• Home

Subscribe

Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tours

You’ll find many spectacular snorkeling spots off Maui’s beaches. Snorkel gear can be rented from beach vendors or dive shops for less than $10 per week. Some of the vendors also rent flotation devices and prescription goggles.

Among Maui’s best snorkeling beaches are Kapalua Beach, Black Rock, Kaanapali Beach in front of the Sheraton, and the Kihei coastline, and the Wailea coastline.

Olowalu Beach is popular with snorkelers who want to see turtles, but you have to swim about 150 to 225 feet from shore - here you’ll find a turtle-cleaning station (where turtles line up to have small parasites removed by the cleaner wrasses). Pretty awesome. The problem though with swimming so far from shore here is that Olowalu is one of the more dangerous spots for sharks. I prefer to see the turtles on a snorkel cruise, at the Maui Ocean Center or on the Big Island’s Punalu’lu Beach.

Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tours

Molokini Crater is another popular snorkeling spot and it is one of Maui’s most popular attractions. You’ve probably seen pictures of it on Hawaii travel brochures or websites. This is a partially sunken volcanic crater that consists of an amazing underwater sanctuary. It can get pretty crowded here, but it’s worth it!

The crescent shape of Molokini that we see above the water in all those travel brochures is created from the partially submerged crater. And it is this crescent above the surface that protects the reef, allowing for the astounding clarity that provides clear views up to 150 feet of the approximately 250 species of fish that swim here. (So Molokini is also popular with divers.)

You can reach this famous Hawai’i snorkeling spot via a kayaking or snorkel cruise tour. It is about 3 miles from shore, so take that into consideration if looking at a kayaking tour. Because the sanctuary is a designated Hawai’i State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, the tour boats use mooring buoys instead of anchors to protect the reef.

If you plan to see dolphins and/or whales, you may be able to work all this into a snorkel cruise. For dolphin viewing, mornings are best.

Copyright © 2008 www.mga-inc.com |

| · Log in

Loans