About Us

You must be at least 10 years old and you MUST be able to swim!

You must also be in good health.

Yes! Please use any of the ‘Book Now’ buttons or live calendars to book online. To book minors and SCUBA courses please give us a call at 808-262-2333.

During busy season you’ll want to make your reservation as early as possible. Thanksgiving and Christmas bookings usually happen 1-2 months in advance. Busy season is December-Jan and May-August. Our availabilities are visible in real-time on our website – just hit Book Now or view the live calendars, OR give us a call if you have questions.

All year round! We have excellent wildlife and warm water twelve months of the year. Humpback whales are present in the wintertime. Hawaiian monk seals and Hawaiian spinner dolphins are present year-round.

Most divers prefer to start the day with a dive. This gives you the best opportunity to be the first divers at a dive site for the day – which can mean a chance to see sealife that is typically deterred by humans.

However this is not fact. Anything is possible with the ocean and in Hawaii that means ANYTIME is the best time to dive!

Morning dives also gives you the majority of your day left to explore the island.

If you make more than one open water dive on the same day; or, dive over two or more days, wait 18 hours prior to flying. (PADI Discover Scuba Diving Booklet, 2013).

We will NOT book you for a dive if you have a flight scheduled within this window.

Great question! Scuba diving is first and foremost about safety and secondarily about fun – because it is no fun if you aren’t being safe. People who are physically fit and in good health are the ideal divers.

That being said, there is a PADI medical questionnaire that you must fill out before diving as a Discover Scuba Diver. This Medical Questionnaire is visible on the Discover Scuba Diving webpage. You will fill this questionnaire at the boat. If you say ‘YES’ to any of the questions on the medical questionnaire, you will need a doctors note to dive. You will NOT be allowed to dive without a doctor’s note of approval if you have a yes on your Medical Questionnaire. Please show up to the boat with a doctor’s note of approval if you have a ‘YES’ on your medical questionnaire.

If you are on vacation and aren’t able to get a note from your regular doctor, don’t worry. You can go to Doctor’s On Call or another on-island doctor to be cleared for diving, which depending on what your ‘yes’ is for could take as little as 15 minutes.

The Medical Questionnaire is here to keep you safe. We understand that the extra step of getting a doctor’s note can be tedious but it is in your best interest. We appreciate your understanding.

If you are getting scuba certified with Aaron’s Dive Shop, you will need to have a more detailed  Medical Questionnaire completed before beginning your class.

Aaron’s Dive Shop Cancellation Policy –
Customers will receive a full refund if:

• They cancel with AT LEAST 36 hours BEFORE the scheduled charter
  • Customers MUST speak to an Aaron’s staff member OR receive an emailed reply confirming the cancellation.
• The operator cancels due to weather or unforeseen circumstances

Customers will NOT receive a refund if:

• They no show
• They cancel WITHIN 36 hours of the scheduled charter
• Divers with a YES on their medical questionnaire without a Doctor’s note of approval (see above for more details)

Great question!

You have 3 options when booking.

1. Meet us at the boat.
   • • Your booking confirmation email will have a Google Maps link to Maunalua Bay Beach Park.
     • We ask that divers arrive to the boat 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
     • There is ample FREE parking at Maunalua Bay Beach Park.
2. Meet us at the shop.
   • • Our dive shop is located in Kailua. You confirmation email will have a Google Maps link to Aaron’s Dive Shop.
     • The time to meet will be noted when booking AND in your confirmation email.
     • There is limited FREE parking at the shop.
3. Request FREE Waikiki hotel pick-up and drop-off.
   • • Aaron’s staff will pick you up outside of your hotel in Waikiki and bring you the Maunalua Bay Beach Park to board the boat.
     • When booking, be sure to select your hotel from the drop down list
     • You should confirm with the front desk or the concierge at your hotel WHERE your hotel specifically allows pick-ups. It varies from hotel to hotel. This is important so you are in the right place for pick up.
     • The time of pick up will be noted when booking AND in your confirmation email.

No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!

Most charters take about 3-3.5 hours.

Our long range charters can take 4 hours because the dive sites require a longer boat ride.

Please wear a swimsuit and bring a towel.

If you have your own gear – by all means bring it! We always recommend bringing your own mask & snorkel if you have them because that is the most personal dive item – meaning not all masks fit all faces. That being said, we do have masks available that fit MOST faces.

For day charters, we recommend sun protection and whatever personal items you need. For night charters, we recommend bringing something warm for the ride home, as it gets chilly when dark.

There are dry storage areas on each of our boats. We ask that you only bring what you need on the boat, as space can be limited.

Our dive sites are close! Most boat rides are somewhere between 5-25 minutes depending on the dive site.

No, there is not. There is a public restroom at Maunalua Bay Beach Park. See the photo below.

We cannot guarantee that the restroom will be open/operational. We recommend utilizing facilities elsewhere before arriving at the boat or enjoying the ocean-wide facility.

