Snorkeling at Honolua Bay
While on Maui, take a little time for a snorkel trip. While opportunities are abundant (Molokini seems to get most of the attention), one of our favorite locations is Honolua Bay, on the NW shore of Maui. Better protected from the winds and waves than most beaches, it’s the perfect setting for a calm snorkel among the abundant sealife and catch a glimpse of a humuhumunukunukuapua’a (the official state fish of Hawaii, and more fun to say than its common name, the reef triggerfish)! Turtle sightings are common in the late afternoon, too!
You can sign up with any of the many snorkeling cruises. But if you’re staying in West Maui, you can just take the scenic drive north of Kapalua on Highway 30. There is a parking area between mile marker 32 & 33 (see map below) where you can take a short walk through the jungle (don’t be surprised to see — and hear — roaming wild chickens) and enter the water from the shoreline.
A few things to keep in mind:
- This isn’t your typical sandy Maui beach. The shoreline is rocky, so bring appropriate footwear.
- No taking of marine life, coral, or rock.
- Pack out what you pack in! There are no garbage cans, so please keep Honolua Bay beautiful!
[google-map-v3 width=”350″ height=”350″ zoom=”15″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”21.011948, -156.636946{}car.png{}Parking” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]