Learn about Hawaiian ʻaumākua, ancestral family guardians rooted in genealogy and culture, and discover how this living tradition deepens respect for Maui's ocean and wildlife.
Learn how to identify every phase of the Moon in minutes with this complete guide. Discover easy memory tricks, supermoons, eclipses, Hawaiian lunar traditions, Polynesian wayfinding, moon mythology, tides, and the fascinating question of whether the Moon influences us.
Discover the story behind King Kamehameha Day, one of Hawaiʻi's most meaningful holidays. Learn how King Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian Islands, why his legacy is still celebrated today, and what this unique June 11 holiday reveals about Hawaiian culture, history, and identity.
From Hawaiian green sea turtles to leatherback giants, discover the remarkable lives, migrations, challenges, and lessons of Earth's oldest ocean travelers.
Discover 8 ways to support Maui’s recovery—shop local, volunteer, and travel responsibly after Lahaina’s wildfires.
Here’s a closer look at the environmental benefits of choosing a snorkel sail experience with us.
To celebrate Earth Day this year, the Trilogy ‘Ohana spent the day volunteering with Kipuka Olowalu to practice kuleana (responsibility) and mālama 'āina (care for the land). It was an epic day of connecting to the land and learning about the rich history in Olowalu valley.
Trilogy crew member, Captain Mario, couldn’t believe his eyes:
Here on an island where there aren’t any any people, an entire stretch of golden sand was buried under mountains of plastic.
Laundry baskets, fishing floats, colorful tangles of nets; just thousands of pieces of evidence of man—yet there weren’t any humans to be found.
He, along with Trilogy crew members Gabe and Aaron, joined a team of volunteers from Malama Maui Nui and Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) for a four day, three night trip to Kaho‘olawe—the island off Maui’s southwestern coast that’s famously covered in bombs.
It’s no secret that the crew here at Trilogy is proud of the islands we call home.
Which is why, since our founding in 1973, three generations of this family-owned company have worked to malama, or take care of these islands—even in capacities not directly related to our Maui snorkeling tours.
What happens mauka, or upland, on these islands, eventually affects all things makai (by the sea), and it’s important for us as island stewards to look at our Maui ocean activities as part of a greater whole.
It’s also important for our company leaders to constantly connect, engage, and learn about cultural practices, local history, and core Hawaiian values, so we can foster that ‘ike (knowledge) and share it with guests—who are not only looking to go snorkeling in Maui—but also want to develop their own sense of appreciation for these islands.
I’ve learned while traveling as a Protector of Paradise that keeping the environment healthy is a communal effort, spanning all spectrums of industry, community, and business. No effort is too small. Keep striving to do better and share your environmental story with others so they too can help make a change!
To me, being a protector of paradise holds great meaning. It means I must do as much as I can to help make our environment more sustainable. I must go beyond my local community and visit others to see how they are living, share stories and knowledge, and work together towards a common goal.
What we’ve found is people/students are eager to help but they just don’t know where to start. It was fun to introduce them to like-minded community groups and give them tangible ways to start practicing sustainability in their day-to-day.
Come along with us on 4-day adventure with the February 2019 Seabury Winterim! With squid dissections, sailing lessons, coral surveys, and more, the Trilogy team helped to deliver a week of learning and adventure for these bright-eyed students that is sure to be a fabulous memory for years to come.
Read about the exciting new partnership between Trilogy’s Blue’Aina campaign and our friends at Eat Less Plastic, a team of researchers and voyagers dedicated to changing the future. As they embark on a four month long journey through the South Pacific, their research teams (plus a new addition!) will gather microplastic samples and conduct other ocean water testing in an effort to do their part to better our beautiful Earth.
When traveling to the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical locations, there's a good chance you will jump into the big blue. Even if you have no plans to snorkel around coral reefs, you still make an impact on marine ecosystems.
Unlike humans, dolphins are conscious breathers, so they rest half of their brain at a time. Imagine sleeping with one eye open in a state similar to that of a daydream.
Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems, hosting over thousands of marine organisms. They come in blues, reds, yellows, browns, greens, and purples, making the ocean floor a rainbow. Despite looking like rocks, corals are a living invertebrate.
High five, its vacation time! As you begin to dream of mai tai’s on the beach and how many swimsuits to pack for Maui, we want to introduce you to a new (heartwarming) trend that’s hitting the travel industry today – Voluntourism!
