Maui Clear Kayak and Snorkel Tour: Swim with turtles (Makena)
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Maui, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Most Maui snorkeling tours use boats with limited visibility of what's directly beneath, and shore-based snorkeling at Turtle Town requires walking gear over loose rock to reach the water. This small-group tour uses clear-bottom kayaks to paddle over the reef with views of the water below, with snorkeling gear included for in-water sessions among the turtles, manta rays, and tropical fish at the reef.
- Refuel with included snacks and water
- Clear-bottom kayak allows you to view marine life from a unique vantage point
- No need to hire gear with kayaks and snorkeling equipment included
- Learn about the marine life and history of Maui from your local guide
What's Included
- SnacksSnacks are pre-packaged. Vegan, gluten-free options available
- Bottled waterSingle-use water available. However we encourage you to assist us in reducing plastic by bringing your own reuseable water bottle.
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Experienced Tour Guide
- Life jacket
- Photo packages available at additional cost on day of tour
- Gratuities
- Private transportation
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 5083 Makena Rd, Kihei, HI 96753, USA
Meet up is at Makena Landing Park. We will text your cell phone with a pinned google map location the day before the tour. Our company truck is a navy blue ford with clear kayak stickers on both sides. If you need to catch an Uber then book the day before (not the morning of).
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
Makena Landing Park
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Individual weight limit is strictly 220 lbs due to the nature of our clear kayaks. If someone in your group weighs over 220 lbs then please contact us and we can reserve a single regular kayak with a weight limit of 290 lbs for them. We have two of these available. The weight limit is for your own safety. It is company policy for our tour guides to weigh each individual using scales at the meeting location on the day of the tour. If you report your weight incorrectly and then weigh over the limit on the day then we will not be able to accommodate you and you will receive no refund. Please contact us if you have questions about weight distribution before booking.
- Weight limit for tandem kayak is 420 lbs *Individual weight limit of 220 lbs still applies. You will automatically be assigned a tandem kayak for a booking of 2 adults. We are a small company and only have a limited number of clear kayaks for each tour.
- If you have ANY medical conditions we need to be made aware of for your safety (including if you are pregnant) or if you have dietary restrictions then please advise us of this via email.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kyle was an amazing guide! Phenomenal experience with the clear kayaks. Beautiful views, Kyle was knowledgeable about the types of fish and the area. Stellar photos by Kyle also. Highly recommend for any group and any age. Great small group activity!
Reviews
4.9
based on 623 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Really great guide, Mark. Lots of turtles to swim with. Water was a bit rough so don’t go if prone to seasick. Boats are a bit old and not comfortable for older folks. Overall great experience. Learned lots about island volcano and marine life.
Curtis and Micha were amazing guides on this kayak and snorkeling excursion! Bonus was we got to see Monty the Monkseal at the end of kayaking. Would highly recommend them to anyone interested.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
What a blessing to see Monty the monk seal! Mahalo for booking with us and sharing your review Edward - Tiffany and Curtis
The kayak snorkeling in Turtle Town was simply amazing !!! Marc was an exceptional guide and so safety conscious. He knew all the right spots and took the best photos of my wife and I. We saw tons of turtles and fish. Don’t overthink this……..go with Marc on this adventure……you’ll be so glad you did.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Amazing to hear Michael, we are so happy you had so much fun on our tour with guide Marc. Thanks for booking with us and sharing your review - Tiffany and Curtis
Marc is a wonderful person. He was so accommodating with non swimmers like us and helped us out throughout the tour. We were treated to a show by a school of dolphins!! Swimming with 2 huge turtles and hundreds of fishes was definitely more than what we were expecting. Definitely recommend doing this!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Absolutely incredible Raja, so much marine life. Mahalo for booking with us and sharing and love that it was "re marc able" - Tiffany and Curtis
Mika was a fantastic tour guide.
Thoughtful, always checking in to make sure everybody was doing well. He was great. Saw lots of turtles had a wonderful time.
Love supporting a small family run business.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thanks so much Judy for supporting our small family run business. We are stoked you had an epic time with guide Maika - Tiffany and Curtis
Marc, Curtis, and Kyle were amazing. It was the perfect day to be on the water and got lots of great pictures. They were great at pointing out different sea creatures and telling us some history about the island as well.
