Water activity

South Maui: Eco Friendly Molokini and Turtle Town Tour

4.5  / 5435 reviews
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Water activity
South Maui: Eco Friendly Molokini and Turtle Town Tour
4.5  / 5435 reviews

Snorkel with experts at world-famous Molokini reef, plus a second snorkel spot known for green sea turtles and underwater lava arches. Discover an underwater world with certified Marine Naturalists.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

N
Noura – United States

This was definitely the highlight of my trip to Maui! I was scared at first because I was going by myself and had never snorkeled before. However, the tour guides were excellent, and took extra care to make sure we all felt comfortable so that I felt at ease and had no problem snorkeling off the boat and having a blast! They offer a beginner class, and the instructor is very patient in showing you how to put on your mask and what to do if water gets in. You get flotation devices and can go in at your own pace, staying near the boat or swimming closer to Molikini /Turtle arche. There's also at least one guide in the water with you and she offered to hold on to her boogie board if we needed it. Once I got comfortable breathing underwater, I was amazed at how wonderful it felt to swim with fish and I got to follow a sea turtle around! Also, the lunch is great! Finally, definitely do this because all proceeds (it's the Pacific Wildlife Foundation) goes to saving the ocean and the whales.

N
Noura – United States
A
Adrienne – United States

We had an excellent experience on our PW EcoAdventure tour to Molokini & Turtle Town! First, we appreciated that the port in Maalaea was much closer to our accommodations than Lahaina. We saw an amazing variety of sea life, including an octopus! For me, the most exciting part was that the calm weather allowed us to stop between our two snorkel spots & experience a blue water swim! The tour group went out of their way to share that unplanned experience with us. We seriously swam in 400 ft of clear blue water! It was breathtaking. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We appreciated that they made an effort to learn the names of everyone in the group. Josh was very knowledgeable, helpful, & encouraging to my 3 teens who were enjoying free diving. All of the staff were happy to share information about the animals/environment we were observing, & they were sure to point things out to us so no one missed out. I love that they helped us not just witness and experience, but also LEARN!

A
Adrienne – United States

Experience

Itinerary

  • Timeline stop icon

    Starting location:

    192 Maalaea Rd

  • Timeline stop icon

    Molokini

    Boat cruise, Swimming, Snorkeling

  • Timeline stop icon

    Turtle Town, Maui

    Boat cruise, Swimming, Snorkeling

  • Arrive back at:

    192 Maalaea Rd

Main sites passed

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Explore the stunning biodiversity of the coral reefs in the Molokini crater
  • Enjoy a continental breakfast of delectable pastries, fruit, and hot coffee
  • Search for sea turtles as you snorkel through the waters at Turtle Arches
  • Sit down to a flavorful lunch of grilled chicken, burgers, and green salad
  • Learn about the reef in a family-friendly way from professional naturalists

Full description

Discover the underwater worlds of Molokini crater and Turtle Arches on this cruise from Maui. Get instruction on how to snorkel before exploring the reef. Learn about this biodiverse environment from professional naturalists. Eat a delicious breakfast before starting your trip. Enjoy a continental breakfast including pastries, fruit, and coffee before sailing out to Molokini. Molokini, Maui’s iconic crescent-shaped islet, is a beautiful reef known for its crystal clear waters, abundant coral, colorful fish, and resting seabirds. A protected marine conservation area, this volcanic crater is only accessible by boat with a certified tour operator and is the #1 snorkeling destination in Maui. Learn about the history and nature of your surroundings and the efforts being made to protect the ocean here.  Following your time at Molokini, head to Turtle Arches and enjoy a bonus snorkel site with its underwater lava formations and frequent turtle sightings. Watch for sea turtles, eels, octopi, and other reef fish. Once you are done snorkeling and have worked up an appetite, enjoy a freshly prepared lunch of grilled chicken, burgers, and salad before heading back to Ma'alaea Harbor.

