Booking choice: The Atlantis Submarine, from $151 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
All three use the same format: a short boat ride out, a transfer to the submarine at the surface, and about 45 minutes underwater with a narrating guide. What changes is the size of the submarine and, above all, what lives at the dive site.
The quick answer
If you are only on Oahu, the Waikiki dive is your only submarine and it is well worth doing for the wrecks. If you are also visiting Maui or the Big Island, their dives rate higher (4.8 and 4.7 against Waikiki's 4.4), use smaller submarines and visit reefs with more natural marine life.
How do the three dives compare?
Waikiki has the biggest submarine and the wrecks; Maui and Kona have smaller subs and livelier reefs, and rate higher.
| Waikiki, Oahu | Lahaina, Maui | Kailua-Kona, Big Island | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submarine | Atlantis XIV, 64 seats | 46 seats | 48 seats |
| Dive site | Artificial reef: two ships, airplane wreckage | Carthaginian shipwreck and reef | Natural coral reef |
| Depth | About 100 ft | Over 100 ft | About 100 ft |
| Check-in | Hilton Hawaiian Village | Prison Street, Lahaina | King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel |
| Rating | 4.4 (1,347) | 4.8 (823) | 4.7 (759) |
| From (adult) | $151 | $144 | $144 |
Only on Oahu? The Waikiki dive is the island's one real submarine.
Check dates for the Atlantis SubmarineWhy does the Waikiki dive rate lower?
Mostly expectations: the Waikiki site is a sandy seabed with man-made structures, so fish numbers vary, and the submarine carries more people.
Atlantis's own replies to reviewers acknowledge that Waikiki has very sparse natural reef, which is why it built the artificial one. On the other hand, the Navy wreck and airplane wreckage are unique to this dive, and it is the easiest to reach from a Waikiki hotel.
What is special about the Maui dive?
It visits the Carthaginian, an old sailing ship scuttled off Lahaina in 2005, and the reef that has grown around it, in an air-conditioned 46-passenger submarine.
Before the ship was sunk the area was a sandy bottom with little life; today the listing describes native fish and a vibrant coral reef. From December to May there is a chance of spotting whales on the way out.
Visiting Maui too? Its submarine rates 4.8 and dives past the Carthaginian shipwreck.
Explore the Maui Atlantis SubmarineIs the Maui submarine running after the Lahaina fire?
Yes: the Lahaina dive is operating again, and the Viator listing shows guest reviews from August and September 2026.
Check in at the Atlantis meeting point on Prison Street in Lahaina 30 minutes before your dive, and park in the Prison Street lot. Guests' photos show the depth gauge past 130 feet on some dives.
What is the Kona dive like?
A 48-passenger submarine descends over a natural coral reef off Kailua-Kona, with about 45 minutes underwater and only a five-minute boat ride each way.
You check in at the Atlantis office inside the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel 30 minutes before; all-day parking validation there costs $10.
On the Big Island? The Kona submarine rates 4.7 over a natural reef.
Check dates for the Kona Atlantis SubmarineWhich island should you dive on?
Dive where you are: if Oahu is your only island, do Waikiki; if you are also on Maui or the Big Island, those dives are the stronger choice for marine life.
- Oahu only: Waikiki, for the wrecks and the convenience.
- Oahu and Maui: Maui for the reef, or both if you love wrecks.
- Oahu and the Big Island: Kona for natural coral.
Is it worth doing more than one?
Only if you love it: the format is the same, but each site is different, so a second dive is not a repeat.
Most visitors pick one. If you are unsure whether you will enjoy it at all, read is the Atlantis Submarine worth it?
Ready to choose? The Waikiki dive leaves roughly every hour each morning.
Check dates for the Atlantis SubmarineFrequently asked questions
Which Atlantis Submarine in Hawaii is best?
By rating, Maui (4.8) and Kona (4.7) score higher than Waikiki (4.4), mainly for their livelier reefs. Waikiki is the one with the Navy wreck and airplane wreckage.
Is there a submarine on Kauai?
No. Atlantis runs its Hawaii submarines on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island only.
Are the prices the same on every island?
Close: on Viator, Maui and Kona are from $144 and Waikiki from $151 per adult at the moment.
Ready to book
Choose your dive
Free cancellation on every option, up to 24 hours before (3 days for the submarine scooter). Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Atlantis Submarine Adventure, Waikiki
- Shuttle boat from the Hilton Hawaiian Village pier and back
- About 45 minutes underwater aboard the 64-passenger Atlantis XIV
- Live English narration; recorded audio in Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese
Atlantis Submarine Maui, Lahaina
