Max is awesome. Been diving with him for years! If you want a small, personable diving experience, Max is the guy.

I had the most incredible experience diving with Max, the owner and dive master of Manini Divers, I was the his only diver on a boat shared with other dive shops and I felt incredible lucky. After exploring the Sea Tiger Wreck, I can confidently say that Max's expertise and passion for diving truly made the trip. Max ensured that I felt valued and well taken care of throughout the entire experience. His professionalism and attention to detail were unwavering, making me feel like a priority despite the presence of divers from other shops. Max's extensive knowledge of the wreck and the surrounding marine life was evident as he pointed out remarkable features underwater (the nesting octopus)! He guided me with precision, ensuring that I got the most out of the dive while maintaining a strong emphasis on safety. This dive is for experienced divers, but Max made that clear from the time I booked. I would dive with Max anytime. read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I originally contacted Oahu Dive and they were on vacation so they recommended I call MAX from Manini Dive Company....an email here and a phone call there....and I thought about it and decided to go with Max. Max moved the time and the original boat was changed but overall that wasn't an issue he emailed in advance and I got there early so I can survey the area.... Max pulled up and was very friendly and we spoke a bit as he prepped.... Ended up another couple were on this dive as well and that was it... perfect.....Max was very detailed and explained everything very well...was very patient with us and told us to take our time...and why not he wanted us to enjoy the experience.... When I first went in the Ocean I'll be honest I was scared as sh*t.... I honestly was breathing hard and hyperventilating and was going to tap out but like I said Max was patient waited for us as I finally was able to calm my breathing down and went down the rope line....and once I was under we were on our way. Had a couple of issues like my weight belt not tight enough and couple of times my mask needed adjustment....Max was seriously on the ball fixing every issue and as we followed him as our guide he made sure where we all were at every moment of both the first and second dive.....I couldn't have asked for more and definitely if you can't swim well and you are a beginner diver just go with Max!!!! read more

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Went Diving today with max !!! And he is absolutely amazing - thank you !!! Found a golf ball on the ocean floor and he showed me a cool trick read more

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Manini Dive Company is the ONLY dive company you should use when coming to dive Oahu. I cannot recommend them enough. Max is the best possible person to take you on an underwater tour whether this is your first dive or 50th dive. Max makes the whole experiences enjoyable and memorable. I am never disappointed diving with Manini and will come back again and again for as long as I can! Don't look any where else, dive with Manini!! read more

I am certified but my son wasn't. He went through the process and steps for him to make a safe and comfortable dive. Absolutely no problems. I highly recommend hom. read more

Do not book a dive with this company- they are unsafe and neglectful of first time divers. I believe the only reason he has good reviews is because he targets first time divers who do not know any different. Please read the few negative reviews to see how dangerous this company is. I have done one dive before, the dive with Manini being my second, so still very new to the practices Me and my friend (who is a Padi certified diver) booked this dive based off a recommendation from another dive company. The first red flag was the 'safety demonstration' which lasted 5 minutes. All we were told (we were also with another couple who were diving for the first time) was the hand signals to use under water and how to get water out of our mask. At first we were okay with this as Max told us we would be getting in the water whilst the other group of advanced divers did their dive to practice everything we needed to- this never happened. We arrived at the dive site and put on our gear, Max did not once check that everything was okay nor explain what anything was. He then got into the water first and told us to follow. We practiced breathing with the regulator and then he started descending with no further information. As someone who is very new to diving i panicked but luckily had my friend there to calm me down. Once we were at the bottom Max signalled to me to swim, this was the last time he communicated with me under water and he did not check my air or adjust my buoyancy once, my friend had to show me how to do it and the the other couple were just left, not knowing what to do and believing that bashing off the floor was normal. We then ascended with no safety stop- Max tried to do the same again the second dive but my friend made me and the couple stop for a few minutes as she was very worried about ascending too quick and rightly so as the gentleman then had a nose bleed and claimed he couldn't hear out of his ears- Max did not care, just told him to go drink a beer. I tried to talk to Max about my concerns at the end of the trip and he was very defensive and dismissive claiming that i did not follow his lead or listen to instruction, when in fact there was no lead to follow. Please do not book with this company read more

I highly recommend Max. Had a great time! Saw six green sea turtles and a huge white-tip reef shark. What a treat! Mahalo!

