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Whether you're a seasoned snorkeler or new to underwater exploration, SNUBA offers an exciting way to experience Maui's vibrant marine life. This hybrid activity combines the ease of snorkeling with the thrill of SCUBA diving, allowing you to dive deeper without heavy equipment.
Discover West Maui features two different snorkeling sites, and while Olowalu (site of Maui’s “Mother Reef”) is the snorkeling spot of choice, the trip could head north to Namalu Bay just offshore from Kapalua, or even cross the ‘Au‘au Channel to the eastern coast of Lana‘i.
Nahuna is a marine life magnet where seemingly everything is possible. Hawaiian green sea turtles are the most notable draw (as this is the site of the original “turtle town”), but you can also see a large variety of reef fish, lobsters, nudibranchs, eagle rays, bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, slate pencil urchins, and eels.
Our flagship tour, Discover Lana’i, begun 46 years ago when Trilogy was founded, takes delighted guests to the private island of Lana’i, where you can snorkel, hike, and take a guided cultural history tour of the Pineapple Island.
Molokini Crater is—without a doubt—one of the best places to snorkel on Maui!
Every visitor to Maui should include a Molokini snorkeling tour on their list of Maui activities. The water here is clear as gin, and teems with over 250 species of Hawaiian marine life and fish.
Good for seeing: Black durgeon, sea cucumber, slate pencil urchins, Hawaiian green sea turtles, octopus, parrotfish
If you’re joining us for our Discover Ka’anapali snorkel excursion departing from the world-famous Ka’anapali Beach, there’s a good chance you will be swimming in the beautiful bay of Honolua, on Maui’s West Side!
Mala Wharf can offer fantastic snorkeling during all times of the year, and even though it’s a short sail from Lahaina Harbor, it offers some of the best snorkeling and diving on the west side of the island.
Good for seeing: Hawaiian green sea turtles, healthy tropical corals, parrot fish, octopus, convict tang, yellow tang, goat fish, slate pencil sea urchins
Summer is the best time of the year for snorkeling at Namalu Bay, particularly early in the mornings before the tradewinds have picked up. What makes Namalu such a unique location, however, is how the inside of the cove is tucked out of the wind, and even on days when the tradewinds are blowing Namalu offers a protected, lee shore where we can escape the wind.
Olowalu is beautiful during the winter months when the surf at Honolua Bay is far too large or when the winds at Molokini Crater are too strong. Since Olowalu is on a south-facing shoreline it’s protected from the large surf which crashes into the north shore during the winter,
Good for seeing: Parrotfish, octopus, large schools of reef fish, Hawaiian green sea turtles, eagle rays, goat fish, and spinner dolphins
Get ready to fill your mind with all things turtle! Dive in and learn the ins & outs of our two most common species of sea turtles here in Hawai’i - the Green Sea Turtle (honu) and the Hawksbill (honu’ea). Summer is turtle season!
Good for seeing: Parrotfish, octopus, large schools of reef fish, pyramid butterfly fish, and the world’s second tallest-sea cliffs. Kaunolu has two different snorkeling areas, “the bay”, and “the fin”, which is a rock shaped like a shark’s dorsal fin that has earned the area the nickname of “shark fin cove”. Both areas are deeper than many of our other snorkeling spots, and due to its location there can be occasional sightings of manta rays, eagle rays, spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, or even the occasional whale shark!
As the catamaran approaches Molokini crater and I peer down into the crystal clear turquoise water I tell the guests, “This is going to be a great day for snorkeling”. Questions about fish, coral, and marine life start to be asked and inevitably someone will ask, “Are there sharks here”? My response is always, “Yes, they live in the ocean”.
The dates are set, vacation time granted, tickets purchased and as the days get crossed off the calendar the dream is becoming a reality: You are going to Hawaii! Just when you thought all the hard work of saving and coordinating was coming to a close the most mysterious of all tasks rears its ugly head. You need to pack.
A voyage to Molokaʻi is extremely rare due to wind and wave conditions in the channel between the two islands. Every now and then, however, perhaps once a year, the wind and waves settle down enough to make the trek. Right away it was easy to see how this was a mini Molokini; crescent in shape, but teeming with marine life.
During the long, breezy, months of summer—when tradewinds whistle through sunny blue skies and north shore beaches are calm—spending a day snorkeling at Honolua Bay is one of the best activities on Maui.
There aren't many places in the state of Hawai'i where you can snorkel at the home of a King.
Since Hawaiian spinner dolphins are such a highlight of our sailing tours in Maui, we figured we'd compile this online guide to help you understand more about them. These are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about our Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and if you still have any questions at the end of the article you can leave them in the comments below.
You’ll never forget the very first time you go snorkeling in Maui with sea turtles.
Time seems to suddenly stop when you first catch sight of these giants, and it's a curious combination of relaxation and excitement whenever you see one in the water.
If you're staying at a hotel in Kaʽanapali and are going on a Kaʽanapali snorkeling tour, there are few better ways to start your day than with a catamaran waiting on the beach. Even if you're traveling from elsewhere on the island, the convenience of boarding from the sands of Kaʽanapali is a Maui experience you should try at least once, and there's no better feeling than pulling off the beach and sailing away into the wide open blue. Even for all of its convenience, however, in order to ensure a safe, dry, and successful beach load, there are some tips for boarding that everyone should know about.
For most Maui visitors Molokini Crater is simply known as the moon-shaped islet with fantastically clear water. In addition to the staggering visibility (which consistently stretches for over 100 feet), one of the alluring aspects of snorkeling at Molokini is that each day holds the new possibility of seeing something rare and unexpected.
If you’ve ever been on one of our Molokini or Kaanapali trips then you have witnessed the boat being tied up to a mooring. This action occurs when, upon arriving at the desired snorkeling location, a Trilogy crew member jumps into the water, locates the mooring, and is subsequently thrown an extremely long line which will be used to hold the boat in place.
Here’s a closer look at the environmental benefits of choosing a snorkel sail experience with us.