If you’re heading to Maui for vacation and looking for the best places to snorkel in Maui, we’ve got you covered. Hawaii is known for its crystal clear waters, stunning tropical fish and coral reefs, and Maui is no exception.
Maui’s beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world, and snorkeling is one of the best things to do in Maui.
This guide will go into more detail below about the best places to snorkel in Maui and how to choose the right fit for you, but here’s a quick overview of the beaches we will be looking it.
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Best Places to Snorkel in Maui:
What part of Maui has the best snorkeling?
While there are amazing beaches all over Maui, the part of Maui with the best snorkeling is likely the west side and south side, near Lahaina and Kihei. Below, I’ll explain everything you need to know about Maui’s top 10 best places to snorkel in Maui.
1. Honolua Bay
Easily the best place to snorkel on Maui, Honolua Bay is located about 15 minutes drive from Lahaina. Even if you don’t plan to snorkel, Honolua Bay is an excellent place to visit for a beautiful lookout point over the ocean and a jungle-like walk from the parking area to the water.
Honolua Bay does not have a sandy beach area, and instead visitors can hang out on large rocks when taking a break from snorkeling. Honolua Bay is known as a popular surfing destination and often has large waves, but the bay itself where it’s best to snorkel is fairly protected with overall mild to medium water conditions. At Honolua Bay, you will likely be able to see tropical fish, turtles – and maybe even a shark.
Tip from a local: if it’s stormy or there is brown water (from mud in a nearby river that flows into the bay) stay out of the water – that’s when you’re more likely to have unpleasant shark encounters. The best times to snorkel are when the water is clear, clean and you have good visibility.
If you would prefer not to drive, consider booking a Maui snorkeling boat tour that will take you to Honolua Bay, Mala Ramp and others – a great way to see multiple snorkel locations in one day and enjoy views of Maui from the ocean.
2. Mala Ramp
The Mala Ramp in Lahaina is another popular spot to snorkel or scuba dive in Maui, and it’s also a great place to see turtles. There are numerous boat tours that take snorkelers to the Mala Ramp, and for good reason.
Visibility is usually great at the Mala Ramp, and you can also find coral, tropical fish and turtles in the area. Water conditions are usually mild to medium at the Mala Ramp, but there is a bit of a swim from the doc to where good snorkeling is at the ramp. If you are a beginner swimmer or less confident snorkeler, consider a boat or kayak snorkeling tour at the Mala Ramp.
As mentioned previously, there are several daytime boat tours that stop at the Mala Ramp that are worth considering if you would prefer to spend the entire day in the water. If you’re looking for a little extra adventure, consider a scuba diving tour of the Mala Ramp, which can also count as credit toward getting a PADI scuba diving license.
3. Lahaina Baby Beach
Looking for a beginner-friendly place to snorkel in Maui? Lahaina Baby Beach gets its name from its calm, shallow waters that are great for kids and beginning swimmers. Baby Beach is protected by a rock break and coral spread throughout the water, meaning there are no large waves and you can stand in shallow throughout the beach.
Despite the shallow and calm conditions, it’s very common to see turtles swimming through the water at Baby Beach, and there are also small groupings of coral that are great for kids to see. Lahaina Baby Beach is also walking distance from the Mala Ramp, so if some of your party is looking for more intense snorkeling while others want to take it easy, this is a great compromise.
4. Airport Beach Lahaina
Another great place to snorkel in Maui in the Lahaina area is Airport Beach, conveniently located near many of the Kaanapali Hotels, some of the best Maui hotels. There is also a beautiful boardwalk that winds through the Kanaapali area by Airport Beach, and it is a popular spot for both locals and tourists to go for a walk or stop and enjoy the sunset. If you’re planning to head to Airport Beach, make sure to check out this guide to the best things to do in Lahaina.
In addition to being a beautiful beach that’s close to shopping and hotels, Airport Beach also is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving because of the extensive coral that you can find near the beach. The water conditions at Airport Beach are generally calm and there are many places where you an swim and snorkel close to the shore, making it a good choice to beginner or intermediate snorkelers.
5. Black Rock Beach
Black Rock Beach in Lahaina is primarily known for its massive black rock, which is popular with locals for cliff jumping and swimming near the beach, but it’s also a great place to snorkel. It is also very close to the hotels in Kanaapali and shopping at Whaler’s Village, making it a great place to spend the day knowing you have food options nearby.
Black Rock Beach is also known for its beautiful turquoise water and mild swimming conditions, making it a great option for families who want to snorkel and also find a beach that’s suitable for children.
6. Coral Gardens
Coral gardens is likely the most impressive snorkeling location on this list, but it’s also for the more adventurous traveler who isn’t afraid to spend some time in the water.
To get to the Coral Gardens, you need to park at Papalaua Wayside Park and plan to paddle board for about 20 minutes in order to get to the coral gardens, which are an amazing group of coral situated together where you have opportunities to see tropical fish, see turtles and impressive coral formations. This is by far the coolest place I have snorkeled on Maui, but it also requires you to be a confident paddle boarder and snorkeler, as this is more exposed to the open ocean and there may be waves.
7. Olowalu
Olowalu is a beautiful beach setup with a narrow strip of beach that runs down the highway to Lahaina, where you can often find cars pulled off of the road and parked in the sand close to the water. There are shallow areas at Olowalu that are great for children to swim and play, and the water conditions are often mild. There are also numerous coral formations spread throughout the water at Olowalu, making it a great place for snorkeling that is close to the shore in calm water.
8. Napili Bay
Napili Bay is located just north of Lahaina, and it has both a large beach area where you can spend the day as well as calm, clear water where you can often find turtles. The water is shallow near the beach at Napili Bay, and there are numerous areas where you can snorkel and see tropical fish and turtles.
Napili Bay is an especially convenient place for families, as it has a large beach area where kids can play and overall calm water conditions.
9. Molokini
The Molokini Crater is located just off the shore of Maui, and taking a boat tour to snorkel or scuba dive near Molokini is one of the most popular activities for tourists visiting Maui. Tours generally last for half a day, and give you an opportunity to explore the area around the crater, enjoy views of Maui from the ocean and even see whales (in season).
In order to get to Molokini, you will need to take a Molokini snorkel boat tour, which is an incredibly popular activity for Maui tourists that will let you see turtles and snorkel the crater. Tours usually last half a day and include food.
10. Maluaka Beach
While most of the places on this list are closer to Lahaina, you can also find great snorkeling and crystal clear water on Maui’s South Side. While Makena Beach is more commonly known as a popular snorkeling and swimming location, it often has very rough water conditions due to waves crashing intensely near the shore.
To avoid the intense waves, I recommend heading to the nearby Maluaka Beach, which is more protected and has stunning turquoise water that is both calm and great for snorkeling. There is also a large grassy area and a lengthy beach area at Maluaka where you can spread out and spend the day. Maluaka is a popular place for swimming, spear fishing and snorkeling due to the excellent visibility in the water and calm conditions.
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That wraps it up for this list of the 10 best places to snorkel in Maui! Have you snorkeled in Maui? If so, comment and let me know your favorite place!