Blue 'Aina
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Blue 'Aina 〰️
Discover Trilogy’s Blue ʻAina program and its impact on Maui’s reefs. Learn how Mama’s Fish House and Boys & Girls Club joined the fourth sponsored cleanup to protect Hawaiʻi’s ocean future.
On Sunday January 19th, a group of 60 volunteers from the local Maui community set out to clean Maui’s reefs on Trilogy’s second Blue’Aina trip of 2020, sponsored by Kapalua Ziplines . After weeks of winter rain and windy weather on Maui, we were more than overjoyed for blue skies and calm seas. We set out to Mala Wharf for the day, barely leaving Lahaina Harbor before a mom and calf humpback whale surfaced!
On January 5th, 50 volunteers joined Trilogy’s first Blue’Aina trip of the new decade. This first trip of 2020 coincided with the beginning of humpback whale season on Maui and Trilogy decided to make this Blue’Aina trip an educational whale watch. The charismatic and very knowledgable, Flip Nicklin, co-founder of Whale Trust was on board to share humpback whale facts and insights with our volunteers.
We are proud to have Trilogy’s Blue’Aina trips act as a floating classroom, providing the 60 volunteers with real-time citizen science projects and environmental discussion. On this Blue’Aina we focused on coral reef health. While in the water looking for marine debris I took notice of the health of the coral reef.
This is the second year Trilogy was proud to hose a special Blue’Aina trip in conjunction with ICCD and the annual Lahaina Town Cleanup. This year our 60 volunteers boarded Trilogy IV and headed to Honolua Bay, thanks to support from our sponsor, the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas.
Fall season has arrived and our Blue’Aina sails are back in full swing. Last Sunday kicked off our first cleanup of the season with corporate sponsor, Westin Nanea Ocean Villas. Their $1,000 donation will support the Hawaii Wildlife Fund’s important mission to conserve and protect Hawaii's native wildlife.
As the next Blue‘Aina underwater reef cleanup quickly approaches, we look back at our June Blue’Aina underwater reef cleanup and our generous June sponsors. Thanks to our Corporate Sponsor Maui Resort Rentals a donation was made to non-profit Surfrider Foundation Maui: the non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people.
Someone recently asked me, “Did you find paradise in Fiji?” I feel paradise is a state of being not a place. It looks different to every person. Traveling around Fiji afforded me the opportunity to surrounded myself with like-minded individuals working towards a sustainable future. I saw beautiful places and met some of the nicest strangers. This to me, is paradise.
Living plastic-free isn’t easy. If you’ve ever tried living a single-use plastic- free life, you probably started out confident, but then quickly realized that it was actually very difficult. It’s a great reminder of the amount of plastic waste we have in our lives.
Read all about our March Blue’Aina with Aloha Kayaks Maui (a returning sponsor!) and a non-profit that is near and dear to our hearts, Eat Less Plastic! Epic sunshine, views of the West Maui mountains, and crystal clear waters made for a perfect reef cleanup out on the water!
A stormy start to our winter season here in Maui cut us a little break for our February 3rd underwater reef cleanup with Trilogy’s Blue’Aina and the Malama Kai Foundation! With some extra whale watching fun to boot, our volunteers set sail to Olowalu Reef for a day full of sun and fun (and cleaning!).
Each year, Blue’Aina devotes one trip during Maui’s winter months for citizen science and education, typically focusing on the thousands of humpback whales that visit our warm waters. Kicking off 2019, our January Blue’Aina was hosted aboard the Trilogy I and delighted volunteers, non-profit recipients, and our sponsors to one truly epic educational Whale Watch!
The annual December Lana’i ocean & land Blue’Aina was a roaring success, blessed with beautiful sunny weather, eager volunteers, and 15 bags of trash collected! Read all about our fabulous sponsor and non-profit organizations, and our little surprise welcome into Manele Harbor on Lana’i!
A day filled with inspiration and aloha, for our September Blue’Aina reef cleanup we partnered with ocean-loving non-profit, Love the Sea, and the Westin KOR - back for an impressive third sponsorship! Full hearts (and full trash bags) make for a genuine Blue’Aina success.