Curtis and Mark were fantastic guides, made sure we all had proper equipment, checked in on us regularly, and shared stories and history of the area.
I was concerned about getting out and back into the kayak to snorkel in the open water. Or guides made it easy and safe. It only required pushing the side of the boat down to my armpits and rolling in.
We saw lots of turtles, fish, urchins, and coral. The paddle was easy and the price was well worth the experience!
If you truly want an amazing experience you can not go wrong with this place!! We had such a great time !! Book it with Mark you won’t be disappointed!!!!!! Thank you for such an epic experience!!
This tour was absolutely unreal! From the moment we showed up, everything was already set up and ready to go. Just make sure you fill out your forms beforehand! The meetup was completely seamless, and before we knew it, we were out on the water.
We paired my 8-year-old niece and my 67-year-old mom together in a kayak, and it worked out perfectly. Kyle was AMAZING. He walked them through getting in and out of the kayak so thoroughly that there was quite literally no room for error. He made everyone feel comfortable and safe from the very beginning.
When they started getting tired, Kyle was incredibly encouraging and reassuring, and he helped them get back to shore a little earlier than the rest of the group. He kept their spirits up while still making sure everyone was safe, comfortable, and having fun. I truly can’t thank him enough for how well he took care of all of us!
And the wildlife!! We saw SO many turtles — mamas and babies — plus fish, eels, and so much more. It was incredible.
This is truly the tour, guys! The length was perfect, the experience was unforgettable, and we are so thankful for the hospitality, the helping hands, and Kyle’s encouraging spirit throughout the entire adventure. If you’re considering booking it, DO IT! Mahalo! 🌺🐢🛶
Mark was excellent, he told us about the area and some history of the islands. We saw so many turtles and some fish. He took great pictures of us with the turtles and kayaking. Really fun time!! Thanks for the great day (Tom) ha ha Mark!! Inside joke.
Kyle was very considerate and attentive! We really appreciated him! So many turtles to see, great experience.
It was great! Kyle and Curtis (sorry if I have his name wrong) were attentive and super nice. My 9yo is still talking about how kind Kyle was to her, we got to swim with at least 8 turtles, and the reef is spectacular
Curtis was amazing!! He really knew all of the different fish, snorkeling spots, and Hawaiian history very well. He did a great job guiding us. We would definitely recommend this company and Curtis!
Very fun! Curtis was a great guide and we got to see so many turtles! It was also amazing to see all of the reefs through the bottom of the kayak. I highly recommend you do this if you get a chance!
Marc was an incredible guide! He was friendly, knowledgeable, fun and a great photographer. We had the best time. The morning couldn't have been more perfect.
We had an absolutely incredible kayaking and snorkeling excursion in Maui! The scenery was breathtaking, the water was crystal clear, and the marine life was amazing to see up close. While the experience itself was fantastic, our guide Mark truly made the day unforgettable.
Mark brought so much energy, positivity, and enthusiasm from start to finish. He explained everything clearly and simply, making everyone feel comfortable and confident, regardless of experience level. He was extremely knowledgeable about Maui and shared interesting information about the island throughout the tour. He was also incredibly personable and easy to talk to, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
One of the highlights was when Mark got in the water with us and dove down to retrieve a sea urchin from the ocean floor so we could safely see and hold one up close. He also took photos throughout the excursion, allowing us to fully enjoy the experience while still capturing great memories. On top of that, he recommended some amazing local restaurants and sweet treat spots that we ended up loving.
You can tell Mark genuinely loves what he does and takes great pride in sharing the beauty of his home island with visitors. His excitement was contagious and elevated an already beautiful experience into something truly special. We would highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Maui, and if you get Mark as your guide, you’re in for an amazing day!
