Hawaii (2) — Snorkeling!
I love to swim with fishes in the colorful tropical oceans! I figured that it would be a good experience as well to write down a snorkeling journal on a snow day near the corn fields to cure my misses and craves (a smile). For more professional advice, please refer to online webs or mobile apps that rate the snorkeling sites based on the fishes, the vegetation, the waves, and how easy to access the water …
Molokini Crater @ Maui
The water is so beautiful here. It is clear, crystal, light blue lit up till the bottom. The fish density is extremely high when I was here. It is only accessible by the boat though, so likely you will go with a local guide.
Maui mostly consists of resorts and golf courses. Many tourists stay in a town called Lahaina, and you can go to any little snorkeling shops on Lahaina to reserve your spots. I typically bring a mask, a snorkel and fins myself, but all these tour companies have gears for you. Except wetsuits (which actually are not required), everything else is free. Do reserve your spots a few days earlier if possible, as they can be sold out less than a day, especially during holiday seasons. If you have little kids and older family members traveling with you, you’ll need to ask what types of boats they offer. Many of the boats here are small and open, no showers, and swing hard under the waves.
Lahaina has wonderful restaurants and shops, although personally I like to stay in a less commercial area, so we stayed at Maalena. There is a snorkeling company located on the Maalena habor called Malolo. Compared to Lahaina, it is a shorter boat ride from Maalena. It is cheaper too. They have two boats a day to take you to Molokini: one in the early morning and the other in the afternoon, looking for a staff called “Noodle”. He worked like my old friend and very fun to interact with. He would call me up and say “hey, I talked to my boss and secured four spots for you” “hey let me offer you some discount”…
A side note is that November/December/January are the whale watching season in Maui. We went out with a boat special for watching whales but saw none. But life never disappoints you too much —- on the snorkeling trip back from Molokini, we saw playful whales 🙂 People told me that when you dive down at the Molokini crater, you will hear whale whistling.
Turtle Town @ Maui
On route back from Molokini, the snorkeling companies will also take you to another spot called the turtle town. It is important because you are supposed to find the famous hawaii green turtles here. When I was here though, the water was muddy and green due to the rain the day before. I did not see any turtles but only some corals and fishes.
Carlsmith Beach Park @ Big Island
This is probably my favorite off-shore snorkeling site in Hawaii. It is free, the water is okay clear and has steps to walk down to the water. THE MOST EXCITING PART IS THAT YOU WILL SEE HAWAII GREEN TURTLES FOR REAL. I have seen the big big green turtles in different locations near the shore, and they came after you. It is so damn close, and I almost see his cunning smiles. Is that you who I have dearly missed?!
The water here is not very deep even you swim a bit far, and there are almost no waves. Although at a few spots, the water is kind of cold. People told me that there is a spring pumping into this bay that brings the cold rain water from the land. There are no corals here but reasonable amount of fishes near the offshore rocks. This park is not terribly busy and has parking and outdoor showers. You will need to bring your own gears. It is located near the hilo airport and very close to a lot of shops. There is also a black sand beach park nearby called Richardson beach park that worth to check out.
Kahaluu Beach Park @ Big Island
It is a popular site on the Kona side. If I remember correctly, this park has black sand beaches. The water is not very deep and has reasonable amount of fishes near the rocks, a good place for kids and for people who want to learn snorkeling. Parking, outdoor showers and shelter for picnics. There are equipment rentals. If you stay nearby, it is worth of a try, a lot of people though.
Ahalanui County Beach Park @ Big Island
This place does not have many fishes, but the water is warm due to the volcanic activity! It is located on the south east of the big island, very scenic drive nearby. You are able to stand and walk around in this “warm spring” to see tropical fishes, very unique experience. There are outdoor showers and parking.
Hanauma Bay @ Oahu
Many people come to Oahu for surfing, especially at the north shores. There are places to snorkel too. Hanauma Bay is a famous one. It is civilized, and you will watch a video on marine protections before you enter the water. It is a good spot for beginners and kids, as the water is shallow. I did not see many fishes here. This spot hosts so many visitors every day; as a result, the level of bacteria in the water is so high that the park has to close down from time to time. You will need to pay to enter the park, and the parking is not easy sometimes. A beautiful scene from the parking lot.
Great Barrier Reef @ Cairns Australia
As a comparison, I also described my snorkeling experience at the great barrier reef. You will want to go soon, as sadly the reefs are disappearing. Great barrier reef has the most beautiful coral systems I have ever seen, it is big and colorful with so many fishes. To me, the best way to tour great barrier reef is to hire a boat to take you to a couple of spots for a few days. We were the newbies to Aussie and used the famous Quicksilver. The boat is fun and romantic but expensive and not able to snorkel very long.