Maui Snorkeling
Why is Maui snorkeling such a favorite vacation activity? Because it's so easy - if you can float, you can snorkel.
Your most important decision is how to snorkel - do you want to take yourself to one of the free Maui snorkeling beaches, or pay for a Maui snorkeling tour on a boat? This page will help you make that decision.
Maui Snorkeling Beaches
Beach snorkeling in Maui doesn't cost much. For us, beach snorkeling is free beacuse we bring our masks and snorkels from home, and skip swim fins and wet suits. There are many Maui dive shops where you can rent or purchase snorkel gear.
Although there are lots of Maui beaches, not all of them have the right conditions for snorkeling. See my Free Maui series page Maui Snorkeling Beaches - you don't have to pay for a tour! to help you select the right beach for your beach snorkeling.
Maui Snorkeling ToursIn comparison to beach snorkeling, Maui snorkeling tours combine snorkeling with the fun of sailing or motoring on the ocean as well as viewing ocean creatures. But snorkeling tours cost money. Check the following when selecting your snorkeling trip:• Type of boat - large motorized boats or smaller sailing catamarans 
• Where you depart - usually Lahaina Harbor, Kaanapali beach, or Maalaea Harbor
• Snorkel destination - most common destinations are Honolua Bay or Lanai island from Lahaina and Kaanapali; and Molokini island from Maalaea. • Cost - general rule: as the boat gets larger and carries more passengers, the price gets lower. Sometimes kids are free. • Onboard meals - some boats offer burgers and hot dogs, while other boats offer more upscale fare • Other activites - such as watching whales, dolphins, and sea turtles.
Several types of smaller boats, such as catamarans and power rafts, also offer snorkeling trips out of Lahaina Harbor, Kaanapali beach, and Maalaea Harbor. Catamaran sailboats motor right onto Kaanapali beach. Consider what else you get to do (such as watching whales or sailing), cost differences between the different Maui snorkeling tours, how easy it is to find your own snorkeling beaches, and how much of a crowd is around you on the snorkeling boat or snorkeling beach. Read about our early morning Dolphin Snorkel Sail on the Gemini catamaran.
Maui Snorkeling Tour Operators
If you want to read more about the many Maui Snorkeling Tour operators, or make reservations for a Maui Snorkeling Trip, click here to go to the Barefoot Tours website.
Click on Maui, then Snorkeling Tours, then select an option from the box like the graphic on the right. While most websites restrict your choices to a couple snorkeling tour operators that they represent, Barefoot Tours represent a large number of options for your review and decision. You can also call 888-820-2097 to call Maui and talk to a Maui Snorkeling Tour expert at Barefoot Tours right now (they're on Hawaii time). Even if you are on Maui or Hawaii now, they can get your tickets to you Tell them Randy Willis sent you and recommended that you ask about their low price guarantee.
Molokini Snorkeling Tours
Molokini snorkeling tours offer clear water visibility at Molokini Crater, an island created from the top of a volcano off the southwestern coast of Maui.
Read about our Molokini snorkeling tour with Pacific Whale Foundation on a big motorized boat.
Maui Snorkeling VideoThis short Maui snorkeling video is from the Travel Channel - "Samantha Brown journeys beneath the warm waters of Maui, and takes photos of the unusual and exotic marine life below".
Maui Ocean Center
If you would like to view a variety of reef fish and sharks without even getting in the water, visit the Maui Ocean Center near Ma'alaea.
The parking lot for the Maui Ocean Center is also the parking lot for the Ma'alaea Pacific Whale Foundation tours, so combining these two activities can save some drive time. Watching a scuba diver while we were standing in the clear see-through tunnel of the Open Ocean exhibit made us feel like we were snorkeling or scuba diving - but without the need for any gear.
My Other Maui Snorkeling PagesMaui Snorkeling OverviewMaui Snorkeling Beaches Maui Snorkeling Tours Kapalua Kai Catamaran Maui Snorkeling Tours Gemini Catamaran Molokini Snorkeling Tours Pacific Whale Foundation Return to Maui Family Vacation from Maui Snorkeling
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by email, fax, mail, or even delivered to the Maui Snorkeling Tour Operator for last minute ticket reservations.
