zzurbae

Can anybody recommend a good snorkeling/boat trip? My husband and I will be there in early October. We are going to do some snorkeling on the beaches on our own, but would also like to do one further off shore excursion. We would like to find a nice trip that isn't packed with 200+ people on one boat. A good value is always nice, but we're willing to spend a little more if need be to get away from the mass crowds. I heard a few recommendations for Pacific Whale Foundation, but their website looks as though their boats now hold 150 people. (It mentioned they have a new boat, so maybe it's bigger than the previous one.) I looked at Trilogy and Paragon which both seem to be smaller options. Let me know if you have any suggestions on either of those or any others. Thanks!

Suzie

If you want to go to Molokini I would recommend Four Winds. Do keep in mind that in Oct there are far fewer tourists on Maui and you won’t be packed on a boat even if it does hold a bunch. We went in Nov and the boat was not even close to full. It was a really fun day. Captain and crew were terrific. BBQ was great.

If you want to go to Lanai you might want to try Trilogy. Their boat is much smaller so naturally there won’t be as many people. Another great trip for us.

JohnD

Agree with Suzie about recommending the Four Winds trip, and would like to add that if you can get up early enough and can do without much pamperingthe Kai Kanani www.kaikanani.com can take you there before many other boats arrive for~ $-)49

DB

><
Maui Dive Center in Kehei out to Molokini in the morning, they're just as the blue book says. Don't waste your money on frills like BBQ's and kiddie-slides that you don't need. Get out there early and fast before most everyone else, and leave about the time the crowds are arriving. They'll go to the second spot (usually referred to as "Turtle Town") and you'll be back before noon ready for breakfast/lunch on your own terms wherever you may choose (however, they do provide some complementary refreshments and pastries).

http://www.mauidiveshop.com

Suzie

LOL Four Winds gets back via Turtle Town by noonish as well. All the boat trips advertise the same trip. ,On our trip we were the first to arrive. BTW the slide was mostly used by the adults.

chasechow

Was in Maui over Christmas and after researching this topic extensively, we went with Paragon. We LOVED it. Was a small group (19 people) and left from the Lahaina harbor which was close to where we were staying in Kaanapali. They served a continental breakfast and provided a picnic lunch. Food seemed always available as did soft drinks, juice, beer (although by no means a booze cruise). We went to Lanai for the day and the snorkel spot was fantastic. I loved being with our group. When we got there, some of the larger groups were already there and they were swimming on top of each other. They left shortly thereafter and we had the place to ourselves. The salinity in the water was such that you couldn't have sank it you were trying to commit suicide. After the snorkel, they took us up to the beach where we had our lunch and enjoyed about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours to sun, swim, snorkel before heading back. On the way back, we had champagne and brownies. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly/helpful. We left around 8 a.m. and returned about 4 p.m. When we go back, we will use Paragon again.

I also highly recommend getting the book "Maui Revealed". It breaks down activities/tours, the companies that provide the services and what you can expect from each company. It also breaks down the restaurants on Maui and has a great section regarding the Hana Highway.

DaveS

For something a bit more adventurous try www.captainsteves.com/. We did this with our two teen boys and had a blast. Took the deluxe tour, lots of dolphins, turtles, several snorkel stops around Lanai. Boat ride to and from part of the fun. Boats are faster than the others, we passed them going to and from giving us more time in the water. There were maybe 15 people on the trip.

dusty56438

I haven't snorkeled on Maui, so I won't give any recommendations.

Here are some snorkel sites/links that might help you out:

http://www.snorkeling-hawaii-insider...com/index.html

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/snorkel/maps.htm

http://www.maui-vacation.net/snorkelmap.html

www.snorkelbobs.com
To find snorkel spots where you can go on your own, scroll to the bottom & click on: Map'nTips

kezco

On our honeymoon in 2002, we did a trip to Molokini through Trilogy. It was awesome. There were no more than 25 people (if that) on the boat. It left early--don't remember what time but I do remember that the sun was just rising as we were arriving at the dock. We sailed to Molokini, snorkeled and then they grilled chicken on the boat. After lunch we went to another place, I beleive it was Turtle Town. We were back by early afternoon. It was a great trip. All of the staff on board was awesome, the snorkeling was great and it was nice to be out on a smaller boat.

Inthepink

My husband and I did a Pacific Whale Foundation trip to Molokini in the month of May two years ago. The staff was terrific, but there were A LOT of people on that boat. Also, when it came time for lunch they were a little stingy with the food. Like I said, the staff was very nice and knowledgeabe and the price was more reasonable than other boats. A good experience overall, but we'll choose another boat next time.

sjrellis

I second the Trilogy trip. Our experience was really good...food, people, trip itself.