Top 20 Hawaii Snorkeling Spots

It is the perfect environment for marine life to feed and breed, and it is home to over 250 species of endemic Hawaiian tropical fish. Within its volcanic walls, you will find a host of colorful reef formations and vibrant marine life. There are manta rays, black triggerfish, yellow tangs, raccoon butterflyfish, parrotfish, Moorish idols, moray eels, and so much more. The Pacific waters around the Molokini Crater are home to more than 100 species of algae, and roughly 35 species of hard coral.

The crystal-clear water at Molokini has an average of 150 feet of visibility. It’s what makes this one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui. Molokini is a popular place for both beginners and experienced snorkelers, and it is the top choice for morning snorkel tours in all of Maui. Molokini is also one of the most popular places for scuba diving in all the Hawaiian Islands.

Turtle Town can be found on the southern coast of the island, between Nahuna Point and Black Sand Beach. It is best visited on a boat tour, and it is well known as one of the best spots to snorkel in Maui. This is especially true if these large sea turtles are your sightseeing goal. While enjoying a Maui snorkel tour to Turtle Town, guests can expect to see the turtles gently approaching them with curiosity. They can plan to see a wide array of other vibrant marine life as well.

Turtle Town is a top place to snorkel on Maui for so many reasons. Of course the top of the list would be the chance to view the Hawaiian green sea turtles in their natural habitat. There are also the calm winds and clear waters, which is a must when you need to stop and defog your mask. Keep an eye out for the gentle slope here, as it will allow those of all skill levels to find a depth level that is comfortable for them. Snorkelers here can watch the Wrasse fish as they clean the turtles’ shells, and see a whole host of ocean wildlife. There are butterflyfish, perch, chub, triggerfish, snappers, goatfish, bigeye scad, needlefish, moray eels, crustaceans, and trumpetfish. Last but not least, be on the lookout for a common appearance by the Hawaii State Fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a.

Without a doubt, the chance to snorkel at Coral Gardens is a rare and gorgeous ocean experience. From the water, guests can take in the breathtaking underwater scenery, huge West Maui coastline views, and scenes of the outer Island of Lanai. On top of all of that, the sights here have the perfect dramatic background, the jagged edges of the West Maui Mountain Range.

Guests at Coral Gardens can expect to see vibrant species of coral, a huge range of tropical fish, Hawaiian green sea turtles, and so much more.

The Bay can be found just north of Kapalua. There are a few entrances, but the best access for snorkelers is just off a walking trail that leads from the parking area. In the summer months, the parking area will be marked by fresh coconut and juice vendors. It is highly suggested that snorkelers wear water booties here, since entry to the ocean is from a rocky coast. To snorkel at Honolua, guests don’t need to swim too far out from the coastline. Here, the Maui marine life can be easily seen anywhere from 10 to 20 feet from the edge of the water.

A few of the best things about snorkeling at Honolua Bay are the clarity of the water, the calm ocean conditions, and the decorated reef. The best time to snorkel is in the morning hours. Guests can see colorful tropical fish, schools of reef fish, moray eels, lobsters, and maybe even an Eagle Ray. While facing out to the sea, guests might even catch a glimpse of Hawaii Spinner Dolphins playing during the early morning hours.

Due to how close the reef shelves lie to the coast at Honolua Bay, snorkelers are asked to pay very close attention to not step on or touch the reef. The reef is home to many species of marine life and it is very fragile. As the locals say, “Save Honolua Bay.”

Kapalua Bay is consistently named the “Best Beach in the World” by many publications, including Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. The Travel Channel has gone on to call it the “Best Beach in America.” There is no doubt that it’s one of the best beaches for Hawaii snorkeling or just soaking up the sun on Maui. The quiet and peaceful community at Kapalua Bay is just divine, and the beach itself is out of this world. This is in no small part thanks to a crescent-shaped cove that is ideal for marine life to thrive. Kapalua Bay most definitely provides a calm environment for snorkeling in West Maui. There is vibrant reef life, superb swimming conditions, and the ideal spot on the beach to kick back with your family and friends under the warm Maui sun.

