Is Maui’s Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tour Worth It?
Three miles off the southern coast of Maui is a crescent-shaped rock island. Decades ago, the US military would fire bullets at it by the thousands. Now, Molokini Crater is Maui’s most popular snorkeling destination, with crystal clear water showing off reefs and fish species by the dozens.
Before my first trip to Maui, I had never done a proper snorkeling tour. I mean, growing up in Arizona, you don’t exactly get too many chances. So, when I headed out to Hawaii for the first time in 2021, I had the Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tour, plus Turtle Town, at the top of my list!
And let me tell you, the snorkeling out there was impeccable and a top-tier experience! While I think you can obviously see how I feel about it, keep reading to learn all about the tour, what to expect, photos from snorkeling at Molokini Crater, and other Maui tidbits.
Why Snorkeling at Molokini Crater Plus Turtle Town is Worth It
Taking the Molokini Crater Snorkeling tour is incredibly worth it and one of the best tours you can take in Maui. First off, you gain a tremendous appreciation for the Maui oceanic ecosystem. Seeing all the life under the water, flourishing because it is protected, shows you what happens when we prioritize nature.
Next, if you do this trip from December through March, it’ll double as a whale watching trip. I think we had a brief sighting, but the boat didn’t slow down.
Another reason the Molokini Crater and Turtle Town tour is worth it is because of the latter. They will bring you to an area with a high likelihood of seeing sea turtles. Thankfully, we saw a handful of them. It was such a memorable experience, and I landed one of my favorite wildlife photos.
I recommend booking the double showing.
Explore all types of Maui adventures and tours here.
What can you expect from the Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tour?
How expensive is the tour?
I won’t lie to you. The tour is not cheap. It’ll run you $180-ish per person. And I can understand how with a family that can add up. So, I’m not here to push you either way.
My motto when traveling is “Can I do this at home?” And if I can’t, I’ll strongly consider booking it as I know the memories and photos will make it worth it.
Check Availability for Molokini Crater Snorkeling
Do I need to be a water person to enjoy this?
You don’t, but you do need to be able to swim and enjoy being in the water. While you can get a flotation device (no shame), the tour expects that you know what you’re doing in the ocean. Yes, water is peaceful and calm, so there’s little danger there, but you are your first line of defense. Be smart. Be safe. And you’ll be fine.
Where do you meet?
We met at the Kihei harbor and headed out from there. It’s in the middle of the island. It’s a 27-minute drive from Kaanapali, while from Wailea, it’s 23 minutes. From Kihei, it’s 18 minutes.
However, some tours leave via the Kihei harbor. If you want to reduce your drive time, you can check those out below.
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3 (did a whale watching trip with them, recommend)
How was the water temperature?
The water felt great while snorkeling at Molokini Crater. Granted, the water in Maui always feels great. But I think there’s some mental hurdle that is easy to get over when it’s a tour and you paid to go in.
We just jumped in when they told us to, and it was off to the races.
What else comes with the snorkeling tour?
If you’re on a bigger boat, the snorkeling tours will provide you with breakfast and lunch. Breakfasts will be something light – maybe a muffin and juice, but the lunches look to be more hearty.
Did the boat have bathrooms?
Yes, we were on a big catamaran boat, so there were bathrooms on the boat. I think most tours that do this are on a similar boat. And worst case scenario, if you’ve gotta go #1, do it in the ocean.
Browse all the Molokini Snorkeling Tours Available
A Breakdown of the Tour: Length, What We Did, and More
If you book the Molokini Crater and Turtle Town, you can expect the tour to last around five hours. You’ll have a nice boat ride out to the crater that should last 30 minutes. Once you’re there, you get 20-30 minutes in the water. (Maybe even more. I just can’t remember.)
This is where it can be a bit chaotic.
Everyone safely jumps in, and then you can do almost what you want until they whistle you back in.
