Maui Travel Guide: Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour
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Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour, Photo: Pride of Maui
If you’re headed to the island of Maui in Hawaii, a must-do on your list of adventures needs to be a trip to the Molokini Crater to experience this unique underwater habit. Molokini Crater is Hawaii’s only marine sanctuary and is also only one of three volcanic calderas in the world, formed approximately 150 thousand years ago. It is also home to some of the best snorkeling on Maui.
The waters of Molokini Crater are crystal clear, allowing for visibility in excess of 150 feet, due to the lack of soil in the water. This lack of sediment allows sunlight to penetrate the water easily, creating a nutrient-rich environment for algae, coral and sea creatures alike. Currents from the shore continually usher in fresh water, but the unique shape of the Crater protects the reef from damage. In short, the Molokini Crater creates an unparalleled location for snorkeling and underwater viewing of more than 250 different species of marine life.
With so many Maui snorkeling tours, we selected a tour with Pride of Maui, which included a 1-hour snorkel (or SNUBA) at Molokini Crater, as well as a 1-hour stopover at another location, appropriately named Turtle Town. The entire tour lasted from 8am to 1pm, with an approximate 9-mile, one hour boat ride to our first stop at Molokini Crater.
Photo: Ashley Rademacher
Molokini Snorkeling Tour
Our tour left from a boat ramp in Maalea Harbor, located on the south side of the island at 8:00 am, with early morning check-in at 7:30am. We were greeted with a quick photo as we boarded the boat. The Pride of Maui is a large, spacious boat that easily fit the crew, as well as the other passengers of the boat. There was a large continental breakfast spread offered, with fresh fruit, juices, croissants and coffee. The crew was friendly and efficient and we were quickly on our way to our snorkel spot.
The tour took place in December, which allowed us to witness some of the very first whale sitings (common in January-March) in the area. We also were chaperoned on our voyage by a school of friendly dolphins who swam next to the boat and flipped happily into the air. I later learned that morning tours were the only tours that went to Molokini, as afternoon trade winds often make the voyage impossible. For those interested in booking a tour with Pride of Maui, make sure to confirm your booking time!
SNUBA upgrades were offered, a hybrid between true scuba diving and snorkeling, which allows swimmers to dive down to depths of up to 15 feet. We didn’t choose to add SNUBA to our excursion, but I did add a wetsuit top to be insulated against the cooler ocean waters. In December, the waters of Molokini Crater generally range from 74-76 degrees, which is the coolest of the entire year. Unless you are accustomed to swimming in cooler waters, you’ll find that the wetsuit is a necessary piece of snorkel gear!
Photo: Ashley Rademacher
As someone who frequently gets motion sickness, the ride was smooth and easy. At our location, crew members went over the correct ways to use the snorkel and fins and supplied everyone with boards, noodles and flotation devices. Salt water can make you incredibly buoyant, so between the wetsuit shirt and fins, even non-swimmers will find it easy to stay afloat.
The coral reef at Molokini Crater is beyond words. The water is crystal clear and you were easily able to see numerous species of tropical fish, coral reefs and marine life. Even though you could see other boats (from other tour companies) anchored close by, it never felt overly populated or crowded. An underwater photographer swam around taking photos that would be available for purchase later.
An hour felt like the perfect amount of time to be in the water, as we were quickly ushered back on to the boat to head to our second location.
Maui Snorkeling at Turtle Town
Turtle Town gets it name from the green sea turtles that live in the reefs near the shoreline. While Monokini was bright and teeming with marine life, the location at Turtle Town was murkier and more monochromatic. We were able to see several large sea turtles both swimming in the ocean and sleeping down among the reefs. While everyone wanted to see turtles while we were snorkeling, it was hard not to feel bad for the turtles as groups of tourists swarmed them to get a quick peek. This was the only part of the tour that felt crammed or overcrowded as everyone would rush to the lifeguard to see the turtle. I was able to swim away and actually see several other green sea turtles who were swimming undisturbed closer to the shoreline. I opted not to announce their presence to the other swimmers and just quietly observed them swimming silently.
Photo: TripSavvy
After our allotted time at the second snorkel spot, equipment and fins were rounded up and we were treated to a large lunch on our way back to the harbor. Our specific boat had a variety of hamburgers and grilled chicken sandwiches, as well as pasta salad and fresh fruit. For the adults on board, local beers, as well as Mai Tais were offered (a nice touch). Having been on numerous poorly catered tours, this level of food was surprising and really increased the overall experience.
The Pride of Maui put us back into the harbor promptly at 1pm, as promised and we were headed back to our hotel.
Photo: Ashley Rademacher
Molokini Snorkeling Tour Review
The Molokini Snorkel Tour was easily one of our favorite excursions on the entire trip and an adventure I would highly recommend to friends and family. The ease of snorkeling and beauty of Molokini, in addition to the crew’s attention to detail and provided extras, makes it more than worthy of the ticket price. If you’re planning a vacation and looking for things to do on Maui, this snorkel tour needs to be on your list.
Pros:
Beautiful snorkeling
Efficient crew and tour timeline
Quality food and beverages provided
Unparalleled scenery
Smooth boat ride (although if prone to motion sickness, Dramamine would be recommended)
Equipment new and well-maintained
Easily accessible marina and parking ($5)
Shuttle option
Cons:
Up charges on additional snorkeling gear (examples: wetsuit shirt, $10 per person)
Extremely expensive underwater photography ($75/photo)
Interested in booking your own Molokini Snorkel Tour? Click here for more details and rates.