At Kapalua Bay, guests can expect to see a huge range of wildlife. There are scorpionfish, cornetfish, jacks, butterflyfish, parrotfish, goatfish, Moorish idols, boxfish, perch, triggerfish, and chubs, as well as varied invertebrates, sea turtles, and so much more.

At this Lana’i snorkeling spot, guests will be able to see a host of marine life. They can find goatfish, yellow tangs, peacock groupers, moray eels, saddle wrasse, and big parrotfish. Guests with a keen eye might even get to spot the odd Hawaiian spinner dolphin!

Hulopoe Bay Beach Park is open to the public and has picnic tables, BBQ grills, restrooms, and showers. If you’re on the West Side of Maui, make sure to take a ferry out to Lana’i for a day or two! The Island of Lana’i is truly stunning. There are so many fun adventures to enjoy and Hawaii sights to see. In the past, camping was allowed at Hulopoe Bay but it is not currently, so make sure to plan out all of your accommodations ahead of time.

The sand here has such a lustrous gold color, and the ocean feels terrific! It’s truly a magical Hawaii snorkel spot.

While guests snorkel at Murphy’s, they will be able to see yellow tang, parrotfish, sea cucumbers, Hawaiian spiny lobsters, and much more. The best place from which to view the marine life here is up close to the reef. If you venture out past the reef, the conditions of the water get a bit more challenging and are only suitable for an experienced swimmer.

Guests will find that there’s quite a lot of marine life in the water at Shark’s Cove. The main reason why is that it’s part of the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, which makes it a protected area. Here you will have the chance to see butterflyfish, drummer fish, needlefish, many types of parrotfish, white-spotted surgeons, tangs, blue spine unicornfish, wrasses, and sea urchins. You might even spot an octopus or two! Be careful when you enter the water at this famed Oahu spot. Make sure to take your time as you walk over the rocky entrance, and carefully navigate the sandy bottoms of the trails. The shallow areas at Shark’s Cove are between 2 and 4 feet deep. In further parts of the cove, you’ll see it start to drop from 5 to 20 feet in depth.

To avoid the crowds and parking woes, plan to snorkel at Shark’s Cove as early as possible. By the way, make sure that you do not leave any valuables in your car here. The best time to snorkel at Shark’s Cove would be around 8 am in the spring, summer and early fall.

A huge part of why Shark’s Cove is such a popular snorkel site is the fact that it’s right in the middle of the North Shore’s main beach drag. It’s a great place to start off your morning. After that, head to Haleiwa for a bite to eat, shop around, and then continue to beach hop and explore Oahu’s North Shore areas.

Kuilima Cove is great for entry-level snorkeling as it sits on the eastern side of the Turtle Bay Resort. To get here, pull into the Turtle Bay Resort, and look for the Kuilima Cove parking lot which is to the right of the tennis courts. The beach on the left is the hotel’s beach, so be sure to go to the right.

When you visit Kuilima Cove, look forward to feeling soft white sand under your toes, and getting a good dose of sunshine! While snorkeling at Kuilima, guests can see a host of vibrant fish. There are needlefish, triggerfish, perch, boxfish, big eyes, Moorish idols, tangs, damselfish, unicornfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and so much more. You may also see some Hawaiian spiny lobsters, and Hawaii’s State Fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a.

Hanauma Bay operates as a state park, so if you’re hoping to snorkel here, be sure that you make those arrangements ahead of time.

Hanauma Bay was formed within a cinder cone. This “curved bay” is a stunning habitat that the County of Honolulu goes to great lengths to protect. Without a doubt, it is a fantastic place to snorkel in Hawaii. On top of this, visitors can learn about reef conservation and all of the marine life that lives here. In fact, first-time guests are required to watch a 9-minute video before entering the park. This is so they can learn about the unique ecosystem, regulations, and safety rules before snorkeling.

At Hanauma, guests will find that there are many unique places to snorkel, all within the bay. Beginners should remain in the spots closest to the sand like the Back Door Lagoon, Keyhole Lagoon, Triangle Lagoon, and Sandmans Patch. Advanced snorkelers are invited to try the zones that are outside the channels, like the Outer Reef and Witches Brew. Please note that, due to safety concerns, the formerly known “Toilet Bowl” is now closed off to the public. Make sure to ask for the reef map when you arrive at the Hanauma Bay Visitors Center.

