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by T.Kern (Maui
On-Line) There is a lot of accessible shoreline
in Maui county, and some really great diving close to many of the resort
areas. These areas vary in accessibility and experience levels, cautions
and dangerous conditions are normally posted, but not always. As a visitor
you need to be absolutely sure of the conditions before you enter the
water at any location. One solution is to consult with the local dive and
snorkel shops as to the current conditions at particular sites, they will
be aware of last minute changes in weather and water conditions.
One other thing to remember is to be observant of
the ocean, if you see big surf, or surfers in the water it probably isn't
a good time to snorkel or scuba dive. Pick calm water, with good
visibility, the most interesting areas tend to be near rocky shorelines.
So, where's the best and easiest snorkeling? West Maui
West Maui has some really
wonderful snorkeling locations, many right near the resorts. Many of these
beaches are exposed to some fairly large waves during the winter, always
observe others before entering the water, if there are surfers in the
water where you want to snorkel, then it isn't a good idea to snorkel. If
there are "red" flags out on the beach, or obviously large
waves, then don't go in.
Lahaina, Napili, and Kapalua
Beginner to Intermediate Snorkeling. Great
snorkeling and diving in the summer, during the winter the surfing is
good here. Access is difficult (a long walk), and can be dangerous if
you park on the hill side overlooking the bay. There are no facilities
and you have to cross private land to get to the bay, try to respect the
privacy of the people living there.
Due to drainage if it's been raining this area
will have low visibility. There's usually a lot of turtles, octopus,
turkey fish, parrot fish, surgeon fish, and trumpet fish. Occasionally
eagle rays are seen.
Be cautious of currents on the outside of the
bay, there can be a lot of boats using the bay, depending upon the
weather, be cautious of where you snorkel.
Beginner Snorkeling. Kayaking. Good snorkeling
almost all year long, easy entry and safe from North swells. Access from
the parking lot is through a paved walkway. Get there in the morning,
the parking lot fills up quickly.
There's a lot of fish here, some eels and
octopus, rarely any turtles. Due to it's popularity and poor drainage,
the coral has suffered a bit, but the beach is wonderful.
This is a perfect place for beginning
snorkelers and divers. There are lots of facilities here, rest rooms,
showers, nearby shopping, etc.
Beginning
and Intermediate Snorkeling.
Beginner Snorkeling. Kayaking and Sailing. The
best snorkeling on Kaanapali beach, this is a rock formation at the
North end of Kaanapali beach, behind the Sheraton Kaanapali Resort. Even
though this is not a park the fish are fairly tame here, and the rock
formations block most of the strong currents. This makes for a pleasant
snorkel with a comfortable beach nearby. Finding a parking spot can be a
real problem, if you can't find beach parking you'll have to pay for
parking at the Whalers Village.
There are lots of fish and the water is usually
pretty clear, there are often turtles on the cliff side of the rocks.
There are lots of facilities here, rest rooms, restaurants, showers,
equipment rentals, etc.
There are times the surf can be dangerous at
this location, if the red caution flags are out on the beach, consider
snorkeling somewhere else.
Beginner
and Intermediate Snorkeling. Click here to find out more..
Beginner and Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking.
This is a very nice snorkeling area, and a good, reasonably safe (but
shallow) dive area. Parking is easy, just pull off the road, the
snorkeling is good for about 300 yards out. The depth rarely reaches
more that 20 feet.
There is plenty of coral and small reef fish
with lots and lots of turtles, especially further out in the bay.
Towards the outside of the bay and to the west is Hekili point, black
and white tip reef sharks are usually plentiful out here. There are no
facilities to speak of out here, except the Olawalu general store.
About the worst danger here is getting your car
stuck in the sand.
Beginner and Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking.
This area is located at the East end of Papalua beach (near the highway
tunnel). Entrance is on the beach right where the shoreline changes to
rocks. There is wonderful coral here, some of the best in the area.
There are also lots of turtles, there isn't a big variety of reef fish,
and the fish are timid and won't let you approach too close.
There are no facilities here, except a
port-a-john and a pay phone. Parking is just pulling off onto the side
of the highway.
Occasionally the surf here is heavy, the
snorkeling isn't any good when the waves are sizeable anyway. Be
cautious when the surf is high.
