Turtle Town Snorkeling Tour

Price includes more space with limited capacity, freshly prepared BBQ lunch, open bar, and snorkel gear.

Taxes and fuel surcharge included in price.

Call Guest Services at 808.242.0955 for Military, Senior, Kama’aina, Group, and Special Rates.

Requests
If you have vegetarians or vegans in your party, please give us a call on our customer service line at 808.242.0955, at least 72 hours in advance. Mahalo!

Please note: Our destinations are weather dependent. Mother Nature nearly always cooperates. On days of inclement weather, the captain may choose an alternate location that is safer and offers the best overall conditions.

Late risers, sleep in, then join us for an afternoon of exceptional snorkeling. We routinely snorkel with the turtles at Turtle Town or enjoy a variety of colorful marine animals at Olowalu or Coral Gardens, depending upon which location is calmest, with the best water clarity.

Please note: While turtle sightings are very common, the sea turtles are wildlife so they can be unpredictable at times. Therefore, sightings cannot be guaranteed.

The Hawaiian green sea turtle is actually not green at all. The majority of these turtles have dark brown hard shells or carapaces. The younger ones, called hatchlings, will have black hard shells. Then, as they grow, orange and yellowish tints appear. Sometimes, they develop olive, gold, and reddish brown shades, or swirls and other irregular patterns.

Numerous studies by marine biologists around the world indicate that the green color is due to the algae that the animals eat. The algae, which is called limu (Hawaiian), is abundant in and around Maui’s coral reefs.

Although they can stay underwater for more than two hours, the turtles tend to go to the surface to breathe air every few minutes. Imagine observing these beautiful animals in their natural environment where they can reach up to 400 pounds.

Turtle Town
Turtle Town is an ideal snorkel location along Maui’s Southern coast. It is commonly considered the premier snorkeling spot for encountering Hawaiian green sea turtles in all their magnificence and splendor.

Green sea turtles are the largest hard-shell turtles in the world. In Turtle Town, you’ll have the opportunity to closely observe them in their natural habitat while snorkeling.

Curious by nature, these wonderful marine animals will gently approach a slowly moving snorkeler, providing outstanding photo opportunities.

The sea turtles are a protected species. This is why Maui snorkelers are reminded to always respect their space. The law prohibits touching, chasing or riding the turtles. Simply observing the turtles and allowing them to swim close makes for a relaxing and unforgettable experience.

Molokini Crater
Molokini Crater is the most sought after Maui snorkel spot. One of the primary reasons Molokini snorkeling is so fabulous is the reliable clarity of the water. With visibility often more than 150 feet, it is a must do on your list of Maui tours.

When the weather cooperates, we’ll even take you to Molokini Crater, and because of our size and stability, Pride of Maui provides a boastfully smooth ride.

There are only a few partially-submerged volcanic cones like Molokini in the entire world. At this offshore marine sanctuary, the sparkling waters are just the beginning of a truly rare experience you will not soon forget.

The Pride of Maui has the best mooring location at Molokini, away from the nest of other vessels and off to the south end of the Crater. The shallow coral reef is teeming with a vast array of colorful and fascinating fish and other marine animals. Familiar with divers and snorkelers, the friendly marine life on your Molokini snorkel provides a perfect opportunity to observe their behaviors closely.

Olowalu
The coastal waters of Maui boast some of the highest concentrations of Hawaiian green sea turtles anywhere in the world.

The turtles position themselves at strategic locations on the reef, where the cleaner wrasses swim all around them, removing unwanted buildup from their shells and appendages. Cleaning stations are found in shallow waters on the coral reef, which creates the opportunity for you to enjoy the beauty of the natural reef and incredible underwater lava formations while observing this natural relationship between sea turtles and cleaner fish. Olowalu is also home to a wide variety of colorful tropical fish and other unique marine animals.

Olowalu is usually calm, as it is protected by the West Maui Mountains from the afternoon trade winds. This sheltering effect creates visibility often more than 50 feet, and since the reef offers a gently sloping bottom to about 50 feet of depth, it is the ideal location for all experience levels.

Coral Gardens
Coral Gardens is protected from the afternoon trade winds by high cliffs, with a gently sloping bottom terrain that gradually descends to a depth of about 40 feet. It is a great snorkeling location for beginner and intermediate snorkelers.

When Turtle Town, Molokini, and Olowalu are blown out by wind and waves, Coral Gardens often provides calm conditions, making it the best location for relaxed and enjoyable snorkeling. The underwater visibility at Coral Gardens is second only to Molokini Crater, which of course features the best clarity. The shallow waters of Coral Gardens allow the sunlight to penetrate and brighten up the reef, bringing out the vibrant colors and textures.

Coral Gardens is teeming with fish and other colorful marine life. Turtle sightings are possible at Coral Gardens, though they are not as plentiful as they are at Turtle Town.