Molokini Crater Reviews

Fantastic place for family fun snorkeling and a great day out. Better with older kids as the water is quite deep and their can be a bit of current around.

Cant imagine why people rave about this crater. Overkill of boats. Too many people in water. No coloured coral. No turtles. Reef dead after bombs dropped on for testing by the Yanks Total waste of money and time. Food was terrible. Typical American cheap and nasty food. Very unhealthy. Worse than airplane food.

Looks totally different from photos. Would not waste my time returning.

Let me first just say that you have to do this. Then, after you do it, you will be glad that you did but will feel it didn't live up to your lofty expectations... Here is why. (1) Too many people. When we went (spring break) there were 5 boats and likely 150-200 snorkelers in the water. That is a lot. What you see more than anything is people snorkeling. (2) The pics from above the crater and what you experience down on the water are two different things. The pics above make it seem like its this huge crater that you can snorkel from side to side and you anticipate that its like you are in the middle of a volcano. The reality is that when you are there, the island itself is huge and you only snorkel a portion of the wall - as a result, it just feels like another rocky wall snorkel. (3) The water is colder here than other spots we snorkeled. There was some nice aquatic life but lets face it, that is everywhere around Hawaii. We saw lots more at Turtle Town and from shore at most beaches. You must go - its fun and a nice sail to get to - plus, the snorkeling is good, water clear. Just temper expectations...

We were excited to go on the tour, but disappointed on what we saw. We expected colorful coral, plenty of fish, turtles. The coral was average at best, skinny on the fish and no turtles. We snorkel on every island trip we take and found better coral, fish and turtles off some beaches in Maui. Hype was better than the reality. Saw dozens if whales on the trip out and back, not a total bust.

Brilliant colours! Lots and lots of fish,so many different species. The water is so clear it's hard to tell the depth but you can see forever. The most beautiful blue calm waters

Along with the Road to Hana, this is a must do for anybody visiting Maui. The experience is unforgettable.

My son Bryce and I had the best time on the snorkel and snuba trip to Molokinin with the "A" team of Trilogy V. Captain Martin, Kama, Nick and Byron made it fun and relaxing. Have done tons of trips to Molokini with friends and family over the last 25 years and this was the best trip I had. I am a former travel exec and know how valuable these reviews are for the vendors and the travelers, so two huge "thumbs up" from my family.
Trilogy 808-874-5649 or reservations@sailtrilogy.com

If you are a snorkeler, you will appreciate being able to see to depths closer to 100 feet without leaving the surface. Enclosed in an arc, the water is also relatively calm...so if you are a first time snorkeler, you will gain a lot of confidence and comfort on this trip. And when you learn how this little crater really formed, you will be in awe. And the trip out from the harbor gives you ample opportunity to view the whale activity, especially if you go with the Pacific Whale Foundation. You will probably not see turtles in this area, but the variety and number of fish population is extensive. Go and enjoy.

My husband and I flew to Maui for our first time February, 2017. Even though we were exhausted from our flight from the East Coast, our early morning snorkeling tour woke us up! Tim and Alex from Redline Rafting were terrific! SO, SO happy that we went with this company. We were booked with one of the larger boats and a friend thankfully advised us otherwise. Take the smaller boat, they can take you to the back of Molokini Crater to what is called "The Wall". The snorkeling in crystal clear water at Molokini Crater was wonderful, but for me, the backside of the crater was my overwhelming favorite! Its all about the view below and the gorgeous blue color. The ride up and down the crack was a blast. We got lucky that scuba divers were also there and provided 50 foot bubble trails for us to take pictures of and swim through. Felt like we were in a movie. Cannot recommend Redline Rafters enough! We saw turtles, dolphins, and whales too! Fabulous Day!

Pacific Whale Foundation does a great job when taking you out there on their boat. Our tour with them lasted from 8am-2:30pm. They fed us breakfast (pastries/fruit/juices), lunch (hot dogs/burgers/pastas/drinks) and a cookie snack before leaving.

What I loved most about them is how knowledgeable they are with the waters, the marine life, the boat, and Maui! They're all trained really well!

The crater is really cool, can get crowded though, so go early. The boat ride out there took about 30-40 min. The waters are pretty clear and the fish are friendly and are not afraid to approach you. You literally can swim right on top of the reefs and see all the fish up close, so amazing! Water is pretty salty out there, so bring defogger for your goggles so you dont need to fuss with them. PWF also gave us a snokel demo, a reef tour around the area and they also led an activity with the kids on board. On the way back, they will even stop to try and spot dolphins and sea turtles. Great trip!

Went on a tour out here and it was a great snorkel spot. Really enjoyed it and the water was super clear.

Even if the water was not rough and even if there were less people in the water and even if the reef had more colour - there was still very little fish to see. Very disappointing. Go elsewhere.

We went on the Malolo boat and had an amazing snorkelling experience ! We spotted a ton of colorful fish and some Hawaiian green sea turtles up close.

We enjoyed the trip to Molokini however once in the water not alot to see. The coral is bleak and gray. Occasional fish and that's about it. No turtles here, it's too far away from shore. Several tour vessels congregate together and the various snorkelers often intertwine in the water.

Did an excursion from cruise ship. Beautiful area with great snorkelling. Lots of fish, calm waters. Go for beginners through experts

I read recently that the Hawaiian government is going through with plans to blow up the crater because there are undetonated materials on it. This would destroy the wildlife and ecosystem that lives there. It would also cause potential harm to those who live close. Please sign petitions to stop the harmful removal of these objects. When I snorkeled at the crater, I had a wonderful time. The lifeguards and tour guides look out for anyone getting too close to setting foot on the island. We were pretty confined in one area but it was for our safety. We saw so many pretty fish underwater.

Granted, they cannot control the weather but it was a little rough in the water even though we went at 7AM. Also, the arial photos of this spot make it look sooooo amazing. it's actually quite deep and not too much color. Also, once another charter boat joined us there were literally 300+ people in the water .. it was crazy! You can easily lose your diving buddy if you're not careful. The number of people in the water really ruined it for us ..we were managing just fine with the fairly rough surf (me and my sons, 10 and 13 years old) ... but keeping an eye on them and trying to see some cool stuff was exhausting!

There are better sites just off the beaches in Maui to see colorful fish. You can skip this location.

Captain Chris, Ben, Tiger, and Mark were great. The food was fabulous and it wasn't too crowded. We had a great day seeing turtles and Whales and other marine creatures. Highly recommended Trilogy!

My first snorkeling experience ever and it was The water is so clear (100 feet or so) and the experience was simply precious. It’s like being inside an aquarium! Lots of fish and eels and other sea creatures. No sharks ;) I must admit the fish were nothing to write home about but the experience as a whole was wonderful. To think you are in the Pacific Ocean floating in the world of fishes is just amazing. We also saw a lot of whales. Awesome!

You can find deals to the crater if cost is a concern, but invest in this experience and you will not be disappointed! There are multiple boats that travel daily to the crater and keep in mind you get what you pay for. I paid a 2 for 1 deal of 55.00 and it was well worth it. The boat ride from Lahaina was about an hour and the vessel was very clean with a lunch provided. Once you get there you will not even believe what you see. I have snorkeled in several countries and this is by far the clearest and most wonderful snorkel you will have. This is why you are in Hawaii, to see something you cant find elsewhere.

So we went to Molokini with Pride of Maui. It was actually a bit disappointing given that it was expected to be a highlight of the Maui trip. There weren't a whole lot of variety of fish seen while snorkleing. and looking at the side of the crater, it is nothing like from up top. And they wont allow drone, so you really couldn't tell it's the crater you are at. At turtle town, which is actually very close to wailea beach. Same thing, hard to catch turtles. So overall the ride out was bumpy and a bit long, and there were no wow factor.

Snorkeled on both sides of Molokini. Good visibility but lot of boats on the cove side. Very interesting to see the wall side.

Wayy better snorkeling just off the beach in Wailea. An hour boat ride to get out there. YES, it does have extremely clear water. But no turtles, not many fish, no octopi. We did see two eels and seeing the fish swim in schools was cool. It was also very crowded with boats full of people snorkeling. The Fourwinds II boat had a great crew and great lunch. If you are limited in time on Maui, this is one thing that's rated highly that you can definitely afford to pass up.

We were looking for an excursion to snorkel at the Molokini Crater that provided a great trip, but didn't break the bank, so we decided to book with the Malolo. The price was moderate, they didn't over-promise and their site seemed straight forward. It ended up being a great trip! The water was a little choppy at the crater, but still good visibility. we saw a large variety of fish, sea turtles and an eel. We found out that each tour boat has a mooring location at the crater and if you picked the wrong one, you could have quite the swim to get to the sea life. The Malolo had a great spot and their crew was fantastic. They made sure everyone was safe on the boat and in the water. We could have paid a lot more and had a gourmet lunch instead of deli sandwiches, but I was looking for a snorkel trip, not a floating restaurant. Nice boat, great crew, excellent adventure!

This was probably a breathing taking spot at one time. The abundance of fish I expected was not there. Still a nice variety, but not worth the cost and effort to go out to snorkle at when you can have a same if not better experience just off the coast at any reef.

I took a scuba diving charter (Prodiver) to Molokini Crater. Despite the rough waters on the way out, the crater was relatively calm as it's sheltered from the currents and surge.

The visibility was probably around 150 feet. I can't begin to name all of the various marine life I saw spotted eagle rays, yellow tang, rare black tang, reef sharks (harmless), a massive lobster (it's a protected preserve therefore prohibits fishing) and hundreds of other fish and nudibranch's.

I dove at the end of January which meant our entire dives were serenaded by humpback whale songs. Specifically loud in the center channel of Molokini. It was spectacular!

It's really not too costly to take a charter from Maui to Molokini. I paid about $200 for the charter, rental sucba gear and cylinders. Remember, during the winter, every charter to Molokini is also a whale watching tour by default.

If you sailing there in a private capsule, please use the day use moorings and avoid using your anchor. Also be aware of the currents on Molokini's back wall.

We took a boat over to Molokini Crater to snorkel and it was great. The water was clear and the opportunity to see a variety of fish was wonderful. We even saw a sand shark. There were lots of tour boats, with lots of people, but it was still a great experience.

My wife and I went on a lovely snorkeling boat to Molokini in December. The lovely volcanic crater rim that is exposed above the water, did not have the teeming fish/coral life we had seen in brochures. There were 4 or 5 other boats with their passengers there, too, making snorkeling an adventure in avoiding people. It was sill nice to see the several varieties of fish, sea urchins and eels. The day was lovely and the water a brilliant lapis color. We saw a couple of humpback whales and their calves and had a nice lunch. Although the Molokini crater was not very exciting, the entire day and trip on the boat was lovely.

We snorkeled with Boss Frog's on the Malolo. We had a wonderful experience! For people who have never snorkeled this is a perfect set up. The crew was very helpful and put everyone at ease. Food and beverages were just right. We jumped right off the boat at the crater and saw so many fish! The water was so clear, it was an amazing first time experience. We went to "Turtle Town" in search of sea turtles and were not disappointed. We saw 5 huge sea turtles very close up; it was a once in the lifetime experience. After this experience we felt more comfortable snorkeling on our own later in our vacation.

I give this a poor rating not because of the tour or boat operators, but because the lack of sealife was very disappointing. Keep in mind that this is from a Honolulu boy that now lives in the Continental US and wanted to bring his family to experience it. I had not ever had the chance either.
I think the lack of sea life was probably due to the impact of people on the area and other factors. My older twenty-something kids even commented on it. We found more sea life and better viewing along the shoreline of Maui, especially toward the Makena side.
Maybe we hit it at the wrong time of the year, but it was sad.

We went to Molokini Crater on a snorkel excursion. Great snorkeling. Fun day! On the way to and from, we were also able to do some whale watching. Boat supplied equipment and lunch.

Molokini seems to be the IT place to snorkel in Maui & so we went despite some warning that it is overrated! Frankly, the snorkeling was alright. There were some fishes & corals but not many nor breathtaking like some other destinations I have been to (Maldives..etc). But the water is the clearest I have ever snorkeled or dived.. we could literally see the sand bed! And the crater itself is a view to behold! Will I recommend coming here? Yes for a nice morning boat ride, amazing view of Molokini Crater, lovely view of Maui, Lanai & Molokai from the boat and some okay snorkeling!

Went snorkling and Snubaing here and it was unreal. To think you were swimming in the top of a crater was crazy. Beautiful waters and coral and fish. Had the best time here

We chose the Pride of Maui to visit the Molokini Crater. They were outstanding. When you board in the morning they have breakfast and beverages to enjoy enroute to the crater. Once there you put on your gear (all provided), jump in and soak in the beautiful underwater scenery. There are plenty of tropical fish to observe. If you arrive there during humpback season not only are you likely to see them but listen while you're snorkeling, you can hear them sing. The boat also makes a second stop at a spot they call turtle town. And yes you will see sea turtles but respect their space. The Pride of Maui also includes a delicious BBQ lunch and cocktails. Be sure to take your GoPro or you can purchase a dvd on the boat. Definitely a worthwhile adventure while on Maui!

Snorkeled here as an excursion from the Pacific Whale Foundation. The crater was a great spot. Recommend renting a wet suit from the excursion, especially in winter months where the water can still be chilly. I am a very good swimmer and needed a noodle to hang onto because the waves were a bit intense. The sea life and fish were so beautiful and swam all around you in the clear water. They say this is the best place to snorkel in Maui. During whale watching season, you may find some whales on your boat ride to Molikini, which is an added bonus. Breakfast and lunch were provided on the excursion through the Pacific Whale Foundation as well.

The water at Molokini is amazingly clear and the reef is beautiful and full of fish. We loved this experience and would definitely go back! The only drawback was how busy it got. There were several other tour companies there after a while, so we were restricted to a small portion of the crater, likely so the tour company didn't lose sight of us. It would have been great to snorkel around and see more of the crater. I still recommend checking it out!

The reef is in very poor shape. There were just a few fish and hardly any colorful corals. Visibility was high. Not worth doing for the cost involved.

Go to Honolua Bay for FREE instead, it was MUCH better and was an easy swimfrom shore.

The boat Quicksilver and the captain/crew were amazing. They managed a big crowd beautifully. The breakfast was more than enough and very nice. The drinks, water, beer and drinks-amazing. Everything was run like a well-oiled machine. Fabulously friendly and the snorkels/fins/masks were all in excellent shape and plenty to go around. Can't say enough about how great this experience was. It was my husband's 65th birthday party and they gave him a cool tee-shirt. We saw whales breeching and flipping their fins. Mama, baby and scout. THey served breakfast and lunch and the lines moved beautifully.The travelogue by the captain was interesting and informative. Thanks, guys!!

We took a tour out to Molokini Crater with QuickSilver Snorkel Co. The boat and crew were fantastic with breakfast and lunch included (even alcohol for $2 a drink!). Once we arrives at the crater we had ample time to explore the crystal clear water. Ive never seen so many types of fish in one place before. Visibility was great! We rented wet suits right on the boat for $10/person, and it was well worth it!
A must see!!

Molokini Crater was an incredible snorkeling site for seeing the local fish and coral. You definitely don't need to rent a wet suit - the water is not noticeably colder. If you're patient and explore, you'll see a wide variety of fish and coral.

If you want to see the green sea turtles, you need to book a snorkeling trip that includes a visit to Turtle Town (highly recommended).

Took a snorkel tour out to the crater which was good. But if this is Hawaii’s top snorkel spot as said in tour guides, I’ve been to better places on other islands. It’s a good experience to see it, but I wouldn’t go again. The US army bombed this spot heavily during WW2 and I’m guessing that everything(coral) is growing back.

We did a tour with that included Molokini The whole boat ride was very picturesque

Visibility was great (15 - 20 metres) and the water temperature was sensational but where were was all the wildlife.But other than after all the other boats arrived it felt like there were more people than fish. After all the build up, the way they describe it (internet, brochures etc) you could be mistaken for thinking its the best snorkelling in the world

crew were great and food included was really good. captain was friendly and informative

What a fantastic trip we had today!!!! The captain and crew of the Lanai Kai were absolutely fantastic !!! Conditions were very tough but the captain persevered and found us a beautiful, calm snorkelling area for us to enjoy. The crew was "above and beyond" and our kids ( 10&12) seen many whales, bottle nose Dolphins , turtles, and fish galore. The service was exceptional and personal. A smaller boat with less people which worked perfect for our family. The slide was super fun and we will definitely recommend the Lanai Kai for your next snorkelling adventure. Mahalo to the captain and crew of the Lanai Kai.

