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Shark Photos

Maui shark diving at Mala Wharf in Lahaina.
Maui shark swims near a scuba diver at Lahaina's Mala Wharf.
Sharks spotted night diving in Lahaina, Maui.

Scuba Dive with Sharks in Lahaina, Maui

Make time for scuba diving with sharks during your Hawaiian vacation. You can see sharks shore diving in Maui. We set up shark encounters at Mala Wharf in Lahaina, the best Maui dive site. There is nothing like putting on a scuba tank to descend into a world of sharks!  Most of the time, you encounter White Tip Reef Sharks here. You might find different ages, from small juveniles to much larger adults. Adult White Tip Sharks grow to about 6 feet long, but females are always the biggest!

Airport Beach in Kaanapali

Diving in Maui means finding at least one shark every day along the coast. But there are beaches where it might be impossible to scuba dive with a shark, like Airport Beach in Kaanapali. This sprawling coral reef sits north of Black Rock and does not have a resident shark population.

Mala Wharf in Lahaina

Luckily for scuba divers, Mala Wharf in Lahaina is not a shark-free dive site! The name Mala has become synonymous with cage-free, safe shark encounters. Mala Wharf or Mala Pier remains the total package because every visitor gets to dive close to these apex predators. You should not expect to see a Tiger Shark here, but sometimes you can find a Sandbar or Galapagos shark!

Sharks reside in this area because the pier offers them protection to rest during the day. Most of the time, they relax on the bottom under fallen concrete posts. When one of the sharks does get active, it often swims around-consuming injured or sick fish. Reducing the number of wounded animals helps the coral reef to thrive with new life. Scuba divers and snorkelers will also find two turtle cleaning stations near depths of 15 and 25 feet. Overall it’s a shallow spot with a maximum depth of 33 feet, affording long bottom times of 45 minutes to 1 hour!