Official sanctuary page for legal and access restrictions.
United States of America · O'ahu, Hawai'i
Offshore drift dive with a steep wall and coral.
Offshore drift dive with a steep wall and coral.
Rabbit Island is an offshore drift dive off Oʻahu's east side, centered on the waters around Mānana and Kaohikaipu. The route is defined by a steep wall, rubble-and-shell bottoms, and coral-rich reef areas that reward careful navigation and strong current awareness. It is better treated as a serious open-water dive than a casual reef stop, with drift planning, surface marking, and patience with the harbor run doing a lot of the work.
Site Conditions
Safety Notes
No moorings and diving is described as drift diving.
Access Restrictions
Rabbit Island and Kaohikaipu are protected seabird sanctuaries; do not land on the islets without authorization.
Legal Notes
Landing or walking on the islets is prohibited without permission, so dive plans should stay offshore and respect the sanctuary.
Community notes to help plan your visit.
Scuba Diving
Typical dive is a drift along the drop-off; there are no moorings.
Freediving
Only for very experienced freedivers in calm conditions; the normal profile is a drift/wall dive rather than a casual freedive stop.
Snorkeling
Not a snorkel-first site because the current and distance make it a poor casual surface excursion.
Species commonly reported at this site, with direct links into their wildlife guides.
Research estimate
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Last Updated
Research Sources
Official sanctuary page for legal and access restrictions.
Local dive-guide page with access, current, and safety details.

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