Did you know that Viator has a whole category of tours dedicated to submarines?
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Having recently finished Netflix’s Titan: The OceanGate Disaster, which immediately caught my attention. I hadn’t realized that submarines were so readily available and that companies had been toting vacationers in Hawaii around the islands’ reefs for years. The more you know.
If you have a trip to Hawaii coming up, don’t miss out on the chance to immerse yourself in a Little Mermaid-caliber adventure under the sea. For those who don’t have a scuba diving certification, it’s the only way you’ll come face-to-face with some of the islands’ greatest treasures.
Even better, the types of small submarines used off the coasts of Hawaii are eco-friendly. They’re trained to get you as close to the reefs and those colorful schools of fish as possible. And because they run without noisy and polluting engines (they’re battery-powered, instead), they don’t disrupt marine life.
In the case of the company that I’m covering below, Atlantis, they’re even using funds to help restore, preserve, and highlight
Ready to go on one of the most unbeatable tours in the world? Here’s how you can join a submarine tour in Hawaii. (I also recommend reading this exposé from Business Insider on submarine safety from a marine scientist who worked for Atlantis, the same company that offers the tours listed below.)
4 easy-to-book submarine tours in Hawaii
Atlantis Submarine Adventure in Waikiki
Heading to Oahu? You can book a submarine adventure right off the coast. The vessel is listed as ‘submarine-style’, featuring a glass bottom that lets you come face-to-face with fish, colorful coral, and other marine animals.
You descend to a max of 100 feet, where you can get close enough to enjoy the marine views without compromising the environment or marine life. Atlantis, the same company offering two more tours on this list (Kona Beach, Maui), offers pre-recorded narrations in English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. It’s suitable for families, though there is a height requirement of 36”.
Atlantis Submarine Adventure in Kona Beach
If you’re staying on the Big Island, book this submarine tour with Atlantis. It’s similar to the Waikiki tour, aside from one key feature: Kona Beach is covered in lava rock that’s purified by rainfall runoff, meaning the waters are almost crystal-clear. On top of that, you’re more likely to see a range of tropical fish schools darting around and a few shipwrecks. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a shark.
Atlantis Submarines Maui
This experience is temporarily closed, but I’m listing it here in case you have plans to visit Maui’s Lahaina in the coming years. I’m not sure what’s behind the closure, but it’s possible that the company is still adjusting operationally after the wildfires in Lahaina.
One cool element of this tour is that guests are treated to views of the West Maui Mountains as they head to the submarine dive site. From there, expect to see plentiful marine life, along with a famous shipwreck from the 1800s.
Oahu Submarine Scooter Adventure
This final tour isn’t from Atlantis—and it doesn’t involve a submarine-style vessel. Instead, it’s a submarine scooter adventure. That involves a single-person underwater scooter ‘suit’ that is self-propelled. Your head is in an oxygen tank, while the rest of your body sits on a scooter-style contraption.
This experience lets you get even more up close and personal with tropical marine life. Guests have seen schools of fish galore, along with sea turtles. It’s one of the best ways to dive without being scuba certified. Plus, you get to enjoy a catamaran ride through Maunalua Bay on the way to the dive site.
