Molokini Snorkel

[adamdiane]

Hi All,

 

Hope everyone had a good festive season and New Year!

 

We are in Hawaii in April aboard Radiance of the Seas.

 

One excursion that we are particularly interested in is snorkelling around the Molokini crater whilst we are in Maui (on the second day).

 

Radiance will be tendered at Lahaina - is it possible to do this tour from Lahaina or will we have to get to Ma’alaea Harbor and go with a tour operator that operates from there? If so what are the options for getting to Ma’alaea Harbor from Lahaina (and do the ships tenders run early in the morning when requested?)?

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Adam

[CruiserBruce]

Have been to Maui many times and I have never seen a snorkel trip to Molokini from Lahaina. You would spend at least an hour each way in travel on the boat.

[PENGUIN67]

I've just sent an e-mail to Trilogy Excursions to inquire about matching their tour times from Maalaea Harbor to Lahaina, where our Golden Princess stops on 2/2312

[Budget Queen]

I've just sent an e-mail to Trilogy Excursions to inquire about matching their tour times from Maalaea Harbor to Lahaina, where our Golden Princess stops on 2/2312

 

You are going to charter their boat?? I have not known Trilogy to cater to any cruiseships, they don't have to, they have a large repeat and new customer base.

 

Hope it works out for you, but don't think they can change any times??

[Budget Queen]

Hi All,

 

Hope everyone had a good festive season and New Year!

 

We are in Hawaii in April aboard Radiance of the Seas.

 

One excursion that we are particularly interested in is snorkelling around the Molokini crater whilst we are in Maui (on the second day).

 

Radiance will be tendered at Lahaina - is it possible to do this tour from Lahaina or will we have to get to Ma’alaea Harbor and go with a tour operator that operates from there? If so what are the options for getting to Ma’alaea Harbor from Lahaina (and do the ships tenders run early in the morning when requested?)?

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Adam

 

What are your port times, and do you have a full day between one of your days?? Have you looked into a car rental?

[critterchick]

When Rhapsody stayed overnight in Lahaina this past spring, the tenders ran all night, so it shouldn't be a problem for you to get off the ship early on the second day. Hertz has a rental office that's about a 15 minute walk from the pier (they also run a shuttle).

 

I haven't researched the trips much, but on the Trilogy website, it reads:

 

"Trilogy tours to Molokini depart from Maalaea Harbor which makes it a brief and enjoyable trip to the crater area. Maalaea Harbor is an optimal launching site for boats going to Molokini. While some boats leave from Lahaina Harbor, if you launch from Maalaea you avoid having to take a long, rough ride back to Lahaina after your snorkel or dive. Since tradewinds often come up in the afternoon, the seas are often rougher during this time when the boat is making its return voyage, and so the shorter trip to Maalaea is highly preferable."

 

So it appears that there are trips leaving from Lahaina. And I don't know whether their claim of a better sail from Maalaea Harbor is true.

[Budget Queen]

When Rhapsody stayed overnight in Lahaina this past spring, the tenders ran all night, so it shouldn't be a problem for you to get off the ship early on the second day. Hertz has a rental office that's about a 15 minute walk from the pier (they also run a shuttle).

 

I haven't researched the trips much, but on the Trilogy website, it reads:

 

"Trilogy tours to Molokini depart from Maalaea Harbor which makes it a brief and enjoyable trip to the crater area. Maalaea Harbor is an optimal launching site for boats going to Molokini. While some boats leave from Lahaina Harbor, if you launch from Maalaea you avoid having to take a long, rough ride back to Lahaina after your snorkel or dive. Since tradewinds often come up in the afternoon, the seas are often rougher during this time when the boat is making its return voyage, and so the shorter trip to Maalaea is highly preferable."

 

So it appears that there are trips leaving from Lahaina. And I don't know whether their claim of a better sail from Maalaea Harbor is true.

 

Trilogy does NOT operate any Lahaina Molokini trips. This is an advertising statement, about "other boats", meaning other vendors and why their boat tours excell, going out of Maalaea.

[adamdiane]

What are your port times, and do you have a full day between one of your days?? Have you looked into a car rental?

 

Hi Budget Queen,

 

We arrive on day 1 at 08.00 and depart on day 2 at 17.00.

 

I think we arrive too late on day 1 to do any of the snorkelling tours. It may be an idea to rent a car so we can drive to Maalaea Harbor early on day 2 and then do some sightseeing after the snorkel tour.

 

How long will it take to drive from Lahaina to Maalaea Harbor?

 

Thanks

 

Adam

 

Also thanks to everyone else that has responded :)

[CruiserBruce]

The drive from Lahaina to Maalaea is about 25 mins at an early hour. Maybe a small amount longer. Most of the sailings out of Maalaea go out before 9, frequently 8am.

 

The trick at Lahaina is finding an overnight parking place. Look around. Be careful.

[Astro Flyer]

Hi Budget Queen,

 

We arrive on day 1 at 08.00 and depart on day 2 at 17.00.

 

I think we arrive too late on day 1 to do any of the snorkelling tours. It may be an idea to rent a car so we can drive to Maalaea Harbor early on day 2 and then do some sightseeing after the snorkel tour.

 

How long will it take to drive from Lahaina to Maalaea Harbor?

 

Thanks

 

Adam

 

Also thanks to everyone else that has responded :)

Instead of a boat ride of over an hour from Lahaina to Molokini, there's the option to drive about 45 minutes to the Kihei Boat Ramp for about a 15 minute boat ride to Molokini. The shorter boat ride could be helpful for anyone who may feel the 'motion of the ocean'. ;)

 

Here's a link to that trip & there are other ones that may work for your schedule to go to Molokini:

 

http://www.mauidiveshop.com/Maui-Snorkel-Trips/molokini-snorkel.htm

 

On the Maui Dive Shop website you can order their free 40 page guide to snorkeling & diving in Maui.

