Waikiki, Hawaii: Turtle Canyon Snorkel Excursion

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Oahu, USA

Very popular!

10+ bookings in the past 6 hours.

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

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Timothy_M ·

Feb 2026

Great experience. Very helpful and knowledgeable staff, the boat was clean and the water was clear. The 2 hour trip was perfect. We saw several turtles and tons of fish.

· Nick_B ·

Feb 2026

Short boat trip to the dive site. Staff is friendly and professional. Snacks and drinks are provided. The online description does a good job matching the experience. Turtles and tropical fish at location. Gathering site is easy to find and access.

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Overview

Share the warm Hawaiian waters with green sea turtles, tropical fish, and more on a 2-hour snorkel excursion from Waikiki. No need to wear your flippers and mask on the plane, as all necessary gear is provided. Under the careful guidance of a tour leader, discover the vibrant sea life of Turtle Canyons. Above water wildlife sightings may include spinner dolphins, flying fish, and - in winter months - humpback whales.

Discover sea life in its natural environment
Visit Waikiki’s top snorkeling site
Enjoy complimentary refreshments on the boat
Escape the hustle and bustle for a relaxing ocean adventure

What's Included

2hr Turtle Canyon Snorkel Excursion
Use of Snorkeling equipment
Light refreshments
Snacks
Professional guide

Hotel pick-up and drop off
Gratuities
Parking fee ($5 payable by cash or card in the lot)
Towels
Private Tour

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Living Ocean Tours
1125 Ala Moana Blvd Slip B-01, Honolulu, HI 96814, USA
Please meet us at the boat "Coral Kai" located in Kewalo Basin Boat Harbor, Slip B-1. Complete your online waiver prior to arrival and arrive at the boat 15 minutes early as the boat departs at your scheduled time. Parking is limited so we suggest arriving extra early to find a spot or take a taxi.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Snorkel with Hawaiian green sea turtles on this group tour from Waikiki, where all the logistics are planned for you so you just need to concentrate on having a good time.

You’ll be taken to Waikiki’s Turtle Canyons, where you’ll be sure to swim with those green beauties. Plus, there are all sorts of colorful fish that swim near the reef.

Before you get into the water, your guide will give you a snorkel demo, answer any questions you may have, and make sure you feel secure in the water. You can use provided snorkel gear, so you don’t need to bring that separately.

Snacks will also be provided, which will be welcome after some serious snorkeling with sea turtles.

Living Ocean Tours

Waikiki Beach

Diamond Head Crater

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible
Minimum age is 3 years
Dress code is swim wear

Most travelers can participate
Requires Basic Swimming Ability
Consider taking sea sickness medication if you are prone to motion sickness or are not accustomed to being on boats
Please bring a towel
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 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

Sreevidya_V

Living ocean tours were an amazing group of people ! We had aa wonderful experience with them ! The team was incredibly knowledgeable and explained everything clearly, which made us feel comfortable and prepared. I especially appreciated how patient and helpful they were with people who were nervous or scared of the water — they really took the time to make everyone feel safe and confident. The tour was well organized and started right on time. The guidance throughout the experience was excellent, and the staff made sure everyone had a great time. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Oahu!

Reviews

4.8

based on 4,687 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great excursion! All...

Brandy_R, Mar 2026

Great excursion! All staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Our kids had a great time. Our kids ranges from 2.5 to 15.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! 🐢🌊 We’re thrilled your whole family, from the little ones to the teens, had a great time. It’s fantastic to hear our crew’s friendliness and knowledge helped make the day so enjoyable for everyone. We’d love to have you back for another fun-filled adventure on the water soon! 💙

Great Hosts!

Lance_C, Mar 2026

Great Hosts, very accommodating! We saw lots of sea turtles and swarms of fish. Staff was friendly and professional.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! 🐢🐠 We’re so glad you enjoyed your time with our crew and felt well taken care of. Seeing lots of sea turtles and schools of fish always makes for an unforgettable day! We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another amazing snorkel adventure soon! 🌊💙

Crew were great and gave...

Callum_T, Mar 2026

Crew were great and gave good information as well as a guiding us around the reefs. They were all friendly and we had a mini whale watch excursion after swimming.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the great review! 🐢🌊 We’re so glad you enjoyed the guided snorkel and that the crew made the experience informative and fun. It’s always a bonus when a snorkel turns into a mini whale watch too! 🐋 We appreciate you joining us and hope to see you back for another awesome day on the water soon! 💙

Saw all the things but to many people in one area.

Jenn_W, Mar 2026

We had a large group, with several boats with large groups in same area. We did see turtles and many fish, the staff were helpful and great. We saw a large pod of dolphins and even whales beaching in the distance.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Saw all the things but to many people in one area. Viator review: Waikiki, Hawaii: Turtle Canyon Snorkel Excursion We had a large group, with several boats with large groups in same area. We did see turtles and many fish, the staff were helpful and great. We saw a large pod of dolphins and even whales beaching in the distance.

