Mala Wharf in Lahaina, Maui
Maui’s Best Scuba Dive
Mala Wharf in Lahaina is the best scuba diving site that Maui offers! You can reach Mala Pier by boat or walking from the beach. Regardless of your method of entry, both paths lead to exciting adventures for scuba divers, snorkelers, and free divers.
The dive site has a fascinating history. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki damaged the existing pier, transforming it into a diving location. While Maui is home to several exceptional dive spots, few have a story like this former recreational, commercial, and military harbor in the heart of Lahaina.
You may hear Mala Wharf referred to as Mala Pier or simply Mala. As a dive site, the underwater wreckage caters to adventurers of all skill levels, with the sandy bottom ranging from 10 to 30 feet deep. This shallow nature also makes Mala an excellent spot for snorkelers.
The location is slightly off Maui’s beaten tourist path, yet easy to find because it sits immediately south of the concrete canal next to the Lahaina Cannery Mall. As you approach the boat ramp, you will see restrooms and showers on the left. Parking for scuba divers is behind the restrooms in the adjacent dirt lot. That means you’ll have to turn your vehicle around to drive out and around the corner into the back dirt lot! Put your scuba gear on in the parking lot and walk to the beach entry along the pier’s south side.
A Short History of Mala Wharf
US Navy sailors walking down the street near Mala Wharf in Lahaina, Maui, during the 1930s.
The original concrete pier was built in 1922, featuring steel reinforcements to disembark passengers and load goods from large commercial steamship vessels. But, shortly after construction, the companies using the pier found Mala Wharf to be entirely inadequate for servicing large steamships. This logistical error did not initially spell the end of Mala Wharf as a commercial harbor, as smaller vessels began using the sturdy structure to shuttle passengers, pineapples, and agricultural freight. At its commercial height in the 1930s, Mala Wharf famously became a small harbor for Humpback Whale hunters! In the 1940s, during World War Two, Navy sailors used the pier to access Lahaina town!
Everything about Mala Wharf as a commercial harbor changed in September 1992 when Hurricane Iniki wrought tremendous havoc. The hurricane brought winds peaking at 150 MPH, strong waves, 30-foot surf, and powerful wind gusts, which sent most of the pier’s structure to the sandy bottom. The resulting destruction ended Mala Wharf’s commercial use in Lahaina.
The collapsed concrete pilings now serve as an excellent home for numerous White Tip Reef Sharks, Hawaiian Green Turtles, and colorful schools of fish! These species thrive amongst the corals and vibrant sponges. You can arrange a Maui scuba diving tour to experience these underwater animals and see what has become of Mala Wharf. Scuba divers might even find the elusive frogfish!
Mala Wharf in Lahaina, Hawaii, provides the best scuba diving in Maui! You can reach the dive site by boat, but Mala Wharf is famous as a shore diving site. Here, scuba divers park in the dirt lot behind the public restrooms. You walk from the dirt parking lot to the beach along the pier’s left or south side. You walk along the dock, keeping as close to the structure as possible, and wait until you are standing in water, at least chest-deep, before putting on your scuba fins. Keep your fins up as you kick on the surface to deeper water. When you reach the end of the existing pier structure, look for boat traffic. Mala is a popular spot with numerous snorkeling boats and catamarans looking to anchor in the mooring field.
If you get lost while driving your rental car to find this dive site, remember that Mala Wharf is immediately south of the concrete canal near the Lahaina Cannery Mall (Safeway supermarket).
The Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly an enchanted place on Earth. In Hawaii, you find active volcanoes, snow-capped volcanoes, tropical forests, and an underwater playground that can forever live on in your dreams. So book online with our dive shop when you are ready for the best scuba diving in Maui.