Maui Ocean Adventures | Trilogy Excursions | Maui, Molokini, Lanai
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Best Maui Snorkel Spots

If you came to do some snorkeling on your Maui vacation you are in for a treat. The variety of snorkeling spots on Maui offers opportunities to see Hawaii's wonderful diversity of tropical fish and other marine life. Here are our 3 favorite places to enjoy snorkeling while you are visiting the "Magic Isle".

View all Maui snorkel tours →

#3 - Day Trip to Lanai to Snorkel Hulopoe

Taking a day trip to Lanai to snorkel the pristine waters of Hulopoe Bay* is a truly enjoyable Hawaiian experience. Lanai is a quiet and peaceful island reminiscent of old Hawaii, and the island also provides some of the best snorkeling and diving sites in Hawaii with reefs that are alive with colorful marine creatures.

Capt. Ricky Etrata of Trilogy Excursions finds an eel during our Lanai snorkel cruise — dwestlake (09/14/2009)

The privately owned island of Lanai is a snorkeler's dream with pristine bays and beaches. Beautiful Manele Bay borders Hulopoe Beach* and both sites have very clear water with great visibility.

Hulopoe* is protected as Marine Life Conservation area, and in addition to the abundance of tropical fish it is also often visited by Hawaiian spinner dolphins as well as bottlenose dolphins.

The prominent feature at Hulopoe* is the large rock called Puu Pehe, or Sweetheart Rock, which just up out of the ocean. Hulopoe* is one of Hawaii's most romantic beaches and a great place for taking photos.

Great diving and snorkeling sites abound throughout this whole area. East of Puu Pehe is the smaller Wash Rock and between the two rocks is the First Cathedrals dive site where light streams through underwater caves and tunnels. Nearby is the Shark Fin site named for its outcropping that looks like a shark dorsal fin.

*Trilogy is the only company with permission to escort guests to Lanai's Hulopoe Beach Park and Marine Preserve.

Trilogy offers 2 Lanai snorkeling day trips →

#2 - Snorkeling Molokini

Some of the best snorkeling in Maui waters is found at the offshore crescent of lava rock known as Molokini Crater. The summit of a volcanic cinder cone on the flank of Haleakala Volcano, Molokini is one of Hawaii's premier snorkeling sites.

Young boy learning to snorkel at Molokini

With a little help, anyone can snorkel

Turtle swimming at Molokini

Honu is Hawaiian for turtle

Tropical fish feeding at Molokini reef

Tropical fish and reef

With visibility often up to 150 feet in the clear waters of the basin, even beginner snorkelers enjoy the site due the rocky crater walls creating a barrier that provides protection from the open ocean.

The whole area of Molokini is designated as a Marine Preserve, and the site is also protected as a State Bird Sanctuary because it provides habitat for various native Hawaiian seabirds including the iwa, or great frigatebird as well as wedge-tailed shearwaters and Bulwer's petrels.

Fish seen at Molokini include parrot fish, Moorish idols, raccoon butterflyfish, yellow tangs, and many more. Also seen are eels, Hawaiian green sea turtles, spinner dolphins and even humpback whales in the area during the winter months.

Learn about Trilogy's Molokini snorkel tour →

#1 - Snorkeling Honolua Bay

Honolua Bay is a Marine Preserve, and offers arguably the best snorkeling in Maui. In order to keep Honolua Bay pristine, Trilogy Excursions has partnered with the Surfrider Foundation for the Blue Aina Beach & Reef Cleanup Program.

Catamaran loading passengers at Kaanapali Beach

Board directly from Kaanapali Beach

Child sliding into water

Slide into the warm waters of Maui

Father and daughter experiencing the best snorkeling in Maui

Discovering the best snorkeling in Maui

Honolua Bay provides outstanding snorkeling during the summer months when the ocean is calm. This is also when the water is clearest. During the winter months waves can get quite large, making it off limits to snorkelers.

As part of its Marine Life Conservation status, Honolua Bay is a protected area that is abundant with sea life amidst the beautiful coral reef.

Commonly seen fish at Kaanapali are damsel fish, butterfly fish, parrot fish, tangs, surgeon fish, porcupine fish, cornet fish, cardinal fish, Moorish idols, and of course the famous trigger fish know as humuhumunukunukuapuaa.

You will also likely see various invertebrates and crustaceans as well as Hawaiian green sea turtles. Of course you never know when Hawaiian spinner dolphins or even bottlenose dolphins might appear.

The great snorkeling and swimming at Honolua Bay make it #1 on our list of best snorkel spots in Maui.

Trilogy offers 2 tours that visit Honolua Bay (weather permitting): Kaanapali snorkel tour & West Maui Snuba

Honoroble Mention - Kaanapali

Kaanapali is one of the Maui's most pristine and scenic beaches. The white sands of Kaanapali span for about three miles along Maui's western shore. Conde Nast and other travel publications have ranked Kaanapali as one of the nation's best beaches.

A rocky peninsula called Black Rock provides an optimal snorkeling site on the northern end of Kaanapali Beach. Black rock is suitable for beginner snorkelers as well as those with more experience.

With water depths ranging from about eight feet deep to more than 25 feet deep around the point, Black Rock provides a snorkeling site with great visibility, following along an underwater lava rock ledge bordered by sandy areas.

Learn about Trilogy's Kaanapali snorkel tour →

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