Maliko Bay

My first review for this. As a Kanaka maoli but most importantly raised down there I've learned significantly about this area. It's an area of culture .Hawaiian culture and it brings life back to reality when you do research. Amongst the under water beauty the land has gone to crap. It's because there is not much care to the areas we stand on. The ramp first of all, everyone HAS accessed this. Due to the safety hazard it possess' is the reason we can't. And the state being It's considered a park is not funded enough or just lazy to upgrade and replace it. My thought is possibly useful..and pull some community funding together to improve the area.. with out expectations of anything else. The eastern side of the bay , I wouldnt recommend going out to because of the current t changes. It's all rocks..I just don't want anyone to get swept off or hurt. But I guess u folksnare pros..so have fun be safe..watch for the mano

Under Construction!

Maliko gulch is located on Maui's north shore. Just passed Hookipa Beach Park on the road to Hana you'll top the next point then head down hill to the bridge that crosses Maliko stream. Immediately on the other side of the bridge turn right and follow the road beside the stream and under the bridge. We're not supposed to use the ramp as an entry but most divers do. You can enter to either side with just a little more difficulty. Carry a dive flag here just as you should anywhere you dive in the state. There are photo directions and a site map on our web site, godivemaui.com This site review will be for the right (east) side of the bay. The east warrants it's own review. You can often dive the east year round in the absence of rain, though it is best in summer. Additionally. There is a separate entry for the west, albeit for mountain goat/diver hybrids. The steam ship anchors and most interesting Crevasses are on the east side of the bay. There is a small wall at the end of the east finger. At its base and 5 meters north are the 2 steam ship anchors. The hard corals at Maliko bay are healthy and the topography is interesting. If you continue around and to the east you'll find 3 deep ravines in the cliff side and any of them lead south west back into the bay. Going this far requires good air consumption, a hot fill and a long surface swim. Turtles are common here but shy. They see few divers here on the wilder side of Maui. This is a good place to spot Devil Scorpion Fish, Spiny Lobsters, Ridge Back Slipper Lobsters. Lots of little caves hide surprises such as large Conger eels and Spanish dancers. Some of the caves are large enough to enter but use caution. They are sometime less easy to get out of. Inside the Bay there are lots of octopus, puffer fish and parrotfish. Many first time Maliko divers are content to stay in the bay and venture only as far as the wash rocks where I've seen groups of baby squid more than once on calm summer days. Take a dive flag. It's the law and there is boat traffic here from the launch (local fishermen). The Stream can make the Bay muddy after a good Mauka rain. When this happens the big guys have reportedly been seen in the bay, perhaps to eat toads washed out of the stream. I've probably been diving at Maliko a dozen times per summer since 2002 and I haven't personally seen anything more threatening than wana. In any case if you can't see what's in the water you might want to go dive south shore.

After my first review, I've done quite a few other dives here. First off, a couple of things not to do….don't dive here after it's been raining on the North Shore (Maliko stream empties into the gulch, turning the water muddy brown)...and don't dive without a flag (I was nearly run over by an inattentive tourist on a jet ski). The inner bay is sometimes host to some interesting critters...including schools of small, juvenile oval squid...and a couple of juvenile spotted eagle rays. These both hang out near the surface, so be sure to look up when returning to the boat ramp (also looking out for boats). Typically, I dive the right side (closer, great topography and canyons)...but I recently discovered the left side. There are shallow lava tubes....with lots of Spanish Dancer nudibranchs...and an occasional yellow frogfish. The left side requires a bit more of a swim...and would really be an easier boat dive (gasp)...unless you're good for 90+ minutes on a tank.

I saw lots of fish, turtles, a big tuna.

Maliko Gulch is one of the easiest North Shore sites (entry), and is a great place to dive in the summer. Entry is off the boat ramp (yield to boaters). The main hazard here is being run over by boats in the channel! The reef below is amazing, with plate corals and rice corals dominating the bottom. Eel, turtles, game fish, and lots of other critters abound here. Both the left side (lava tubes farther out) and the right side (several deep canyons) make great diving. There are also a number of turn-of-the-century very large anchors here that make for great photo ops!