No worries! We offer any and all dive gear rentals for $40 flat. So whether you need just a BCD or the whole shabang, we have you covered!

When booking, we ask for your height, weight and shoe size so that we can get your perfect size.

All gear will be brought to the boat for you.

Two tanks and weight are included for all dives.

Of course! Upgrade your scuba tanks to Nitrox for $15 a tank.

Aaron’s recommends you follow your regular procedures for minimizing seasickness – whether that be through Dramamine or some other means.

We also recommend you minimize your alcohol consumption the night before a dive. Boat rides hungover – especially for those with seasickness – are not very fun.

Living and working in Hawaii is the dream. But the dream does not pay very well.

Gratuities are greatly appreciated! Most guests leave $25-40 for their hard-working crew.

During the summer months the water warms up to about 80-83F (26-28C). In the winter months the ocean temperature cools down to 75-77F (23.5-25C).

For most people this is warm water year-round. For our staff, we get a bit chilly in the winter time.

Proof of certification is required for all SCUBA dives – no exceptions. If you cannot find your dive card, we may be able to look up your certification in your dive agency’s online database. Please call our shop directly to be sure that we are able to verify your certification prior to your arrival.

If you do not have your certification card (but your certification has been verified by the shop), a photo ID will be required upon check-in or we are not able to allow you to dive.

Absolutely not. Turtles, like many other Hawaiian sealife, are heavily protected under the law. Harassing, chasing, touching, etc of Hawaiian Green Sea turtles, Hawaiian monk seals, Humpback whales, Manta rays, etc. is against the law. It will not be tolerated and can/will result in massive fines as well as sitting out from the dive(s).

On the other hand! We do offer photo packages! That’s right. Have your Hawaiian scuba adventure properly documented! Get a new profile picture of you diving alongside a turtle – from a safe distance. Available for individual divers or for a group! You will get all photos taken throughout your charter given to you via a Google Drive folder. Available when you book online or ask a staff member about it.

No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!

If you are calling from the mainland (or other part of the world), don’t forget about the time zone difference! We operate on HST (Hawaii Standard Time).

You must be at least 10 years old and you MUST be able to swim!

You must also be medically fit to dive. More information on that with the next question.

Different courses require different prereqs. Check out our courses page for specifics.

Open water – the first level of diving – requires that students must be medically fit and able to complete a 200 yd swim (there is no time limit or stroke requirement).

If you are looking to get certified, check out the Medical Questionnaire you will need to have completed before you get certified. *You do not need to have this waiver printed or filled out before class. This digital copy is only for informational purposes – you might need to get a doctors note or physical before you can become certified. Check out the form to see if you need to see a doctor before beginning your course. Students will fill out a written form when they begin their scuba course.

Different courses require different things. Check out our courses page for specifics.

Most courses include all or most scuba gear needed.

Most courses book-work is done online via eLearning before you start your class.

Regardless of whether you use eLearning or a workbook, you need to have the book-work completed before your first day of class. You also need to bring proof of your completed bookwork to your first day of class.

It is important to note that Open Water students are REQUIRED to complete the RDP Table section of the eLearning. The PADI eLearning lists the RDP Table section as ‘optional’. It should be completed prior to the start of class.

Different courses require different amounts of time. Check out our courses page for specifics.

Most courses take between 2-3 days.

Of course! We do recommend you plan ahead.

Call the shop as soon as you have your dates set so you can get started on your eLearning course work. This simplifies your training on the island so you can focus on the pool work and ocean dives and maximize your time on the island! We will schedule your scuba training around your vacation schedule!

PADI stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors. PADI is the most well recognized scuba diving credential agency in the world. PADI provides a framework for scuba education with safety requirements, prerequisites and a huge network of scuba centers. PADI scuba certifications are good for life and accepted all over the world!

The short answer is YES! The long answer is, it depends upon the course you took and the agency you took it with. Each agency does things a little different. That being said, give Aaron’s a call and we can look into the specifics of what your next certification prerequisites will be.

Referral Students – AKA students who began their scuba certification with another shop and would like to finish their certification with us. Aaron’s Dive Shop is excited to help you complete your Scuba Certification!
Before we giant stride into the water, we will need some completed paperwork:
First and foremost, your COMPLETED PADI Medical Form. Two options: Either bring the completed copy from your previous dive shop or you will need to fill out a new PADI Medical Form for Aaron’s Dive Shop. Be aware that if you previously had to receive medical clearance by a doctor, a new medical form will require another doctor’s clearance.

Secondly, your complete scuba dive Training Record from the dive shop(s) you began your training with. The dive shop you received your training from will have your Training Record.
Please email your previous PADI Medical Form and dive training records to [email protected] AND show up to the boat with the completed PRINTED PADI Medical Form and PRINTED training record.

No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!