Maui snorkeling - Blue Water Rafting Kanaio

Hi all...

So, I'm looking to do some snorkeling while I'm in Maui next May (the one time I tried it, it was a nightmare, lol, but I want to try again). My ship, the Pride of America, docks at Kahului, so I'm looking for a company whose tours depart near the port. I'm going to avoid the ship's excursion to Molokini since apparently snorkeling there has gone downhill.

I'm looking at Blue Water Rafting now, and they have a tour to Kanaio Coast that sounds wonderful - plus, it's a fast boat, which I love. I love the feel of the wind and ocean spray in my face - it's why I'm ruling out tours using catamarans.

Has anyone done this tour? I think it leaves from Kihei, which is a manageable cab ride. It's EARLY - they depart at 6:30 am - but apparently that's when the best snorkeling is.

I think this might be "the one", but I'd to hear from anyone who has had personal experience.

Thanks!!

Betsy

If you think Kihei is manageable, then Ma'alea is definitely manageable. Yes, many of the trips will go to Molokini, but Turtle City is also an attractive snorkeling location.

I am going to bet your snorkel trip departs from Ma'alea.

I am not aware Molokini has gone down hill. It was never great, just average.

If you think Kihei is manageable, then Ma'alea is definitely manageable. Yes, many of the trips will go to Molokini, but Turtle City is also an attractive snorkeling location.

 

I am going to bet your snorkel trip departs from Ma'alea.

 

I am not aware Molokini has gone down hill. It was never great, just average.

I'd love to see turtles - that would be an incredible experience. It might be worth going to Molokini just for them -and probably I wouldn't know a great snorkeling spot from an average one since I've done it once in my life, lol.

According to Google, Kihei is about 15-20 minutes from Kahului - that seems to be as manageable as I can get considering I don't want to rent a car (same, apparently, for Ma'alea).

Mostly I just want to get out on the water - yes, I'd like to try snorkeling again, but I love the idea of being in a fast boat, seeing gorgeous marine life, as much. So maybe it doesn't even much matter where I go as long as I go....

I COULD choose the POA beach day option - but I don't typically lie out in the sun for hours, so I'd need to be sure there are options at Wailea Beach for me (though apparently the food options are rather scarce, lol)

**Oops, I just remembered that I forgot to take my glasses into consideration; I guess snorkeling is out, lol

Thank you!

Google Maps shows a 14 mile/28 minute drive from the Kahului Harbor to the Kihei Boat ramp.

https://goo.gl/maps/vws2Y2QELdD2

I haven’t heard anything about Molokini going downhill. :confused:

I can drive my car to Maluaka Beach (Makena area) to snorkel at one of the areas that boat tours call Turtle Town. Every time I’ve gone there have seen several honu in addition to tropical fish & coral reef. On the north end of Wailea at Ulua Beach there’s a popular snorkeling & scuba instruction site.

Have you considered an intro dive? I snorkeled for decades before getting scuba certified in Maui & regret not doing it sooner. Even as a one time experience you might enjoy it as an alternative to snorkeling...or not. ;)

Haven’t gone to Kanaio but you appear to happy with a high speed boat ride to snorkel there. There are masks that have eye diopters for better vision although it’s generally accepted that even using a regular mask underwater results in improved vision. Whichever activity is your best option going early generally results in the best conditions.

I'd love to see turtles - that would be an incredible experience. It might be worth going to Molokini just for them -and probably I wouldn't know a great snorkeling spot from an average one since I've done it once in my life, lol.

 

According to Google, Kihei is about 15-20 minutes from Kahului - that seems to be as manageable as I can get considering I don't want to rent a car (same, apparently, for Ma'alea).

 

Mostly I just want to get out on the water - yes, I'd like to try snorkeling again, but I love the idea of being in a fast boat, seeing gorgeous marine life, as much. So maybe it doesn't even much matter where I go as long as I go....

 

I COULD choose the POA beach day option - but I don't typically lie out in the sun for hours, so I'd need to be sure there are options at Wailea Beach for me (though apparently the food options are rather scarce, lol)

 

**Oops, I just remembered that I forgot to take my glasses into consideration; I guess snorkeling is out, lol

 

Thank you!

My wife and I purchased a pair of goggles with diopters. I used them for the first time in the Caribbean last January and it was like I never took off my glasses.

Google Maps shows a 14 mile/28 minute drive from the Kahului Harbor to the Kihei Boat ramp.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/vws2Y2QELdD2

 

I haven’t heard anything about Molokini going downhill. :confused:

 

I can drive my car to Maluaka Beach (Makena area) to snorkel at one of the areas that boat tours call Turtle Town. Every time I’ve gone there have seen several honu in addition to tropical fish & coral reef. On the north end of Wailea at Ulua Beach there’s a popular snorkeling & scuba instruction site.

 

Have you considered an intro dive? I snorkeled for decades before getting scuba certified in Maui & regret not doing it sooner. Even as a one time experience you might enjoy it as an alternative to snorkeling...or not. ;)

 

Haven’t gone to Kanaio but you appear to happy with a high speed boat ride to snorkel there. There are masks that have eye diopters for better vision although it’s generally accepted that even using a regular mask underwater results in improved vision. Whichever activity is your best option going early generally results in the best conditions.

Astro, what happened is that I typed in Kahluhi to Kihei on Google and it said it's 10.4 miles - but that's because I didn't take into account the harbor/boat ramp; there's the difference ..oops!

Oh, I've never heard of intro dive - I just Googled it and it sounds like a lot of fun! I'll do some more research on that ... as well as on the eye diopters - that would be fantastic. I don't hate wearing glasses (rather not, though, lol), but there are times when they can be a serious inconvenience, lol - and this is one of those.