Amazing Experience!

Tracy_H, Mar 2026

Crew was attentive and helpful. Saw many turtles as promised...along with many different fish. It was like swimming in a fishbowl! Also saw dolphins and whales on the trip back. Highly recommend this to all!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the amazing review! 🐢🐠🐋 We love that description—like swimming in a fishbowl! It’s the perfect way to describe those moments surrounded by fish and turtles. We’re so glad the crew made you feel well taken care of, and that you even got the bonus of dolphins and whales on the way back. Thank you for the recommendation—we’d love to have you back for another unforgettable adventure in the water! 💙

Too many people, but a fun time.

Richelle_N, Mar 2026

It was so cool to see the turtles, and the workers on the boat/in the water are amazing! However, there were too many people on our tour (35) and we were required to stay all together. I've never been so "beat up" by other snorkelers fins in my life. On top of the large amount of people with us, there were 6-7 other boats in the same location with their people dong the same thing. It may be far better on a slower day because the experience would have been amazing if it wasn't for so many people.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for sharing your experience and for the kind words about the crew. 🐢🌊 We’re really glad you enjoyed seeing the turtles and that our team helped make parts of the trip fun and memorable. We also appreciate your honest feedback about the crowd in the water. Turtle Canyon is one of the most popular snorkel spots in Waikiki, so it’s common for multiple boats to share the area, especially on busy days. Keeping groups generally together helps our guides keep everyone safe and make sure guests have support in the water. That said, we completely understand how a crowded day can affect the experience. Visiting during a quieter time of year or earlier in the day can sometimes make things feel more spread out. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope you’ll give it another try in the future for an even more relaxed snorkel. 🐠💙

Dad and kids

Brian_F, Mar 2026

Wonderful crew and easy going. Single parent with two kids. They had a blast. Beautiful water and every one gets to go their own speed.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! 🐢🌊 We’re so happy you and your kids had a blast and felt comfortable going at your own pace. It’s great to hear the crew made the experience easygoing and enjoyable, especially for a fun family outing. We’d love to welcome you all back for another unforgettable day in the beautiful waters of Turtle Canyon!

Many turtles, lots of...

Robert_L, Mar 2026

Many turtles, lots of fish! Get something for seasickness before the trip starts! Trip was pleasent for us tho.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the great review! 🐢🐠 We’re so glad you saw many turtles and lots of fish and had a pleasant trip with us! And thank you for sharing the helpful tip about seasickness — it can definitely make the experience even better when guests come prepared. We appreciate you joining us and hope to see you again for another fun snorkel adventure at Turtle Canyon! 🌊💙

Decent but not enough animals

Richard_O, Mar 2026

At this snorkel tour, there weren’t as many turtles as I expected and the fish weren’t as plentiful. Most of the time was spent simply staying afloat and not seeing turtles.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for sharing your feedback with us. 🌊🐢 We’re sorry to hear the wildlife activity wasn’t as plentiful as you had hoped during your trip. Since we’re visiting animals in their natural habitat, sightings can vary from day to day. Some days Turtle Canyon is incredibly active, and other days the turtles and fish are a bit more elusive. We’re glad you were still able to spend time out on the water, and we truly appreciate you joining us. Your feedback helps set expectations for future guests, and we hope you’ll consider coming out with us again for another chance at a more wildlife-filled experience.

Do it!

Brad_R, Mar 2026

Awesome time! Saw soo many turtles. Crew and captain are absolutely amazing! Kevin, Ava Missy Devin.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the awesome review and the “Do it!” recommendation! 🐢🌊 We love hearing that you saw so many turtles — that’s what Turtle Canyon is all about! Kevin, Ava, Missy, and Devin will be so stoked to hear your shoutout. Our crew truly loves making each trip special. Thanks again for joining us — we can’t wait to have you back for another unforgettable snorkel adventure! 💙

Turtles

terry_w, Mar 2026

Great guides as well seen lots of turtles Friendly staff and captain Easy on and off the boat Great time

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the great review! 🐢🌊 We’re so happy you saw lots of turtles and had a great time with our friendly crew and captain. It’s wonderful to hear that boarding was easy and everything felt smooth and enjoyable for you. We truly appreciate you joining us at Turtle Canyon and hope to welcome you back for another amazing day on the water soon! 💙

Saw turtles surfacing and lots of little fish!