Max is very nice and gentle over the phone when I scheduled my dive with him for a so high hope trip after the pandemic. However, I was , or my family was so disappointed when we got on board. There are a few small groups on the same boat. We are the only group that our diver (Max) did not prepared us enough as beginners. We only given a 5 mins instruction before our 1st dive. I saw other group s diver has prepared them from the beginning. For our entire trip, Max did not talk to us except that 10 min prep. So I won't recommend him if you plan it as family trip. read more

I'm visiting Hawaii for a week and called Manini Dive Company a few days ago to book a Dive on 12/24. I was super excited about it in speaking with Max via phone and he let me know I was going to receive a text with the logistics (meeting time/ location). A day later I noticed I didn't receive a text so I texted and asked. He messaged me the details to meet at 11am on 12/24. So I showed up early and paid $5 for parking ($1 per hour in case) and was trying to text/ call him that we were there. No response. It's 11:03am and a bunch of diving companies around preparing to leave and here we are looking for Max. Someone pointed who he was and he looked pretty preoccupied and we let him know we were checking in. He said "we were waiting for you at 8am"..... umm what?? His text said 11am was the meeting time and he didn't even try to call me to wonder where we're at? He then checked the boat that was departing at 11am if there was room for 2 and there wasn't. Not really much of a sincere apology from him but being 11am already, I definitely couldn't last minute find another dive company to accommodate us. Pretty much a waste of a day and a mess up of our schedule for our trip. Very unprofessional and displeased of this experience. Waste of time, waste of a day and a waste of $5. read more

Highly recommend! We will definitely be using Max's service again! Saw a huge turtle! Equipment was great, Max explained things perfectly. Mahalo! read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Did the introductory Dive with Max. He was awesome! We shared a boat with another dive team but there was only 2 of us with Manini Dive. He tests you on the 1st dive and depending how you do determines the second dive. I got to see lots of cool fish, a big turtle, and even hold a baby octopus Max was very patient, but I liked the we got right out there. He even took great pics! It was a very memorable experience. read more

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Max (the dive master) is a super cool guy he makes you feel super chill with the whole experience and takes great photos for the extra fee. Whole thing was a great time and would come again. read more

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Max and his crew are absolutely perfect if you want to experience a dive in Oahu. They were very professional and fun. They made our son feel very comfortable doing his first ocean dive. They will take great care of you. The location to meet the boat is easy to find and there was parking right in front. If some of your group is not joining the dive the Ala Moana mall is really close. The lucky divers will be treated to Max giving them a special tour under the water. Our son saw 2 turtles/a sea urchin/ nudibranch & an octopus read more

This was a great experience! It was my son and me along with one other diver and our guide. We saw octopus and a shark. They really knew where to go! read more

