Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > Special Interest Group (SIG) Forums > SCUBA/Snorkeling

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06/26/2006, 08:53 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Maui Snorkeling

Hello I was looking for some suggestions of where the best place to snorkel is in Maui? I know there are tons....also any suggestions of the best part of the island that is reasonably priced. This would be in February 2007. Thanks!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #2  
Old 06/26/2006, 10:17 PM
piranhaking piranhaking is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 320
Im not sure about how the weather would be, but ive heard that ulua beach is supposed to be really good. Im going there next month. I'll post when i get back and let you know what i thought about it and put up some pics. Also ive heard alot of mention of a place called black rock i think it is. I dont know much about it though.
  #3  
Old 06/27/2006, 02:20 AM
Jaebster Jaebster is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 26
There are tons of places. One of the best is Kapalua Bay. Although I SCUBA'd there, my g-friend snorkeled. Saw about 5 turtles, couple of eels, and tons of fish. it's a semi protected bay and the water is very calm. Gets to about 30 feet deep at the outer fringe but generally about 10-15 feet deep. There's even large fish at 3 feet deep. Be sure you have booties or something to protect your feet when entering if you don't have fins cuz it has a pretty rocky bottom (except in a very few places where entry will but much easier). Don't really know the conditions in Feb. I went in September.
If you want to take a boat out to snorkel, you should try molokini crater. Saw white tip reef sharks there and some turtles too. snorkeling from boat is pretty expensive though.
There's also tons of great places off the hotels in Kaanapali too.
Just got back from kauai and snorkeling is virtually absent on that island. Maui is Great. Have fun.
  #4  
Old 06/27/2006, 07:52 PM
blu0honu blu0honu is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: bay area, ca
Posts: 67
not to hijack the thread, but there's some amazing (and very challenging) snorkeling on the north shore of Kauai, weather permitting...

On Maui's west end, Honolua Bay is good when the water's clear, and there's a outlook parking spot, at around the 10 mile marker, that has some decent snorkeling, but you have to sort of climb down to the water. There's also a handful of pretty good sites in southern Maui.
  #5  
Old 06/27/2006, 08:43 PM
jmicky41 jmicky41 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 662
I was there a couple of years ago, and liked Black Rock the best. Black Rock sits right on Kaanapali beach behind the Sheraton Hotel. Beach access is real easy, though free parking is scarce. We saw white tips, turtles, eels and tons of tangs. Ulua beach is supposed to be good, but we didn't see much. Molokini is also excellent, but you will need to take a boat to get there. No matter where you go, do your snorkeling in the morning because around lunchtime the winds pick up and decrease the visibility. Next time I go to Maui, I'll probably just stay at or near the Sheraton to hit Black Rock every morning. We stayed in Napilli, which is 20 minutes from Kaanapali. Our hotel was the Outrigger Napili Shores. Not fancy but it had a real laid back homey feel to it - not to mention was under $100 per night. This area seemed a little more reasonable than the resort areas of Wailea, Kaanapali or Kapalua. The snorlkeling in Napilli Bay is decent.
__________________
The bake sale to raise money for the carwash has been cancelled - due to confusion.
  #6  
Old 06/28/2006, 03:58 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
cool guys...these are great suggestions!!! We are going there for a honeymoon and were initially discouraged because we thought of the high pricing to get there and stay. But it seems that if we stay at a modest hotel, do our arrangements ourself, the trip really isnt all that expensive...less then a lot of the Carribean places...And I know you all know the Hawaii snorkeling can't be beat....!! Anyone else, please do chime in!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #7  
Old 06/30/2006, 02:15 PM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
Here's a site worth checking out.

http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Maui/index.htm
  #8  
Old 07/01/2006, 04:28 PM
thor32766 thor32766 is offline
Keeper of Tangs
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chuluota, FL
Posts: 4,781
thats a sweet site, thanks for posting it.
__________________
Everyone you meet, knows something you don't.
  #9  
Old 07/06/2006, 08:52 AM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Boat
Here's a site worth checking out.

http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Maui/index.htm
Awesome!! Thanks Boat!!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #10  
Old 07/06/2006, 10:47 AM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
Brisk,

Sounds like you still have time to get Certified . . .
  #11  
Old 07/06/2006, 02:52 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Boat
Brisk,

Sounds like you still have time to get Certified . . .
YEah, I suppose, the trip is in February. I would love to learn to dive....do you have any recommendations? Maybe I could do it there even??
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #12  
Old 07/07/2006, 02:11 PM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
I wouldn't waste my vacation learning to dive in Hawaii but you could get all your class/pool work taken care of in Philly and do your open water dives over there. That's pretty common now.
  #13  
Old 07/07/2006, 02:13 PM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
Here's the link for an instructor I dove with in Maui. He's pretty laid back - I'm sure he'd make you feel comfortable in the water.