Aunnastasia_G, Mar 2026

Super fun! Saw a bunch of turtles that came up right by us! Informative and helpful staff, comfy bean bags to chill on outside the boat.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the awesome review! 🐢💙 We’re so glad you had a super fun time and got to see turtles surfacing right near you — those up-close moments are always so special! It’s great to hear the crew was informative and helpful, and that you enjoyed relaxing on the comfy bean bags between swims. We’d love to have you back at Turtle Canyon for another unforgettable day on the water! 🌊🐠

Family run

alisha_R, Feb 2026

It was run very well! Everything went smoothly. Loved the light snacks after. Bring a warm layer for after

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! We’re so glad everything ran smoothly and that you enjoyed the light snacks after the snorkel—it’s always nice to refuel after time in the water. 😊 Thank you as well for the great tip about bringing a warm layer—that ocean breeze can definitely cool things down! We hope to welcome you back for another Turtle Canyon adventure soon. 🐢🌊

Highly recommended!!

Timothy_M, Feb 2026

Great experience. Very helpful and knowledgeable staff, the boat was clean and the water was clear. The 2 hour trip was perfect. We saw several turtles and tons of fish.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the clear water, clean boat, and helpful, knowledgeable crew. Seeing several turtles and lots of fish always makes for a memorable trip, and we’re thrilled the two-hour tour was the perfect length for you. Thank you for the recommendation, and we’d love to welcome you back for another amazing snorkel adventure! 🐢🐠

This company was...

Rachel_N, Feb 2026

This company was recommended to us by some friends who also really enjoyed this experience. We can see why! The crew were all incredibly welcoming and were knowledgeable about the local wildlife we saw. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the amazing review! We’re so honored you chose us based on a recommendation from friends—and even happier to hear we lived up to it. 😊 Our crew loves sharing their knowledge about the local wildlife and making everyone feel welcome, so it means a lot to hear that stood out to you. Thank you for the high recommendation, and we hope to see you back at Turtle Canyon again soon! 🐢🌊

Geat experience...

Jorge_M, Feb 2026

Geat experience definitely appreciated the guides plus they do warn you about motion sickness in booking so took some dramamine and was set

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the great review! We’re so glad you had a wonderful experience and appreciated the guides—they truly love what they do. 😊 We’re also happy to hear the motion sickness heads-up helped and that the Dramamine did the trick so you could fully enjoy your time on the water. Thanks again for joining us, and we hope to see you back at Turtle Canyon for another adventure soon! 🐢🌊

Terrible customer service

Elo_G, Feb 2026

Our excursion had been cancelled due to weather which was very understandable. The captain and boat crew were very friendly and explained to us how to proceed to get rebooked. We left the marina and got a phone call from someone from their office. This was the most unreal conversation, the rudest person I’ve ever had to talk to. Treated me like garbage on the phone, eventually asked her to be more polite and to stop being a bully on the phone to me, it went even worse. I don’t understand why we have been treated like this on that phone call, we are a couple from England on our honeymoon and this person ruined the day. People like that make Hawaii look terrible. We will never book with this company again.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience, and first, please accept our sincere apologies for how that phone call was handled. We’re very glad to hear that our captain and boat crew were friendly and helpful when explaining the weather cancellation. Safety will always be our top priority, and we truly appreciate your understanding regarding the conditions that day. However, there is no excuse for you feeling disrespected or spoken to rudely by our reservation staff. After reading your review, we immediately looked into the situation and spoke directly with the team member involved. We have some newer staff assisting with reservations, and on that particular day they were overwhelmed with a very high volume of calls due to multiple weather cancellations. Unfortunately, with calls continuously coming in, they allowed that stress to translate into your conversation — and that is not acceptable. Regardless of how busy we are, every guest deserves patience, kindness, and aloha — especially a couple visiting from England on their honeymoon. We are truly sorry that this interaction overshadowed your day and left you with such a negative impression. We also understand that the alternative trip times did not work with your schedule, and a full refund has been issued. Your feedback has been taken seriously and used as a coaching opportunity to ensure this does not happen again. We genuinely regret that this was your experience and wish you a wonderful remainder of your honeymoon in Hawaii.

Awesome trip. Great crew

Burke_C, Feb 2026

Nice boat. Great crew very helpful and made sure we had everything we needed. Helped show us the sea life.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the boat and that the crew made your experience smooth and enjoyable. It’s great to hear they helped point out the sea life and made sure you had everything you needed. We’d love to welcome you back for another fantastic snorkel adventure!

Turtle Time

Tyler_T, Feb 2026

We saw several turtles and were able to get pretty close to them. We also saw at least 100 fish of 3 different species. The guides were friendly and helpful. I hope Kayla learns how to throw the rope without swinging it. 😉🤣

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the fun review! We’re so glad you got to see several turtles up close and all those colorful fish. It’s wonderful to hear the guides made the experience friendly and helpful. And we’ll be sure to pass along your note to Kayla—sounds like she’s got some practice to do with that rope! 😉 We hope to welcome you back for another great day in the water soon!

