Molokini and Turtle Arches Snorkeling Trip from Ma'alaea Harbor

Maui, USA

5 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6

· Josh_K ·

Dec 2025

Very friendly, decent boat, well organized, good gear, decent food. We had a pleasant experience all around.

· Barry_L ·

Jul 2025

Really well done. Well organized staff. Lots of fish at Molokini. Several turtles at 2nd stop. Got a special show by spinner dolphins on the way home. I would highly recommend for family outings.

Explore our promoted experiences

Private Guided Tours Beach Entry with Sea Scooters up to 5 guests

Maui, Hawaii

5.0

(4)

Private Guided Tours Beach Entry with Sea Scooters up to 5 guests

from $650

Kayak Whale Watch and Snorkel Hawaiian Islands Whale Sanctuary

from $119

Private Charter Full Day around Lanai 3 Snorkel Stops 7 Hrs

Maui, Hawaii

5.0

(2)

Private Charter Full Day around Lanai 3 Snorkel Stops 7 Hrs

from $6,500

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Discover the wild side of Molokini on an unforgettable snorkeling trip starting from Ma'alaea Harbor. Swim alongside vibrant coral reefs teeming with over 250 species of fish at Turtle Arches, then glide past Molokini’s dramatic red rock back wall to spot seabirds in their natural habitat. With snorkeling gear, a continental breakfast, a barbecue lunch, and refreshments included, all you need to bring is your sense of adventure.

Enjoy a snorkeling adventure from Maui
See more than 250 species of fish
Get up close with wildlife in their natural environment
Snorkeling equipment included
Continental breakfast and barbecue lunch provided

What's Included

Professionally-fitted snorkel gear, including optical masks for eyeglass wearers, flotation device, learn-to-snorkel class, fish ID class, guided reef tour
Continental breakfast: banana bread, assorted pastries and fresh island fruit.
BBQ Lunch: teriyaki marinated chicken breasts, hot dogs, garden burgers, potato salad, corn and bean salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Refreshments: sodas, tropical juices and filtered water.

One free child age 4 and under per paying adult. Children ages 5-12 charged child rate.
Gratuities
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Hotel pickup and drop-off are not available.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI 96793, USA
PWF retail store in Ma'alaea Harbor Shops next to Maui Ocean Center Aquarium shared parking Check-in 45 minutes prior to departure time

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Leave the crowds behind and board a 54-foot (16-meter) catamaran, designed for comfort and style. Put on the provided snorkeling equipment and get fueled up with a continental breakfast.

Travel to the coral reef of Molokini and immerse yourself in the vibrant world beneath the surface of the ocean. You have the chance to encounter over 250 species of colorful fish and marvel at the beauty of over 30 different types of coral.

Next, dive into the waters of Turtle Arches and watch these fascinating creatures up close. When hunger strikes, indulge in a flavorful barbeque lunch.

When you've thoroughly explored this underwater realm, head back to shore.

Molokini Crater

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Maalaea Harbor

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Pacific Whale Foundation (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
Children must be accompanied by an adult

For each paying adult, 1 child ages 4 and under goes free. All children must be on the order/voucher as they account for a seat.
To protect the reef environment and in support of the statewide ban on sunscreens, we will no longer allow the use of any non-reef safe sunscreen on board any snorkel eco tours. 4oz Reef safe sunscreen will be available on board for $13
You will need to bring your own towels and credit cards for any onboard purchases as the vessels are cashless except for gratuities
For safety reasons, the use of full-face masks is not permitted on our snorkel ecotours. We do provide high quality snorkel gear on board for all guest
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 70 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Hung_C

This is such a wonderful experience. Molokini is absolutely amazing for snorkeling, and the captain and his whole crew made this experience beyond our expectation. The whole trip is both educational and relaxed. I would high recommend this trip for anyone who is looking for a great time at Molokini!

Reviews

4.6

based on 813 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Very friendly, decent...

Josh_K, Dec 2025

Very friendly, decent boat, well organized, good gear, decent food. We had a pleasant experience all around.

Snorkeling with the whales

tedd_m, Aug 2025

My experience with any tour thru the pacific whale foundation is well worth the expense. They are always very well done the crew is very professional and knowledgeable. Not only is it fun but very educational.

It is a good trip but the...

Loredana_R, Aug 2025

It is a good trip but the price is high. On 5 hour tour we stopped in Molokini only one hour and half. The good is poor. No barbecue on board but food ready from the harbour

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for coming out with with us and providing your feedback. I am guessing the swell was the reason for only the one extended stop at Molokini for snorkeling, which would have made the shoreline unsafe. This trip does usually have a BBQ lunch onboard, so not sure why you would have had lunch at the harbor. We always want our guest to have a great time with us, so feel free to reach out to m directly if that wasn't the case. I can be reached at johngaskins@pacwhale.com

Great experience! I’m not...