It seems as though you can see forever under the water at the crater. I am sure that this is not actually true, but it may as well be. The sea life was vibrant and diverse. The most unique thing we saw was an eel that we followed around.

We were able to get in the water on the backside of the crater as well. This was VERY cool!

Redline Rafting got us out to the crater first, which means we had a ton of time alone. It felt like we were alone. We loved it!

The picture only shows one boat. This place can get packed, but it's really beautiful. We really enjoyed our time here, but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to go again.

Must do while in Maui! You have to snorkel here. It was amazing! My favorite excursion and day out exploring was here!

We went with the Norwegian Cruise Line group excursion. This was my family and I's first time snorkeling and we had a blast! They offer pool noodles, floatation devices, and life jackets. The first stop was the crater and everyone got in the water. Then the winds started picking up and we all had to get back on the boat. Then they took us to a second location called turtle ridge and we saw a few sea turtles!! One guy saw a baby shark! The waters were super clear and I think it's because of the reef safe sunscreen they made us put on (they provide). You're allowed to get back on the boat at any time but they give you a long time in the water as well. After time is up you get back on the boat and eat yummy food they grill up. Very fun excursion, would recommend if you have to pick one place to snorkel, it's here!

You can snorkel, snuba or SCUBA at this crater. There is quite a bit of fish life here, though the reef is somewhat disappointing compared to some in other locations. Perhaps if you are scuba diving you would be able to see a lot more. We did see a great variety of fish, orange sea urchins, and a large Moray Eel. We also saw a humpback whale with a calf on the way out to the crater. All in all, glad we went out to see it.

We went on this trip - the snorkeling is great. The water is so clear and it is in a beautiful volcanic crater. No fishing allowed, no taking of coral, no activity but snorkeling or scuba allowed. Make sure you get a wet suit because even though the water is warm, you will still lose a lot of body heat while you are in the water for an hour or so. You will forget how long you have been out because the reef life is so diverse and fun to watch. Make sure to get a good tour. Maybe we got lucky but we saw a ton of fish including an octopus. We were there in November, 2015.

Top notch all the way! We chose the smaller vessel which can seat only 38 participants. The small group is the way to go. An all female crew that have degrees in marine biology. Captain Moser also has her environmental science degree. We had the fortunate luck to not only enjoy Molokini crater,but also McKenna where we encountered sea turtles. The highlight for me was the drift snorkle. Crazy fun! Jumped into 200ft. dark blue water and swam toward the reef. Our guide(Courtney) was able to spot sealife along our swim to the reef. Sarah and Captain Moser also educated us on the sealife,Maui weather,etc...Food and as much drink as you needed. Appropriate reef safe sunscreen was also provided. A great
experience for the active nature loving enthusiast!

Visibility is incredible here!!! Saw so many beautiful fish! Highly recommend snorkeling here. Wasn’t overly crowded either.

We really enjoyed our time at the crater with Trilogy. Visibility was excellent and seas were very calm on the day we went. It was very beautiful.

Very beautiful crater to visit on a tour. The waves were quite rough on the day we visited and didn't see a massive variety of fish here but beautiful and worth going for sure!

Ok, so I was totally seasick, BUT this trip was so memorable! The water was crystal clear, the sealife was amazing and the trip out on the catamaran (despite my sea-sickness, it was very choppy that day) was as gorgeous as it gets.

This is a great place to snorkel to see marine life, but don't expect a great coral reef.
We did an early morning boat trip when the water is clearer and there are less people around.

Rather than powering around spend time observing what's in front of you and you'll see so much more. We spotted an octopus colour morphing and followed a huge Moray for a while. We also saw a big school of naso tangs in the surge zone which was a first for us.

Kids ages 9 to 23 and parents took a Molokini Tour and Turtle Town snorkeling tour. Molokini was great. Turtle town meh. next time I would only do Molokini, as we saw turtles at the local beach about every day on Kamaole III in Kihei. Our boat searved breakfast, costco style, and lunch which was alright. You may get sea sick on this trip. I did, but it would not stop me from doing it again. Floating devices made it easy to snorkel and the gear was first class. my 9 year old was apprehensive, but was able to float around on an mini platform with a view window.The open ocean was a little scary for her. Top one or two parts if our trip. The water was as clear as a swimming pool.

We took the 5 hour morning snorkel trip from Maalaea Harbor. It took about 45 minutes to get there. It is only a 15 minuted ride from the Khiei boat launch. We used Bobs Snorkel. On board they charge $10 to use their wet suits (so bring money if you think you want to rent it) otherwise wear a rash guard (to keep warmer). Some people paid extra to do SNUBA (they charged a fee for place peopled SNUBA'd). Not many fish AT ALL at the crater. The best part of the trip was when we passed by a pod of spinner dolphins. They were super entertaining. There wasn't any turtles at Turtle town (one of the stops on the ride). Someone said that the fish population was diminished due to all he sunblock people lather on which disperses in the water. The boat ride was nice but set your expectations on how many fish you will see.

both dives are do not miss dives. extremely clear water, great coral and lots of fish and critters. saw mantas on the front and shark puppy dogs and the amazing 300 foot drop off on the back wall which was packed with coral, many kinds of fish, eels and starfish

The water is as clear as they say with that 180 foot visibility which I believe is a record. Not a lot of fish tho I think because there are just so many snorkel tours going there everyday. Beautiful and worth a try for sure

We visited here around 6:45 AM and were the first ones at the crater. The views are terrific. The water is very clear. I've heard of people late in the day it gets very crowded. The ship we took only had about 40 people on it so it didn't feel crowded. We've never been snorkeled before, but it was awesome. We saw an eel and tons of colorful fish.

We left the dock at 8 am in shorts and lightweight t-shirts (already warm) with a big charter catamaran. We had only snorkeled once before off a beach on the big island, that was really cool, we saw lots of little colorful fish and some turtles. This time: after about an hour of "sailing" the boat moored in it's pre-assigned mooring and we got to see a LOT of fish, lots of brilliantly colored ones, a wide variety of coral (it took slowing down a lot to notice the variety) and a large moray eel! That was cool! The water was on the coolish side and we appreciated the wetsuits that were available for rent. The water was very calm and there were no clouds in the sky. Since it's a crater the wall slopes sharply toward the bottom which is a good 15 to 45 meters down but the water was so clear you could easily see the bottom. If you know how to dive with a snorkle the deeper coral is just as interesting as the shallower. We all thought it was totally worth the trip!

While this location came VERY highly recommended, we found it to be average. We were actually able to find much better snorkeling right off the road in West Maui (for free!).
We took a charter out to the crater, which don't get me wrong, they were really great. They really took care of us during our trip.
The snorkeling at Molokini was average in my opinion. The site has a lot of history and it was nice to hear some of it from our charter captain. The fish population was not overly large, and the visibility was about 70-80 feet (we had read it is 100-150 feet).
My recommendation would be if you know someone to take you out on a boat, sure go ahead. In my opinion, it was not worth the $95 per person we paid.

Beautiful area; tons of different types of fish to see! Bonus: saw 3 whales on our way there - thanks to the capt. for stopping & letting us know!

The Good: Excellent crew who were helpful & friendly. The highlight was having Arjuna the Naturalist onboard sharing his knowledge. It was fun to snorkel with him as he pointed out all the different fish then once we were back onboard he brought out a book & his camera to share what we saw! Anne the Snuba instructor was patient & competent providing all the beginners with a great experience. Food was good (especially the cookies). Boat was new & provided a variety of seats for different viewing areas. Safety was evident by the excellent, attentive life guards.

The Bad: The Captain’s decision to go out on the water based on the wind & wave conditions. We ask three different employees how to change our booking & got promised that the crater would be calm & safe. No one was clear on the process of how to change our booking to another day. We decided to trust them but soon regretted our decision.

We did not make it to the crater.

Second destination was Turtle Town - they got people in the water but the conditions worsened & thanks to the great lifeguards everyone got safely back in board. When pulling up the mooring line they discovered that the anchor line had sheared so we narrowly avoided a bad situation.

Third destination was Lanai (which was on our bucket list so we appreciated the opportunity to see it) & we all got in the water. BUT this also meant a long & rough ride home (Vomit Comet).

Thanks to the incredible crew, who did their best to help everyone, we arrived safely back to the harbour & happy to get the heck off that boat.

CLEAR THAT THIS BUSINESS WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING YOU OUT THERE & IN THE WATER NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDITIONS.

One last comment:
Nice that they sold Calypso shirts onboard but many people bought them & put them on so then we couldn’t figure out who were crew & who were clients. (One poor young guy had to keep telling people he didn’t work on the boat so stop asking him for equipment!) Try using different colours for crew & clients!

First off, find a charter or tour that will allow you to go first thing in the morning and that offers multiple water options like scuba, SNUBA, as well as snorkeling. We say this because you might not get the best experience doing only one over the others. The crater can get pretty full and fast. Because of this, you end up bumping into the many snorkelers and/or their floatations as they paddle about trying to see what little they can with the crowds. However, this crater can provide a very calm environment for a beginner snorkeler or diver, which is great for those starting out or with kids. If you're not a scuba diver, I recommend finding a charter that offers SNUBA, so you can hang out in-between the scuba divers below and the snorkels above. We were very lucky on our dive as we saw small reef sharks, eels, schools of fish, and some otherwise hidden wildlife.

If you're not into the water recreation at the crater, there were many people on our boat that enjoyed the trip out (especially because it was during whale season); looking at it as more of a scenic boat tour while they sat and relaxed on the boat at the crater eating lunch.

We have snorkeled around Hawaii a bit and so far our favorite places have been Two Step Beach on Hawaii and Shark's Cove on Oahu. Molokini is pretty and neat to see how it formed. But we definitely didn't see as many creatures as at Two Step or Shark's Cove. I feel like we could have put all that money spent on the tour to do something else.

Excellent Staff, very pleasant and personable. The whole trip was worth every penny we spent. Turtles, Humpback Whales, and Dolphins.

We have snorkeled a lot and thought it would be fun to try one of the trips out to Molokini. The water was crystal clear, and the geological structure itself was interesting. We didn't see that many fish (one incredibly large moray eel), but we still had a good time. The second snorkel to Turtle Arches was just okay (one turtle, but we already knew where to see lots of turtles, so we just did a lazy snorkel closer to shore and saw enough fish to make it interesting).

We used Pacific Whale Foundation since they are a nonprofit group, and I would recommend them if you decide to do this trip. They were very generous with the food (breakfast, snacks between snorkels, and a lunch that included one free alcoholic beverage---the Maitais were great). They have adequate snorkel equipment, free floatation devices, and free coral-friendly sunscreen. They rent half wet suits ($10), and I was glad I rented one---the water was on the chilly side, and each snorkel was almost an hour long.

Other recommendations:
1. Take Dramamine an hour before departure if you are at all prone to sea sickness. The ride out and back can be choppy, and several people were feeling very queasy both ways.
2. Take the earliest boat possible to avoid snorkeling crowds. We booked the 7:00 am tour, and we were the first boat out to Molokini.
3. Be aware that there will be a LOT of snorkelers out there with you, and most of them will not have snorkeled before. Try to stay away from groups of people with noodles who are mostly upright in the water and not watching out for other folks swimming near them. (There was even a family that brought a small baby out into the water where it screamed in terror for 30 minutes before they took it back on the boat.)

Overall, the trip was enjoyable and we were back by noon and had a great afternoon relaxing on the beach.

Disappointed in the snorkeling here. The selection of fish was not impressive. We did better snorkeling off the beach at several different beaches. The area was very choppy water and we were even here on a day that was relatively calm with lovely weather. When everyone got in the water off of the various boats it was like a feeding frenzy out in the water. There were people everywhere and you kept getting bumped and kicked by other snorkelers. Another drawback is that you only have an hour there to snorkel, so if you get a little sick from choppy water or cold from the cold water you don't have a lot of time to go back on the boat to get warmed up and then go back out again.

My wife & I took Aqua Adventures out to Molokini for snorkeling & snuba. The water was clear, the fish were abundant, and it was amazing to see the crater up close. Not having snorkeled in decades, though, we two senior citizens wanted a smaller boat (we had about 30 people on board). That made all the difference. The boat captain actually got in the water and gave extra instruction to my wife so she could feel comfortable under water again. That allowed us to snorkel, snuba, and enjoy an experience that otherwise would have been beyond her comfort level. Thanks Captain Darryl!

The water at Molokini Crater is crystal clear and there was a large diversity of fish, including yellow and convict tangs, black triggerfish, morish idols, moray eels, bird wrasse, parrot fish and several different species of butterfly fish. Take the time to look at the fish carefully in order to differentiate between the different species. There are also sea urchins, turtles and coral. The coral is not as pristine as it could be, however it is important to recognise that it is still recovering from the US Navy detonating in-place unexploded WWII munitions in the 1980s after the crater was used for target practice. The entire area is now declared a Marine Life Conservation Distinct so it can be visited and appreciated by generations to come.
If you want to visit Molokini, keep in mind that the weather can turn in the afternoon, therefore most snorkel operators will only head out there in the morning.

We had a great day weather wise. Calm winds, no haze. The water was calm, clear and blue.

We didn’t see a ton of sea life except fish and sea urchin on the reef but it was still amazing.

If you have time to squeeze in a trip on a good weather day, go. The Pacific Ocean and Molokini won’t disappoint you.

We did this activity as an excursion through Norwegian cruise lines. The highlight is the super clear water and the many colorful fish you can see. There is a variety of depths to swim, but the fish are mostly clustered in the shallower areas. Although there are other tour boats in the crater area, they do not get in the way.

Avid snorkelers, we tried Snuba for the first time. Great fun and worth every penny. Molokini Crater was a fun experience and we would certainly recommend it to everyone. However, the crater was crowded with snorkelers when we went, and I didn't find it the best overall in my fish viewing experiences on the islands.

We took a snorkeling trip here with Trilogy (they were great). There were honestly more people then fish at this site, it's VERY popular. This could have been due to many factors: water temperature, time of day, time of year, destruction of reef habitats due to pollution-sunblock namely, etc. In general I was not impressed with the Maui reefs, we went to a few different sites (snorkeling and diving) while on this island, the big island was much more impressive. To see sea life make sure you choose a tour that will additionally take you to "turtle town" as one of the snorkel sites.

We decided on our stay in Maui to have a day of snorkeling at molokini crater and then turtle spotting at turtle cove. We chose Pacific Whale Foundation as they are a non profit organization dedicated to the protection and care of marine environments. We had to find our own way to maalaea which was $60USD taxi fare each way. Our taxi driver offered to drive us back to the resort as well and was there waiting for us when we returned back to shore.
We also hired a GoPro which included a micro sd card which was given to us at the end of the tour. This was $40 USD. The trip to molokini crater took about an hour during which time we were given our snorkeling gear, given a safety talk and had a cuppa. We were also able to hire a wetsuit vest for $10 USD which even was worth it as it did keep us warmer even in the warm Hawaiian waters and were able to stay in the water for longer. We have snorkeled at different reefs in Fiji, Vanuatu, Jervis Bay and the Great Barrier Reef over the years and they are all different as was this one. This reef had vibrant Red Sea urchins that we hadn't seen before and fish that were very comfortable to swim with us. But it was the next stop that blew us away. We sailed to a place called turtle cove where the turtles like to feed in and around the lava fingers that have formed. We were told that the probability of seeing a turtle was about 70-80%. We saw 2 turtles a short distance away and thought that was good until....I heard a shout, turned around to be almost face to face with a huge beautiful green turtle. So glad I had that go pro. WOW!! What an amazing experience to be so close to such an amazing creature.
We had a yummy lunch on our way back to maalaea. We docked back at about 1pm. A thoroughly enjoyable experience made even better knowing your money was going to a good cause.

Such a beautiful place to snorkel. We went with a small tour group of about 15-20 people it was a beautiful place we could even hear the whales when underwater when we were at the edge/drop off of the crater.