Must do ! Loved it !

Sreevidya_V, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the amazing review! We’re so happy you had such a wonderful experience and felt comfortable and prepared throughout the tour. Our team truly cares about making everyone—especially first-time or nervous swimmers—feel safe, confident, and supported in the water. It’s great to hear the tour felt well organized and started right on time, and that the guidance made a difference. Thank you so much for the high recommendation—we’d love to welcome you back for another unforgettable ocean adventure on your next visit to Oahu!

Memories that will last a lifetime

Franklin_K, Feb 2026

On our way to the site we saw MULTIPLE whale breaches adding to what was already going to be an amazing trip. When at the site we saw so many turtles and other wildlife including tons of different fish and even an EEL!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the incredible review! Seeing multiple whale breaches on the way out is such an unforgettable bonus—what an amazing start to your trip. We’re thrilled you also got to experience so many turtles, colorful fish, and even an eel at the site. Moments like those truly do create memories that last a lifetime. We’d love to welcome you back for another unforgettable ocean adventure!

Turtle Dive

Nick_B, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the detailed review! We’re so glad the experience matched the online description and that you enjoyed the short boat ride out to the site. It’s wonderful to hear you found the location easy to access and appreciated the friendly, professional crew, along with the snacks and drinks. Seeing turtles and tropical fish never gets old—we hope to welcome you back for another great day on the water soon!

Great snorkeling

Gerhard_R, Feb 2026

Amazing guides. Fun adventure. All equipment included. A ton of fish and turtles. Bonus we saw humpback whales. All around great.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the fantastic review! We’re so happy you enjoyed the adventure and that our guides made it such a fun experience. Seeing tons of fish and turtles is always incredible—and spotting humpback whales is an amazing bonus! We’re thrilled you had an all-around great time and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable day on the water soon!

Great day

Holly_C, Feb 2026

Staff very friendly and informative while swimming. Saw 5 turtles and loved it. Had a fantastic day!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the great review! We’re so happy you had a fantastic day and got to see five turtles—that’s always a special treat. It’s wonderful to hear the staff made the experience informative and enjoyable while you were in the water. We’d love to welcome you back for another amazing snorkel adventure soon!

Really great experience!!...

Star_K, Feb 2026

Really great experience!! Absolutely great staff especially chance who made me feel comfortable with getting in the water and continuously checked on me even when I was in and while I was getting out

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! We’re so happy you had a great experience and felt comfortable in the water. Chance will be thrilled to hear your kind words—our crew always strives to support guests every step of the way and make everyone feel safe and confident. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon!

Amazing crew

TreviJenkins, Feb 2026

Our guides and crew were incredible! Great sights despite windy conditions. We had a blast. Bean bag chairs were amazing..

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the awesome review! We’re so happy you had a blast and that the crew helped make it such a great experience, even with windy conditions. It’s wonderful to hear you still enjoyed some great sights—and we love that the bean bag chairs were a hit too. We’d be thrilled to have you join us again for another fun day on the water!

So many turtles!

Jen_Y, Feb 2026

You will see turtles and lots of fish unless the water is unclear. The crew were great as well. Highly recommend if you just want a no frills tour to see lots of turtles.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the great review! We’re so happy you enjoyed seeing so many turtles and fish. Ocean conditions can vary, but we always do our best to give everyone the best possible experience. It’s wonderful to hear the crew made it even better for you. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you back in the water again soon!

Great experience for all.

Raymond_B, Feb 2026

The capitan and crew are amazing. Super friendly, informative and just fun to be around. Great knowledge of the fish and the turtles.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the wonderful review! We’re so glad you had a great experience and enjoyed spending time with the captain and crew. It’s awesome to hear you appreciated their knowledge of the fish and turtles, along with the fun, friendly atmosphere. We hope to welcome you back for another fantastic day in the water!

Excellent experience

Lisa_D, Feb 2026

This was a great experience! The staff were friendly, helpful, and excellent. The tour was the perfect amount of time. We enjoyed it so much we’re booking again this year.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the kind words! We’re thrilled you had such a great experience and that the timing of the tour felt just right. Hearing that you’re already planning to book again truly means a lot to our team. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure on the water this year!

This experience was so...

Recie_F, Feb 2026

This experience was so fun!! We saw tons of different types of fish, sea turtles, and Hawaiian spinner dolphins! The guides were very informative, fun, and made sure every one saw sea life and was safe. Chance was our personal guide and his energy was really fun! Would do again 10/10

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Mahalo for the awesome review! We’re so happy you got to see such an incredible variety of sea life, from turtles to spinner dolphins. It’s great to hear the guides made the experience fun, informative, and safe for everyone, and that Chance’s energy made it even more memorable. We’d love to have you join us again for another 10/10 adventure on the water!