Turtle Canyon Snorkel Tour - Semi-private: 6 passenger max
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Honolulu, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Skip crowded boats and join a more personal, eco-friendly experience on this Turtle Canyon snorkeling tour from Honolulu. This small-group tour lets you swim alongside Hawaiian green sea turtles in a calm, respectful way—without disturbing the reef or the wildlife. Guided by locals, learn about Hawaii’s marine ecosystem as you keep an eye out for spinner dolphins, monk seals, manta rays, and colorful reef fish. Note: passengers must be able to swim up to 20 yards (18 meters) to Turtle Canyon.
- Learn about Hawaiian culture and wildlife as you take to the water
- Small-group boat ride allows for a more personal experience
- Add on professional photos and videos for an extra fee
- Maximize your chances of spotting marine life with the help of your guide
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- All Fees and Taxes
- English-speaking guide
- CPR/AED & Lifeguard certified crew
- Licensed Captain
- Gratuity
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Hawaii Apex Charters1739C Ala Moana Blvd Dock X Slip #C-08, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Head towards Hawaii Yacht Club at the end of the dock. As you are walking or driving down the dock, you will see a big ramp and sign on the right that says "Dock X", that is where we meet! Parking is $1/hr along the sidewalk.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Diamond Head State Monument
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Turtle Canyon
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Chris_K
Holly was an amazing guide and spent so much time ensuring we had a personalized experience in the water. Philip was an excellent driver and safety was his number one priority. They both were very knowledgeable and professional. I highly recommend this smaller tour for their dedication to ensuring your personal experience is amazing and for their excellent customer service.
Reviews
4.9
based on 144 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Monica_L, Jul 2026
Wonderful fun experience swimming with fish and sea turtles. The boat ride was great! The 3 of us had the best time! Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable and made our trip very memorable.
David_B, Jul 2026
awesome tour/experience for anyone in honolulu. phillip was great. i’d recommend to anyone considering this experience.
Susannah_O, Jul 2026
Even better than we imagined. Phillip and his team took great care of us and we loved that it was a private tour. Definitely get the video package!!
Justin_M, Jul 2026
What a great experience! Small group size is key and allowed for a greater experience. Our group were confident swimmers and we were able to dive down and get awesome photos and videos (extra charge for video and photos and very worth it!!!) Holly, Sarah, and Phil were a great crew and we would highly recommend them!
bremen_c, Jun 2026
Great captain and guide. Very professional. I was very happy to be on a smaller boat and not be with a group of 50 other people. Saw turtles and a bunch of reef fish.
Tara_L, May 2026
Amazing experience! It was so nice to be on a private boat away from the bigger groups visiting the reef.
Alexandria_V, May 2026
Wonderful experience. A must try! Holly and Phil were very knowledgeable about the wildlife, put safety first, and ensured a great experience with lots of sea turtle sightings! Highly recommend.
Melissa_W, May 2026
What a wonderful tour! The guides were AMAZING! We went as a family of 3 including our 12 year old son who is on the spectrum and the ladies stuck by him and helped him navigate his first time snorkeling. A giant sea turtle surfaced right in front of him and they pulled him back out of the turtles way and made sure he was safe, as well as the turtle. It was a great experience start to finish. I got to hold a sea urchin! We highly recommend this tour to any and everyone.
Chris_K, Apr 2026
Holly was an amazing guide and spent so much time ensuring we had a personalized experience in the water. Philip was an excellent driver and safety was his number one priority. They both were very knowledgeable and professional. I highly recommend this smaller tour for their dedication to ensuring your personal experience is amazing and for their excellent customer service.
Jamie_W, Apr 2026
Holly and Philip were so amazing. This was our first time so we were a little nervous cuz this was our first time. but they made us so comfortable. We got to see so many different fish and nine sea turtles. One was a tiny baby and so cute. I would recommend this to any friend and family. They will even take underwater video for you to keep forever.
Jenn_M, Mar 2026
Unfortunately due to bad storms here in Honolulu we were not able to go on this. Disappointing but NOT the vendors fault. Called to let us know and is issuing a full refund. Maybe next time we are here
Mia_D, Mar 2026
We had an incredible experience with Phil and Holly. Phil gave great safety instructions as well as a very smooth ride on the boat. Holly was energetic and knowledgeable about sea life which made our snorkel all the better!
We find ourselves continuing to talk about how good this snorkel experience was that we booked another snorkel during our time here!
Highly recommend booking with Phil and Holly!
Clay_D, Mar 2026
Loved the small group, the staff were extremely helpful and accommodating. The tour guide was knowledgeable of the area and the wildlife, and was super friendly with the kids.
Chris_V, Dec 2025
Not only is the crew smart and beautiful. There extremely nice and organized. The small group is definitely the way to go. You can tell everyone loves the work there doing. Had a fantastic time don’t hesitate it’s well worth it.
Jackson_C, Dec 2025
Excellent experience hosts were knowledgeable and laid back. Saw and learned so much. Highly recommend to all!
AntonioErnestoNoguer, Nov 2025
They were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about what they do.
I strongly recommend them if you want an almost private experience
Brigitte_P, Sep 2025
Worth the extra cost. If you have someone in your party that wants to remain on the boat, opportunity to view the sea turtles as they surfaced regularly.
