Molokini snorkel tours: compare boats, harbors, and trip length

Compare the shortlist

Listed durations and inclusions were checked against our collected records on November 2, 2026. Confirm your selected option before booking.

Start with the harbor and how long you want to be out

The qualifying tours leave from two places. Kihei Boat Ramp is the South Maui departure, and the two-hour listing says the ride from there to Molokini takes about 15 minutes. The Maʻalaea Harbor trips here are four- and five-hour outings. None of the qualifying tours we checked departs from Wailea, so guests staying there would usually compare the Kihei departures first. The Kihei listings mention free parking; the Maʻalaea raft listing describes paid public parking.

Trip length mostly decides how many stops you get. The two-hour express is a single Molokini swim. The four-hour raft and the five-hour Kihei trip add a turtle site, and the five-hour Maʻalaea trips add breakfast, lunch, and more time aboard. Boat rules matter as much as length: both Kihei trips require a vertical ladder to reboard and limit guests to ages 8 to 65, while the Maʻalaea yacht lists swim platforms and a minimum age of 4.

Maʻalaea yacht: the most included in one fare

The five-hour yacht tour meets at slip 68 on the ocean side of Maʻalaea Harbor and sails on ʻElua, a power catamaran. The listing says it runs at about 60 percent of its certified passenger capacity. It describes cushioned seating, an air-conditioned interior, submerged stairs and swim platforms for getting in the water, warm freshwater showers, and modern restrooms.

A light breakfast, a choice of lunch sandwich, and an open bar are included; alcohol is served only to guests 21 and older, and vegetarian or vegan lunches are available on request. Guests must be at least 4, full-face snorkel masks are not allowed, and transport to the harbor is excluded. The collected listing does not give a departure time or say what happens if Molokini is not reachable, so ask before booking.

TourTruth score 9.3 out of 10

Maui Molokini and Turtle Snorkel Yacht Tour 5 hr

5 hours

9.3/10 TourTruth score · Top 4% in Maui

The most included option here: breakfast, lunch, an open bar, an air-conditioned cabin, restrooms, and freshwater showers on a power catamaran from Maʻalaea.

Check first: Minimum age 4. Full-face masks are not allowed. Transport to Maʻalaea Harbor is excluded. Highest listed starting price on this shortlist when checked.

Maʻalaea sail: meals plus time under sail

The five-hour sailing trip leaves from slip 72 at Maʻalaea Harbor aboard Akialoa. Check-in opens 30 minutes before departure, boarding closes 10 minutes before, and the boat cannot wait for late arrivals. The listing includes a light breakfast with local coffee, a buffet lunch, assorted drinks, snorkel gear, flotation, and reef-safe sunscreen. It says that when the afternoon trade winds pick up, guests can join the crew at the helm.

The listing calls the trip suitable for all fitness levels and says infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, but it gives no minimum age. Confirm the rules for young children directly. It does not list an open bar, restroom details, or a weather policy. Choose it over the yacht if sailing matters more to you than air-conditioning and an open bar.

TourTruth score 8.6 out of 10

Maui Molokini Snorkeling Sailing Adventure 5 hr

5 hours

8.6/10 TourTruth score · Top 14% in Maui

A five-hour Maʻalaea trip with breakfast and lunch that adds time under sail when the afternoon trade winds pick up.

Check first: Boarding closes 10 minutes before departure and the boat cannot wait. No minimum age is listed; confirm for small children. Gratuities are extra.

Maʻalaea four-hour raft: two stops for younger children

The four-hour trip runs on Reef Explorer, a 60-foot super raft. The listing says it reaches Molokini in less than 30 minutes, then continues to Turtle Cove for a second snorkel stop. It says turtles are often seen there, which is not a promise. A guide, snorkel gear, snacks, soft drinks, and a turkey wrap or veggie sandwich are included. Guests must be at least 4, the same minimum as the Maʻalaea yacht.