To the local, Molokini Crater, is a Tourist trap.... To the Tourist, who is looking for something to do that is adventurous and on the water, a snorkel tour and excursion to Molokini, is probably a good memorable experience. Especially if you are a large family or with friends.

The snorkel is average at best, with a center crater of dying corals, rocks, and not many fish. On a good day, the visibility will be great and clear. The diving on the back side is actually a great dive. So, if you hire a dive company to go to Molokini, you will probably come away with some great dives. You have a good chance of running into some large pelagic's, view the shark cleaning station, and possibly look the Humpback Whale in the eye. For sure, you will definitely hear them during whale season (November thru April).

Molokini is a been there done that attraction. A tourist would probably not make the same visit a second time.

Trip out to crater great saw many whales. Crater unique. Snorkel ok have been to better but worth the trip. Crew knowledgeable and responsive. Lunch fresh . Had my own equipment but on board looked in good shape.

We had a blast, everyone enjoyed the snorkeling! This was a trip of a lifetime absolutely amazing experience! Thanks Ron!! Can’t wait for another trip! Enjoyed everything! 😎⭐️❤️😄

Sometimes something is raved about so much that it's hard for it to live up to the hype. That's the way Molokini was for me. There's a difference in good visibility and good snorkeling. Molokini undoubtedly has good visibility. This means you can see far. It doesn't necessarily mean the things you see will be outstanding (or certainly not any more outstanding that what you can see around the rocks of several of the good beaches). I'm glad I went because I can't imagine going to Maui without snorkeling here (and the online pics from above Molokini make it look so awesome). But if I returned, I would not pay to go again. There's just as much good snorkeling other places for free. Still overall a nice place. I found the whole deal about trying to find the boat that gets there first to be overblown. It really doesn't matter.

Molokini is nice too look at but us humans need to stay away. Our snorkeling money would be spent better elsewhere perhaps a private tour or boat rental. We need to let Molokini come back. Let the coral regrow. Limit the number of hymns that can go to this site please so it will be there for generations.

The coral is dying. Too many people make the snorkeling less enjoyable.

Molokini's water is beautifully blue and clear! Not to crowded which is awesome compared to snorkelling spots in Thailand. The way they have preserved the crater and its waters! We spent about 2hrs there and it was too long; if there's no animals about it does get boring (coming in we saw a stingray!). Turtle bay was so cool, possibly a bit crowded and everyone, as expected rushed to a turtle once one was spotted so tip: if you see one, stay quiet and just enjoy

Loved the snorkeling here. Lots of people say that they couldnt do anything here because the conditions were windy, but we must have gotten lucky because waters were very calm. Visibility was great, we could easily see 25-30 feet down. I saw tons of fish and enjoyed it, but I can see how we might have just gotten lucky because the coral reef doesnt look that healthy. There were at least 4 or 5 big boats there, and most of those boats can take over 100 people each, so if they were full it might have been a problem (we went in early December so all the boats were very empty due to slow season).

Nice site. Water conditions can vary, but it was nice and calm while I was there. Saw amazing fish and an eel. Very pretty and unique site. Went with Calypso tours. Nice ship, and fun jumping platform.

We were recently in Maui on a 4 island cruise. We booked the 1/2 day trip snorkeling with the Pacific Whale Foundation to Molokini and Turtle Arches. I had done some pre visit research and Molokini stood out as a very neat place to visit. This was our first snorkeling excursion so I had my doubts, but the crew was very helpful and made sure we got to snorkel with no problems, we rented wetsuits on board and they were well worth it, after Molokini we visited the turtles and we saw several but there were a lot of snorkelers in the water so the turtles made themselves scarce. We learned from this trip to buy those disposable underwater cameras for future snorkeling. On the way back in we were all fed our meal, which hit the spot. Overall a really well worth it excursion.

We went snorkeling here and loved it. The water was beautiful and we saw so much sea life. We brought a water proof camera and got some great photos!

We did a catamaran snorkeling excursion with Trilogy to Molokini and would highly recommend it. The best snorkeling (most colorful, healthy looking reefs, lots of fish) we did during our trip to Oahu and Maui. By far better snorkeling than in Hanauma Bay in Oahu. We would definitely go back.

On our third trip to Maui, we finally decided to do a trip to Molokini (on the Calypso, highest recommendation, see separate review). We held back a bit because we are novices and we always imagined it to be insanely crowded. But, we had to check off this box sooner or later, so we took the proverbial plunge! The day we went, December 26, we were treated to nearly ideal conditions. Sight claimed by our captain at several hundred feet with calm waters and bright and sunny skies promised a good day. Even though our boat was the biggest and the number of boats at the crater seems comparable to the number of cars at a Costco parking lot on Saturday morning, the crowds didn’t seem a problem. You just had to be only a little bit aware of where you were, but there was plenty of space to explore. That said, the volume of fish and the variety of marine life at Molokini didn’t seem comparable to other spots we have been in Maui. For instance, I believe the best I have ever seen is at Black Rock and you can walk to the spot from your hotel or car. But, now that we finally did Molokini, I am pleased that we did it. It was worth every penny and the memories of taking a boat out 9 miles from shore to snorkel cant be repeated. With expectations properly set, you wont be disappointed.

The water is so clear you can see the bottom and it is deep but beautiful. Lots of fish to watch. There are currents so you have to watch what you are doing.

The distinguishing feature of snorkeling here is not the coral, which is very basic, and not the sea life, which is scant populations of fish (and not much more unless you are very lucky), but the tremendous depth of crystal clear water over which you are snorkeling. The rocky and sometimes sandy bottom is 100 feet down yet your view of it is as if it is 5 feet down, the water is that crystal clear. Snorkeling gives the sensation of flying. If you are not interested in that, skip the trip as snorkeling elsewhere (eg, shore of Maui) will produce better coral and more interesting sea life If you do go, pick your weather very carefully. The crater is exposed to the north, so any wind (as distinct from a slight breeze) with a northerly component will wip up the water surface and detract from your snorkeling experience. Ditto for any northerly sea swell. Mornings are a far superior time to go than afternoons when the wind usually picks up. Tour operators will try to sell the option of snorkeling behind the crater wall where it is sheltered from northerly winds but assess this carefully as if there is a southerly swell, it is very uncomfortable and the snorkeling view is very limited - just a sheer wall of rock with not much coral plummeting to the depths (about 300ft) with no bottom in sight. Finally, it is a long day. Morning cruises get away early (7am) but provide a crude breakfast and also lunch. Take warm clothes as after you snorkel, you will be cold and will suffer in the wind as the boat returns to Maui unless you are in dry warm clothes. A further tip is to bring or use boat-supplied floatation gear as the water is so deep, it will give you more confidence snorkeling in the rocky water which has some currents.

My wife and I had a great trip to Molokini on the Trilogy II. I would highly recommend that tour. The crater was very cool-- lots of beautiful fish to see. Impressive diversity. The visibility was excellent. A unique experience!

There are many companies that make trips there. Always take a morning trip; best time to go; less or no wind. We have seen munk seals(endangered) ,whales, and so many species of fish. We have used 3 different companies and they include brunch and lunch and are well organized. We go there every trip to Maui.

Our family of four, kids 12/14, have become avid snorkelers and only more so, during our time on Maui, so we couldn't wait for our tour to Molokini.

It was marketed as an amazing snorkel destination with high fish density and variety as well as unlimited visibility. This was the same information provided by all the advertising so not specifically one tour boat over another. None of this proved to be true. It was ok at best and no where near expectations. The water was also markedly colder at Molokini than along shore and even with a 3mm shorty wetsuit we were cold within 20-25 mins in the water. For comparison we spent 45-50 mins in today and were just starting to feel a chill, but not the same "time to get out feeling" and don't want to go back in.

The snorkelling at Black Rock (Lahaina) and then south in Kihei and beyond at the marked snorkelling spots was at least as good, without the expensive boat ride and early start - in fact out snorkel today south of Wailea was better than Molokini and all it took was a 10 minute drive and 2 minute walk.

We fortunately took our own snorkel gear, which was only from Costco, but it was a zillion times better than the 1980s style straight tubes for snorkels they supplied - again, pretty sure all boats use the same cheap gear, but don't know for sure- ask if you expect anything more than a curved tube for a snorkel.

In short, if you want a boat ride and cafe style lunch, take the trip (and buy from ticket wholesalers - they'll save you a chunk of change) - if you want great snorkelling and an extra hour or two of sleep, then do some homework and find the shore spots. The pic is from a shore snorkel less than 100' from shore.

Definitely a very unique experience however the people on the island hype up the snorkeling like there will be an abundance of colorful fish. There are plenty of fish, however when snorkeling there are hundreds of others with you, making many of the fish swim away. We visited the turtle bay and there was 1 turtle. You can see more turtles on your local beach. The boat ride is absolutely lovely and this is a once in a lifetime experience as well as learning the history about the Molokini island

We went here on a cruise boat. There were 4 boats that day and the captain said it was not very packed. I was hit by a couple of inexperienced swimmers but overall was not to bad. The water was crystal clear and we could see for a very long distance. There was numerous fish. I should have done the snobing which is, you are attached to a tube delivering air to you 10 feet under the water

This is probably the clearest water I have ever snorkeled in. The visibility was simply amazing! We saw lots of fish and a yellow moray eel. The water was not particularly rough, and it was easy to get pretty close to the rocks without any danger of being pushed into them by the waves.

I would definitely come snorkel here again if the opportunity were to present itself.

Spent a rough 5-hr ride to molokini. The weather was perfect but the swell to & at the location where far from calm. The guide was sure the water would be calm when we arrive but wasn't so. We managed to get in the water & I was very disappointed at the lack of abundant marine life (very few) that was portrayed in the advertisement everywhere. I actually felt sad at the dying reef.

If on Maui, make sure to take a snorkeling tour out here. We used Pacific Whale Foundation (money helps their cause) which was great. This crater offers amazing snorkeling from fish at the surface to octopus down the slopes. There are apparently even nurse sharks, although we didn't venture that far out to see them.

Gorgeous place and worth the extra time and money to go on a charter - a small charter - not a huge dive boat with hundreds of people....I recommend Pacific Whale Watch people and they were terrific. Go when the sun is out and when it is HOT HOT HOT. The sun must be shining to get the true effect of the colors. Go with NO CHILDREN. Make sure you ask questions about the level of swimming required as we had people not competent enough in a pool, then wanting to swim the side of Molokini they took us to as a bonus, and it was a tough undertow.

Snorkeling at Molokini was on our "to do" list, and booked in advance of our arrival. Our trip started in Maalea Harbor, and was roughly a 1 hour boat ride to get there. The snorkeling itself was very fun. However, I've snorkeled in the Caribbean, and for whatever reason, I kinda expected the fish and coral here to be as vibrantly colored. There certainly was color, but it was more muted than I expected. However, is that nature's fault? No - it's just the way it is. I will say that the water was extremely clear, visibility was outstanding, and there was no shortage of fish to see! We did not try the snuba option, but on a future trip, we may...

Advice: The water at the crater will be a few degrees cooler than at the beach. We visited in December, when the water is near its coolest - 70ish. As Lake Michigan is my comparison, this still felt quite comfortable to me and I had no need for a wetsuit. On the other hand, my wife opted for an available wetsuit for a modest nominal charge ($10 when we went), and was glad she did - kept the chill off and gave her some added bouyancy.

If you have a GoPro - bring it! The pics/movies I got were great, and the digital format allowed me to snap away as much as I wished. If no GoPro, get a good waterproof case for your phone cam, or just buy an inexpensive waterproof disposable cam. You'll want the pics.

One of the best places to go in Maui, wonderful views, great snorkeling, fish, turtles, wales, a truly unique experience. I took the sunrise boat tour and it was totally worth it to be picked up at 5:30 am!

We dove here with Lahaina Divers. Great day. Good diver master. My wife snorkeled and saw lots of life. I dove and saw lots of life. Definitely worth the trip.

Any experience is rated on what you manage to see; and we saw very little for a lot of money. The sidetrip to Turtle Town was even worse. Perhaps we were just unlucky, but it certainly didn’t meet my expectations.

Our family of 9 took the Four Winds out to the crater and could not have had a better time. There were other boats out there but we had plenty of space to swim and snorkel. I rated the Four Winds on a separate place...too excellent for words...smaller than some of the boats but great crew, great food, and lots of equipment to rent, including underwater cameras....So much fun as evidenced by our wonderful photos. This was a great choice and one of the highlights of our trip to Hawaii

Great Trip with a small Group and cool guys in Assistence! Early Start before all the big boats disturb the experience! Both Sides of Molokini, another stop to snorcle with sea turtles and of course bumping the waves- Great fun!

If you've never been snorkeling then by all means go to Molokini but there are many other places on Maui that have better snorkeling and far fewer people. We were crammed in with over 60 of our best friends aboard the Malolo, courtesy of Malolo Adventures and Boss Frogs. The crew was great and the water lovely for swimming but the fish life was not that interesting, not surprising given the circus of boats and people. If you really want to snorkel rent your own equipment and find your peaceful spot, away from the crowd.

We went on a morning snorkelling with Quicksilver as we wanted a large stable boat. It was a stable boat indeed, in comparison to a few smaller ones we've seen in the harbour. The tour starts at 7am but they want you to check in at 6:30. The tour operator doesn't pick you up at the hotel, you have to drive there. It wasn't a problem for us, only 30 min drive. There is a free parking and a paid one. We took a paid one, you paid by hour and it was 7 dollars for us. The tour started with a breakfast on board, it was a buffet type and they served a good selection of fruits, pastries, and scrambled eggs. Coffee and soda were available too. The tour included two sites, Molokini crater and Turtle Town. It takes 50 min to get to Molokini and I liked this site better as the water was calmer and there were plenty of fish to see just near the boat. I am not a great swimmer so didn't want to go far. I even took pickles of the fish from the boat deck, the water was very clear and the fish came close. Turtle Town was a bit tough as they parked the boat far from it and the ocean was rougher. I was in the water for five min to realise that I cannot do it, it was too tiring. My husband went all the way there but said he was struggling to come back as it was tough to swim. He didn't see any turtles which was disappointing, I was talking to other people on the boat and they didn't see them either. There were several boats parked so maybe they we scared away, maybe a different reason who knows. There is a fresh water shower on the boat which was nice after being in the salty ocean. Lunch was served after the Turtle Town and included pulled pork and chicken burgers, veggie and mac potatoes salads, and chocolate chip cookies. Soft drinks we available during entire trip, alcoholic beverages were to buy and only after you've finished snorkelling which makes sense. We came back to the harbour after lunch, briefly seen one dolphin on the way back which was nice. The crew was nice and welcoming, the captain was telling stories and guided the tour during the trip.

Molokini was by far the least interesting snorkeling of our trip to Maui. If you enjoy boat rides, great. But you can find much better snorkeling sites on Maui (Honolua Bay, Po'olenalena were our favorites) without spending a lot of money for the ride. Maybe it was a bad day for us but I just didn't see the variety of fish I was expecting or saw in other locations.

Based on some other reviews and sources, I wondered if it was worth taking the trip to Molokini. Several reviews indicated the coral was in poor shape and that one was far better off saving one's money and just going to some of the snorkel spots one can access from the coast of Maui.

That last point has some validity; one can snorkel at places like Ahihi-Kinau and see just as good fish without incurring the cost of a boat excursion. But there is value on being out on the ocean on a boat, seeing the coast of Maui from the ocean, approaching Molokini from the ocean, and having professionals take you right to a great place for snorkeling and (at the 2nd stop) swimming with sea turtles without your having to figure it all out on your own.

While the coral at Molokini was not mind-blowing, it was healthier and more interesting than I had expected from some reviews/comments I had seen. Our guide explained that Covid was actually great for the Molokini coral; the lower volume of visitors gave the coral a chance to recover; perhaps some of the reivews I had read were before this recovery period.

Experiencing the undersea world of Molokini Crater was a bucket list item for me., thanks to all the hype. I can check it off the list now but I cannot say I was wowed. The visibility was good and the reef is in decent shape. I was expecting far more diversity in fish species and expected to see fish in higher quantities. The saving grace for us was a small manta ray. It was fun to watch its underwater ballet while it was feeding below us. The boats bring far too many people to make it a relaxed experience. We did see a few whales on the way. There is better snorkeling on the islands that doesn't require a one hour boat ride to achieve. Glad I could check it off, but meh.