[camofwilliamsburg]

I was told by some native tour people not to do this snorkel. There are much better places. This has been overused and it is usually very crowded with lots of boats there and lots of people. I asked them how active it is in terms of fish and the reef and I was told it is not very good anymore.

[Budget Queen]

I was told by some native tour people not to do this snorkel. There are much better places. This has been overused and it is usually very crowded with lots of boats there and lots of people. I asked them how active it is in terms of fish and the reef and I was told it is not very good anymore.

 

I don't agree, I just went again last year, and it is an excellent "scenic" superb snorkel site.

[JPGirl750]

does anyone know a molokini tour that departs at around 9am? Our ship gets in at 7am to Lahaina, and since we are tendering in, im guessing we won't be on shore until 8am. I can only find Molokini tours that leave by 8am. Anyone know of a later tour?

[CruiserBruce]

Later is not as good. The winds generally come up, and the seas will get choppier as the day goes. Visibility for snorkeling will decrease.

 

I would look for activities out of the Lahaina Harbor, just not going to Molokini.

[Budget Queen]

does anyone know a molokini tour that departs at around 9am? Our ship gets in at 7am to Lahaina, and since we are tendering in, im guessing we won't be on shore until 8am. I can only find Molokini tours that leave by 8am. Anyone know of a later tour?

 

Nope, as already mentioned, early is the key to this snorkel trip.

[PENGUIN67]

You are quite right. They are rigid about their times, so it is impossible for this Golden Princess cruise.

[mauisnorkeling]

Yes the winds are much calmer in the morning and that is definitely the best time to snorkel at Molokini. If you like snorkeling you might also like Snuba diving at Molokini. It's also pretty fun and available to kids 8 and above.

[Middleager]

I'm also looking into a trip to Molokini.

 

Most boats leave from closer to Molokini -- from the Kihei/Makena area, and it's still a 3 mile ride to get there. Most boats leave before or just after 6am. It's ungodly early. But all of them say the tradewinds pick up by noon or early afternoon. The wind and chop can make it not safe to dive/snorkel, so even if people want to book to go out at a later time, they don't like to get there and then don't allow people off the boat into the water.

[beachchick]

Nope, as already mentioned, early is the key to this snorkel trip.

 

Not quite correct. Maui Dive Shop has a mid-morning departure from Kihei at 10 am. It's great actually; the boat is small, no frills but no high price either, it arrives at Molokini when most other boats are departing, and it's still early enough that the conditions are usually good.

 

I'm also looking into a trip to Molokini.

 

Most boats leave from closer to Molokini -- from the Kihei/Makena area, and it's still a 3 mile ride to get there. Most boats leave before or just after 6am. It's ungodly early. But all of them say the tradewinds pick up by noon or early afternoon. The wind and chop can make it not safe to dive/snorkel, so even if people want to book to go out at a later time, they don't like to get there and then don't allow people off the boat into the water.

 

Just to be clear, most depart from Ma'alaea harbor, which is just north of Kihei, but quite a distance from Makena.

 

beachchick

[Middleager]

Not quite correct. Maui Dive Shop has a mid-morning departure from Kihei at 10 am. It's great actually; the boat is small, no frills but no high price either, it arrives at Molokini when most other boats are departing, and it's still early enough that the conditions are usually good.

They have late morning 11:15am departure (meet 10:30am) on a fast boat that takes 20 snorkelers, but only for a 2-hr trip to Molokini Crater, then back. Other trips are to Molokini, then another site to see turtles, usually back by 11am.

 

They don't go out every day, but rather every 2nd day.

 

They leave from the Kihei boat launch.

 

Just to be clear, most depart from Ma'alaea harbor, which is just north of Kihei, but quite a distance from Makena.

Makena Coast leaves from Makena; 6:30am.

B&B leaves from the Kihei boat launch; 5:45am

Prodiver from Kihei boat ramp; meet 5:45am

Scuba Maui (Tropical) leaves from Lahaina or Kihei, etc.

 

Kihei or Makena, are closer to Molokini. Other locations means you're travel longer on water vs land, and burning more fuel, and the higher cost will be reflected in the price you pay. So if I'm looking for a Molokini trip, I'll look for a boat that leaves from Kihei or Makena.

[beachchick]

They have late morning 11:15am departure (meet 10:30am) on a fast boat that takes 20 snorkelers, but only for a 2-hr trip to Molokini Crater, then back. Other trips are to Molokini, then another site to see turtles, usually back by 11am.

 

They don't go out every day, but rather every 2nd day.

 

They leave from the Kihei boat launch.

 

Well, it just stinks that they changed the schedule and now only do it on alternating days. I guess the economy has hit them hard too. Crud.

 

 

Makena Coast leaves from Makena; 6:30am.

B&B leaves from the Kihei boat launch; 5:45am

Prodiver from Kihei boat ramp; meet 5:45am

Scuba Maui (Tropical) leaves from Lahaina or Kihei, etc.

 

Kihei or Makena, are closer to Molokini. Other locations means you're travel longer on water vs land, and burning more fuel, and the higher cost will be reflected in the price you pay. So if I'm looking for a Molokini trip, I'll look for a boat that leaves from Kihei or Makena.

 

We agree about leaving out of Kihei or even Makena and do not care for the big party boats at all. But the bulk of the larger boats do leave from Ma'alaea.

 

beachchick