I was looking to plan a dive for myself and three of my kids on our Maui trip. My kids are 21, 17, and 13. Myself and the two older ones are certified, but inexperienced. My youngest basically had never dived before. I was wanting to set something up where all of us could have a cool experience together and not be limited by our varying degrees of training and experience. I also didn’t want to spend time in a swimming pool reviewing basics.
To get the ball rolling I sent a bunch of emails to different dive shops with basically the same outline of what I wanted to do. Caitlin at Banyan Tree Divers stood out because she responded quickly to my initial email, and she was the only provider who seemed willing and able to work with my semi-unique situation. She was patient with my questions and always quick to reply. In the end I went with a private dive (with an additional dive), and she assured me that we’d be in the ocean (no swimming pools or PowerPoints!) after a short dryland briefing.
On the day of the dive we arrived at their base. We were met by Abby, our instructor/guide and she immediately got us started. I was struck by how clean and organized the operation was. The gear was all tidy, clean, and in great shape.
Abby is one of those folks who is highly experienced in her field but carries no pretention or attitude. She was very professional, approachable, and (most importantly) very safety oriented. I was reassured from the start. I especially liked how, during our dryland orientation she was able to speak to all of us on our own level – a bit of a trick given the range of ages and experience.
Logistics were easy. We had a short drive from their base to the first dive site. Even though the first dive was a bit of a test-flight, it was interesting – not just an expansive sandy bottom! Lots of corals and marine life. Abby took good care to make sure we were all comfortable and ready to go. And once in the water she was very attentive to making sure everyone was moving well, comfortably, and safely. Our second dive was at a different location about a 10 minute drive away. This dive stepped up the progression a bit more. Reef sharks, more turtles than I can count, eels, and plenty of interesting underwater terrain.
Anyway, I know this is a bit long-winded. But I wanted to paint a bit of a picture. I don’t think there is anything more that Banyan Tree Divers could have done to make this experience. It was fantastic from start to finish. They were professional, organized, able to work accommodate specific requests, and (maybe most important on a Maui holiday), relaxed and easy going! I’d recommend them without hesitation. I’ll definitely look them up next time I’m in Maui for some diving.
Odpowiedź od gospodarza
Feb 2023
Aloha, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review of your experience diving with Abby and Banyan Tree Divers Maui! We are elated that your experience went smoothly from start to finish. We are a very small company and each guest means a lot to us, so the importance of prompt communication, listening to the guest's wants and hopes for the experience, and tailoring our dives is intrinsic to a successful morning of diving. Thank you so much for this feedback. We are glad that you found us and look forward to welcoming you back to Maui for more dive adventures in the future!