Yesterday my wife & I visited MOLKINI on a snorkel trip. I won’t mention the boat as this review would apply to ANY boat!

We have visited Molokini twice before over the past 2 decades...

The colorful fish are now GONE!

DON’T waste time & $$$...whale watching was great; snorkeling sucked

The crew we went out with was fun and accommodating. The snorkeling isn't that wonderful. It appears the coral in Hawaii is decaying rapidly. I hadn't been to Hawaii in 15 years, but there have been many changes and one of them is that the snorkeling isn't what it once was.

We still had a good time being on the ocean, and they followed a pod of spinner dolphins for us as well which was actually my families highlight.

This is a good place to snorkel but there are usually 6 or 7 other boats around. You have to get there on a snorkel boat. The fish are small but quite a few of them. They usually snorkel there in the morning when conditions are the best.

morning

I went just this past week, expecting for it to be the best snorkeling spot on the island. Wrong. There was very few fish, and the fish that were there were small fries. At least a few hundred other people were in the area as well.

At least the water was very clear (which is why I am giving it two stars instead of one).

Our tour also took us to "Turtle Town" and we saw a grand total of ONE (yes one!) turtle!

If you really want to see a ton of turtles, go anywhere that's close to the shore. Turtles feed where it's​ relatively shallow. I actually saw eight turtles at a spot called Five Caves. Kind of obscure, but obscure places are always the best.j

Maybe it was an off day, but I found the snorkeling here to be just ok. I've heard that Hawaii is supposed to have some of the best snorkeling, but based on my experience at the Molokini crater, I've done much better snorkeling elsewhere. Visibility was decent, there just wasn't a lot happening sea life-wise. Perhaps this is because our trip consisted of divers and snorkelers and maybe we weren't in the best area for snorkeling. With all that said, the boat ride out is worth the ride, and the crater itself is quite impressive. I would echo another reviewer's comment that you should choose your snorkeling/diving company wisely.

Went out on this half day trip. Great fun great trip. Lots to see underwater and above.

Morning is preferred because in the afternoon it may to rough to snorkel or dive

My husband and I went here with the Pride of Maui boat and we had an awesome experience. We did the snuba which is definitely worth the money although it could definitely be longer for the price you pay. The fish here are incredible and the water clarity is amazing. The trip to turtle town afterwards was much more cloudy and the turtles are hard to find and see. I would stick just to molokini in the future.

My wife and I have no experience snorkeling and aren't very knowledgeable about aquatic life aside what we've learned in school or saw on TV. So from our experience it was a nice, but not amazing site to see. We enjoyed our first snorkel experience there and did enjoy what we saw. But it didn't seem like anything that amazing to see and is quite crowded with many boats coming with lots of people.

The excursion to the Molokini crater was very enjoyable. After a pleasant catamaran ride it was great to get into the water and snorkel around. There were a good variety of fish to see. The water was slightly choppy and there were a lot of people from other boats who were also snorkeling. The underwater part of the crater helps to make a barrier of sorts that is good for keeping Tiger sharks away. At least that's what one of the guides told us.

i have read a few reviews that were saying this place is nothing special ect ect. I am only a novice when it comes to snorkeling but it was a great experience. We had an amazing crew who looked after us..Aloha Blue Charters , get on these guys the boat has 35 people on it and the crew were very friendly and made the morning even better.

If you are only in Maui once I would recommend doing it. I will be doing this trip again with the same crew when I am back in 2019.

While you might find areas that have higher fish counts on Maui, Molokini is such a great spot to snorkel simply because of the water clarity.

Left from Po'olenalena Beach on a cat tour booked through the Fairmont Kea Lani. No dock and you have to wade out to the boat, Not an issue since you are planning on being in the water. Crater snorkeling was great as the water is calm and clear in the snorkeling area. Saw many fish and had a wonderful time there!!

If you've done much snorkeling around the world this place is pretty lame by comparison. However it is about all Maui has to offer. There are a few places on the island but this is about the best you're going to find. The problem is it's expensive to get there and sometimes crowded

Nothing special at all. We expected much more fish. There were only hard corals (which were not really colourful). The highlight was a octopus at this dive. The visibility was fabulous.

So if you want to do the snorkel trip to Molokini crater you have a lot of choices. Shop carefully and get the best deal along with some referrals. Everything leaves from Maalaea Harbor so get there early (very early) if you want good parking and close access to the boats. There are a lot of people/tourists all wanting to do the same thing at the same time. Frankly it's a lot of stress getting there, but the crater is a nice reward. Lots of underwater life, but again, everyone wants to go here so it is crowded in the water. We did make another stop for more snorkeling, but that was only fair. Best part was seeing some whales as we neared the harbor. I say do this one to add to your bucket list, but head to other beach areas for snorkeling.

It was a couple of years ago that I dove the backside of Molokini. I was told it was 300 feet to the bottom. We did a drift dive starting at the South East end and drifted to the West. I got a couple of nice pictures of white-tip reef sharks, saw a moray with a red stripe down it's side, and a spotted eagle ray when I was down around 90 feet. The visibility was about 80 feet and that was in late November. On my next trip to Maui I intend to dive the crater :)

Fantastic trip to the crater and then to see the turtles on the Calypso! Crowded but staff is great. Felt safe in the water, like a big pool!

Molokini Crater can only be seen if you take a charter boat to the crater. The attraction is to snorkel and view the tropical fish and you will see plenty. Be aware that you will be swimming with 30-60 other snorkeling people that are all brought to the crater by various charter tours. Completely worth seeing the crater itself as well as the fish. We were also able to see whales spouting in the distance as we traveled from Molokini to the turtle arches where we were able to see turtles swimming as we snorkeled. We chose the Pacific Whale Foundation tour, the staff was very informative on all sea life and safety concerns. Enjoyed a continental breakfast as well as lunch was served on the vessel while we traveled to the viewing areas.

In our opinion the site is vastly over rated. Yes you do see lots of fish maybe 4-5 different varieties but was expecting much more after reading reviews on here. It is very crowded as boats set their snorkel areas and are bound to get a flipper to the face lol. We were scheduled to go to turtle town second but the ocean didn’t cooperate so we stayed longer at the crater. Main purpose was to see some turtles which didn’t happen.

Crystal clear water, beautiful area BUT too crowded for my taste. Too many people not paying attention to their surroundings kicking and running into others. It was very frustrating to say the least. There should be a rule limiting the number of boats and people in Molakini.

From the reviews and the hype I had higher expectations of what we would see snorkeling there. The water is definitely super clear, we were even there on a very rainy day and still enjoyed it. It's still very nice and there was a lot of fish, but having snorkeled in a lot of places before, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be.

Great tour company- Classic charters. We were out early in the morning- saw some nice fish, but thought there would be more. Going to Makena landing was superb with fish and more importantly sea turtles. Would try Lanai for snorkeling next time.

We really enjoyed snorkeling there, even saw one turtle:) To be honest, the reef is over visited with people, so it doesn’t look very rich with fishes.

Snorkelled here as part of the Four Winds II tour group. The coral was quite large, lots of fish. Cool to see the crater, I probably would not go out of my way doing this if you’re doing snorkelling tours at other sites. Didn’t see any birds or turtles

When it’s “tourist season” in Maui—which is most of the year— a boat trip to the Molokini atoll is a very crowded attraction not worth the cost in time or expense. My sympathies are with the snorkel/boat trip companies that bring large numbers of people to this atoll every day, but the boats are so numerous that they each assign to their customer groups (usually about 30 or so snorkelers) about 100 yards in which to see the very few fish and reef. It’s usual to see over ten boats at a time tied up in the atoll. There’s much better snorkeling around the shoreline, and all the beaches are public. Kapalua Bay is a very nice beach with some good snorkeling and Honolulu Bay has a rocky shoreline (so not very good for young children), but very good snorkeling, even when crowded.

I must admit that this was my first snorkeling trip, so I may not be aware of my own noob factor, here!
That being said, this was some of the finest water I have ever seen! It was a crystal clear, panoramic view of that beautiful spot. It was like you're in an HD marine life documentary.

There's not too much to say about Molokini...except for go there and do it! But here's a few tips anyway:

INTERIOR:

Inside the crescent shape ancient volcano, the water was calm and protected. The depth was from about 25 feet to 45 feet. If you aren't a great swimmer, relax! It's just like a big public pool with boats. Just know that you cannot touch the bottom, so don't expect to be able to get out while you are there.
But you can get a float from your tour guides, that makes a world of difference....I did :) And there is always the option of getting back on the boat, as they are right there with you.
Check out my pics for an idea of what it was like (although they can't do it any justice!)
I did see a moray eel sleeking across the ocean floor! Unfortunately it was very hard to get a shot of him, and the attempts made, are all blurry messes.

BACK WALL:

You will only get here on a smaller style boat!
This was another amazing reef, with a very steep drop off! There were views of fish and coral, gradually transitioning to an infinite looking, azure blue void. We did not see any, but I am told that this is where you might catch a glimpse of a whitetip reef shark!

CRATER:

Its an amazing natural formation, shaped like the moon. After you go there, you realize that you have seen this wonder before...as its a common subject for screen savers and posters, etc.
The rock itself is classified as a bird sanctuary and is off limits. You are not supposed to even touch it, they say.
Apparently it was used for aircraft weapons target practice, back in WWII. You can still see some of the bullet holes. Sad to think of, but very interesting at the same time!

MISCELLANEOUS:

-Wear biodegradable sunscreen! Thousands of people a day are jumping in and the sunscreen is actually killing the reef. Apparently the condition is very poor now, compared to about thirty years ago. :(

-GO SOON!!! The reef is degrading and might be closed down, for conservation reasons.

- Take a tour that will take you past "Turtle Town". This is a reef not too far away, off the shores of Kihei. The water is not as clear, but it is much shallower for closer viewing. If you are paying the money and taking the time, I would make sure that this is on the itinerary.

-If you find tour companies on coupon themed discount sites, try calling the actual company directly. You might get the same or better price...and less hassle.

ENJOY!!

***The most important thing in my opinion is to choose your tour guide wisely.

There are large party catamaran-style boats:
They have bars and decks and look like a great time. But they are mobbed with people, and CANNOT take you to the back wall, or too close to the rocks on the interior. You will not only see a school of fish, but also of people!

The are smaller dingy-style boats: No bar or party atmosphere on these guys and they hold only about 25-30 people I think, if that. They have a lower centre of gravity and are a better choice, if you are prone to seasickness. You can get in close on the interior and WILL be able to go to the world famous back wall.***

If you are looking for big pelagics or an adrenaline rush, Molokini is probably not for you. If you like to cruise at modest depth, see lots of brightly colored reef fish as well as a huge variety of invertebrates, and maximize your bottom time because you are not exerting yourself, it's great. On our dive I noted several kinds of likely tang, snapper, medium sized parrot fish, butterflies, angels , and a few others I couldn't identify. One very small reef shark under a ledge. Also green and speckled morays (just a couple), cowreys. hard coral and just a bit of soft coral. Warm, clear water, minimal current and almost no surge. Great site for a laid back, sightseeing dive.

We where blown away by the water and the reefs in Molokini. The snorkling and swimming was fantastic. We would highly recommend the trip on Caylpso.

This an amazing place for snorkeling. Both my son and I have snorkeled in many locations all over the Caribbean and in the Gulf of Mexico but this was the best. To think that your viewing a volcanic crater under water in the Pacific Ocean is mind blowing. The ship we sailed on provided everything we needed. Both breakfast and lunch were served after each dive site. There was such a large variety of fish to view. We also got to see eels and some snorkelers saw turtles nesting near the bottom. This has to be a must if you visit Maui.

The tour we took was a 5 hour return trip to snorkel Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. I would honestly say it wasn't worth it. The waters of Molokini were crystal clear and very pretty but there is very, very little reef fish or anything of interest to see. Don't waste your money. Turtle Arches (or "Turtle town" was just as disappointing. We saw a couple of turtles above the water but nothing under the water. The water was not as clear and visibility wasn't great. The water was very rough and our snorkel time was considerably less than advertised. If you want to snorkel, save your money and drive up to Kapalua and snorkel in the bay for free. We saw 3 green sea turtles - who swam beside and below and around us - every day and many more varieties of reef fish there for free. Trumpet fish, needle fish, sea cucumbers, butterfly fish, so many more varieties than at the crater.

If you are thinking about doing a snorkel trip to Molokini I suggest using the Pacific Whale Foundation. They're fantastic! I felt totally safe letting my 6 and 8 year old boys snorkel in water that deep. The crew are fantastic! The food is good. When we went kids were free with a paying adult so it also was the cheapest. We had a lot of fun talking with the crew and learning new things about the ocean around us. It was a great trip!

My husband was very skeptical about doing this especially with the price and the early start (7am departure) but we are REALLY pleased we did it. The conditions were splendid and the water visibility was great. This really was like looking into a swimming pool with fish and corals! The service was excellent and the food was also good and well organized. This is not a small boat so expect a good crowd but i thought it was very well managed. Staff was so helpful and we're glad the money is going to a good cause!

We took the morning tour to Molokini and Turtle Town. Excellent crew, well organized, friendly and knowledgeable. Thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the crater and to turtle town. Not too many turtles but the water was perfect for viewing. Ride back was nice enjoying adult beverages

Great day trip.

While the boat ride to the crater was great (at one point we could see five islands, FIVE!), the snorkeling experience was just okay. I understand that each tour each day is different, but for the time I went, I was pretty underwhelmed.

For one thing, the water was abundantly clear, which was great. Now I'm not sure if it is because of the popularity of this spot is to blame, but the diversity of fish and wildlife was severely lacking. Although we took an early morning trip out, the captain mentioned that in about an hour, there'd be a thousand people in the area snorkeling.

As for the snorkeling, literally all I saw were black triggerfish. They were nice, but it got a bit boring. Additionally, the water became really choppy, which was possibly caused by the number of large tour boats passing by the crater.

There are many free beaches that you can visit that has an abundance of wildlife. For now, a trip to Molokini Crater might just be one of those places that you visit to cross off a list.

We left on a very early morning boat (The Calypso) to Molokini which we had booked because the tour company told us that the trips later in the day often didn't even make it to Molokini due to deteriorating weather conditions in the afternoons. The boat trip started out very windy, cold & rainy, but eventually improved as we got out of the harbour and saw a few whales & dolphins. However when we arrived at Molokini the water was quite rough and there were not a lot of fish to be seen at all. It seemed to me that Molokini has become overrun with snorkellers, effectively scaring off many fish & creatures, and also creating a crowded snorkeling environment. The visibility is great, but I found the snorkelling to be average at best, and certainly not worth the very high price & effort to reach the island! You're better off going to Honolua Bay where you can find as good or better snorkelling for free!

This was by far the thing we were looking forward to the most in Maui. We had a number of friends that had done this with rave reviews and also on the Internet. It did not live up to the hype. The water was very clear and you definitely will see colorful fish. I was expecting to see a lot more based off the reviews. It was cool to see. It takes about an hour each way to get there. I don't think we would do this again though.

Had a beautiful boat ride to Molokini, saw whales on the way, and spent the morning there snorkeling. We used Four Winds (see link below and my separate review) and would use them again. Note that they have a "glass bottom" on the boat for kids to see the fish at the site.

Signed up with Trilogy and we had a great time at Molokini Crater. Capt Yoshe, Chris, & Nic were great hosts at the Crater, Turtle Town, & also capturing some incredible views of whales with their babies! Lots of fish at the Crater!

Another early start but well worth it
We get to the Marina, sign in and get a boarding pass. Within an hour and we're at the diving spot.

Fairly impressive. Lots of fish and turtles and to start off with, brilliant water clarity.
An hour's worth of snorkelling and then off to Turtle Town with a great lunch in between

Top day!

Molokini had some really awesome snorkeling. This was my wife's first time snorkeling and up until this point, she was very afraid of being in open water with wildlife. We saw a manta ray, sea turtles, and tons of fish, including a puffer fish, and afterwards my wife was much more comfortable being in the water. The catamaran ride on the way back was a bit rough, and I honestly got seasick on the way back, so I might pack some motion sickness medicine with you for the journey out there.