This company was recommended to us and was the biggest mistake we made in planning our Hawaiian Christmas present to our kids. At first, they were extremely accommodating, but two weeks before cancelled our confirmed day/time and rescheduled for a later date. After frantically rearranging other reservations, we made it work, but learned that a big storm system was coming in during the new dates. After a few confirmations about being able to still go out, we felt reassured that our huge Christmas gift, 18th birthday present, and graduation trip would be a success. 90 min before, we received a call that our trip was cancelled. Weather is clear now, will get rainy later. I understand that they cannot control weather, but so disappointing. I called several other dive companies- they are still operating today, but of course, booked out for weeks. It's New Years Eve Day! Aloha Max's response, yes, it sucks- I have to get my stuff off the boat now too and just can't wait for 2021 to be behind me. A company that works in a place like Hawaii with variable weather should have better communication and options. And especially better customer service. He even said the first dive was a no show and he was ready to go!!! Why didn't he call earlier- we would have been there! Totally upsetting part- it's beautiful out!!! Picture taken at exactly when our arrival time would have been. read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - "Stormy weather" at dive time. ‍‍. No wonder other companies are going out. It's a beautiful day! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Max is awesome!!! I had a wonderful experience with him and Manini Dive Company and will definitely use again for my Oahu dives. Booking: Couldn't have been easier! I went to his website and selected a dive based on my interests and certification level. I entered in my info so he could bring the appropriate size equipment and paid online. A breeze! Day of: Max picked me up from where I was staying in Waikiki exactly at our agreed upon time. We drove to the marina and boarded the boat. Max took care of loading all the gear and everything he brought for me fit perfectly. Dives: The dive sites are very close to the marina so no long boat rides for those prone to seasickness! Max keeps his groups to 4 people or less and that day it was just myself and one other gal - smaller groups are definitely the way to go! Max knows the dive sites well and it definitely shows. I learned so much about the wreck we were diving and Max was a pro at pointing out the local fauna! Between the wreck and reef dive we had amazing close up encounters with a sea turtle and an octopus, plus a white tip shark siting and of course plenty of fish. Last but not least, safety is a huge component of diving and I felt SO comfortable with Max and the safety measures he took. Overall: WHAT A GREAT MORNING! Max is such a nice guy and it was so awesome to be able to spend the morning with him. DIVE MANINI! read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Octopus encounter diving the Nautilus reef! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I have to give Manini Dive Company a full 5 stars. I first encountered Max back in 2004 when I was working in Hawaii for 3 months. During this time, he got me PADI open water certified right away. I was amazed at his efficiency. Max and I became very close friends, and when I moved to the island, I spent a lot of my spare time diving with him. This business, which he built with his own hands, is his life's work. When you work with Max, you see the true definition of a private business - the care and effort that he pours into the customer. The level of quality is unsurpassed, and this is why I whole-heartedly recommend Manini if you have even the slightest interest in SCUBA diving. Go for an intro dive - you don't need to know a single thing. He literally will take care of everything, and you'll get to see some amazing local fish, and if you're lucky, a sea turtle! Once you get certified, you can explore one of the local shipwrecks, including a WWII era Corsair that sits 108 ft down about a mile off of Koko head. read more

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Always a great experience! Max is a great instructor and makes you feel comfortable. We saw lots of marine life. GREAT dive! Highly recommend. read more

Been diving for years. Have never had a better experience than I did with Max and the Manini Dive Company crew. They are laid back yet thorough, extremely safety oriented and they don't miss a thing. The dives were beautiful and you would swear Max knows every creature under the sea. The trips were timed so perfectly that no matter how far or how deep, we always hit the surface with the perfect amount of air. I would absolutely recommend them and will dive with them again. read more

Max was very enjoyable to dive with, especially with all of his dad jokes. Max was very punctual and even set my gear up for me, so I didn't have to worry about it. read more

I had booked a dive with Max and then even followed up to reconfirm the reservation and pickup 3 days before. The pickup time came and went and then when I called 15 mins after the pickup time Max said that they had totally forgotten to get me, but that because he didn't own the boat, there was no way to delay the departure even if I grabbed an Uber. He agreed to a full refund + $50 for the inconvenience, but the $50 never arrived. I'd highly recommend staying away from this dive operator. read more