Lisa_D, Aug 2025

Great experience! I’m not the best swimmer at age 70 but they had all kinds of options . Floatation belts, life jackets and a few paddle boards were available. Also the staff in the water as life guards. We were given instructions before going in the water. Saw such beautiful fish and underwater seascape!! The staff was so knowledgeable and friendly. We had a nice barbecue lunch after snorkeling as well. I would highly recommend this experience for all ages.

Optional review

Tom_M, Jul 2025

Crew was great from the captain down. Did not see, any turtles, or much other then the reef and a few fish. Granted they can't control nature. My wife and I were on our honeymoon. Wanted to experience more beauty. Better luck next time.. food was good. We were stuck at the last place we snorkeled. Because of a bad head count. Guess they figured it out. Then raced back to port to meet the dead line. Not real fun.this is why the 3 stars. Nothing lined up.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

We thank you for coming out with us, but are sorry to hear that a variety of marine life was lacking on the day you went out. You just never know with marine life as it the trips have normally had excellent viewing opportunities. I would be happy to offer a partial refund, or if still in town offer you a 50% discount to go out again. We always want our guests to have an amazing time and try to make it right when that doesn't happen. You can contact me directly at johngaskins@pacwhale.com.

Family time

Barry_L, Jul 2025

Really well done. Well organized staff. Lots of fish at Molokini. Several turtles at 2nd stop. Got a special show by spinner dolphins on the way home. I would highly recommend for family outings.

Listen to the staff.

Mark_M, Jul 2025

Mother nature has the keys to the car. She can be calm and she can drive like a maniac. The weather can define a trip. The weather for us changed quickly and so the skipper called it. Good call. Next stop, calm side of the island. Like a swimming pool. Clear. Calm and marine life everywhere, including turtles. Food was good, staff was excellent and we will definitely be back.

Not worse it

Igor_V, Jun 2025

we didn't see anything, when doing such large tours they should somehow check for turtles etc. through radars or something, and they absolutely don't care that people didn't see anything, they don't want to show another place so that people who paid 400 dollars can get a great experience. everything we saw, you can easily see for yourself from the shore on Honolulu bay. the staff was great

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you didn't see any green sea turtles, but you never know with wildlife. All that our captains can do is go to locations that they are most frequently seen. This is the most popular tour on island, so I am disappointed to hear that it didn't meet your expectations. I welcome you to contact me directly at johngaskins@pacwhale.com so that I can find out when you went on the tour and possibly offer you a partial refund.

Worth every penny

O_N, Jun 2025

This was worth every penny. The guides were amazing, and very informative. Every single staff person was so warm and friendly and made sure everyone aboard had what they needed to be comfy.

Sunny day!

Marcy_V, May 2025

It was a great trip!! Beautiful snorkeling and clear waters. We saw 3 turtles and some beautiful fish.

Amazing trip and crew!

Hung_C, Apr 2025

It was beautiful at...

Doreen_P, Feb 2025

It was beautiful at Molokini at Turtle Bay water murky. Staff and nature guide were exceptionally awesome. Food for lunch was excellent as well

Just do it!

Brian_A, Sep 2024

Had a fabulous day with Captain Doug and his team. The snorkeling at Molokini was great for the first-timers in our group as well as the one who was experienced. The crew made sure we were outfitted with everything we needed. By the time we got to turtle arches, it was pretty choppy and no one stayed in the water long. But lunch was great and there was plenty for everyone. On the way back to the harbor, Captain Doug spotted some turtles and stopped so we could all see them from the boat. Gorgeous weather and a fun day for everyone. Thanks especially to Enesyia who was so much fun and answered all of our questions. My only frustration is that we couldn't understand anything that was being said over the sound system. Evidently you need to be upstairs (and outside) to hear well, and we were hoping to avoid sunburns by staying downstairs. Highly recommend renting the snorkel wetsuit shirts. The water was a wee bit chilly! Lovely day!