We had the worst weather, it was cold. Our tour operator should have canceled. Obviously not the craters fault, and the fish don't care. The weather didn't effect the snorkeling and it was way less crowded.

Fabulous Snorkeling in an old Volcano Crater! Lots of Snorkeling trips go there and you almost always see whales either too or from. Best time to go is Morning, as early as possible to avoid Crowds, then Have Lunch before you go back. First timers should really go with a guide though!

Molokini Crater offers good snorkeling with many different types of fish. Although it seems like you were snorkeling in a bowl because of the lack of coral or any true landscaping, seeing the variety of fish makes it worth while. I would, however, skip any pre-destination stop to search for turtles - we saw only 1 and it wasn't worth it. Taking the catamaran was fun too because we actually sailed back.

The crater itself is quite a spectacle and once you get in the water the coral (and fish) are right up there amongst the better snorkeling spots in the world. However, the number of tour boats anchored up is really quite depressing. Each boat is only allocated a very small area in which its passengers can snorkel. This means limited scope for exploring and zero scope for getting away from the hordes of people. This is a problem because people don't look out for each other very well whilst snorkeling (which is understandable) and so you spend a lot of time fighting people off as they inadvertently swim into you or kick you in the face with flippers.

We had a great time at the Molokini Crater. We did the Express tour which was just perfect for my husband and 5 year old. Although there were no turtles there was lots of fish. They weren’t too bothered that there wasn’t any turtles as its so easy to see turtles swimming in Maui and near the shore.

I loved snorkeling here. On the way back saw a few whales which added to the experience! I highly recommend snorkeling here.

Molokini has average coral, clear water but very few fish. There were over 10 boats with hundreds of people all looking for fish. I saw more fish off my hotel beach.
They also take you to turtle town. Out of hundreds of snorkellers a handful saw a turtle.

Molokini is really pristine compared to the beaches around Maui. Beautiful coral and lots of fish. After storms the area gets blown out, so ask around before booking a trip. Lanai is a great alternative.

Although our tour guides were great and on-time. This crater is NOT worth the visit (time or money) since we saw minimal fish, minimal coral - You're better off exploring the many snorkeling options the island has to offer. I would not recommend any tours here to anyone.

Most of the people in the boat looked just as disappointed as us and the couple next to us recommended we drive up to the NW shore which was SO much better.

The waters are ridiculously clear and teaming with life. Visibility was easily 150-200ft with several fish species, eels, turtles and an octopus sighted in less than 30 minutes. Best spot is near the crater wall, or oddly, near the boat once all the snorkelers have swam away from it toward the crater, the fish are maybe too clever?

The submerged caldera a few miles off the coast of Maui surely is a popular spot to see marine life--everything from brightly colored fish to coral to sharks to turtles to octopus. A first time visitor will be delighted with the amazing variety. Frequent visitors will notice the coral has bleached considerably due to warmer water, and the quantity of fish seems reduced. Still, go and enjoy a snorkel or snuba trip. Do wear a long-sleeved rapid-dry shirt if you will be in the water long, to protect your skin from burn, and avoid wearing sunscreen; the film it makes on the water messes with the ecosystem. Be ready to share the water with dozens of other boats in this popular spot; there's room to share.

Molokini is an average snorkeling spot. Not worth the money, in my opinion. I did see two Pennant Fish. But I’ve been at much better spots without paying a couple hundred bucks. Also, the surf can get serious and cutoff your trip. About 30 minutes in the waves got big. We only spent about 50 minutes on site. Two people were seasick on the way back.

We joined PWF snorkeling tour to Molokini Crater. Departure at 7am. It was an amazing tour, water was calm and clear. We get to snorkel site early before the other charters came in and got so crowded. We saw the Hawaiian state fish, butterfly fish and couple of others. The charter captain even took the boat around to let us see the back side of the Crater, it was so cool.

The sea life was pretty underwhelming when we were there. The boat ride was fun, but the actual snorkeling wasn't great. The water was really rough and it was just the same kind of fish over and over. No turtles or anything interesting. I saw a turtle, eel, and octopus off the beach of our hotel the next day. We did sea a seal when we were leaving on the rocks, which made me worried it was sick or something out there all alone.

I am born and raised here on Maui and have been on other snorkel tours. But by far the Trilogy was my favorite.From the beginning Captain Katie and her crew greeted everyone with a smile and made you feel at home . They were very professional and informed us with safety tips . The weather was beautiful and we started out with fresh cinnamon rolls and fruits. We glided into Molokini for our snorkeling. The water was crystal clear and beautiful . I live on Maui surrounded by this beauty ever day. It's great way to take a mini vacation and play tourist for the day . My favorite part was turtle town. The water was so blue and you could see the turtles sitting at the bottom of the oceans floor .The staff was very helpful with getting everyone on board and lunch was served. I wanna say Mahalo to captain Katie, Rich and all of the staff for giving me the break that I needed.

Visited the Crater on Pride of Maui. We scuba dived and snorkeled and enjoyed our visit. Highly recommend visiting when in Maui you will not be disappointed

Most of my time at Molokini has been spent Scuba Diving, but the snorkeling there is great as well. I have dove Molokini more than a thousand times and still look forward to my next dive there. Being set offshore of Maui, in the middle of the ocean, you never know what Pelagic animal might swim by, Whale, Manta, Shark, Snapper etc.., but at the very least you have really clear water, under 100ft vis is rare, lots of beautiful reef, coral and tons of fish. Likely are White Tip Reef Sharks, eels, Octopus, Big Jacks/Trevally/Ulua. Snorkel boats all go to back of crater, still nice but if your a "water/boat" person, recommend booking dive for sure, but even snorkel on a "dive" boat as they go to best spots, out on edges of crater, better reef, animals & possibilities!

I love this place! Got to snorkel here while in Maui and wow it's amazing! Crystal clear water w/ so much life around you and even at your toes you have fish swimming around your boat. I was able to see so much life down at the bottom. This was one of my favorite experiences in Maui! I highly recommend going to Molokini!!! I went with the Pacific Whale Foundation! On our return to shore we were also about to catch some whales! Had a blast!

We rented a boat to go out to Molokini. The trip out was a little rough(definitely not the Gulf of Mexico) but when we arrived at the crater we were protected. We were all alone in the crater and made our time there even more special. The water was crystal clear, the view better than any picture or video you’ve ever seen. For us renting a boat is the only way to do it. Aloha Outdoors provides a thorough orientation, pre-rental safety brief and on site brief. We had 4 in our party and the boat rental was cheaper than what you’d pay for a guided excursion, we went at our own pace and spent as much time as we chose at the crater.

The Seafire crew offered an amazing day of snorkeling at Molokini Crater featuring an abundance of sea life and coral in crystal clear waters as well as an impressive vessel set up for ease of crew, passengers, couples, friends, families etc - offering a light meal and refreshments.
Captain Don, Kelly & Vanessa were forever vigilant and took great care of all passengers including the few sea sick warriors. Prior to returning to Kihei boat ramp we stopped at a Sea Turtle habitat, saw & swam near some magnificent creatures. A great 3 hour adventure, well worth it. Many thanks to Capt Don, Kelly & Vanessa.
Mahalo - Steve & Joanna.

We booked the trip out to Molokini on a catamaran having read good reviews on TripAdvisor. Lovely day all round. The teenagers tried Huka diving- basically the scuba tank stays in a small boat on the surface and they had weight belts and a 3m/10ft air tube that let them get down very close to the coral and the sealife. We snorkeled, and saw a wide variety of fish and sea urchins on the coral. Beautiful birds too on the cliffs, including some I have yet to identify. Molokini is a bird sanctuary with no human presence so wonderful to see them nesting in the cliffs undisturbed.

After visiting Maui twice before, finally made it to Molokini with my sons. Went on Blue Water Rafting snorkeling trip to the Kanaio Coast, Molokini Crater and turtle town! It was FANTASTIC!! Our Captain did a great job in spite of choppy seas and our guide was an encyclopedia of incredible facts and stories. (sorry guys - I don't remember your names - my bad) Spent about 5 1/2 hours on the water and it included muffins and juice for breakfast as well as deli sandwiches for lunch. At turtle town we saw 5-6 turtles and my older son told me - 'dad - I have to admit - I had a silly grin on my face when I first saw a sea turtle!' I think that says it all!! Highly recommended!!

Maui Magic Snorkel Cruise was just what we were looking for! 10 teens all enjoyed the laid back crew, beautiful snorkeling, great burgers!! Highly recommend!

We did a morning trip to molokini on Four Winds IV. It was a single destination trip so we spent all our time at molikini. This is an unbelievable place with water so clear it's almost unreal. Many trips advertise a second location under various names including the word turtle. Far as I can tell, this means the reef at Po'olenalena Beach, which you can access from shore. So I'd skip the "turtle arches" or "turtle rocks" tours and max out your time at molokini. I'd recommend Four Winds IV The crew is professional and efficient and the boat is comfortable -- and they serve a real lunch. If you like snorkeling you have to do this trip. Even if you've never done it, it's a protected area with little current and the crew will show you enough to get going.

If you've ever done a boat cruise with snorkeling and lunch before, it's pretty much that. If not, basically they take you out to the crater and set you loose to snorkel or do snuba (a separate paid activity that is pretty fun!). Then they provide lunch which was pretty decent. Lots of colorful fish and the water is crystal clear. We used Four Winds for our cruise.

Molokini is a great place for snorkeling off of Maui - you just need to take a boat to get there. It is a preservation area, so there are plenty of fish. The water is very clear as well - visibility up to 100+ feet. The day we were there, the water was a little choppy, but the viewing was still great. The right side of the crater seemed to have more activity.

This is a one and done trip . . .but worth it. Pass on the wet suit if the guide tries to sell you. It's not needed. You are in the Pacific. The water is awesome. Don't worry about the wind . . .the crater is protected by Haleakala. Fun day!

Snorkeled a bunch of times and wanted to go to Molokini Crater because it's supposed to be one of the top places to go.

Well, it may have been 10 years ago but not anymore. Most of the reef is dying due to sunscreen and overuse by the tour boats. I counted no less than 9 boats parked when we arrived.

We saw a few fish and even did some snuba to get deeper, but that wasn't impressive either. There are far better places to go that are much closer/cheaper. I wouldn't go back.

What an awesome spot to snorkel! Not a swimmer, I was able to snorkel and see the reef underneath! What a beautiful world down there! I saw so many fish, some bright yellow fish and even a few long yellow fish shaped like eels.

Note: I could feel the waves by the end of the trip. We ended up with some seasickness but it was all worth it.

Went with Trilogy who looked after us very well on this trip. We were given a bit of history and localised information and the chance to snorkel in a volcanic crater. Fish were plentiful though I believe we were lucky with the weather. We then snorkelled again in Turtle Town where we saw a few turtles and then sailed back to the harbour. Super trip.

My snorkling trip with the Trilogy V was fantastic. The crew member was awsome, starting with Captain Martin, Jill (so sweet) Nick (made laugh the whole trip) and Byron very proffesional.
I am going to go again but with them, the best experience on any snorkling trip and I have taken several in different countries.
I am very satisfied and I want to congratulate them for their excellent customer service.

We were suppose to go to turtle town and the crater, we didn't get to either one. the weather report was for high winds and we called ahead to see if going out, they said no problem. We spent an hour going over to turtle town only to be told no visibility in water. Then we were told no chance at crater. spent another 45 min going to a shoreline cove where we were promised lots of turtles but there were none, snorkeling was fare and water very cold and I had got the wet suit. Then off to another place which we were told we would have 45 min in water, 10min later called us out. Very disappointing day. Crew were very nice and tried their best to be positive. Also breakfast and lunch very minimal and food was cold. I am a vegetarian and I got a little cold pasta for lunch, I had called ahead here too and told plenty of options for vegetarians, think most of us disappointed.

We enjoyed snorkeling here. The water was incredible clear. We saw a lot of fish but not a ton of variety. We went at the very end of March and got to see a mom and baby whale on our way out which made the experience even neater.

Went on a guided tour here with my wife and 5 year old. Water visibility is excellent, but conditions were a little rough. Wear a wetsuit if you gave the option. Saw fish but not huge numbers. If you are not comfortable Snorkeling our inexperienced this is a good choice, but pricey. Tons of great spots on South Maui/ Makena that you can do from shore and I think better. Boss Frogs have good snorkel rentals.

This is an absolute must for anyone who enjoys snorkeling. The water is so warm and the fish are amazing. My wife and I took a snorkeling tour out to the crater one morning and had such a good time we decided to go back a second time. This truly is a unique and remarkable place! I took my gopro on both occasions, the fish are so used to people they swim all around you!

I doubted long to do this trip. Would it be worth the money, compared to off-shore snorkelling? After a disappointment at Olowalu, I decided to give it a try. We went with blue water rafting. I liked the tour they do at the caves and la perouse bay before heading to molokini. Even though we arrived later (9-10am?), the water was still very clear. The coral was very much alive. There were plenty of fish, I saw many eels. The best was the snorkeling at the underwaterwall of the crater. I loved to go over the edge, and we could hear the whale sounds of the nearby whales (saw them earlier on the boat) very well. I really loved this experience. True, I could hear them later at some other offshore places too, but the coral was the best at this place. For Maui Molokini was the best, Ahihi second and Ulua third. I did not like so much Black Rock for snorkeling. Due to too rough waters we missed the back side, I understood that would have been the best experience.

I've snorkled all over the world, and thought Molokini would be great. Turns out to be just OK. It's a fairly deep reef - 20 plus feet - so if you're snorkling it is tough to get up close to the fish for photography, which is most of what I do. Better probably to scuba,but I didn't bring my gear. On this trip we also snorkled off Kauai, which was much better.

Our family of four took a half-day snorkeling trip with the Pacific Whale Foundation. We visited Turtle Town and then Molokini Crater. This was by far the highlight of our trip. The boat had quite a few people on it, but it did not seem like there were that many because you could sit at the bottom or top of the boat. The crew was incredibly knowledgeable, and I felt better about taking the trip with PWF because they are a non-profit, and take extreme caution on their tours. We were fed breakfast (banana bread, pastries, fruit, juice and coffee) and the crew gave us some information and history on Maui and how the PWF works to protect marine life. Wetsuit rentals were available, which is a good idea to avoid getting sunburned. Normally, the boat goes to Molokini first, but since the weather conditions were so good, we stopped at Turtle Town first. The crew prioritizes safety, so we were given boundaries as to where we could snorkel, and we were able to snorkel for an hour. I had the fear that we would not see any turtles, but I had the opportunity to see three turtles! It was the coolest thing because I had never seen them before. Then, on the way to Molokini Crater, since it was nearing the end of whale migration season, we were able to see whales off in the distance. As we continued, turns out that those whales were a mom and a baby whale. The boat driver stopped, and we watched the whales (a third one showed up also) for a solid 30 minutes. The whales were about 100 yards away from our boat, and they frequented flipped their tails, and the baby whale almost fully breached. I almost started crying tears of joy, no one on the boat could believe their eyes. As this was happening, the crew members were educating us on humpback whales. I would like to applaud the crew members, because they had absolutely no obligation to stop and let us watch the whales because we were not on a whale watching tour, but they did. They sacrificed their schedules and time just so we could see these beautiful animals. After doing so, we headed off to Molokini Crater. Several passengers were getting seasick because the water was a bit rough, and the crew members were great when it came to helping individuals deal with being seasick. At Molokini, I did notice that there was not much place to go because we had certain boundaries we needed to stay in. However, the water was clear and beautiful, and we saw several different kinds of fish and coral. On the way back to the dock, the ride was much smoother, and they served us lunch. Lunch was actually very delicious (chicken, burgers, hot dogs, bean salad, fruit, alcohol and soft drinks). Overall, our family really enjoyed this tour and we would highly recommend it! Seeing the turtles, whales, and the crater still does not even seem real...

Water was so clear and so much marine life to snorkel with. Unfortunately we didn’t see any turtles on our trip but we did see 3 or 4 whales on both our trip out to the crater and back. Great trip.

Lots of different snorkeling tour boats, but trying out Molokini is a must. Though protected, do go on a calm day if you have a choice, snorkeling will be much easier and water even clearer. Many schools. Not a huge variety but very worth it. Go very early in the day.