Includes

  • Certified Marine Naturalists onboard
  • Premium snorkel gear, including optical masks for eyeglass wearers
  • Flotation devices
  • Snorkel instruction
  • Fish identification instruction
  • Junior Naturalist Program for kids
  • Marine wildlife glossy photo card
  • Continental breakfast
  • Lunch grilled on-board
  • Refreshments
  • Reef-safe sunscreen (4 oz in a fully sustainable tube available for $13 onboard)
  • Wetsuit shirts, available for rental
  • Underwater cameras and binoculars, available for rental

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet at Pacific Whale Foundation Ocean Store located in the Harbor Shops of Ma'alaea (GPS: 192 Ma'alaea Rd., Wailuku, 96793: this will bring you to the main parking lot for the Harbor Shops of Ma'alaea and the Maui Ocean Center). The Harbor Shops visitor parking lot by Maui Ocean Center, as well as parking in the Maʻalaea boat harbor lots will require payment to park in the lot. There will be signs with instructions to pay for parking via phone. Please allow enough time for parking as it can be limited. Tour check-in is 45 minutes prior to departure.

Open in Google Maps

Important information

What to bring

  • Sun hat
  • Swimwear
  • Towel
  • Biodegradable sunscreen
  • Long-sleeved shirt

Not allowed

  • Smoking
  • Luggage or large bags

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 435 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.9/5
  • Transportation
    4.7/5
  • Service
    4.5/5
  • Organization
    4.6/5

Filter

By star rating

Sort by:

N
Noura – United StatesAugust 24, 2019  – Verified booking
This was definitely the highlight of my trip to Maui! I was scared at first because I was going by myself and had never snorkeled before. However, the tour guides were excellent, and took extra care to make sure we all felt comfortable so that I felt at ease and had no problem snorkeling off the boat and having a blast! They offer a beginner class, and the instructor is very patient in showing you how to put on your mask and what to do if water gets in. You get flotation devices and can go in at your own pace, staying near the boat or swimming closer to Molikini /Turtle arche. There's also at least one guide in the water with you and she offered to hold on to her boogie board if we needed it. Once I got comfortable breathing underwater, I was amazed at how wonderful it felt to swim with fish and I got to follow a sea turtle around! Also, the lunch is great! Finally, definitely do this because all proceeds (it's the Pacific Wildlife Foundation) goes to saving the ocean and the whales.
Helpful?
A
Adrienne – United StatesJune 9, 2023  – Verified booking
We had an excellent experience on our PW EcoAdventure tour to Molokini & Turtle Town! First, we appreciated that the port in Maalaea was much closer to our accommodations than Lahaina. We saw an amazing variety of sea life, including an octopus! For me, the most exciting part was that the calm weather allowed us to stop between our two snorkel spots & experience a blue water swim! The tour group went out of their way to share that unplanned experience with us. We seriously swam in 400 ft of clear blue water! It was breathtaking. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We appreciated that they made an effort to learn the names of everyone in the group. Josh was very knowledgeable, helpful, & encouraging to my 3 teens who were enjoying free diving. All of the staff were happy to share information about the animals/environment we were observing, & they were sure to point things out to us so no one missed out. I love that they helped us not just witness and experience, but also LEARN!
Helpful?
G
GetYourGuide traveler – United StatesAugust 3, 2022  – Verified booking
This is an excellent trip to learn about Maui's sea life. The Pacific Whale Foundation runs the trip and, though it is the most expensive tour to Molokini, it is worth the small additional cost. Food on the trip was good, basic BBQ style with some limited options for food allergy sufferers (take your own snacks if in doubt). The boat crew are all young marine biology graduates of one speciality or another. This makes the educational talks varied and informative. Molokini itself is a lovely place but we were unlucky and did not see any turtles. The second "turtle location" was close to the Maui shoreline and rather rough water for snorkeling. Overall, a good trip and good value for money. I would recommend going straight to the Aquarium of the Pacific, which is right next to the Foundation and seeing the exhibits (the 3D IMAX-style movie is amazing) and sampling the restaurant for outstanding food and original Mai Tai's (definitely the best I have had).
Helpful?

Product ID: 156825

Activity provider:PWF Eco Adventures

Top Attractions in Hawaii

Experiences in Hawaii

Things to do in United States

Top destinations

Popular on GetYourGuide

Popular Attractions