http://www.shakadivers.com/welcome.htm
  #14  
Old 07/10/2006, 12:15 AM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Boat
Here's the link for an instructor I dove with in Maui. He's pretty laid back - I'm sure he'd make you feel comfortable in the water.

http://www.shakadivers.com/welcome.htm
Awesome!! Thanks!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #15  
Old 07/13/2006, 04:52 PM
Reiner Reiner is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 93
Quote:
Originally posted by jmicky41
I was there a couple of years ago, and liked Black Rock the best. Black Rock sits right on Kaanapali beach behind the Sheraton Hotel. Beach access is real easy, though free parking is scarce. We saw white tips, turtles, eels and tons of tangs. Ulua beach is supposed to be good, but we didn't see much. Molokini is also excellent, but you will need to take a boat to get there. No matter where you go, do your snorkeling in the morning because around lunchtime the winds pick up and decrease the visibility. Next time I go to Maui, I'll probably just stay at or near the Sheraton to hit Black Rock every morning. We stayed in Napilli, which is 20 minutes from Kaanapali. Our hotel was the Outrigger Napili Shores. Not fancy but it had a real laid back homey feel to it - not to mention was under $100 per night. This area seemed a little more reasonable than the resort areas of Wailea, Kaanapali or Kapalua. The snorlkeling in Napilli Bay is decent.
I was there the first week of May and snorkeled Black Rock but there is a public park a mile further up the road (the light after the Kaanapali Parkway) right of the highway. You can park all day long at the park for free (at sundown they close the gate so don't get trapped) and the snorkeling there was a lot better then Black Rock. I saw puffers, turtles, triggers, tangs, wrasses, chromis, eels,.............
  #16  
Old 07/19/2006, 07:12 PM
Stoney Mahony Stoney Mahony is offline
Free Thinker
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Orlando, Fl
Posts: 988
I would definately look at the Royal Lahina on Kaanapalli beach. My wife and I got married there almost three years ago and stayed for 2.5 weeks. Its located just on the other side of Black rock and I loved it. There are a ton of the VERY expensive resorts on one side of Black rock, then a golf course, then the Lahina. It's not the most luxurious hotel on the beach but I still thought it was very nice and it was very affordable! The thing I liked the most was that you pretty much had your own private beach b/c all the big hotels were on the other side of black rock and then to your right there was no more hotels for over a mile down the beach, just a bunch of low hanging trees by the shoreline and reefs as far as you could see. I snorkled off of shore and saw three different species of eels, tangs, tons of triggers(some were bigger than my head), wrasses, butterflys, Sea turtles, ONO, the list could go on and on. I even saw a live Cone shell! We went in the beginning of December and it was beautiful! You could look out our hotel window and see the Humbacks breaching with their newborn calfs. It was truly an amazing experience! There were Huge urchins that were bigger around than soft balls and they had very thick red spines. Ive never seen anything like it. We picked the lahina b/c it was either stay there for 2.5 weeks and have tons of spending money or stay at one of the more chic hotels for 1 week and eat PB&J. One way or another, Have a TON of fun! and Congradulations!!!
__________________
"Don't these silly monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?" MJK

"Free thinkers are dangerous!"
Serj Tankian
  #17  
Old 07/19/2006, 07:19 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Stoney Mahony
I would definately look at the Royal Lahina on Kaanapalli beach. My wife and I got married there almost three years ago and stayed for 2.5 weeks. Its located just on the other side of Black rock and I loved it. There are a ton of the VERY expensive resorts on one side of Black rock, then a golf course, then the Lahina. It's not the most luxurious hotel on the beach but I still thought it was very nice and it was very affordable! The thing I liked the most was that you pretty much had your own private beach b/c all the big hotels were on the other side of black rock and then to your right there was no more hotels for over a mile down the beach, just a bunch of low hanging trees by the shoreline and reefs as far as you could see. I snorkled off of shore and saw three different species of eels, tangs, tons of triggers(some were bigger than my head), wrasses, butterflys, Sea turtles, ONO, the list could go on and on. I even saw a live Cone shell! We went in the beginning of December and it was beautiful! You could look out our hotel window and see the Humbacks breaching with their newborn calfs. It was truly an amazing experience! There were Huge urchins that were bigger around than soft balls and they had very thick red spines. Ive never seen anything like it. We picked the lahina b/c it was either stay there for 2.5 weeks and have tons of spending money or stay at one of the more chic hotels for 1 week and eat PB&J. One way or another, Have a TON of fun! and Congradulations!!!
Great feedback...its funny because I got almost that exact feedback from my fiance's uncle this weekend. He has been there 3 times! He said there was an area where there was amazingly colored brain corals and a huge variety of fish....sea turles and marine life. I am really looking forward to going to this spot now!!!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #18  
Old 07/20/2006, 08:46 AM
Stoney Mahony Stoney Mahony is offline
Free Thinker
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Orlando, Fl
Posts: 988
You gotta write some feedback here when you get back, just reading this post made me want to start planning another trip! What have you done! lol
__________________
"Don't these silly monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?" MJK

