Booking choice: The Kona submarine, from $160 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
All three dives follow the same pattern: check in, take a short shuttle boat out, climb down into the submarine and spend about 45 minutes underwater at around 100 feet. The height rule is the same too: 36 inches.
What changes is what you dive over: a natural lava reef off Kona, a century-old sailing ship off Lahaina, and a field of artificial reefs and wrecks off Waikiki.
The quick answer
Kona dives over a natural lava-rock reef and two small wrecks, is the shortest outing (about 1.5 hours) and costs from $160. Maui, off Lahaina, has the famous Carthaginian II wreck and the best rating (4.8), also from $160. Oahu, off Waikiki, has the biggest submarine (64 passengers) and several artificial reefs, rates 4.4 and costs from $168. Choose by the island you are on: none is worth a flight on its own.
How do the three Atlantis dives compare?
The price and dive time are nearly identical; the dive site, the size of the submarine and the check-in differ.
| Kona (Big Island) | Maui | Oahu | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Kailua Bay, Kailua-Kona | Off Lahaina | Off Waikiki |
| From (adult) | $160 | $160 | $168 |
| Rating | 4.7 (759) | 4.8 (826) | 4.4 (1,347) |
| Total time | 1.5 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Dive site | Natural lava reef, two small wrecks | Carthaginian II wreck and its reef | Artificial reefs, YO-257 and other wrecks |
| Submarine | 48 passengers | Up to 46 travelers per dive | 64 passengers |
| Check-in | King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel | Prison Street, Lahaina | Beach kiosk, Hilton Hawaiian Village |
On the Big Island? Check dates for the Kona dive.
Check dates for the Kona submarineWhat makes the Kona dive different?
It is the only one over a natural reef: a 25-acre lava-rock reef in Kailua Bay, described as about 18,000 years old, with two small sunken boats.
It is also the quickest outing, about 1.5 hours from check-in, with the check-in inside the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel right beside Kailua Pier. That makes it the easiest of the three for cruise passengers. Read what you see on the Kona dive.
What makes the Maui dive different?
The Carthaginian II: a sailing ship built in 1920 that was scuttled off Lahaina in 2005 to become an artificial reef.
Before the ship went down, the site was mostly bare sand; today it holds coral and fish. Guests on Maui report depths of 135 to 140 feet, and in winter (December to May) whales may be seen on the boat ride out. Check-in is at the Prison Street parking lot in Lahaina, which is rebuilding after the 2023 wildfire; guests mention a short walk from the meeting point to the dock. Note that the Maui listing does not allow infants.
Heading to Maui as well? The Lahaina dive visits the Carthaginian II and rates 4.8.
Explore the Maui submarineWhat makes the Oahu dive different?
Scale: Atlantis calls its 64-passenger Waikiki submarine the world's largest, and the site is a cluster of artificial reefs and wrecks.
The best known is the YO-257, a former Navy yard oiler sunk in 1989 as an artificial reef. Guests report sunken ships and planes, reef sharks and turtles. Check in 20 minutes before at the Atlantis kiosk on the beachfront of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It has the lowest rating of the three (4.4): some guests found it not worth the cost, and one noted that sharks and rays are few and far between.
Which dive has the best wrecks?
Maui for one famous ship, Oahu for the most wrecks, Kona for small boats on a natural reef.
If a big sunken ship is the point, Maui's Carthaginian II is the most impressive single wreck. Oahu has the most to look at. Kona's two small boats are a side act to its natural reef.
Which is cheapest?
Kona and Maui are the same at $160 regular; Oahu is $168.
Sales move the numbers: in early October 2026 Kona was about $144 in a 10% sale ending 15 October, and Oahu showed about $151. On all three, children 12 and under pay less, and Viator cancels free up to 24 hours before.
What are the rules for children on each island?
All three need passengers to be 36 inches (91 cm) tall and able to climb a near-vertical ladder.
Kona has no minimum age: under-3s who meet the height rule ride with a child ticket. The Maui listing states that infants are not permitted. None of the submarines has a restroom. See the Kona submarine with kids.
Is it worth doing more than one?
Only if you love the first one: the experience is the same, only the view changes.
Choose the dive on the island where you are staying. If you have done one and want a different view, Maui's wreck is the biggest contrast to Kona's natural reef. If you are on the Big Island and still deciding, read is the Kona submarine worth it?
Staying on the Big Island? The Kona dive leaves four times a day from Kailua Pier.
Check dates for the Kona submarineFrequently asked questions
Which Atlantis submarine is best in Hawaii?
By rating, Maui (4.8), then Kona (4.7) and Oahu (4.4). In practice, the best one is the one on the island you are visiting.
Are the Atlantis submarines the same on every island?
Similar: all are quiet passenger submarines diving to around 100 feet for about 45 minutes. Oahu's is the largest, with 64 seats.
Is the Maui submarine open after the Lahaina fire?
Yes. The Viator listing is bookable, with check-in at Prison Street in Lahaina; guests note the meeting point is in the area affected by the 2023 fire.
Which Atlantis dive has a shipwreck?
All three: Maui has the Carthaginian II, Oahu the YO-257 and other wrecks, and Kona two small sunken boats.
Ready to book
Choose your dive
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Atlantis Kona Submarine Adventure
- Sightseeing shuttle boat from Kailua Pier to the dive site, about 5 minutes each way
- About 45 minutes underwater in the 48-passenger submarine, down to roughly 100 feet
- Live English narration by the naturalist; audio in Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish and Korean
Maui Atlantis Submarine Adventure
Oahu Atlantis Submarine Adventure
The Waikiki dive over artificial reefs and a Navy ship
