Why You Should Visit Maui Snorkeling Spots

Snorkeling in Maui, Hawaii is almost as simple as putting on a mask and sticking your head in the water. Almost every beach with a few rock outcroppings has some coral and some tropical fish. At the other end of the scale you can go out on one of the special snorkel cruises. But this is not necessary. Fine snorkeling in Maui is available by car or by foot.

There are many places in Maui to rent snorkeling gear but I have been going to Snorkel Bob’s in Kihie for many years, mainly because of the snorkel Bob vibe. Once you get on to snorkeling, you might want to buy a cheap, disposable underwater camera for those great fish and coral shots.

If you have never snorkeled before, there are a couple of spots that are easy and provide plenty of fish. The first is Polo Beach in south Maui and fronted by the Kea Lani Resort. This beach is very popular so get there as early as possible or you won’t find parking. Just put on your gear and look into the water and you will see swarms of fish. People feed the fish here and they are very tame.

Another good place for beginners is Crystal Cove at the south end of the Kamaole Beaches and across the street from the Kamaole Sands Resort.
This spot requires a tiny swim but includes some nice coral with lots of fish.
Do not stand on the coral here or any place else. Coral is living and it is very easy to damage and kill it.

Now here are my three favorite places to snorkel in Maui.

NO NAME SNORKELING PLACE

I have never heard this spot named so I call the No Name Snorkeling Place. It is south of Lahaina about 10 miles and is located just off the road in an arid area. There is no parking lot but just look for a place where lots of cars are parked off the road. Park and walk a few steps to the narrow beach. You will notice some poles in the water. These mark a path into the water where you may walk because there is no coral. Otherwise it is solid coral. The water is very shallow, generally five feet or less and the challenge here is not to scrape a limb on the coral. This is a great place for up close study of fish behavior and it is also a great place to take underwater pictures because the water is so shallow that you get very good lighting.

TURTLE TOWN

Turtle Town is located on the Maui Prince beach, the southern most resort in Maui. You will notice tour boats off the south end of the beach and they are there for the same reason you are but you don’t have to pay anything. Snorkeling here will require some swimming but it is very leisurely as you see fish and coral almost immediately. There is some exceptionally beautiful coral here but you are after something else. This is not called Turtle Town for nothing. When you get out further into the ocean begin to look very carefully along the bottom of the ocean and you will spot turtles. They occasionally come up for a breath of air and they may come right toward you giving you a chance to get a great picture. There is a swell here so be careful not to let it scrape you against the coral. If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you can swim to where the cruise boats are anchored and allow yourself to feel superior to the other snorkelers because you got your trip for free.

FRANK’S COVE

Drive past the Maui Prince and into the undeveloped and rugged part of South Maui. You will need local information about a telephone pole. Ask around for the number of the telephone pole that is nearest the trail to Frank’s Cove. You will be driving through an area that is solid lava mixed with a few rusted out abandoned cars. The road is rough and rental places don’t like their cars to be on this road, but don’t worry, it’s not that rough.
Find your pole and park. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes because you will be hiking over jagged lava. Look around you for white slashes of paint that mark the trailhead. This may take a bit of looking. Once you have found the trail you will hike for about an hour through the lava. You need to keep your eyes out for the white markings because this is the only way you can keep to the trail. At the end of the trail a rock wall has been built and it marks off what is called Frank’s Cove. You slip into the cove and it is literally packed with tropical fish. Schools of different fish are in different places and shafts of light shimmer against the fish as a school suddenly turns. This place is magical for the snorkeler and Frank’s Cove seems too prosaic a name for it.

I hope you will enjoy snorkeling in Maui.