Check-in is at 7:30 a.m. at the end of the Maʻalaea Harbor pier; look for the yellow boat. Parking is paid public parking. Seating is first come, first served, and large backpacks and luggage are not allowed. Late passengers cannot be accommodated, and missed trips are not refunded. The listing does not recommend the trip for non-swimmers or travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Ask for the vegetarian sandwich when you book.

TourTruth score 8.4 out of 10

Maui Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour 4 hr

4 hours

8.4/10 TourTruth score · Top 19% in Maui

A four-hour Maʻalaea raft trip with Molokini and a Turtle Cove stop that accepts children from age 4.

Check first: Late passengers cannot be accommodated, and missed trips are not refunded. Not recommended for non-swimmers. Harbor parking is paid. Towels and gratuities are extra.

Kihei five-hour trip: Molokini and Turtle Town

This trip checks in at 6:30 a.m. at Kihei Boat Ramp for a 7:00 a.m. departure. Parking is free in the lots above the boat and trailer area, and the listing says to look for the big red boat. It visits the Molokini reef and then Turtle Town. A local guide and instructor, snorkel gear, sandwiches and chips, cinnamon rolls, fruit, water, and soda are included.

It has the most reviews on this shortlist, but also strict passenger rules. Guests must be 8 to 65, must climb a vertical ladder back onto the boat, and should have moderate fitness. The operator does not recommend it for pregnant travelers, people prone to seasickness, or travelers who are elderly or physically fragile. Gratuities and hotel transfers are extra.

TourTruth score 9.2 out of 10

Maui Molokini Crater Snorkeling Tour 5 hr

5 hours

9.2/10 TourTruth score · Top 4% in Maui

A five-hour South Maui trip that pairs Molokini with a Turtle Town stop, leaving at 7:00 a.m. from Kihei Boat Ramp with free parking.

Check first: Ages 8–65 only. Guests climb a vertical ladder to reboard. Not recommended for anyone prone to seasickness. Gratuities are extra.

Kihei two-hour express: the crater and nothing else

The two-hour trip carries up to 14 passengers and reaches Molokini in about 15 minutes from Kihei Boat Ramp. The listing suggests an early departure to be among the first to snorkel or a later one after the crowds ease; for the 9:30 a.m. trip, guests wait at the picnic tables above the dock. Arrive 30 minutes before departure.

Only snorkel gear is included. Bring your own water, towels, and sunscreen. Guests must be 8 to 65, children 8 to 15 cannot travel alone, and everyone must climb a vertical ladder after snorkeling. The listing warns that the ride can be wet and bumpy. Because this trip has a single stop, ask what it does if Molokini is not reachable that day.

TourTruth score 8.4 out of 10

Maui Molokini Snorkel Trip 2 hr

2 hours

8.4/10 TourTruth score · Top 18% in Maui

The shortest crater-only trip here: about 15 minutes from Kihei to Molokini, with a maximum of 14 passengers and the lowest listed starting price on this shortlist when checked.

Check first: Ages 8–65 only. No water, towels, or sunscreen provided. The ride can be wet and bumpy, and guests climb a vertical ladder to reboard.

Weather, moorings, and Molokini rules

Several other qualifying listings say the captain may switch to Turtle Town or a shoreline site, or that Molokini access depends on weather. Most of the five listings above do not state a policy. Ask whether a substitute site is used, whether a refund or rebooking applies, and when the decision is made. State rules prohibit anchoring inside the crater’s day-use mooring area. Commercial boats tie up on a first-come, first-served basis, and recreational boats may not use vacant commercial moorings between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m.

Molokini is a state Marine Life Conservation District. You may not take or injure marine life, feed fish, or remove or alter coral or sand, and landing on the islet is prohibited because it is a seabird sanctuary. Since January 1, 2021, Hawaiʻi has prohibited selling sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription. The law covers sales, not use, so check the label of anything you bring. Only the sailing trip above lists reef-safe sunscreen as included.