South Maui
South Maui has some of the best snorkeling in
Hawaii. There are many locations near the resorts, but many more in
slightly more isolated locations. South Maui doesn't have the winter wave
action that Kaanapali does, so generally the beaches are safer during this
period of time. There is usually a strong current several hundred feet
from shore and strong Trade Winds in the afternoon.
Kihei, Makena, Wailea, and La Perouse Bay
Beginner Snorkeling. Kayaking. This is a popular
beach for the resorts in Wailea. The beach has a walkway access, the
visibility in the water is usually good, but there is very little
current here so it rarely gets really clear. The area has been fished
out a lot so there isn't as much life here as you'll find on other
reefs. This is a very safe place for beginning snorkelers and divers.
There are lots of facilities, rest rooms and
showers, parking is adequate (get there before 10:00 am).
About the worst thing to happen on these
beaches is when to Portuguese Man-of-Wars wash up on the beach
Beginner and Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking.
One of the best places to snorkel in Wailea. The large beach to the
south of the Kea Lani Resort (sometimes called White Rocks) Palauea
beach, has reef formations at both ends. On the South end is a section
of reef that extends for several hundred yards, both out to sea and
farther down the shoreline. There are small caves, ledges, lava arches,
and sand channels, with plenty of coral all over the place.
There are turtles all over, sometimes rays and
white tip reef sharks, there are plenty of colorful reef fish, octopus,
angler fish, surgeon fish, tangs, Sergeant Majors, Moorish Idols, and
goat fish.
There are no facilities to speak of, parking is
by the side of the road. No rest rooms, no showers.
Beginner and Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking and
small boat launching. This is one of the more popular diving and
snorkeling areas, even for the dive boats that have their first dives or
snorkels at Molokini in the morning. There is plenty of parking, either
in the regular lot or by the rocks, near the main parking lot there are
showers and rest rooms. This is a popular area for launching kayaks and
small powered boats, so it can sometimes get a little crowded at certain
times of the day.
There is a high concentration of turtles,
sometimes Eagle and Manta rays. There are lots of the regular reef fish.
There are caves along the shoreline where white tip reef sharks
sometimes sleep (if the divers would leave them alone).
The 5 Graves entrance is a rocky one, be
cautious. If there is a west swell it can be hazardous, there are a lot
of underwater caves that can trap an unwary diver or snorkeler, don't
snorkel into any caves.
Beginners and Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking.
One of the best places to find friendly fish and safe snorkeling. This
is a reserve, so the fish are unafraid of snorkelers and divers. The
entrance and exits are rocky but easy to deal with. There is little
current in the bay, but on the outside it can pick up, the visibility is
rarely very good.
There are lots of fish of all sizes, Eagle rays
are fairly common, and there are lots of turtles. This is a fairly
popular launch point for kayaks, but because it is a park, no motorized
boats allowed within the park perimeter.
There are no facilities here and very little
parking, get here early. Be aware there is private property nearby,
please be respectful of the residents living around the reserve.
Intermediate Snorkeling. Kayaking. This area is
located at the end of Makena Alanui road. This is the site of the last
lava flow to occur on Maui, in the early 1790's. The bay has limited
visibility, there are no strong currents to flush it out. The coral
formations are off to the right (East).
There are plenty of fish here, but they are
timid and won't allow you to approach. There are occasionally spinner
dolphins in groups of 30 or more that hang out in the bay.
There are no facilities here, and parking is
very limited. The wind can be a real problem at this location.
East Maui
East Maui is a more remote region for snorkeling,
and there are only a few suitable areas for visitors to safely snorkel.
The summer (and sometimes a month in the fall) it is calm enough to safely
snorkel. The wind is also a factor on this side of Maui, it is almost
always windy, which also makes for strong currents.
A few facts...
Generally the weather is good for diving and
snorkeling all year. The wind almost always comes up in the afternoon
and blows from North to South, plan most of your beach activities for the
morning. The hurricane season extends from about June to
November. The water temperature in Hawaii can get as high
as 82 degrees in the Summer and as low as 72 degrees in the winter (wear a
wetsuit if you get cold). The whale season is from late November to April.
Try not to feed the fish, it alters their
behavior, they can sometimes become too aggressive, moray eels especially.
Please do not stand on coral, standing or
grasping on to coral kills it. Be observant of the conditions, life guards
are not present on all beaches.
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