JOSHUA_M, Sep 2025
We (my fiancee and I) had a great time. We just went today. Swimming with Turtles was on our bucket list. We enjoyed the whole experience, the staff, the boat, everything. They offer pictures and videos so you don't have to miss anything. Definitely recommend 👌
Rosalind_H, Sep 2025
Intimate, restful, everything it claimed and more. We saw turtles getting their shells cleaned by fish in crystal clear water, as we sat off Waikiki with Diamond Head in the background. Phillipe and Mandy made us feel like we were sharing the boat, and being only three people, it felt much different than the usual crowded adventure.
John_H, Sep 2025
This is the one. Exceptionally maintained, appropriately sized boat for small group. They care about your experience. Don't look any further, unless you have an unsatisfied urge to be on a skow with 40-100 other tourists trying to put on gear, get in, get out, climb over, and generally swarm the reef. Mahallo!
April_P, Sep 2025
Had the best time snorkelling! We seen so many turtles and the boat ride was super fun. Would 100% recommend.
Guy_B, Sep 2025
The captain and the guide were both very knowledgeable about the water and the wildlife. They answered any questions we had and were very social and friendly. The guide kept us out of the crowds but still gave us great opportunities to see the turtles and fish.
Tiffany_M, Aug 2025
If we could do this everyday with them we would! We had the best experience! It was our favorite thing we did by far in Hawaii. The host was amazing and we learned a lot. Rain or shine, you will have an awesome time.
Kristin_I, Aug 2025
The captain and the photographer were very hospitable, kind, and knowledgeable. The boat is beautiful and brand new. We are on a small boat with only 6 people as apposed to all the other large 70-100 person boats so we could get the best spot and could go wherever we wanted in the water. We also had a lot more comfort and flexibility than the larger boats.
The photographer was also our guide and pointed out large schools of fish and the many sea turtles. It was an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone who wants to see sea life without having to swim very far.
Van_K, Jul 2025
Phillip and Ianthe were awesome. Just our family of 5 so felt like a private charter rather than a huge crowd of snorkelers. Very professional and informative. Were great keeping us together on a guided tour and away from the crowds once at the canyon. Visibility was great on our tour day and had multiple turtle encounters. Great morning dive and snorkel right before the tsunami warning that day. Highly recommend!
sharon_m, Jul 2025
This experience was amazing. It was our first time snorkeling with kids (10 and 8). I was extremely nervous but chose this specific excursion because of how personal I knew it would be. We only had 5 people total on our boat (4 of them were my family). I felt safer with such a small group. My girls loved it! Thank you so much for this.
Isaac_B, Jun 2025
Small crew allowed for a more personalized experience. Went over all safety protocols and made sure we were taken care of out on the water. Saw turtles, sharks and plenty of fish. Tip- Definitely don't eat before you go!
Jessica_R, May 2025
This experience was fantastic. I will be in Honolulu again in March 2026 and will definitely be booking with them again. Three of us went on this excursion, although only two of us snorkeled. The two men who run this operation are genuinely nice, and also thorough--they made sure we were both comfortable and safe. The boat was shiny-clean and clearly well-maintained. The equipment for snorkeling was clean and looked new. We went to Turtle Canyon and saw loads of turtles! It was amazing! They are so graceful and fast underwater! Then we moved over a bit and saw quite a few different kinds of fish, all beautiful. The area was crowded with other boats and snorkelers (it's a popular spot) but they kept us away from the crowds. One of the men came in the water with us to guide us around the area. Because one of my arms isn't working very well, he towed me most of the time, which was really kind. He pointed out the turtles to us (usually before I spotted them) and the schools of fish. He also took photos underwater. Most of the photos were just ok, but there were a few I really liked. Not sure if the photos are worth the extra charge, but because I rarely take selfies it was worth it for me. Seeing the turtles (and getting so close to them) and the fish, and snorkeling in water that felt like silk would have been enough for me to recommend this excursion--but the two men who hosted us, along with the cleanliness and safety-consciousness, make this a "highly recommend!" and explain why I'll be going out with them again!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi Jessica, thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend us to others. Unfortunately, this snorkel spot is the only location that is guaranteed to see turtles but we try our best to keep you guys away from the crowd! Thanks for noticing the clean boat, we definitely spend a lot of time maintaining it! Hope to see you back out with us.
Rebecca_R, Apr 2025
Going on the boat and snorkeling was so much fun. The captain and snorkeling lead were so sweet and open and friendly. I was a first-time snorkeler and they made it very easy and not intimidating for me to feel comfortable jumping right in (literally!). I really appreciated that it was a small group (no more than 6) so it felt like we got such a personalized and special experience. There were people of all ages on our boat and everyone had a blast. Plus we saw a giant sea turtle!! And so many beautiful fish.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi Rebecca, thank you for your review! With only 6 people on our boat, we can really be attentive with everyone and make sure everyone's having a good time. Hope to see you come back!
Amy_P, Apr 2025
What a wonderful experience! The guides were SO friendly and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend them. Looking forward coming back in November for a whale tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi Amy, thank you for your review! See you soon for the whales!
From $103.66
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Turtle Canyon Snorkel Tour - Semi-private: 6 passenger max
144
1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$103.66
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Honolulu, USA
- Waikiki Beach Tours & Tickets
- China Walls Tours & Tickets
- Aloha Tower Marketplace Tours & Tickets
- Ala Moana Center Tours & Tickets
- Ala Moana Beach Park Tours & Tickets
- Eternity Beach Tours & Tickets
- Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail Tours & Tickets
- Royal Hawaiian Center Tours & Tickets
- Kuhio Beach Tours & Tickets
- Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum Tours & Tickets