My fiance and I were referred to the Manini Dive Company owner and dive instructor, Max Brunk, by our mutual friend who happened to be an experienced diver. For new divers, Max offers a PADI dive certification that includes pool training, a number of actual dives, and a book exam, which gets you certified in under a week; perfect for those folks who want to learn to dive, but don't have the time for lengthy classes. And the best part is, you're diving while you're learning! The price is very reasonable considering what it would cost to dive even if certified. You're basically paying almost the same amount you would to rent gear and go diving, but you're getting certified as an open water diver! That was over three years ago when we went through the certification program and we have been diving with Max every single year since. There are a number of reasons why we go back to Max every year. First, Max is a consummate professional and an incredibly seasoned dive master. He is literally diving almost every day of the year. As such, Max is an exceptionally well qualified instructor who always works with students and divers alike at their own pace. He is confident, reassuring, and capable, and he is definitely the guy you want with you on your dives. Second, although Max is a great teacher, he is also a great guy. He is flat out fun to be around and fun to dive with. He makes the entire experience much more enjoyable because he manages to have fun and keep things lighthearted, even though diving is something that must be taken seriously and requires a high degree of concentration and procedure. Making something technical like diving a fun and enjoyable experience is one of Max's huge draws. Third, Max is partnered with the best dive boats on Oahu. He therefore has access to all the best dive sites. Whether you are looking for a shallow dive focused on experiencing all the underwater life around you, or you want to dive on shipwrecks and downed WWII fighter planes, Max can take you where you want to go. If you are going to Oahu and looking for a dive instructor or just someone to take you diving, give Max a call. He is absolutely the best in the business, hands down. read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Manini Dive Company - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Max was extremely kind and easy to talk to. On our first dive, we went to turtle canyon where I saw my very first turtle, octopus, and shark!! He was a great guide underwater and his diving experience is impressive. We went on a catamaran that had about 15 other divers on it and there was plenty of space to move around. During the diving tour, there was only 3 people with Max so it was easy for everyone to stay together. read more

Please don't book with Manini Dive Company if it's your first time diving. It would be safer to do a more step by step program and get certified, rather than to entrust your health and safety in one person who does not care about your well being. Max gave very few instructions to my partner and me (less than 5 min). He did not connect a hose for my gear until I was already in the water and about to go down. I had noticed earlier on the ship that my respirator was not making the same sound as my partner's was, and Max dismissed that concern. I went back to the boat because I realized I could not trust him. My partner did the dive but also felt traumatized due to the lack of instruction. He said the trauma was not worth it, as he only saw one fish and nothing else. He also panicked after experiencing a leak in his mask that the trick he taught us failed to fix. We both had a hard time even snorkeling the day after that dangerous experience. Keep in mind that they will clump you with a boat full of advanced divers and many other instructors. You will have to wait at least an hour for the advanced divers to do their dives. There were other few less experienced divers. One person had to turn back early and seemed very shaken, and his companion said her ear hurt so much as she descended (probably because we were all inexperienced and were not properly instructed). I saw one person vomiting into the ocean profusely. While they weren't in Max's group, it was clear that this activity is meant for advanced divers, not beginners. This sort of intro dive does not prepare people for the intense experience and the skills you need to be comfortable underwater for 20 minutes. I had asked Max at least twice before over email if this dive would be appropriate for our level and if there were any preparations to be done, to which he said it'd be fine or did not respond. I shared my feedback the day after and requested a refund. He refused and said he tries to take people who aren't ready like me diving. You may ask, why wouldn't you turn them away if you know they aren't great candidates? Because of the money. This is a scam, and I warn you all to stay away. Good people will be responsible and set proper expectations. read more

Max was great. We had a party of two; her first dive and my 3rd. Everything went great and the 2 dive spots were cool. I got awesome footage on my GoPro. We saw turtles, cool fish, dolphins and each held a little octopus! Other people (in other dive groups) saw a shark (white tip and harmless) but the ocean doesn't wait for anybody. Highly recommend. read more

Max was great. He takes only takes out small groups, so you won't feel like there are too many people to stay safe. Highly recommend. read more

I had high hopes for Manini. The people I spoke with when planning the trip were super friendly and very helpful. The price was good and they had cool services like having them take photos of you while under water. Alas...we were out front for our 7:15am pick-up and they never came - they messed up our booking which left us scrambling to replan that day of our holiday. Luckily we found Waikiki Dive Center who were awesome. read more

I've been diving for 3 years and I'm fortunate enough to live on Oahu where I learned SCUBA through multiple different shops. Max is by far my favorite tour guide and diving instructor. When friends and family visit and want to dive with someone I always select Max as his prices are affordable and his service is the best I've found. Max has a great sense of humor and 95% of the time finds octopus on the reef or wrecks to hold! Max is the man and Manini is my favorite dive charter! read more

