Maui is one of the most famous tropical islands in the world, and with that comes…great snorkeling. 

With crystal-clear water, lively coral reefs, and so much native marine life, Maui has some of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii

Best Snorkel Spots on Maui

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Whether you’re a pro snorkeler or it’s your first time, these are the best spots for snorkeling in Maui…some are easily accessed from the beach, and some require going out on a boat tour…so you should be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. 

Molokini Crater

Located three miles off Maui’s southern shore, Molokini Crater has long been Maui’s (and possibly Hawaii’s) most popular snorkeling and diving destination and it’s easy to see why.

The partially submerged volcanic crater with its famous crescent shape is not only home to an extensive coral reef with 250+ species of tropical fish, but it also has an incredible quality of water that boasts up to 150 feet of visibility.

There are some amazing snorkeling spots on Maui that can be accessed by beach or even by boat, but Molokini is completely unique. Because the crater is volcanic rock and it’s miles off shore, there’s not a trace of sand or soil in the water. This is what gives the incredible clarity that’s unprecedented in Hawaii.

Sounds pretty great, right? So what’s the downside? The downside is the number of boats that take snorkelers out to the crater that can make it CROWDED, and many tour providers operate under conditions that can make the experience less than ideal. Not that it’s ever bad, but when you’re paying a premium, you want the best experience possible.

Showing up to Molokini mid morning with a dozen other boats (some with as many as 150 people!) after an hour boat ride just isn’t magical. But don’t worry-I’ve got the scoop on how to see Molokini the best way. Uncrowded.

My favorite way to snorkel Molokini is with Kai Kanani on their Sunrise Deluxe Snorkel. 

Turtle Town

If you’ve done much research at all about snorkeling on Maui, you’ve probably heard about Turtle Town. There are some underground caves offshore in this area (plus a lot of algae that they feed on) that attract a large number of turtles so it’s pretty reliable to spot them swimming in the area. A lot of the Molokini snorkel boats make a stop offshore in the area for snorkelers, but if you know where to go you can snorkel in the area from the beach too. 

In general, “Turtle Town” is roughly the area of Makena Bay from Makena Landing Park (on the north end) to Maluaka Beach (on the south end). And the two best access points are at Makena Landing and Maluaka Beach. 

The turtles swim around so there’s always a good chance of spotting one wherever you are, but for the best odds you’re going to want to swim out away from shore a bit. 

It’s not necessarily unsafe and a lot of people snorkel in this area on their own, but I would recommend staying a little closer to shore than you see the people snorkeling on the boats maybe unless you have a paddleboard. I’m also generally a fan of wearing a flotation belt when you’re snorkeling (especially if you’re not on a tour), and of course making sure there’s somebody on the shore who is tracking where you are. 

If it were me, I would enter the water at Makena Landing and swim a bit south/away from the shore from there. It’s a fairly protected area and there’s often other snorkelers there. Also, you could sit and wait for a snorkel boat to pull up and swim over to check out what they’re looking at. 

Here are directions for getting to both Makena Landing and Maluaka Beach: 

Makena Landing

Drive south from Wailea (past the Fairmont Kea Lani) and Wailea Alanui Drive will turn into Makena Alanui Road. Take a right onto Makena Road just past the Makena Surf Resort and follow that road until you come to Makena Landing Beach Park. You’ll know it when you see the boat ramp. 

Maluaka Beach

If you’re driving south, turn right onto Makena road (you’ll see signs for the landing) and continue on until you see a parking lot on your left. The beach access is actually a few hundred feet past the parking lot on your right. There’s a drop off area right at the beach so you can unload everything and then send someone back to park if you think it’s too far to walk. 

Once on the beach, enter the water and snorkel north towards the rocks and reefs.

Besides looking for turtles, Maluaka Beach is a gorgeous beach to spend the day. If you want great snorkeling AND a fabulous sandy beach to hang out on, this is your spot.

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Black Rock at Ka’anapali Beach

Ka’anapali Beach (West Maui) is home to many of the island’s big beach resorts so what’s better than walking out your front door and snorkeling? The far north end of the beach (in front of the Sheraton) is home to Black Rock (Maui’s famed rock that people often jump off of into the water). 