If you’re on Oahu and staying in the Waikiki or Honolulu area, there are many round-trip shuttles and bulk tours that you can use to come to Hanauma Bay. All children under 12 years of age, guests in active service, and Hawaii State residents (with a valid state-issued ID) can visit the park for free.

Guests can sit back and relax on the calm sail out to sea. While en route, they might even get to see the playful Spinner Dolphins frolicking, skipping, and playing on the surface of the ocean. Upon their arrival at Turtle Canyons, guests can take in the gorgeous South Oahu sights and dramatic views of the picturesque Diamond Head Crater.

The best time to snorkel at Turtle Canyons is in the morning hours when the water is crystal clear, and ocean is at its calmest. This site offers many fantastic chances to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles and other marine life in their own domain. The reef is pristine and is full of tropical fish like Moorish idols, flying fish, wrasse (turtle shell cleaners), triggerfish, humuhumunukunukuapua’a, and much more.

Please note that there are actually two places on Oahu that are called “Turtle Canyons.” The second one is near Kaneohe Bay on Oahu’s windward side. It can only be reached by boat, and it’s not suggested for beginner snorkelers.

Manta Ray Village came to be after the Kona Surf Hotel opened in the early 1970s (it is now the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa). The builders of the hotel had the brilliant idea to provide their guests with an illuminated night-time view of the ocean. They installed some bright floodlights and directed them out to the sea. At the time, the hotel staff didn’t know that the lights would become a “beacon” for plankton. Plankton happens to be the primary food source for manta rays, so soon after the plankton came, so too did the rays.

Manta Ray Village is now famous for being one of the few places on earth where guests can watch manta rays feed in their own domain.

To snorkel at Manta Ray Village in Kona, guests will embark around sunset on a 1.5-2 hour cruise. Professional tour guides will brief snorkelers on the behaviors of manta rays and what to expect from them, as well as provide the guests with safety information. On any given night, snorkelers can see and swim with anywhere from 3 to 25 manta rays.

Guests can access Mauna Kea Beach through the Mauna Kea Hotel gates. If you would like to snorkel here, make sure that you arrive early because the hotel has a limit on how many parking passes they give out each day.

Once you get to the beach, try to find a spot near one of the ends of the beach, whichever seems to be more enticing to you. Access to the water is a pretty easy swim down a sandy slope on the ocean floor. The best snorkeling at Mauna Kea Beach is a bit closer to the rocky points on the right side of the beach. We suggest that you hug the side of the rocky point so you can get up close with the marine life tucked into the rock wall crevices. If you are a strong swimmer and an experienced snorkeler, you can swim out about 20-30 feet away from the rock wall to view some stunning coral gardens.

While guests snorkel at Mauna Kea Beach, they can expect to see a wide range of vibrant fish. There are damselfish, eels, yellowtail goatfish, freckled hawkfish, Moorish idol, bullethead and stareye parrotfish, surgeonfish, yellow and lavender tang, cleaner wrasse, unicornfish, and much more depending on the time of year. It’s also common to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles at Mauna Kea Beach.

This Hawaii snorkeling spot is referred to by locals as “City of Refuge” because of the rich history here. Just above Honaunau Bay is the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. It’s a 180+ acre federal park reserve where ancient Hawaiians took refuge and were deemed safe. It was a sanctuary for warriors who had been defeated, lawbreakers, and those who were in poor standing.

When you plan to snorkel at City of Refuge, the best advice we could give you is to get there early! The best time to snorkel here is in the morning, from 8 to 11 am. Later in the afternoon, this side of the island tends to get a bit overcast which will take away from the underwater clarity of the ocean.

City of Refuge has some of the best Big Island snorkeling, with its beautiful lava rock flats and coral reef formations. In the morning, the flats are about the same level as the water, so it’s pretty fun to make use of them like chairs. The stunning amount of reef life is like a magnet for tropical fish, so the bay is rich with them. Here, you can watch Hawaiian green sea turtles being cleaned by wrasse fish. There are also parrotfish, moray eels, jacks, tang, and butterflyfish. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for Hawaiian spinner dolphins too!

