyingfish (Hirundichthys speculiger) - Reef Fish
- Albacore (Thunnus atlanticus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Flying Fish (Exocoetus volitans) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Fourwing Flyingfish (Hirundichthys affinis) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Garden Eel Cove
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