While the waves can get pretty big at Ka’anapali Beach, they’re usually much smaller down at Black Rock and even if they look intimidating, once you swim out past the break it’s usually quite calm. Also, keep an eye out as it’s not uncommon to spot sea turtles in this area.

Honolua Bay

Honolua Bay is a spot that many Maui snorkeling tours will stop at by boat, but you can also reach it by land. It’s north of Kapalua and the entrance is just past the overlook. You’ll park somewhere along the highway and then hike down to the beach through the most amazing forest. 

Honolua Bay is pure Maui, meaning it has a rugged magic to it. And many wild chickens. Once you make it down to the beach (all rocks), you’ll have to swim quite a ways to get to the best snorkeling (to the left and right sides of the bay). If there’s a catamaran anchored in the bay, that will give you an indication of where the snorkeling is good.

Ahihi Kinau Nature Reserve

This nature reserve is one of my favorite spots in Maui. If you drive south from Wailea through Makena, the road eventually opens up so that you’re literally driving right by the water, passing the most inviting little coves with clear water, golden sand, and plenty of lava and coral formations. If you’re an inexperienced snorkeler, or you have small children, this is an ideal spot to get in the water. 

It’s super shallow and very protected from the ocean. It’s more like swimming in a manmade lagoon but tropical fish, and even the occasional sea turtle, are very prevalent here. The only tricky part is parking. You’ll have to squeeze off the road somewhere (watch the signs!) but once you find a spot, you’ll be snorkeling just a dozen or so feet from your car!

Ulua Beach

Ulua is a great place to snorkel when the conditions are right. The reef is great and you can expect to see plenty of tropical fish (it’s a very popular scuba spot), but the best part about snorkeling at Ulua is the beach! 

Once you find it (located between the Marriot and Andaz in Wailea), there’s plenty of parking, not many crowds, and a BEAUTIFUL stretch of beach. If you’re traveling with a party that’s split between snorkelers and non-snorkelers, this is a good spot.

Olowalu

Olowalu is a general area south of Lahaina (where Leoda’s Pie Shop is located!) where there’s a great stretch of snorkeling spots right off the highway. Once you come out of the tunnel and you’re headed towards Lahaina you’ll find almost one continuous stretch of beaches right next to the road. 

Pull off anywhere you see a few cars parked, as it’s likely a good spot. The water is very calm, warm, and shallow and it’s a great spot for beginner snorkelers. It’s also super convenient.

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Hulopoe Beach // Lanai

I HIGHLY recommend doing the excursion with Trilogy. Trilogy’s Discover Lanai Tour is their top rated snorkel tour and one of the best bang for your buck excursions on Maui. 

This 8 hour excursion picks up on Kaanapali Beach and cruises over to Lanai in about an hour. It’s kind of advertised as a “snorkeling tour” but it’s actually a lot more. 

You’ll spend the day at Hulopoe Beach snorkeling, swimming, lounging on the beach, exploring the tide pools, and hiking to the Puʻu Pehe lookout and then have a big BBQ lunch in a pavilion overlooking the harbor. 

The snorkeling is right off the beach and the crew is there to help you get your gear and time your entry in between waves. There are also a couple of crew members further out on surfboards to keep an eye on everyone. 

I was actually pretty impressed with the snorkeling…I think it’s one of the better spots I’ve been to in Hawaii. 

But what I really LOVED about this setup is that you can snorkel for however long (or little) you want and when you’re done, you’re on one of the best beaches in Hawaii. 

There’s also a short hike you can do up past the tidepools for a great view of Pu’u Pehe Rock. 

If you’ve ever done a snorkel tour, most of the time “lunch” consists of a sandwich and bag of chips, but this is a BBQ lunch in a large pavilion overlooking the harbor. 

We had salad, rolls, kiawe-wood grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and stir fry noodles all served at the table. And there was plenty for seconds!

They have adirondack chairs and corn hole set up on the lawn plus the general store down below has a great gift shop (with Trilogy and Lanai merch). 

After lunch, we loaded back up on the boat to sail back to Maui. They opened the bar up plus we had ice cream sundaes just before we landed. 

This is a great day trip to one of the best snorkeling areas near Maui. 

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