Having read the reviews I thought I had checked all the boxes, sadly not. Despite morning trip when calm waters, smaller boat (I was not interested in ‘free’ alcohol or gourmet food), early start to be one of the first of many boats to the crater, this has to be the most over-hyped experience ever. The reef is a mess, coral bleaching beyond belied and sadly mostly dead.
To explain further there were 4 boats when we arrived despite leaving at 7.30am from Kihea boat ramp. Having watched the masses leaving before us herded onto boats with capacity of 150, I knew this was not going to be a magical experience. I was right. The reef has zero color, visibility was awful being churned up by 250 snorkellers most who had no idea how to snorkel. Yes there were a few fish but I spent more time looking around for fellow snorkellers who bumped into you literally.
If you are there for a nice boat ride to see the crater, look for the birds inhabit the walls and get a nice view of Maui from the boat you’ll have a wonderful time. On the plus side the crew on ‘Seafire Charters’ I have reviewed separately, were amazing, took us on a separate snorkel tour away from the boats and followed it up with a successful trip to turtle town.
To put this review in perspective we went to Kapalua Bay ourselves the next day, snorkelled off the beach with easy access to the north shore rocks, saw a beautiful reef with living colorful coral, calm waters with great visibility, a wide variety of plentiful fish and a handful of people! Felt like this was the Maui snorkeling we expected.
Take your choice! Just know before you go and don’t read too much into 5 star reviews!

We took a guided tour out to the crater, and this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The water is crystal clear, and there was a good amount of sea life to be seen. We did the early morning trip, and so the crater was not that crowded when we arrived. By the time we left, it was pretty crowded, but there seemed to be plenty of space for everyone. I highly recommend this for anyone - couples, families, solo, etc.
We splurged on the SNUBA option which, in my opinion, was fun but didn't really add that much to the experience. I would have been just as happy in a regular snorkel. Perhaps if the whole group had been at about the same level of experience and confidence, it would have been better - so if you have a group of friends that will all be in the same group, it will probably be worth it, but most of the time we were doing SNUBA it was about not leaving anyone behind and (with good reason) making sure everyone was safe. If you're considering learning how to SCUBA dive, this is a good introduction to what it is like. Otherwise, just stick to snorkeling.

Molokini is a beautiful dive spot with crystal clear waters. There are lots of different fish on this reef along with other reef life. I would suggest doing an early morning tour before the majority of tour boats come out - we went on a 7 AM excursion with Trilogy and were only 1 of 3 boats in the crater when we were there. We also opted for the snuba upgrade so we were able to dive 15 feet below all of the snorkelers which was an amazing experience. Worth a trip for sure.

Six of us took a tour on the Calypso to Molokini crater and Turtle town. I actually liked the reef and sea life better at turtle town but it was pretty cool to snorkel in a crater. We saw multiple different fish including a ginormous eel at the crater and wonderful reef and multicolored fish at turtle town. We saw turtles too of course and even starfish. Good day all around. The boat and staff were wonderful.

Went on a snorkel tour on the Calypso this past week. Great snorkeling, beautiful coral and an all around good time. Worth the visit and the $$

The water is as blue as the picture. The fish are amazing. The island is smaller then you think. if your luck your guides may let you swim into the abyss and listen to the whales sing. That was the most amazing sound I have ever heard and won't forget it.

Well worth the cost of a catamaran snorkel tour. The crater wall has hundreds of beautiful fish and other sea life. Water is crystal clear and cold!!

Overall this was a fun, cool experience, the crew was knowledgeable and gave you everything you needed to snorkel with and even provided wet suits for rent as well. You can even have your picture taken underwater by them if you want to pay extra for it. If you choose to go on this tour you should go as early as possible because the longer you wait the more choppy the waters are. My sister got seasick on the way there and could barely move without feeling really nauseous and the crew was very helpful, they gave her ginger tea and some mint balm to make her feel better and even periodically checked up on her to make sure she doing okay.

We made two stops, one at the crater and another at a lava tube to see turtles and at both we had an hour to swim around and to me it felt like a short amount of time because I was enjoying it so much, but it was nice that it was in a controlled area, there were life guards present and it was fun to be able to see far out ocean life that you couldn't see on the coast.

The actual trip to the crater was pretty good however, we nearly didn’t get onboard as our names did not appear on their manifest. I booked in June and it was now December, and we were told to wait until the end as they were at full capacity (149) to see if there were any “no shows”. I called the company direct two days before with my name to reconfirm. There were chickens crowing in the background of this call, so clearly this person did not have access to any passenger manifest. The crew made everyone line up in the rain for a long time after completing their waiver. There was plenty of room under cover to wait. Lunch was still being delivered during our wait and a crew member dropped a huge bowl of pasta salad all over the wharf. This should have been onboard long before we all arrived. At the end, three people cancelled as it was raining when they arrived so we were able to board. A family of 8 were also turned away as they had booked a whale watching tour but were somehow directed to this snorkeling trip. They were not happy and disappointed; probably their last day. There was no apology to us, just “oh, did you book online?”, as if it was our fault.

Molokini crater has decent amount of fish and turtles, though we didn't see nearly as many as advertised. Lots of boats there and definitely go in the morning before tons of boats get there and the water is crowded with snorkellers. The snuba experience was cool and we were able to go down 30 - 40 feet to see the fish and turtles more closely. Recommend doing it if your ears can stand the additional pressure.

The guides were very friendly, helpful and accommodating. The site was somewhat crowded and the snorkeling was OK, nothing extraordinary. The reefs were very pretty.

We did this tour because it was recommend by a few people and we trusted their points of view. We wish we didn't. Very windy and now that I look back on the not so great reviews, they all came true on our trip. Not great snorkelling. We went to a small public beach a few days later, on another island, and for free, saw more fish and coral.

My family of 5 adults went on this snorkeling adventure with Calypso!!!!
So fun.
The staff were awesome! We felt well cared for and safe as there were always staff in the water with us. We saw so many different fish, sea urchins, and turtles and more turtles!!!
Be sure and book with Calypso!!
I can promise you will not regret this day!!!!

We loved this tour! We saw so many beautiful sealife and they even took us to Turtle Bay and we actually saw and swam with them! Crew was very nice. One of the highlights of our trip!

We went out for our 2nd snorkeling day of the week. And the place didn’t disappoint. We decided to try the afternoon session which is normally not recommended as winds pick up and waters are choppy. This was true for us as well but just for the entire ride to and from between the harbor and the crater. While the big vessel was anchored, we sure enjoyed our 1 hour long snorkeling along the cliffs or ridges of this amusing crater. The fishes and sea creatures were colorful, abundance, and beautiful. So two thumbs up for this event.

We also got lucky and spotted 2-3 Pilot Whales which according to the captain of the boat are rare to spot. He said the last time he saw one was 8 years ago. So we had a blast and were luck. You should also go and give it a try.

Underwhelming. Not much to see other than small fish that you can see anywhere in the beach in Maui. Sometimes whales came by but is not worth the money! 🫠

Molokini Crater is not to be missed! It was, hands down, the Best part of our vacation! Get a reputable company to take you....Boss Frog was great for us!

Snorkeling at Molokini Crater.... is stunning! charter out with my daughter Whale watching then snorkeling so Beautiful

We loved this excursion. The snorkeling was amazing and the water was enjoyable. Waves not to bad. Great fish to view. Great food and really better drinks than we had prior. They even had a nice BBQ lunch. We all really enjoyed this excursion to Molokini crater snorkling.

We came here on the Calypso to snorkel, but the waves were over 6 feet. The crater looked beautiful, but some said there aren’t many fish because of the sandy bottom

We went with a group of 10 (mixed kids and adults). Beautiful area and lots of different fish to look at. Our group provided noodles, waist belts and all of the gear. The boat allowed jumping from ~5 ft, leaping from a water level platform or taking a slide. They provided a small breakfast and grilled meats and salads/drinks for lunch. We couldn't go to the Turtle Beach due to murky waters from recent high surf, so we stayed at the crater longer and they boated to turtle areas and we saw about 5 swimming & offered extra drinks from the bar. Highly recc on a trip to Maui!

If you are only interested in a nice boat ride with breakfast and lunch, you'll enjoy the trip out to the crater. However, if you're looking forward to snorkeling and seeing lots of fish, you'll be extremely disappointed and will feel like your time and money were wasted.

They really should ban boats from going to the crater until the fish population returns and then significantly limit the number of boats and snorkers allowed to visit the crater so future generations can enjoy it.

The snorkeling was beautiful with lots of colorful fish. On the boat ride we learned about the Pacific Whale Foundation and I adopted a whale named Lucinda!

Our first excursion while on Pride of America Hawaii cruise was one of the best we took. We boarded the Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Odyssey catamaran for an approximate hour cruise to Molokini Crater. During the cruise, we were treated to a Continental Breakfast of Banana bread, assorted pastries and fresh island fruit. The crew (names I wrote down were Jill, Torsion, Mike, and Larry) was excellent and helpful.
The water was clear and although the coral was not very bright, I thoroughly enjoyed the 45 minutes we had to snorkel at Molokini where I filmed coral and fish. We were then transported a short distance to Turtle Cove where I was able to "snorkel with the turtles". Our time there was 20-30 minutes and was most enjoyable. The turtles are huge and swam very close to us as we snorkeled to view them. Unfortunately, the only "pictures" I got of the turtles is a video--as you see in the pics I submitted "new camera"
On our way back we were treated to a good lunch of BBQ grilled chicken breasts, hot dogs, garden burgers, potato salad, corn and bean salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
The entire excursion was approximately 5 hours. I felt good knowing that our excursion price went to the non-profit foundation.

We had a great trip to & from the crater. What no-one will tell you, because their businesses depend on tourist money, is that the fish aren't that abundant because the coral has been bleached by the high ocean temperature that has bleached a lot of the coral they feed off. (I can't post the URL but Google Hawaii Public Radio and coral bleaching September 2019.)

Early in the morning is the best time, midday on is hot, & visibility lower. There are several large boats that go that then dump 100 - 200 people at a time to snorkel, so it can get crowded. Choose a boat trip that uses smaller boats & also can go to other locations. We saw Spinner Dolphins, which was the highlight more than the crater snorkelling. Go with a boat that had proper marine biologists to explain Mother Nature to you.

Taking the boat out to the dive area is worht the trip alone...you should see whales, dolphins and turtles, depending on the season. When your boat anchors at Molokini, you have arrived at the Premier Dive and Snorkel location on Maui. This extinct crater offers great protection for a wide variety of sea creatures...you will not be disappointed. Most charters to Molokini do a great job of providing wonderful on board service with food and beverage for your enjoyment, Make a day of it...and ENJOY!

Visited Molokini with a family of 5 with one of the local dive shops. The dive shop personnel were superb and provided snorkeling equipment, transportation, breakfast and lunch. I tried twice to do this trip and had to reschedule do to weather. Sounds like the forces of nature also have a huge say in the quality of your trip to/from this attraction. Molokini carter itself is a natural wonder and deserves a 5 star. The waters on site are pristine and diving and snorkeling are superb. The boat trip can be rough and perhaps it would be a better option to schedule with an operator that has large boats, and offer a more stable ride over the ocean. Our boat was medium sized and every member of my family got seasick. The trip from Maalea harbor is about 45 minutes each way. In terms of snorkeling Maui has many spots were you can snorkle from the beach without needing a boat ride. My favorite was Kapalua bay in this trip. Diving is a different issue since these folks tend to see more/different stuff at 60 feet than the folks snorkeling at the surface. So in summary the Molokini crater in my options is worth visiting, with the caveat that the boat ride can be rough and also in balance with the fact that easier snorkeling spots are accessible in multiple beaches of Maui. Also snorkeling from the beach is free if you have the basic equipment, and going to Milokini requires arranging a boat excursion with one of the many tour operators in the island and the fees involved.

Molokini Crater is a great place to go snorkeling! Most Resort hotels have activity centers that can set you up for a day of snorkeling at Molokini Crater and Turtle Cove.

We had amazing weather and there had been rain before so the crater was green and beautiful. Skip the snuba and just get out there and snorkel! All the fish are along the crater wall. We saw huge eels! Always fun to see something a little creepy. All the fish were beautiful and this place is WELL worth the tour.

Trilogy has been in business for over 40 years, providing sailing/snorkeling trips to the islands near Maui. We recently cruised with Captains Jeff and Brian and their outstanding crew to Molokini, a crater formation that provides a sheltered area for snorkeling. The crew is very helpful for both first time and experienced snorkelers. We had our 6 year old granddaughter with us, who is a strong pool swimmer but was hesitant to go off the boat. The crew helped her with her gear and mentioned that she could use a boogie board to lay on while she floated - once she heard that, she was in the water and was very excited to see all the fish. After Molokini, we sailed to another cove off of Maui and were able to watch the sea turtles under the water. A continental breakfast and delicious lunch was served. The sail back to the harbor was a fun adventure as the winds pick up in the afternoon and you experience a great ride. We chose the half day cruise that began at 8:00 am and returned by 1:30, but the company also offers other cruises of varying lengths. It is recommended that snorkelers wear a rash guard rather than sun screen, since the chemicals in the sun screen are contributing to the deterioration of the coral reefs. They do not allow aerosol sun screen on the boat because it makes the deck slippery. Bring towels and your camera for great photo ops. We enjoyed every minute and highly recommend Trilogy cruises.

It is a wonderful place for snorkeling however getting there requires joining a tour. Bring lots of sunscreen.

They say, "the 3rd time is the charm" and that was how it is for us: twice before we came to Maui and we could not snorkel Molokini due to epic strong winds. we'd just had bad luck, BUT this 3rd time we had perfect conditions...in every way. The chalk board at Blue Water indicated "EPIC" conditions for Molokini and that's what we experienced! We took an 11am high speed boat and were joined by only two other passengers, and NO other charter boats at the crater. So, we had the place to ourselves and the lighting and viz was exceptional. Reasonable pricing to boot! the corals and numbers of fish matched all of the raves we've heard about Molokini for our snorkeling friends. Capt'n Larry was terrific on the Pineapple Express. Yes, the ocean swells rose for our return to shore at 1pm, but that's okay!

We had a great day of snorkeling at Molokini Crater - this is a MUST SEE if you are on Maui. Although the waves were big cruising out to the site, it wasn't bad at the crater. Crystal clear water allows you to see everything. Great coral and fish the day we went. We saw at least 20 different species of fish - not sure what happened to others that claim there are no fish here - they were there when we went in Feb 2018.

I also recommend going through the Pride of Maui as the tour company (see my review of them).

Got up very early to take the boat ride out to the crater. It seems that these boats going out have assigned positions in the area.

Nice snorkeling with lots of fish to see. Wet suit not necessary.

Lots of people having fun

Water is clear compared to other Maui snorkel sites. Transport can take a while. Better snorkeling than Lanai.

We snorkeling at the crater.. The snorkeling was very very clear and the visibility was amazing!! The color of the coral was the best part or the experience I thought.. the amount of fish we saw was not as much as I was expecting but just swimming/snorkeling in the deep ocean by the crater seeing all the colorful coral made this experience!! The boat ride was also a fun part of the experience.. we bought tickets at the boss frog store for a good discount

Really enjoyed our trip on The Trilogy to Molokini. Staff was excellent, food was good. They paid attention to details and ran a very tight ship. Crew was very knowledgeable. We saw lots of whales on our trip too.Snorkel mask for glasses wearer is perfect. It was a really nice adventure. We have take. Other snorkel trips while visiting Maui and Trilogy is by far the best.

I come to the island to stay with my grandpa every year and finally this last trip I decided to go visit Molokini! I found a great snorkeling tour that set off from wailea. It started at around 6:30 am and we were the first ones to make it to molokini. Nobody else was around which was nice! There were fish everywhere!!! The most I have seen in one area here in Maui. There were mostly black fish but if you get close to the rock edge you can find some other colorful fish. We spent an hour and a half or so here which was a perfect amount of time to explore the little cove and see the fish. Be careful if you get close to the rocks edge because the waves can really push you into them unexpectedly. This has been one of my favorite places to snorkel!

Scenic boat ride, lots of fish, clear water. Get there early, as the big, slow boats will crowd the area.

Took morning trip to crater. Absolutely clear water and an abundance of fish and even sea turtles. Will do again.

