Freebie!
Grab our Free dinner conversation starters
get it now!

Travel within the States

Maui Snorkeling – 5 Amazing Spots to see Incredible Fish & Turtles

February 7, 2020

Now Trending:
I'm amber

A mom of six through birth and adoption, family travel specialist, self-proclaimed chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, Disney lover, and, I hope to be, your new best friend.

hello,

Aloha! Maui is absolutely one of my favorite places to snorkel in the world. I have been lucky enough to swim with turtles, see incredible fish and even hear humpback whales. The warm water makes enjoying some snorkeling simply fantastic. Here is a list of five of the best places to do some Maui snorkeling and my personal reviews on each spot. Some, I absolutely love, and others aren’t as exciting as they might seem. Plus, I have some amazing video of turtles I swam with on one of my journeys.maui snorkeling

 

Aloha! 5 Amazing Spots to enjoy Maui Snorkeling

  • Molokini Crater

Molokini Crater is a small crescent-shaped island about miles off the coast of southwest Maui. It is considered one of the top spots on the island to go snorkeling because it is a Marine Life Conservation District – meaning that no one is allowed
to fish there allowing the marine life to flourish!

Because of its offshore location, it is home to some of the clearest water you will find on the entire island. You’ll see plenty of fish, eels, manta rays, and more. My one problem with Molokini is that it has become overcrowded with tourists from all the paid boat tours.

In fact, I have not gone to Molokini in my last five visits to Maui because it is so crowded, and hey I am in Maui, I am not here to deal with crowds.

molokini

  • Kaanapali Beach – Black Rock

Rated one of the best beaches in the world, this three-mile stretch of white sand beach is the perfect spot to head out to snorkel at! I truly love this beach, you can go out with some friends on a banana boat, do some parasailing and of course snorkel. This beach has plenty of underwater lava rocks that make it easy to navigate, plus it is known to have tons of sea turtles hanging around on the rocks (although I have only seen one)

Some other popular fish you’ll be swimming around with here are many tropical fish. You might see porcupine fish, butterflyfish, the goat fig, boxfish, and many more!! Just a heads up there is public parking nearby at the Sheraton Maui Resort! It’s free but space is limited so plan your trip early.

Otherwise, there is parking at Whaler’s Village a little farther down. Also, at Whaler’s Village is Leilani’s which has some delicious food including one of my favorite chicken sandwiches of all time.

While in Kaanapali I took a snorkel tour and absolutely loved it. This was the best snorkeling tour I have been on in Maui. Check Prices Here

Bonus – Go Cliff Jumping while here!

Look, I am not a big fan of heights but Black Rock in Kaanapali has an amazing rock to jump off into the warm waters of Maui. I was surprisingly even brave enough to jump (after some encouragement from my kids)

  • Ahihi Kinau

This Natural Reserve is located on the southern coast of Maui and is also a Marine Life District protecting fish and wildlife from fishers! This will give people a wide variety of marine life to view for some sensational Maui Snorkeling! Most of the coastline here is made up of lava rock and coral. This makes it the perfect home for sea life!

The water starts fairly shallow and has a lot of variety in-depth, making it the perfect spot for everyone to join, no matter the comfort or skill level. It is a frequent spot for turtles to hang out, so have your cameras or go pros ready!

maui snorkeling - sea turtles

  • Turtle Town Maui – Maluaka Beach

Turtle Town is located on the coastline between Nahuna Point and Black Sand Beach in Maui. Maluaka Beach is by far the best spot to hit up for some snorkeling when you’re in Turtle Town! It is well known for its fairly high population of Hawaiian sea turtles!

It is not as well known as other beaches on the island. This is perfect for those who are looking for a less crowded beach. It is a more intimate snorkel adventure. Now, if you want to see some sea turtles without having to actually snorkel, check out my post on the secret turtle town in Maui. Check out this amazing footage captured while snorkeling in Maui.

  •  Caves Maui

Be prepared to see Eagle Rays, and be greeted by giant sea turtles while doing some of the most incredible Maui Snorkeling! The area is flooded with fish, and you’ll even spot some small white tip sharks! Fret not, the little sharks are more afraid of you then you should be of them (although to be perfectly honest I was freaked out!)

It is recommended for advanced water explorers because it is tricky getting in and out, and it takes quite a swim to get to all the good stuff. If you are looking to scuba dive, you can actually explore the underwater caves that they are known for.

I am not adventurous enough to do the scuba part of the journey, but 5 caves Maui is definitely a top spot for some amazing snorkeling.

  • Bonus – Kapalua Bay

I visited Kapalua Bay on our last trip to Maui and did a little snorkeling. I was surprised by the incredible amount of fish surrounding the area.   The north end of the beach is the best spot to snorkel near the rocky edge.  The water is much clearer vs. the center of the beach.  You will find many more fish on the north side.  The depth on this side is about 10 feet so you should get a nice close view of the fish

maui snorkeling - 5 caves

Looking for more things to do in Maui? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Maui

Need a place to stay? Check out my post on Where to Stay in Maui

Pin for Later-

Here is a list of five of the best places to do some Maui snorkeling and my personal reviews on each spot. #maui #snorkeling #review #travel #hawaii #traveltips #destinations #hawaiivacation #familytravel

maui snorkelin

Mama Munchkin

+ show Comments

- Hide Comments

add a comment

  1. JENNIFER Jean PATTERSON says:

    All awesome spots! Where can I get your “favorite chicken sandwich?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Browse By Category

lifestyle

disney

travel

hawaii

cruise

entrepreneur

so hot right now

Hey there!
I'm Amber Mamian,
the voice behind Global Munchkins.

more about me

hey there!

Browse my Most Requested Items

I need these

favorite things

Shop my Instagram
Feed

check them out

favorite things

Some of my Favorite Things

Get ready for your best day(s) ever

After years of families using our tips we finally created a travel agency that will do all the planning for YOU - at NO COST TO YOU!

Our team is ready to help you plan your perfect Disney vacation, cruise, or resort destination. (Skip the headaches & second guessing - and go straight to be fun part)

Free travel planning
Verified by MonsterInsights