My daughter and I had an amazing time on our clear kayak experience! As a novice kayaker, I truly appreciated how patient & supportive our guide, Chris, was throughout the entire trip. He was kind, communicated everything clearly, & never rushed our group, which made the experience even more enjoyable and relaxing. The conditions were perfect—beautiful weather, calm ocean waters, & incredible visibility. The water was so clear that we could see straight down to the ocean floor! One of the highlights was stopping at “Turtle Town” for snorkeling, where we saw so many sea turtles along with a variety of tropical fish. We spent about 40 minutes snorkeling & had an absolute blast! I highly recommend booking the first session of the day (it’s less crowded), and the ocean is much calmer. Tip: don’t forget to bring a waterproof GoPro or a waterproof phone case so you can capture some truly unforgettable photos and videos underwater!
Great experience with kyle!
I am 25 weeks pregnant and he was able to help me maneuver different ways to get in to the kayak (which I was worried about). Such a cool experience to see the animals and reef! He also helped capture awesome pictures under the water for us! Would highly recommend! Loved our experience!
Truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life, to snorkel and swim with sea turtles! I would highly recommend this experience! Loved the clear water kayaks to be able to see below. Kyle was an amazing tour guide, very informative, attentive, quick to explain and make sure we were having a great time.
We had a blast! Kyle was so knowledgeable about the marine life & the area in general as well as keeping everyone safe. Definitely recommend & would go again !
Extremely informative. Mark was very knowledgeable about the history of the island and about the sea life. He took the time with each guest to explain all wonders that live beneath the ocean. Lots of focus on safety. Was definitely well worth the money. Can't wait to come back in whale season.
Great day on the water with Kyle. Saw many turtles and pretty fish and coral. Highly recommend!!!!!!
This was overall a great experience. Got to see a lot of sea turtles while snorkeling. Our guides were very knowledgable and enjoy what they do. It was the best way to start your morning on the calm waters of Maui. I would recommend to anyone looking for a family friendly activity to do. It is very beginner friendly and felt safe. A little bit of workout when paddling but well worth it for the many incredible views you see both outside and underneath the water.
Mark was an exceptional guide was so considerate of everyone’s different needs. Along with his history knowledge of the Island. Very safety conscience.
We were blessed with a wonderful perfect weather day and one other family of four with us. Kyle was funny and kind and very informative. He treated us with respect and was also very attentive to the three kiddos and what they needed. He kept us all safe and took pictures for us under water. He was funny and positive and was great for a family outing. He checked in with everyone to see skill levels and experience levels as well as communicating options for when we got to swim around. We were lucky to get very close to several curious turtles. The clear kayaks are definitely the way to go. We did it two years ago without clear bottoms and I didn’t realize how much we missed out on. Thanks for a great start to our vacation!
Happy & friendly guides made the experience so much better! Kyle, Chris, and Curtis were very knowledgeable and made sure we had a lot of fun. We saw so many turtles & even got to see dolphins in the distance.
The guides were super personable and fun. They really love their job and make sure everyone has a great experience.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
This is amazing to read, thanks so much for sharing - Tiffany and Curtis
This was such an amazing experience, from Tiffany answering my questions before the tour to our tour guide Kyle giving us an amazing experience, I highly recommend. We saw so many turtles and swam in such beautiful waters!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
This is awesome to hear McKenzie, thanks so much for sharing your experience and for booking with us - Tiffany and Curtis
Took my 82 year old mom on this for her birthday, she was very nervous about being on the water and getting in and out of the kayak but Chris was extremely kind and helpful and was an amazing guide. We saw at least a dozen turtles and countless other amazing reef critters. His pics and video were gorgeous - couldn't recommend this excursion more!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Amazing Abby, we are so pleased to know you and your mom had such a fun time on our tour. Mahalo for booking with us and sharing your experience - Tiffany and Curtis
Mark was amazing! We had such a great time. Very friendly and knew all the great spots! The group ended up being just us, and it made for a very personal experience! He also took a ton of photos for us. Additional to the great time with Mark, Tiffany was very helpful and friendly getting us set up. Thank you!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Mahalo Bella, a lovely private experience for the two of you. So happy you guys had a great time with guide Marc! Thanks for booking with us and sharing your review - Tiffany and Curtis
Member Pricing
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$123.50
per personWas $130.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Maui Clear Kayak and Snorkel Tour: Swim with turtles (Makena)
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