Known as one of the best places to snorkel in all of the Hawaiian Islands, Kealakekua is home to a host of rare and endemic marine life. The water here is calm and clear with visibility up to 100 feet. Coral species appear in purples and pinks and at certain times of the year, the reef almost seems to be in technicolor.

Before guests snorkel at Kealakekua Bay, they should first understand how vital it is for Hawaiian culture, history, and marine life ecology. They can plan to see schools of small reef fish, as well as butterflyfish, tang, Moorish idol, goatfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, wrasse, and trumpetfish. There are also Hawaiian green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, eagle rays, and much more.

South Kona snorkel sites are all great in their own ways. Each of them offers its own peek into the Big Island’s underwater world. There are vibrant coral reefs, underwater sea caves, sea arches, lava rock canyons, ridges, and lava fingers that head out to sea.

At each of these grand South Kona spots, snorkelers can see a host of Hawaii marine life lavishing in the luxury of their own domain. This is definitely not to be missed!

Even during the calm months, Kauai is known to have rogue waves and strong summer swells, so be careful. Make sure that you NEVER turn your back to the ocean! The best way to snorkel safely here is by taking a snorkel tour with professional guides and the correct snorkeling equipment.

This spot is right next to the Marriott Beach Club and has so much to offer. There are lifeguards, activity rental booths, restrooms, showers, places to grab a snack and drinks, and much more. Guests here are sure to love the white sandy shores and gorgeous ocean conditions.

While snorkeling at Poipu, keep an eye out for the Hawaiian monk seals as this is one of their favorite spots to visit in Kauai. You might even get to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles at Poipu. Remember to watch from afar, and to not touch either of these animals. More marine life can be found at Poipu, like spinner dolphins, manta rays, and sea cucumbers. There’s also a host of tropical fish including goatfish, eels, wrasses, surgeonfish, and parrotfish.

Please note that during the winter months, there may be high surf and strong currents here. Please pay heed to all of the warning signs, and never turn your back on the ocean.

At Ke’e Beach, you will find that the setting is breathtaking and the water is divine. In the late spring and summer months, Ke’e is the ideal place for beginner snorkelers. There’s a plethora of marine life for you to observe, and you might even get to see some Hawaiian green sea turtles.

While you snorkel, be sure to stay near the visible reef that fronts the beach entrance. Reef fish can be found up near the seabed. You can easily spot triggerfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, filefish, saddle wrasses, and surgeonfish.

Entry to the water here is by way of the sandy beach, so there’s no need to wear water shoes. Watch out for rocks as you enter the water though, and put on your flippers once you get in. The best place to snorkel at Lawai Beach is in the small bay that’s between the beach and the protected reef. As you reach the reef, the water clarity improves, and you will see the reef come to life. A favorite spot to snorkel is along the rocks that are below the restaurant. The depths here range from 3 to 16 feet. Although it is a safe spot to swim, always remember to never turn your back on the ocean.

Snorkelers at Lawai Beach will see lots of vibrant reef fish. There are spotted boxfish, damselfish, goatfish, butterflyfish, groupers, Moorish idols, crocodile needlefish, many types of triggerfish and tang, wrasses and more. If you search near the ocean bed, look out for blue rice and cauliflower coral. This is where you can spot sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Be very careful not to step on the reef as it is sharp and extremely fragile.

The best time of the year to enjoy a Na Pali Coast snorkel tour is in the spring and summer months. Tours here will take guests to in-the-know caves and beaches, and snorkelers are sure to see hosts of marine life in their natural habitat. All in one place, one can see Hawaiian green sea turtles, spinner dolphins, tropical seabirds, flying fish, a wide range of tropical fish, brightly colored corals, and a wealth of reef life.

Many boat tour companies offer tours to the Na Pali Coast. You can find small-group and large-group tours, as well as private charters for Na Pali Coast snorkeling. Guests can easily find many options for large boats, sailing charters, and rafts. As they say, “the world is your oyster!”

Na Pali Coast snorkel tours set out in the morning hours and are roughly from 4 to 6 hours long. The tours offer snorkel instruction and gear, safety briefings, meals, refreshments, flotation devices, freshwater showers, restrooms, video services, and more.