If you are looking for first-time diving, DO NOT go with this company. The experience that I had here totally ruined my trip. When we arrived, Max, the owner and instructor, turned around and went straight to the boat. He did not greet us or introduce himself. Instead, other dive teams using the same boat directed us to Max. Once onboard he handed us our wetsuits and sat us down. He spent only a few minutes explaining the basics of diving. When he handed us our regulators my husband noticed his had LIPSTICK on it. He pointed this out to Max and asked if he could get another one to which he replied it's fine he had already sanitized it. When he requested at least some water to rinse it, he just walked away. When I went down to the water, I started to panic as the waves kept washing over my head. I struggled to breathe through the regulator and got sea water in my mouth instead. I looked to Max for help. I wish he could tell me what to do, but he did not do anything. He just stared at me. My husband tried to calm me down and kept me afloat. Even other people in our dive group tried to help me by giving me advice. All this time Max was still watching us. He did not give any instruction, not even ask if I was ok. Eventually I went back up to the boat. After the dive, he continued to ignore me like nothing happened. I went there for the good reviews but my experience told me how wrong I was to choose this diving company. Max does not have the empathy, patience, or attitude to be an instructor for beginners who want to try out diving. read more

My son and I dove with Max over spring break. He's very professional, nice equipment, very attentive, fun and takes fantastic pictures. He showed lots of fun creatures including an octopus! We recommend Max! read more

Max is an awesome guide who goes the extra mile in providing for his customers. He explained to me that Manini means small in Hawaii and that's exactly the feel you get when you book your dive with him. Even in limited visibility Max got me close enough to multiple turtles to get great pictures and he found an octopus which clung to my mask for a little bit. I couldn't recommend Manini Diving more. read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Sushi the dive dog and the well taken care boat we went out on - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Max took me on some fantastic dives. And he saved the day. Rainbow Scuba cancelled on me the night before due to a lack of having other customers for the day I was booked. They hooked me up with Max who fetched me early the next morning from my hotel. Great fun! read more

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Awesome dive! The boat was great and really personable guide. I felt really comfortable going down to 100 feet.

If you are going to Dive you must dive with Manini Dive Company aka Max! He is the "merman"of the water he will keep you safe, make you feel comfortable and you will get the best diving experience ! read more

Manini Dive Company Hawaii - Max and I, thanks for the highlight of my trip! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Best Dive Company EVER! The company is professional, fun and SAFE. We saw amazing sea life and will do it again next trip! You can't go wrong with Max and Krash! read more

Max is professional, polite and punctual. The boat, equipment, service and duvinfby was fantastic.

I did a 2 tank dive in Oahu, with Max Brunk and the Manhini Dive Company on Oct. 26th 2018. I opted for hotel pickup and Max was actually a little early for our afternoon appointment. Nice, because I was not looking forward to hanging out in front of my Air BnB with all of my gear. I am not PADI Certified yet. Max did a great job in the safety briefing before the first dive and I learned a lot. I hit the water and my mask starts taking on water. I can't get it to stay clear and am now struggling to get back to the boat. Max gets the crew to replace my mask with one of his and he does a great job of keeping me calm in the water. New mask in place and we are on our way down. Cool coral and we got to see a turtle and a small reef shark on the first dive. I went through my air too quickly and Max coached me on a breathing technique that really made a difference on the second dive. I also opted for the photo package and am really glad I did. I took a lot of pictures with my own camera and none of them compared to the quality of his shots. This turned out to be a great value. Max Brunk is an excellent instructor and business operator. I would highly recommend that you utilize his services. read more

I went diving with Max on a recent trip to Oahu and he is the best of the best. He takes no more than 4 people per dive, so the service is exceptionally personalized. From the moment he picked me up, I felt comfortable and in capable hands. He asked all of us what we wanted to see and knew exactly where to find it. We saw huge sea turtles, eels, and even got to hold an octopus. At one point I did have to surface, and he calmly and patiently helped me back in the water to join the rest of the dive. I never felt rushed into or out of the water (which is what I usually feel on larger dives) and always felt 100% supported and safe. It's clear that he is passionate about he loves his work and helping others explore under the ocean. Thank you, Max, for a wonderful experience! read more

Great dive with Max! We dove on a choppier day but had an awesome time diving with our small group of 4.