Read about the exciting new partnership between Trilogy’s Blue’Aina campaign and our friends at Eat Less Plastic, a team of researchers and voyagers dedicated to changing the future. As they embark on a four month long journey through the South Pacific, their research teams (plus a new addition!) will gather microplastic samples and conduct other ocean water testing in an effort to do their part to better our beautiful Earth.
Our September Blue’Aina reef cleanup brought dolphins, sunny skies and all the aloha! This beautiful day in our tropical little paradise was a much needed outing after August’s threat of Hurricane Lane. We love this ‘aina with all our hearts!
What does sunshine, 60 volunteers, coral reefs, and sailing have to do in common? Our June Blue’Aina, of course! Read all about our featured June non-profit organization, the Sierra Club Maui, and our generous sponsors, the Westin Nanea Ocean Villas and Trilogy Excursions, as we set sail up the coast of West Maui to the historic Cliff House!
We lucked out with sunny skies, lots of smiles, and the most positive attitudes aboard our May 6th Blue’Aina event. Read about our underwater reef cleanup at Coral Gardens, with our sponsor, Trilogy Excursions, and our non-profit recipient for May, the Malama Kai Foundation!
Always wanting to malama the aina, Trilogy Excursions has been a long time participant in Earth Day events, and for the last 5 years, the Fairmont Kea Lani has personally requested an Earth Day Blue’Aina, sponsoring the non-profit Hawaii Wildlife Fund.
Despite the rough weather this winter, we were thankfully met with the flattest, calmest of seas and sunshine. Our corporate sponsor, Skyline Eco-Adventures brought some eager volunteers to our sold out cleanup day, along with their donation of $1,000 to non-profit Punana Leo o Maui.
Our March Blue‘Aina cleanup began with some unfortunate stormy weather that threatened to affix a raincloud over our day, but even that was no match for our volunteers’ outpouring of Aloha spirit. Sponsored by: Lehualani Center. Donation recipient: Kimokeo Foundation.
Early last week, we took to the seas (and land!) again for our February 4th Blue‘Aina trip, hosting the non-profit organization Oceanwide Science Institute, and sponsored by one of our repeat favorites, Aloha Kayaks Maui.
On January 7th, our 48 guests boarded Trilogy with extreme excitement for our first Blue‘Aina of 2018 - a recurring trip that has become such a crowd favorite that it sold out months in advance! Sponsored by Trilogy, their donation was made for the second year in a row to the Whale Trust Maui, a local non-profit organization. Our food for the day was graciously donated by CJ’s Deli & Diner.
On November 5th, 60 guests boarded Trilogy 1 with excitement on their faces for our monthly Blue’Aina trip. The November Blue’Aina was sponsored by Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort and Villas. They chose to make a donation to the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC). Food was provided by Aloha Mixed Plate/Old Lahaina Luau properties.
On this Blue’Aina trip we got to do something we don’t normally do. We departed Ma’alaea Harbor on board Trilogy V and headed to the south shore of Maui. With a full boat of excited volunteers, everyone was anxious to malama a different part of Maui. The Corporate Sponsor for this trip was RP Signs, supporting the non-profit Imua Family Services. Food was provided by Trilogy Excursions.
With the start of the fall season, Trilogy is back to hosting floating workshops and reef cleanups. For the month of September, Trilogy hosted the non-profit Eyes of the Reef (EOR) for a workshop on coral health. The corporate sponsor was the Westin Nanea Ocean Villas and the food was provided by Trilogy Excursions.
On May 7th, Trilogy was happy to host a sold out Blue’Aina reef cleanup with Corporate Sponsor Aloha Kayaks Maui supporting non-profit Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT). This month our beautiful spring weather allowed us to head up to Cliff House for our underwater reef cleanup. Cliff House is located at Namalu Bay in Kapalua. This bay is a popular spot for locals to cliff jump and swim in the shallow protected waters. Blue’Aina had not been to Cliff House in a few months so we were anticipating a good amount of trash and fishing line.
Hosting a cleanup on Earth Day is a long-standing tradition for Trilogyʻs BlueʻAina Campaign. The Fairmont Kea Lani has been a Blue’Aina supporter for five years now and requests the Earth Day cleanup every year.
Learn to identify different reef fish you may see while snorkeling on Maui, with verified Hawaiian names, visual cues, lookalike comparisons, reef etiquette, and Trilogy tour notes.