Loved it

Larry_C, Aug 2024

Choppy waters made it difficult to enjoy the first stop but captain and staff to good care of the situation and diverted the voyage to another location. Overall a great time

Great day with the grandkids

Ron_M, Aug 2024

Molokini was exactly as advertised, the crew of the boat made it a memorable experience . Having two snorkeling stops is a great experience

Great experience

Aish_S, Jul 2024

Was very fun and water was very nice and clear good spot and tour was great. Food was good and staff were nice

Great crew, few fish/turtles

Kim_H, Jun 2024

While the crew tried very hard we were disappointed in the number of fish that we saw and also that we only saw one turtle that went into a cave. I know that's not their fault, but we were disappointed. We also expected to see dolphins somewhere along the way but, the water was very wavy and I hear they like calmer waters, so that's not their fault either.

Snorkeling Success!

Nicole_s, Jun 2024

Crew was great! Very professional and felt like they took safety seriously! First stop was great and second stop Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. Current was very strong, waves got so bad they had to call us back in! So thankful for the crew’s attention. Still had a great time and food was good!

Highly recommended well worth it

DAVID_B, Apr 2024

Snorkeling in the crater was the highlight for us which was hard to pick because everything including the sailing without the engines was spectacular

Perfect from start to finish

Lana_V, Mar 2024

PacWhale staff and tour were amazing. Fantastic snorkeling AND we saw several whales! The staff were all naturalists and genuinely interested in educating guard. Lunch was tasty, equipment was clean and well maintained. Highly recommend this tour!

Early start, but great experience

Kristina_L, Mar 2024

We had a great time on this tour. The early hour was tough on the kids, but thankfully the tour asks you to arrive WAY earlier than needed. We were running late thanks to our 13yo daughter struggling to get up before the sun and I was very worried we would miss the tour. However, we arrived 30 min “late” and found a ton of people standing around waiting. We also waited another 30 min before the tour actually started. I was grateful, but also would have been annoyed to stand there for an hour that early in the morning had we been “on time”. Once aboard, we were instantly served fresh fruit, banana bread and water which was needed after our fire drill arrival. There were a lot of people and I was worried about seating for our family of 6, but the boat was huge and there was more than enough space for everyone. The crew was excellent and well organized. I was impressed with their ability to outfit everyone properly with snorkel gear before we even arrived to the first snorkel spot. Snorkeling was amazing and we had a wonderful time at both spots. We even got some up close whale watching experience in while cruising between snorkel spots. Overall, a great trip despite the very early start to the day.

Fun snorkeling trip

Johnna_R, Feb 2024

Great snorkeling trip. Booking thru Viator was super easy. We saw so many fish and sea turtles. The captain would stop and let us watch the whales. The food was good, as well.

Beautiful

TainaAcacia_B, Feb 2024

Awesome experience! We had a great time, the crew was great as well. Price was a little too high, but it is the average price here.

Last day on Maui with whales and snorkeling

Steve_C, Feb 2024

A definite highlight of our Maui vacation! The staff were super helpful and knowledgeable. We saw lots of whale activity and the snorkeling was great as well. A very high quality experience!

Perfect Excursion

thomas_g, Jan 2024

Captain and crew were amazing. Not sure how they got the whales to breach right next to us😂 AMAZING! Thank you.

Great experience Must do !

kshama_M, Jan 2024

A perfect experience of snorkeling and turtles plus a bonus of watching the whales. Very well planned and friendly crew was worth every penny paid. Thank you for a wonderful experience ❤️

The Pacific Whale...

Wally_W, Jan 2024

The Pacific Whale Foundation does a great job. They know what they're talking about and they know their ocean. The tours are bigger, 80 people +-, so if your looking for a personalized experience then this probably isn't for you. The boat is loaded at about 50% capacity so there is plenty of room though. They offered the Continental breakfast and a grilled lunch. Both were plenty. I'm a bigger guy. I wasn't stuffed, but I wasn't hungry afterwards either. Overall is was a great experience. My only tip is: watch the weather before you go. If the weather sucks so will your excursion, duh. Don't blame the foundation for a bad experience due to the weather. YOU are responsible for when you go. I picked a calm day and we had a great time and saw plenty of wildlife. Also, this isn't a fish tank so if you don't see the fish you want, also not the foundations problem. The last time I snorkeled at Molikini we saw tons of reef sharks. This time, zero. Please keep that in mind. Other than that just relax and have a good time. It's a vacation after all.

Wonderful Trip!

Sharon_M, Dec 2023

The snorkeling at Molokini was fantastic! So many colorful fish, and lots of coral and sea urchins! It was all very well organized and getting in and out of the water was very well orchestrated. I felt very safe and secure with all of your people in the water watching over us!

Great

ASHOK_G, Dec 2023

Thanks for the captain for a wonderful trip and learning about his past windsurfing accomplishments. Impressive. I hope he meets my friend Jeff McCallum.