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Scuba diver navigating through vibrant coral formations in deep blue ocean waters.
📷 Ayden Zaki · Pexels

Flying Sea Cliffs

4.1 — based on 23 community signals
4.2 12 species 27 contributors

Year-round diving at Flying Sea Cliffs in Hawaii's Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District, with healthy coral and diverse marine life.

⭐ Best for beginners.

🐢 MPA · Molokini Shoal Marine Life Con… updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
Visibility
25 m
Water temp
22–28°C
MPABoatOnlyPhotoFriendlyBleachingRisk

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Visibility
25 m
Water temp
22–28 °C
Best months
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Marine life
Green sea turtle

Map

This spot Airport Nearby spots
Flying Sea Cliffs location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
11.8 kn
Wave
1.62 m
Water
28.1°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: NNE (26%)
Now: ENE (72°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.66m

Today: High 11:00 (+0.81m), Low 20:00 (+0.43m)

+0.9 m+0.3 m
▲ 11:00 · +0.81m ▼ 20:00 · +0.43m ▲ 23:00 · +0.45m ▼ 03:00 · +0.4m Now +0.4m
Fri 18Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24
UV8.6 · very high Air PM2.56 · good 06:14 18:26
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-18 12 1.62 9 0mm
09-19 10.7 1.74 9 0mm
09-20 12.8 1.66 9 0mm
09-21 9.3 1.54 9 0mm
09-22 9.3 1.7 8 0mm
09-23 7.9 1.72 8 6mm
09-24 16.4 1.84 8 8mm
🌡 Water temp: Normal for Sep (22–28°C)

About this spot

Flying Sea Cliffs offers diving within the Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District, a protected marine reserve off Maui. The site benefits from its status as a conservation area, supporting robust coral health with no bleaching stress observed. The protected waters mean stricter access rules—plan ahead and check current permit requirements before heading out. Twelve species observations logged at this site provide good intel on what you'll encounter. The marine ecosystem here supports the animals that make Molokini famous: expect reef fish, rays, and other open-water species common to Hawaii's deeper waters. Community videos (3 available) offer real footage of conditions and what divers are seeing. Diving year-round is possible, though Maui's summer months (May–September) typically bring calmer seas and better visibility. Winter brings bigger swells and choppier surface conditions. Because Flying Sea Cliffs sits inside a marine conservation district, respect all local regulations—take nothing, touch nothing, and follow all signage. Access is usually by boat from Maui's south shore operators.

📖 Guide: Diving in the United States: 87 Sites From Springs to Open Ocean

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Green sea turtle

Dive types

ReefBoatPelagic / blue water

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 🤿 Pack: 3/2 mm shorty
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type A/B · 120V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 48%
  • 🤿 Wetsuit 3/2 mm shorty
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 11664km · ~2683kg · €48

FAQ

When is the best time to dive Flying Sea Cliffs?

Year-round diving is possible, but summer months (May–September) offer calmer seas and clearer visibility. Winter brings larger swells and reduced conditions. Check local weather and sea state before booking.

What depth and difficulty should I expect?

Specific depth and difficulty data aren't available. Contact local Maui dive operators or check community videos for site-specific conditions before your dive.

What marine life will I see?

Twelve species have been documented here. Expect reef fish, rays, and open-water species typical to Molokini Shoal. The marine reserve status keeps the ecosystem healthy with no coral bleaching stress.

How do I access Flying Sea Cliffs and are permits required?

The site is inside Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District, a protected marine reserve. Access is by boat from Maui. Check current permit requirements and local regulations before diving—marine reserve rules apply.

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

181 records · 24 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
18 Mar 2026
×33records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
28 Dec 2025
×17records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
19 Dec 2024
×21records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
26 Dec 2023
×26records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
31 Dec 2022
×22records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 Dec 2021
×6records

Tursiops truncatus

Common bottlenose dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
7 Dec 2020
×1records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
12 Mar 2020
×4records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
30 Dec 2019
×4records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
17 Feb 2018
×2records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
10 Apr 2017
×2records

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 Mar 2015
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Watch this before DIVING the USS Oriskany!

The Deco Stop +
💬 3 top comments
  • I enjoyed your brief tour of my dad's ship. I'm too old now to start diving, but would love to see it ..

    @williamscavone722 · 👍 0
  • I served aboard the Oriskany from 1971-1974 during the Vietnam war with VA155. I wished it was in shallower water so you could at least dive on the flight deck and hanger bay. I would love to dive the Oriskany but I'm too old and have Parkinsons which I got from being exposed to Agent Orange. My shop was right on the inside behind the aft gun tub. I was taking a snooze in the equipment rack in the

    @invoxicated · 👍 9
  • Man that's so awesome some sick footage no doubt.

    @crhooked · 👍 0

Cliff Diving off of an Aircraft Carrier!

ThatEffinDev
💬 3 top comments
  • That water is so blue

    @tyson6762 · 👍 4
  • Looks fun and scary both

    @ChesneyAdventures · 👍 1
  • That's so awesome.

    @DerekBarrettdb50cal · 👍 4

South Point Hawaii cave jump

ADHD Outdoors

Local knowledge

OpenStreetMap Notes
  • "is this like a putting green? i cant really tell. it has a big tent on it though so i am not sure"

    maddog107 · 2025-12-16
  • "is this actually tourist lodging like the nearby hotels, or would it be better tagged as building=apartments?"

    freebeer · 2023-09-23
wind peaks Jun-May-Jul, calmest Oct-Dec-Jan, dry Jan-Dec, water 22-28°C.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Mar (100/100) Worst: Jan (0/100) Now: Sep (87/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

Nearby spots

The Back Side United States Diving
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The Back Side

The Back Side offers year-round diving in Hawaii's protected Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District with healthy coral and abundant marine life.

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Enenue United States Diving
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Enenue

Enenue is a year-round Hawaiian dive site within Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District, known for healthy coral and diverse marine life.

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Shark Condos United States Diving
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Shark Condos

Shark Condos is a year-round dive site near Molokini Shoal in Hawaii, protected within a marine conservation district with diverse species.

Intermediate Jan·Feb·Mar+

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