There are a lot of people in the area (multiple boats will be here at the same time), and unless you swim a decent distance away, you will feel like you’re at the zoo. We swam away – as far as the lifeguards would let us – in order to get a more natural feel and get better photos.
Easy Booking: Expedia.com | Hotels.com | VRBO
Need Gear: Find it on REI.com
Find Awesome Tours: Viator.com or GetYourGuide.com
Follow on Instagram: @Alecoutside
Once they wangled all of us two-legged fishes back into the boat, we set sail for the Wailea coast and Turtle Town. Now, let me be clear, there’s no place actually called “Turtle Town.” There might be 15 Turtle Towns for all I know. It’s simply a place that has a high propensity of seeing turtles.
Here, we had a little more freedom, and it was less crowded. I can’t remember exactly how long we swam with the sea turtles, but it felt less than our time snorkeling at Molokini Crater.
At Turtle Town, we saw four to six turtles. Some of them were pretty deep and didn’t want anything to do with humans. Others spent more time near the surface, making it easier for us who require a breath every 45-60 seconds.
Other Maui Articles
Whale Watching in Maui
7 things to do in Maui
Best Hotels in Maui
Top Maui Tours
Staying Safe with Sea Turtles
Hawaiian sea turtles, just like humpback whales, are protected in Maui. You should do your best to stay six feet away from them and allow them freedom of motion as they swim through the ocean.
Obviously, there’s no one out with a tape measure. So if one sneaks up on you, or vice versa, stay calm, and give it some space. Turtles aren’t known for being aggressive, but they have powerful jaws (I mean, these are basically dinosaurs), and I wouldn’t want my hand or foot in their snapper.
I recommend swimming alongside them for the best view. This allows you a good angle, but it doesn’t cut them off or force them off their intended path.
Haven’t booked your Maui Lodging?
Click here to find a hotel.
Underwater Photographing
I won’t claim to be an expert at underwater photography. There are tons of people far better than me. And they are using far more expensive equipment than I am.
Still, getting the opportunity to photograph fish and sea life while snorkeling at Molokini Crater was so worth it.
That said, if you do intend to take photos, I would recommend a GoPro or Insta360. These are easy cameras to operate and will function just fine underwater.
I use a GoPro 12 currently, but some of the images in this post were taken with a GoPro 9.
Furthermore, I suggest getting a 4-foot stick to help you reach places that are deeper, and it’ll save you the effort of diving deep.
A reminder, make sure that your device is fully sealed (you can even get a clear protector shell for extra caution) and you have your batteries fully charged.
Other things to consider when visiting Maui
Are there any other snorkeling places in Maui?
Yes, if you want a more low-key experience, you can snorkel 15 minutes from Kaanapali at Honolua Bay. This is a quiet area (which is also accessible by car and then on foot) where you should have a great time.
If you don’t want to spend any money on a tour, you could rent snorkel gear and go to Black Rock. This is a well-known snorkeling area in Kaanapali, right in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort. Being just off the beach allows you to do it at your own speed or come and go as you please.
We spent a couple of hours here and even saw two sea turtles, plus plenty of fish. Considering we were at the Westin, it was a short walk and highly worth it.
Going to Kauai? Here are 16 things I recommend doing.
Go in the morning
My fiancée and I booked the morning tour, and this worked perfectly for our schedule and in terms of weather and wind. Getting out on the water while it was still calm meant we had clearer water, which lent to a more enjoyable experience.
I expected that Molokini Crater would usually be calm, but we didn’t want to risk it.
Now you see why Molokini Crater is worth it for snorkeling
So, is Snorkeling Molokini Crater worth it? As you can see, it’s about as slam-dunk of a case as you can get. It’s beautiful, an enjoyable and memorable experience, the ocean shows off all its wonders, and while not cheap, it doesn’t break the bank.
All in all, I hope you get out to snorkel at Molokini Crater and Turtle Town and make some amazing memories for you and your loved ones.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
Follow on social media: TikTok || Instagram || Facebook || Newsletter | YouTube