Molokini is very beautiful and a nice boat ride from Lahaina but the snorkeling is only average. It is very crowded and the reefs are showing years of excessive use.

Molokini crater is way too commercialised. The water clarity is amazing but the reef pales in comparison to the Great Barrier Reef. Quicksilver charter... Reasonable trip , but the staff think they are way too cool ... They were most friendly at the end of the trip .....awaiting their TIP... At the crater itself easily 10-12 boats minimum, with at the very least 100 passengers each... So likely a thousand people swimming in a pre determined area relative to your boat. What ever you pay (even a free trip ) it's not worth it. Turtle town....didn't see one.

This is true. We booked our trip with Pacific Whale Foundation and took their Wild Side trip. The boat only carries a max of 38 passengers; we were 24. At 6 hours, this is a relatively long outing but time flies fast.

Our captain anchored the boat near the edge and allowed us to snorkel the crater for a good hour. We saw plenty of fish and coral.

To our surprise, when we finished snorkelling, our captain took us on the back side of the crater. We went with our guide in the water and snorkelled along the 200 foot drop. Amazing!!! This was a treat for us... We saw mostly the same fish as in the crater but they gathered on the vertical cliff. It was special to be able to see so far down the vertical drop.

This was the best and most amazing snorkelling experience. Our only regret was not taking an underwater camera with us. Many thanks to Laura, Calen and our captain at Pacific Whale Foundation.

We took the Molokai Crater and turtle snorkel trip through Norwegian Cruise line.
#1 staff and captain were amazing
#2 continental bkfast with fresh fruit and pastries was delicious.
#3 bbq lunch was delicious ( chicken or veggie patty or hotdog with all the fixins. Pasta salad and bean& corn salad. First drink free. Second drink $5. Cookies
#4 water was chilly. DEFINITELY recommend renting the wetsuit. $10 & worth it.
#5 2 bathrooms on board 👍
#6 water was crystal clear. Like the Caribbean.
#7 saw several varieties of eel. Needle fish. Some jack fish, at least 4 other varieties.
#8 did not go to the spot the turtles were. Disappointing. They said it was due to murky water from yesterday’s storm. That was part of the reason we booked this tour😞
#9 good education on fish and coral life.
#10 100’s of people in the water ( several snorkeling boats were there. But it wasn’t any worse than Hanauma bay!
#11 didn’t love that they make everyone walk past the ‘tip’ jar to exit ( as they ask for tips) I have no prob making an announcement that ‘tips are appreciated’.. but this felt very awkward.
#11 overall..I recommend this trip.

An exciting scenario: swimming in a submerged crater of which only part of the half-moon cone emerges and inside a real aquarium with myriads of fish of all colors and species as well as many corals. It's a shame that although the area is a marine reserve with many prohibitions, organized trips and private boats risk undermining the ecosystem

I think Molokini Crater is a little overrated. It's still a cool place to snorkel and see a lot of fish. It was a bit rough when we were out, so got pushed around a lot by the ocean. It was pretty crowded and really cold. We didn't see anything super cool or different from the snorkeling around Maui.

This was a great advenutre but it can be very rough out there so not for first time snorkelled ! Great ride over to the crater. We saw a sharp, turtles and lots of fish!
Must be confident in your snorkel skills!

Molokini.

If you read some of the other reviews you will find that they also say the fish were few and far between and that the coral is mostly dead. We went on the Lani Kai boat on December 4, 2015. The boat was OK. One crew member was grumpy and that sort of ruined things, but the Capt did find whales and went out of his way to show them to us. The Lani Kai is better than the Quicksilver or Pacific Whale Foundation as both of those boats put 100 snorkelers out in the water at one time.

If you read other reviews you will also find that a big complaint is the amount of boats at the crater and the number of people that are snorkeling around. It was crazy full of people, and boats and not much fun.

The coral is mostly dead or dying. One crew member told us that about 50% of the coral died in the past year because of the warm water. Being an avid scuba diver I believe her. I was truly saddened to hear that and see it in person. There were no, zero, nada soft corals like sea fans or anemones and the hard corals were almost 100% dead. This is why there are no fish. The little fish have no place to hide from the big fish and they get eaten and don’t have a chance to get big. Soon there will be no fish at the crater instead of the hundred or so hardy blue tangs.

There were lots of blue tangs. They greeted the boat when it pulled off. Likely hoping for crumbs of sandwiches or bagels. But other than that there were only a few other types of fish. We did see one trumpet fish, a couple of yellow tangs, some sergeants and butterfly fish.

The water was blowing into the crater so the visibility was good but not fantastic. The water was also a little colder than expected s0 if you do go, and I do not recommend it, but if you do go rent a wet suit to keep a little warmer and more comfortable.

Here is the scoring summary.
NO soft coral – minus 4
Dead or dying hard corals – minus 4
Ten boats in the crater with anywhere from 15 – 100 people on them – minus four.
Bumping into people the whole time we were trying to snorkel – minus four.
Being able to say you snorkeled at Molokini – plus one.

Note;
After we went to Molokini we went to the “turtle town” or turtle arches. The coral was bad there too. No soft corals. But the hard corals were only 70% dead or ruined by snorkelers and or divers. But the fish life was better.
The day after we took our car and parked off of Makena road and went snorkeling off the beach towards the turtle town. (Turtle town is about 300 meters from the beach.) We saw more coral and four green sea turtles there than we did from the snorkel boat.

Save your money. Do not go to Molokini on any boat unless you either want to:
1. Be extremely disappointed.
2. Need to say you snorkeled/SNUBAd at Molokini.

Otherwise do not bother.

I can’t swim and I was nervous about snorting obviously. What you see underwear is awesome ! Lots of fishes ! The coral reef is so nice and colorful I would deff recommend for anyone traveling to Maui to do this! Weather you know how to swim or not I used a noodle and belt to float

Although the choppiness from the waves from all of the boats made the snorkeling a little difficult; the view in the water was fabulous! The colors were bright and there was a large amount of different fish to view. We are good swimmers but we had to use pool noodles to help with snorkeling in the choppy waters. Was an awesome experience!

I decided to have a tour to this crater, the tour also includes swimming with turtles.......frankly this last attraction was not as good as snorkeling at Molokini Crater. The water was cristal, the fish everything was awesome great.......don't miss it!!!

RedLine Rafting takes you to the interior of the crater which is the inside of the underground volcano (nice calm, shallow, lots to see) AND to the outside which is deep ocean (they call one spot "The Elevator" because of how rough you go up and down in the waves -- I puked at this spot but I LOVED every minute of the trip!!).

We snorkeled the crater with a tour during the first part of our trip. The weather was beautiful and the water was crystal clear. However there were not as many fish as we were expecting. Due to the fact that many tour boats come here you’re restricted to one section to snorkel in. I have no idea if other areas are better but we were a little underwhelmed with the fish and coral here.
We had a much better time an Honolua Bay and saw tons of fish as well as a greater variety. I’d go back to that bay in a heartbeat.

We had a great time snorkeling around the crater. Water so blue and clear it's ridiculous. Lots of cool fish and coral but not really a whole lot else unless you get lucky. There were a couple of people on our trip that seen a small shark. We got to see a few whales on the way there while we were there and on the trip back to land. if you dove under water about 5-10 feet you could here the whales communicate, really cool. It gets really busy because it's one of the most popular snorkeling spots on Maui. Bring sunscreen and a secure hat to keep the sun off your head while on the boat. It's super easy to get burnt in just a few minutes in the water. Also if you got a GoPro or waterproof camera definitely bring them. Our boat had a dry storage for towels and clothes. I'm sure each company might be different. No matter who you charter with definitely snorkel Molokini.

I spent Christmas morning cruising on the Pacific Ocean. The captain and crew were very friendly knowledgeable and entertaining. I’ve never been on a snorkeling tour before so I don’t have anything to compare it to but we seen a lot of whales and the captain stopped so we could take videos and pictures and gave us a lot of cool facts about them which I loved. The only thing I can say is I don’t drink so the extra money for alcohol... especially so early in the morning wasn’t worth it for me. Otherwise I would highly recommend.

This was the second place we went snorkeling in 5 days. 1st was to Honolua bay which was the best place ever, but the 1st time my wife had ever gone snorkeling. I have always wanted to go to the Molokini Crater but scuba rather than snorkel. So we chartered a boat to go to Turtle town by Kihei then to watch some dolphins then to the Crater. Turtle town was pretty good, saw 3 to 4 turtles and lots of fish. Then the captain said the dolphins had left so we went to Molokini Crater. As we approached the inside walls of the crater we saw a few fish that were greeting the boat. After they docked we all went into the water and is was quite a bit cooler than any other place we had been so if they offer a half suite take it. The water was anywhere from 15 to maybe 50 feet deep but the water was so clear it was very easy to see the bottom. There were not as many fish as I thought there should be or different species. There were no sharks, turtles or anything of size there at all. It is a pretty dead place. I will not go back there unless I go scuba on the outside of the crater as I hear it still has plenty of life. If you are going to see lots of fish you might be disappointed. If you can go to Honolua bay do it, it is on the far north end of the island. All the dive shops will know the place and will offer day trips by boat if you want. We drove there.

Molokini Crater mostly is met with one of the Snorkeling tour providers and when on site one is very limited in making a great experience. Many Tourist boats will be on the spot at the same time and the area that can be snorkeled is very limited. In addition one is not allowed to set a foot onto the crater

My family did the Molokini Crater excursion with the Pacifica Whale Foundation. This is a must if you're in Maui. We had a perfect sunny day and the water near the crater was calm. It was as if we were swimming in a very clean aquarium. There wasn’t a lot of different variety of fish and we didn’t see any turtles, which was the one thing we were hoping to see, but is was still worth it. This is listed as one of the top 10 snorkeling sites is the world and now I understand why. If we return to Maui, I would do this again.

We went with one of the charter companies to go snorkeling at Molokini. It was one of the best experiences we had in Maui. The water is so clear! We saw hundreds of colorful beautiful fish. The coral was beautiful. We spent a couple of hours there and I could have stayed longer. I will come back here again. It was so much fun!

My concierge told me I'd picked the best boat and now I've been out on the water with this team I agree. They were awesome. It had been many years since I'd snorkelled and I was nervous but I was fine once in the water. They made me feel safe and cared for. Molokini was amazing. Crowded but good. The food was fabulous, breakfast (including hot bacon), snacks, lunch and drinks. Plenty of it, quality, fresh and lots of healthy options. Too windy for Turtle arches sadly but we had the privilege and rare experience of a deep blue swim which I loved. Then a pleasant sail back to port. These guys attention to detail was amazing even down to cleaning everyone's sunglasses before arriving back in. Meet so many lovely people and had a most memorable day. Thank you team Ali Nui 🙏🏻

Was an hour and half boat ride to the location. Weather was partly cloudy. Water temperature fine. There were four other tour boats there. Guides didn't want you to venture too far from the boat-100 yards. The view from sky looks great. Should allow to explore the crater rim, even on open ocean side. Stayed less than an hour. On my visit few fish; very few fish. No schools of fish. Maybe six species. No variation in coral. No color to the coral. Sand and coral mix. Very disappointed. No where near the hype. Doubt I would go back for free.

I'd seen mixed reviews for snorkelling here, but it did not disappoint. We were lucky with the weather conditions. I've never seen such clear waters. It was a great trip for kids too. Lots to see in a shallow smallish area. Highly recommend!

Beautiful crystal clear water greeted us upon our arrival to Molokini Crater. The dive was wonderful and the fish population was amazing. If I ever go back to Maui, I will visit Molokini again for sure. And I recommend it to everyone. Aloha!

My husband, myself and our 13 year old son did this together and it created the best memories ever! First trip to Maui and this was a must see and well worth it. Please make sure that you book a tour so that you can snorkel this crater.

We made the trip to go snorkeling. The water was pretty rough and there wasn't much to see. I have snorkeled many places and the water here was deep with no reef and not much color. I did not like the waves with my children. The trip took about an hour from the dock which was about as long as my four children could go.

We had a great time here. Absolutely stunning and we were even able to hear the whale calls whilst under the sea. An absolute must!

Everyone told us if we do one thing in Maui that this is it. Because of that, we really got our hopes up. We've done a good amount of snorkeling and this was by far the most disappointing. We were told it would be full of fish, turtles, and beautiful coral. That was not the case.... really long boat ride with very minimal fish and zero turtles...

We went on the Pacific Whale Foundation morning snorkel to Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. The tour was well organized and the crew was competent and friendly. Our big disappointment was the snorkeling itself. It took over an hour to get to Molokini, and when we arrived there were already over a dozen other dive boats in the crater. Our boat had 155 passengers on it (I was standing next to the crew member when she tallied the head count) and even if you average the boats at 100 people each that's well over 1000 snorkelers in the water at once. We were restricted to a narrow area off the stern, which meant we were bumping into other snorkelers at every turn. There were few fish and the coral looks very stressed. We were reloaded after an hour and when we pulled away I counted 16 other dive boats in the crater.

The second dive at a spot called Coral Gardens wasn't much better. Few fish, no turtles, and lots of people in the water. The coral was in better shape, though. Of the five hour trip, over three hours were spent on the boat.

By contrast, we snorkeled the next day at the public beach at Black Rock and though it was somewhat crowded, there were dozens of kinds of fish. Our third snorkel was at the public beach at Kaanapali, and there are extensive reefs right off shore, with far fewer people. We saw more fish, including sea turtles, than at either of the other spots, and the reefs are in far better shape. Fabulous snorkeling!

Unless you really want a trip to see Molokini, it's an expensive trip for mediocre snorkeling among a huge crowd. Save your money and hit the public beaches on west Maui instead.

My family and I spent 2 days here both snorkelling and scuba diving. The snorkelling was really nice for the kids, lots to see for them and the scuba diving was amazing. There was a pod of whales sitting right outside the crater as we dove so we could here them sing underwater. We were out first thing in the morning both time, before the rest of the boats showed up. Trust me, if you want to see this place at its best get out there early!

This is one of the best snorkeling site in Hawaii. The small island looks normal when boat approaching. Once boat anchored, lots of fish with different colors are around the boat. The water is clean and clear! Basically you look like in a natural aquarium.

I have taken a couple of different tours to the crater. Pride of Maui, Maui Magic, both were excellent. Sometimes the crater cooperates and sometimes the ocean is too rough to go. Most tours will take a peak and see what the conditions are like and sometimes you'll know right out of the harbor that they are not good. BUT When conditions are good, it is absolutely mind blowing. The clarity of the water is so clear it's like you're looking through air. The first time I saw Molokini was 5 years ago, and we were a little overwhelmed at being out in the middle of the ocean. We were able to appreciate the clarity of the water, but didn't see many fish because where the boat moored up was deep and we stayed by the boat. If you are a good snorkeler and able to just float and relax in the water, then no matter where your tour moors up swim to the wall of the crater and enjoy the shallower reef. That is where all the fish hang. We saw all kinds of aquarium type fish and even a couple of moray eels. There are always many tours in the water, so you're not alone. While you're near the reef don't forget to look out to the deeper water, you'll be amazed at the clarity of the other snorkelers in the water. It's hard not to get lost in this world, don't forget to check on your boat and make sure you know when they are leaving.

A little disappointing , we saw more fish and turtles on the beaches we went to that cost zero. The boat trip was great and the staff friendly and informative . Waters were crystal clear and calm .You might have better luck than we did .Be aware of who you book with , you might end up at a time share meeting , if the price is too good to be true ...usually is . We booked at the kiosk at 2463 South Kihei RD. beside the subway, staff was local and has all kinds of great tips and info for any adventure ...booked or on your own .

We used one of the tours from Maalaea to go snorkeling in the location.
Good: Water was clear. Beautiful fish. Fun boat ride.
Bad: Waves were really high and with a 3 year old, it got tricky.
Definitely take an underwater camera and maybe your personal snorkeling equipment if you do not want to use the one provided by the tour operators.

This place is really cool, definitely worth to visit while in Maui.

We took the pride of Maui tour charter to go there and the trip was really amazing.

The water is crystal clear and quite warm, you don't need to pay extra money and rent a wet suite (they will offer that in the boat and say the water is cold :) ).

I spent the entire hour in the water and saw a turtle, many different species of fishes. It might be worth to do the Scuba or Snuba diving over there. I will try next time!