Thank you so much for all of the fantastic info!!

My wife and I purchased a pair of goggles with diopters. I used them for the first time in the Caribbean last January and it was like I never took off my glasses.

Wow, that's awesome. I just Googled this for a quick minute - I see that snorkel masks are sold with different prescriptions for the diopters - unfortunately, I doubt they'd have one for mine since I have awful vision, but nothing ventured, nothing gained; this is something I need to explore.

Thank you!

My first-ever snorkeling experience was at Molokini 24 years ago while on an Amer. Hawaii cruise! And I was hooked. Before I had cataract surgery, I was near-sighted and after I tried snorkeling and loved it, I bought "prescription" goggles. When I did Molokini I was not at all familiar with a map of Maui and thought we were just off Maalaea as that was where we departed from. I just now looked at a google satellite view map of the island and was stunned to see that Molokini is southwest of Wailea--at least 10 mi south of Maalaea. We've stayed at Kihei which is between Maalaea and Wailea and didn't know Molokini was close to that area. Learn something new everyday! Enjoy your snorkel trip.

My first-ever snorkeling experience was at Molokini 24 years ago while on an Amer. Hawaii cruise! And I was hooked. Before I had cataract surgery, I was near-sighted and after I tried snorkeling and loved it, I bought "prescription" goggles. When I did Molokini I was not at all familiar with a map of Maui and thought we were just off Maalaea as that was where we departed from. I just now looked at a google satellite view map of the island and was stunned to see that Molokini is southwest of Wailea--at least 10 mi south of Maalaea. We've stayed at Kihei which is between Maalaea and Wailea and didn't know Molokini was close to that area. Learn something new everyday! Enjoy your snorkel trip.

Thank you so much! I do want to double check that this tour (if I do book with them) is ok for newbies - well apparently La Perouse is not, but for that stop, I don't mind sitting on the boat.

We've stayed at Kihei which is between Maalaea and Wailea and didn't know Molokini was close to that area. Learn something new everyday! Enjoy your snorkel trip.

We got scuba certified from Lahaina which was an hour or so boat ride each direction to Molokini. That wasn’t good for my wife who suffers from all types of motion sickness. But we had to go there for our deep dive training for our advanced certification. From the Kihei Boat Ramp it’s only about 20 minutes to take our certified dives at Molokini including the back wall drift dive.

Thank you so much! I do want to double check that this tour (if I do book with them) is ok for newbies - well apparently La Perouse is not, but for that stop, I don't mind sitting on the boat.

Never snorkeled/dived Kanaio which requires a boat because we don’t want to walk over the rocky lava landscape to enter the water. It’s a more remote area where I’ve read that visibility can be amazing but have also read about people going independently being caught in bad conditions & ending up at sea to be rescued. However that shouldn’t be a problem for a boat tour & if conditions aren’t good they’ll find a more suitable place. :)

Another recommendation is to not use a one piece mask which incorporates a snorkel & mask. While it sounds like a good idea for novice snorkelers there have been issues with them.

We got scuba certified from Lahaina which was an hour or so boat ride each direction to Molokini. That wasn’t good for my wife who suffers from all types of motion sickness. But we had to go there for our deep dive training for our advanced certification. From the Kihei Boat Ramp it’s only about 20 minutes to take our certified dives at Molokini including the back wall drift dive.

 

 

Never snorkeled/dived Kanaio which requires a boat because we don’t want to walk over the rocky lava landscape to enter the water. It’s a more remote area where I’ve read that visibility can be amazing but have also read about people going independently being caught in bad conditions & ending up at sea to be rescued. However that shouldn’t be a problem for a boat tour & if conditions aren’t good they’ll find a more suitable place. :)

 

Another recommendation is to not use a one piece mask which incorporates a snorkel & mask. While it sounds like a good idea for novice snorkelers there have been issues with them.

Oh wow - how scary that can be. I believe BWR is the only outfit that is allowed to snorkel in those areas - I think the remoteness makes it unique, and very likely off the "tourist" path.

Thanks so much for the info. It's so great to have options - which I have plenty of time to look into. LOL I was asked tonight why I want to snorkel when I've not shown an inclination to do so in my ordinary life. Well, I just love being in the water and and I would love to see beautiful marine life. My regular life is so ordinary, and I just want to do something different.

Thanks so much for the info. It's so great to have options - which I have plenty of time to look into. LOL I was asked tonight why I want to snorkel when I've not shown an inclination to do so in my ordinary life. Well, I just love being in the water and and I would love to see beautiful marine life. My regular life is so ordinary, and I just want to do something different.

With your great attitude you’ll undoubtedly enjoy whatever activity you decide is your best option here on the Valley Isle. :cool:

With your great attitude you’ll undoubtedly enjoy whatever activity you decide is your best option here on the Valley Isle. :cool:

Aww, thank you so much - I think so too; I mean, it’s really hard to go wrong in Hawaii - and if something does, it’s just another funny story to tell my friends, lol

I've done redline rafting (twice- it was awesome- I HIGHLY recommend them) which also departs out of Kihie. We saw the blue water raft both times- it looked really fun as well. Kihie is actually a great dock to depart out of and the small boats that depart from here are very nice.

I've done redline rafting (twice- it was awesome- I HIGHLY recommend them) which also departs out of Kihie. We saw the blue water raft both times- it looked really fun as well. Kihie is actually a great dock to depart out of and the small boats that depart from here are very nice.

Thank you ! I think that I can’t go wrong whichever I choose!