"Free thinkers are dangerous!"
Serj Tankian
  #19  
Old 07/20/2006, 08:45 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Stoney Mahony
You gotta write some feedback here when you get back, just reading this post made me want to start planning another trip! What have you done! lol
Thts exactly what I am planning....If I'm lucky, I will even take pics of all the corals and fishes as well! I will post all the pics here....!
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #20  
Old 07/24/2006, 12:15 PM
barrierreefcf barrierreefcf is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 48
Everybodies giving you great advice. I stayed at The Royal Lahina also. Great value and location. You may already know of this book, Maui Revealed by Andrew Doughty, but if you don't, get it!! You can find it on the Mainland as well as every ABC store in Maui. The locals hate this book series because it reveals locations to lots of spots that are off the beaten path. It gives great, unbiased advice on dining, accomodations, rentals, snorkeling, tours, etc. I just got back from Kauai and used Kauai Revealed. Priceless information which led us to so many beautiful spots we wouldn't have known about or how to get to. Have fun!
  #21  
Old 07/25/2006, 01:41 PM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
He means it when he says the locals hate it. Don't even let them see you with it - you'll get a lecture.
  #22  
Old 07/25/2006, 02:29 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Boat
He means it when he says the locals hate it. Don't even let them see you with it - you'll get a lecture.
I seriously do appreciate that feedback...i dont want to **** them off at all. I just want to be able to see all the cool snorkeling spots...and relax. I am going to look into ordering the book today...
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
  #23  
Old 07/25/2006, 07:09 PM
Stoney Mahony Stoney Mahony is offline
Free Thinker
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Orlando, Fl
Posts: 988
People were offering us all kinds of "illicit" material while on the beach and just chillin out. I did'nt feel threatened one time while we were there. Even saw some people gettin it on up in the trees about a hundred yards down from the lahina. Don't worry about ****in anyone off by gettin that book. I met a few guys that were spear fishing when I was snorkeling. We were about a mile away from anyone else, my wife was on the beach and I was about 30 yards off shore. The guys coulda tried somthin but they gave me the spear gun and let me try it out for myself. ALL the locals were cool as s***.The craziest people there were all the frickin tourists. Unless your plannin on surfin the big wave and snakin somebody you won't have any problems. Have fun
__________________
"Don't these silly monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?" MJK

"Free thinkers are dangerous!"
Serj Tankian
  #24  
Old 07/26/2006, 09:30 AM
Boat Boat is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 341
I didn't mean to imply that you'll be attacked over having that book or anything like that. The locals just don't particularly like some of what's in it. They don't think that some of the reviews were "fair" and while they'll probably point you to a nice "secret" snorkeling spot if you talk to them - they don't necessarily appreciate a book sharing that with a million other tourists. I can appreciate that.

Overall I would say that the locals really appreciate the tourists - more so than most other places I've been.

One thing though. You can't leave any valuables in your car while snorkeling. That's just a given.
  #25  
Old 07/26/2006, 04:12 PM
BRISK495 BRISK495 is offline
SV-SEA MEMBER
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Harrison, NJ
Posts: 888
Quote:
Originally posted by Boat
I didn't mean to imply that you'll be attacked over having that book or anything like that. The locals just don't particularly like some of what's in it. They don't think that some of the reviews were "fair" and while they'll probably point you to a nice "secret" snorkeling spot if you talk to them - they don't necessarily appreciate a book sharing that with a million other tourists. I can appreciate that.

Overall I would say that the locals really appreciate the tourists - more so than most other places I've been.

One thing though. You can't leave any valuables in your car while snorkeling. That's just a given.
Yea, I plan to leave any valuables behind, that is seriously a good bit of advise...unfortunately it does happen where things are stolen.
__________________
My addiction began as a kid visiting Martin's Aquarium!!
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009