This is a fantastic place for snorkelers.

This snorkeling trip aboard the Calypso was was the most organized, friendly, and clean trip I have ever been one. The staff, especially Jesse, was so helpful and friendly. The equipment was clean and well kept. The food was great and plentiful. The actual snorkeling was fantastic. Then we went to Turtle Bay and swam with the sea turtles, defiantly a high point for me. I highly recommend this tour.

This a a great place to Snuba instead of snorkel, because there is a lot more to see closer to the bottom and the best way to get their is to snuba.

This place is a natural wonder and I'm so happy that no one is allowed to build anything here so it can remain a natural wonder.

Also, on the way here we saw an incredible amount of whales, which I also think is a testament to humans not screwing up the area.

We took the morning trip with Quicksilver to Molokini (and afterwards to "Turtle Bay"). The snorkling at Molokini was very nice, but not spectacular like some other trips on Maui.

Do this trip if you love snorkling and want to do it at all the good sites, or if you're willing to spend the money for those extra few % (snorkling at Molokini is probably a few % better than the best spots you could reach via a regular beach).

Skip this trip if you're on a budget and/or are happy to go snorkling via a public beach. You won't get *as* clear waters and *as* many fish in one spot, but you'll get mostly the same fish.

My family and I booked the snorkeling trip to the Molokini Crater through the Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF). We took a morning charter as that was all that was offered through the PWF.

The Crater was...okay. I actually thought the view of the crater from above the water was more impressive than below the water. While there is an abundance of sea life and coral...my family and I felt the snorkeling was better off Airport Beach than that within the crater.

It is very crowded as there many other boats with many other people on them all snorkeling at the same time. While the boats are spaced fairly far apart, it's nearly impossible to venture very far from your boat as you're constantly told by the crews of the boats to stay near your boat. While this is for everyone's safety, it kind of takes the enjoyment out of your snorkeling trip as you don't get a chance to really enjoy the sea life because you're pigeonholed into staying in one specific area.

We experienced far better snorkeling at other locations during our visit. This is only the second "tour" we have ever done when visiting the islands. The first was a helicopter tour on the Big Island. We came away from the Molokini tour feeling the same was as we did when we spent the money on the volcano helicopter tour. We wouldn't recommend it, or do anything like it again. That is just us though. I can see that the Molokini snorkeling trip would be good for people without prior snorkeling experience. We went out on the 7:00 morning trip with the Pacific Whale Foundation. The boat was nice, and they crew served breakfast plates of fruit, and banana bread. They really pushed the need of a wetsuit, and rented several of them out to others. We brought our own snorkeling gear, and forgo the wetsuit rental (and it was completely fine as he water was not that cool). The captain and crew were very strict about how far away from the boat you could go, and made boundaries that were patrolled by several crew members that were in the water on Kayaks. The entire Crater ended up with many other boats in the area so we were ready to leave after about 30 minutes in the water. The water was clear, and we did see some fish, but nothing spectacular or worth the money we spent on this tour. Immediately upon leaving the crater area those seated in the front of the boat spotted dolphins swimming in the front and along side the boats wake. This caused a lot of excitement, and was pretty neat to see. Lunch was provided on the way back, and there were bar drinks available for sale. They push for support of the PWF adoption program, and go around to each person asking for support. The captain reminds everyone to tip generously before you leave the boat. We always tip generously when appropriate, and don't like being reminded to do it.

Started off in the inside of the crater and then went to the outside wall and completed a drift dive, which is a wonderful experience. I would say that this is a must dive for anyone coming to Maui

It is a super nice spot, but it's not world class. Decent amount of fish and variety, not a lot of corals. But plenty of snorkellers... Good visibility. Worthwhile, but don't expect too much

What a great catamaran and crew. The second windiest port in the world was calm and the water was flat on the trip out to Molokini. Fresh fruit and goodies laid out for anyone who hadn't had breakfast. There were wetsuit tops for rent, thank goodness because I had my own long sleeve top and bottom for warmth but needed an extra layer. The waters at Molokini were clear and full of beautiful fish and I saw an eel. After Molokini we went to the appropriately named Turtle town, where we saw many turtles. The trip was educational, the team on board prepared a fabulous lunch, including veggie burger😋Oh and on our way back, we were treated to a whale, her baby and a male escort whale. Absolutely fabulous experience.

I was lucky enough to Snorkel at Molokini Crater on a Charter run by the Pacific Whale Foundation. The water at the crater was so clear that it was a great place to snorkel. After Molokini we went to Turtle Arches in the hope that we would get the change to snorkel with Sea Turtles. The care shown by the crew was excellent and they were very careful to ensure that we knew what we were doing once in the water.
The snorkelling at Molokini was excellent in very calm and clear water. Turtle Arches was a different matter, there was a strong current running so it was much harder work. The crew were very careful to make sure that no one was lost or got into trouble. We saw one turtle briefly. All in all a great day.

The day we went, the waves were rough and the touring boat should have taken us to a different location. The water is very clear, and the coral good, but the fish are few and far between - very surprised. I would recommend saving your money and hit some of the good snorkeling spots on Maui beaches, such as Black Rock.

Dead reef, too many boats, and too many people in the water. Avoid! What a huge disappointment and waste of money. It was so sad to see the extent of coral bleaching here.

Great trip out to Molokini withTrilogy on a catamaran. Great attentive crew who were so dedicated to their roles as guides, snorkellers, cooks and servers.
The crater was great to snorkel in for the range of fish and coral and the turtles. An excellent day out!

Saw this from the air as we flew over it. Marvels of Of Lord GOD Creator are everywhere you look in Hawaii.

We were really looking forward to this trip as the snorkeling high point to our Maui vacation. Not so. The water clarity was excellent, but there just wasn't a huge variety or number of fish. Plus you are limited to a small area around the boat, and to about 1 hour in the water. Also, no turtles out there. We were disappointed with Molokini. We liked the snorkeling better at Kapalua and Honolua. It's free, you can go where you want for as long as you want, there are many fish and many varieties, and we consistently encountered eels and turtles.

I visited Molokini Crater on the Pride of Maui and it was amazing. The service on the boat was great. The snorkeling was breathtaking. My husband and I were first time snorkelers and we felt at ease. They provided life jackets, noodles, and floatations devices for anyone who wanted them. Also, they had "life guards" in the water to help anyone who was struggling or getting close to leaving the designated area. The fish were not scared by our presence and swam right around us. The part we swam in was about 30ft deep and crystal clear. The water was calm as most of the currents and waves are blocked by the crater. I highly recommend especially for beginners.

Molokini is known for very clear water and diversity of life. We took a tour that went to the backside of the crater as well a s the interior. The backside is fantastic and suited to both snorkeling and diving. It's a great wall dive. The interior of the crater is full of life. Corals are relatively small in part due to the crater being used for target practice in world war II. Take you time and look carefully. We saw octopus, eels and a huge variety fish.
Recommend going on a small tour boat. There were 17 people on the tour we took and the boat had a max capacity of 44.

There are other spots on the island you can go for free from shore that has amazing views. I think the crater is overrated and there wasn’t much of anything unique to see there. The fish were average and only a couple different varieties. Not a terrible adventure and if you are looking for something unique it’s fun to say you did it, it’s just a lot of money for what you get.

Molikini was actually the worst snorkeling of our week in Maui. The entire experience is overrated because tour companies want your money.

Problems with the trip include a lack of fish, (variety and quantity) overcrowded snorkeling​ area, way too choppy ocean water in the crater, and a long, rough boat ride there and back totalling almost three hours. Hundreds of people cram around their respective tour boats. Waves are so high I was continually spitting salt water out my snorkel. Back on the boat the waves were rocking it so violently as we ate lunch people were actively vomiting overboard and in the bathrooms. It was unpleasant.

Turtle Town is often bundled with the Crater. If you have a rental car just drive to Makenna Landing and head off to the South around the rocks. We saw two dozen turtles swimming and laying on the ocean floor. If you head North from the main sandy area you will see way more fish, octopi and turtles than Molikini on it's best day. For FREE!

Don't give these guys a penny for the crater. Go to Kapalua, Makenna, Ka'anapili, etc for much better snorkeling and no rough, bumpy oceans and seasickness. Go early in the a.m. The water is cooler but the trade winds haven't come in yet so the conditions are calm.

Although maui offers a lot of snorkeling on its beaches, the molokini crater snorkel is worth the boat trip. The amount of fish at the crater is a lot more,and the water is clear. On a sunny day, the visibility is perfect.

Yesterday I took a 5 1/2 hour snorkeling trip, leaving from Kehei. It was a beautiful day, calm, and we were able to cruise out around the southern tip of Maui and see lava caves and arches, and also to snorkel a bit past the tip because the seas were so calm. On our way, we passed a humpback whale, and ran into a group of spinner dolphins, who put on a show for us. We then went to Molokini Crater, and snorkeled on both sides; then to a cove to see turtles. All the time diving, we could hear the whales underwater, singing. Visibility was 150 feet out at the crater. It was a wonderful trip.

We enjoy the view of the crater from the cruise ship, the most incredible views. Highly recommend it. There are plenty of tour which will take you to the area and you can snorkel.

We went snorkelling with Pride of Maui to Molokini Crater and Turtle town.

The boat was a good safe stable boat with great staff and facilities. The breakfast lunch and snacks provided were very good for the facilities they had available to make food and the beer, wine and cocktails again were very good for the ride home.

The staff were very friendly and attentive and I think the experience is a very safe one for an off shore snorkelling experience.

Heres the rub.

1. Molokini crater yes looks lovely from the shots and great sailing to, but once you are in the water unless you have never snorkelled before it is really a waste of time. The reef is almost completely dead, the fish life is really quite minimal and there are soooooooooooooooooooo many people and boats there you are really swimming in human soup.

If I compare it to the snorkelling we do off the beach in Fiji it pales into insignificance, its really just a waste of time.

2. Turtle town is really no better the reefs are all dead its just not pleasant snorkelling and again having done lots of snorkelling in the past I just stopped after 5 mins and had a swim. My kids have also snorkelled a lot and basically said after 5 mins theres no point theres nothing worth seeing, so they went back to the boat and used the slides.

3. In terms of easily accessible free snorkelling on Maui I'd just go to Black rock or Honalua bay. They are both free you can drive there and the reefs and marine life were so much better.

In Summary
1. Did we have a nice day - Yes it was a nice day out on the boat.
2. Was Pride of Maui a good company - Yes.
3. Was the food and drinks pretty good - Yes.
4. Was the snorkelling good - No it was pretty lousy and in the end I didn't bother it just wasn't worth the effort.
5. Would I recommend the trip. If you want a nice day out on the boat with maybe a bit of snorkelling then yes its ok. BUT if you are actually wanting to have a snorkelling experience then NO I could not recommend this trip. If you have never snorkelled before maybe you would find it good but if you are experienced in the water then its a waste of your time and money. This would be even more of an issue for diving or SNUBA if I had been paying for that I would have been pretty disappointed.

Everything you’d want in a snorkeling experience inside the crescent. Our surprise was on the backside—the water elevator and lazy river. So fun.

My 73 year old mother doesn’t swim and this was her first snorkeling. She was in the water by herself. My 25 year old enjoyed it too. If you get closer to the crater you’ll see more fish. I saw about 20 kinds of colorful fish.

It was lovely and we also saw whales on the way back.

We had a wonderful time with Captain Moser and her crew from the Pacific Whale Foundation on the Explorer traveling to Molokini for some amazing snorkeling. Beautiful clear water with lots of fish, sea urchins and eels along the reef at our first snorkel spot. We saw an octopus and giant Moray eel at our second spot at the reef's edge. Our third snorkeling spot was along the southern Maui coast where we saw more marine life, including a sea turtle.

The Captain and her crew - Laura, Callan and Phoebe-- are all knowledgeable and experienced scientists and snorkelers. They provided information about the history of Molokini and the reef, as well as the marine life there.

Captain and crew were all gracious hosts--serving breakfast before the trip, water and other beverages while on the boat, and then lunch after we finished snorkeling.

The next time we are in Maui, we will book another activity with the wonderful people at the Pacific Whale Foundation.

We took a tour with snorkel and snuba. If you have never done snuba, this is a place to do it! The fish were beautiful and the views are spectacular. My only disappointment is how the reef and coral continue to bleach away. We have to do a better job of protecting our places of beauty. I will say more about the experience in my review of the guide service that took us out to the crater. Overall one of the best snorkel/snuba experiences i have every been on!

I did not do the snorkelling but my Husband did and he thoroughly enjoyed it. First was Molokini Reef and then Turtles Arches. Lunch was great and the whole morning perfect. We went with Pacific Whale Foundation.

We snorkeled in Molokini Crater 13 years ago and re-visited again in November 2105. It was disheartening seeing how poor the corals were doing. Fish varieties were way down. No sea turtles. The corals started looking bleached. They should shut it down and let the corals recover. Not sure it is due to global warming. Sad!

My family of three did a snorkeling trip to Molokini Crater with an amazing company. Due to the stronger winds our captain took us to the back side of the crater and admittedly I was hoping to get to the front. We weren’t able to do another snorkel trip and it was all dependent on the weather so I do feel like I may have missed out (grass is greener syndrome).

The back side was beautiful as it was a 350 drop so we essentially snorkeled what the guide called “the elevator” which was about middle of the back. The visibility originally was amazing. There were a group of scuba divers underneath us at about 40-50 feet and I could see them clearly. The coral and fish on the wall were interesting but compared to other snorkel trips at other destinations I didn’t see anything that truly impressed me. Fish and coral. Eventually clouds rolled in and we lost some visibility but still clear.

If you’ve never snorkeled before it’s definitely worth it. I would try again and hope for the front of the crater to compare.

The tour company we used, Maui Reef Adventures, was very unique in that they took us to the backside of the crater to snorkel first. This was absolutely amazing, as it is a straight down 400+ foot drop. I loved this experience. Going into the crater was also a great experience, as the was a lot of fish to see. Personally, I liked going right up to the crater, but you have to be careful not to get slammed into the rocks by a wave. This is a must do Maui experience.

I know it is touristy etc. However it is a great experience. We were on Four Winds II - nice boat, friendly crew, OK food and long time at Molokini (at least 21/2 hours. The snorkeling was very good - at least to our inexperienced eyes and certainly better than the shore-based snorkeling that other reviewers recommend. Also fun to watch the frigatebirds on the crater and flying around. We had a windy trip back with a few crashing over the bow - fun.
Well worth the trip.

Its not the destination, it's the journey. Sure, 30 years of suntan lotion has taken its toll yet one finds oneself SURROUNDED by islands and almost 200 ft. of visibility. It's still one of only 3 volcanic cauldrons in the world and a MUST SEE.
The Quicksilver then took us to La Peruse bay looking for Spinner Dolphin. A delicious Hot BBQ lunch was served on the way. Beers and MaiTai's were only 2 bucks. The Capt. anchored over a 40 pinnacle( Sea Mount) in 70 feet of water. Visibility was at 120+ feet and it felt like the Great Barrier Reef.
More lunch and refreshments while slow rolling the coast of Wailea and Kehei on the way back to Ma alaea. Most fun on the water EVER. Thank you Quicksilver crew!

You see it in photos but until you experience it by boat or when snorkeling.....it's absolutely beautiful and stunning. One of my favorite places while visiting Hawaii. So glad we visited it.

Took a charter out to Molokini Crater for a 6am snorkel trip. Once we were out there the views were amazing. The water was calm this morning and there were plenty of things to see on the reef areas. We also saw a pod of dolphins swimming by.
Definitely a spot to check out if you like to snorkel or dive. Get there in the early morning though. The place fills up with boats by 8am and then there are large groups of people floating around everywhere.

We took a half day snorkel cruise out here - sorry I can't remember the name of the tour company we used! Anyway, we hit up Molokini and saw a bunch of one type of black fish (can't remember that either). Other than that, my hubby saw a reef shark but we saw no turtles. The following day we'd run into a local and told them we were disappointed with our experience, and she mentioned that a few years back all the coral in the water there started dying because of the sunscreen all the people were poisoning the water with! I guess that's common knowledge down there. Turtle Town (south Kiehei) was WAY better and we saw a bunch of turtles! There were MANY kinds of fish and it was FREE to get there and free to park on the street! Hope this helps!