Booking choice: The eco-friendly naturalist tour, 5 hours from Ma'alaea Harbor. Book this Compare the options below
If you have never snorkeled before, Molokini can feel like a big first step: open sea, a crater, deep blue water. In practice, the boats moor inside the sheltered cove, and beginners float with flotation while the crew watches.
This guide covers which boat suits a beginner or a family, what to wear and bring, gear, seasickness, what not to do in the reserve, and the shark questions people ask.
The quick answer
Beginners and kids can snorkel Molokini with flotation and the crew's help. Pick a boat with easy water entry, such as a big catamaran with stairs and lifeguards, wear a rash guard and mineral sunscreen, use the gear provided, and follow the briefing. Do not touch coral or feed the fish.
What should beginners do when snorkeling?
Use flotation, listen to the briefing, get the mask fitted on the boat, and stay close to the group and the crew.
- Try the mask and snorkel on deck first; ask the crew to adjust the fit.
- Take a flotation noodle or belt even if you swim well; it lets you relax and float.
- Breathe slowly through the snorkel at the surface before you swim off.
- Stay near the boat and your group, and raise a hand if you need help.
- Get out and rest whenever you want; there is no prize for staying in longest.
Which Molokini trip is best for beginners and kids?
For most beginners and families, a big Ma'alaea catamaran with stairs into the water and lifeguards is the easiest start; the rafts board by ladder and set age and health limits.
The Calypso listing describes 11 stair entries and in-water lifeguards, and the Malolo listing also includes lifeguards. The rafts from Kihei are quicker, but the limits below come from their listings, so check them before booking.
A ladder means climbing straight up out of the water, which is harder for small children and for anyone with limited mobility. Stairs let you walk in and out at your own pace. If anyone in your group is nervous in the water, tell the crew at the start; they can keep an eye on them and help with flotation.
| Trip | Getting into the water | What the listing sets |
|---|---|---|
| The Calypso day | Stair entries, lifeguards in the water | Online waiver before the trip |
| Malolo two-stop trip | Catamaran with lifeguards | Alcohol only after snorkeling |
| Kihei raft with Turtle Town | Vertical ladder | Not suitable under 5, over 60, pregnant, over 300 lb, non-swimmers |
| 7 AM Kihei raft | Raft | Not suitable under 4, non-swimmers, pregnant, neck or back injuries |
| Two-hour Molokini trip | Raft | Snorkeling from age 6; not suitable over 65 |
| Turtle Town kayak | From the shore by kayak | Ages 5 and up |
Easiest first snorkel: stairs into the water, lifeguards, slides, breakfast and lunch on the Calypso.
Book thisWhat equipment is needed for snorkeling at Molokini Crater?
A mask, snorkel, fins and flotation, and the trips on this site provide them. You bring swimwear, sun protection and a towel if your trip does not supply one.
- Swimwear and a rash guard or swim shirt.
- Mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
- A towel: the Calypso listing does not include one, while the Kihei raft with Turtle Town supplies towels.
- A hat and a cover-up for the ride.
- Cash for tips (the eco-friendly naturalist tour includes the crew tip, according to its listing).
Learn while you float: certified marine naturalists explain what you are seeing, and children can join the Junior Naturalist programme.
Book thisIs it better to buy or rent snorkeling gear in Hawaii?
For a Molokini trip you need neither: snorkel gear and flotation are provided on every trip listed here.
The one exception worth thinking about is a mask with prescription lenses. If you need one, bring your own, or ask the operator before the day. Some people also prefer their own mask or snorkel for comfort, which is a personal choice rather than a need.
What not to wear while snorkeling?
Do not wear non-mineral sunscreen: since October 2022, Maui County has banned the sale, use and distribution of sunscreens other than mineral ones without a prescription.
Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. A rash guard or swim shirt cuts down on how much sunscreen you need, since floating face down for an hour leaves your back exposed. Leave anything you would hate to lose in the sea on the boat or at home.
The performance sail and the Kihei raft with Turtle Town list sunscreen among what is provided, according to their listings.
Two calm stops with lifeguards: the Malolo visits Molokini and Turtle Town, with breakfast and a deli lunch.
Book thisHow do you avoid seasickness on a Molokini trip?
If you are prone to it, take seasickness tablets before you board, and consider a shorter ride: Kihei rafts reach Molokini in about 15 minutes.
From Ma'alaea the ride is commonly described as about an hour each way, on a bigger boat. Which suits you depends on whether a long ride or a bumpier short one bothers you more; see Ma'alaea or Kihei. Morning seas tend to be calmer, which helps too.
On the boat, stay on deck in the fresh air and look at the horizon rather than at your phone. If you start to feel unwell, tell the crew.
What should you not do while snorkeling at Molokini?
Do not touch coral, stand on the reef or feed the fish. Feeding fish and removing coral, sand or rocks are prohibited in the Molokini reserve.
- Keep your fins off the coral; float rather than stand.
- Do not feed fish; it is prohibited in the reserve.
- Take nothing: no shells, sand, coral or rocks.
- Stay inside the cove unless the crew says otherwise; the state notes currents outside it.
What colors not to wear in the ocean for sharks?
There is no reason to rely on clothing colour tips to keep sharks away. Wear what keeps you comfortable and sun-safe, and follow the crew briefing.
Whitetip reef sharks are sometimes seen at Molokini, usually resting near the bottom, and snorkelers mostly see them from far above. They are not known for bothering people. The same goes for tips about smells that sharks supposedly hate: this site does not recommend relying on them. The crew briefing is the advice that counts.
More on the crater's wildlife in the Molokini Crater guide.
Lifeguards in the water and wide stairs in and out: a relaxed first snorkel on a triple-deck catamaran.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
What smell do sharks hate the most?
There is no reason to rely on smell-based tips to keep sharks away. Follow the crew briefing and the lifeguards' instructions instead.
What to be careful of in Maui?
In the water: currents, which around Molokini get stronger with the afternoon winds, plus sun exposure and seasickness. Use mineral sunscreen, stay where the crew tells you, and follow official ocean-safety guidance.
Can non-swimmers snorkel at Molokini?
Some rafts list non-swimmers as not suitable. On the bigger catamarans, flotation and lifeguards help, but check the listing and tell the crew before you get in.
Do I need to bring my own snorkel gear?
No. Gear and flotation are provided on every trip listed here. Bring your own mask if you need prescription lenses.
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Choose your trip
Free cancellation on every option, and every trip is weather permitting.
Eco-Friendly Molokini & Turtle Town Tour
Marine naturalists and a junior naturalist programme
Molokini & Turtle Town on the Calypso
- Breakfast and lunch, with soft drinks, coffee and tea
- Snorkel gear, flotation and an in-water lifeguard team
- Onboard naturalist, two slides and a jumping platform
Molokini & Turtle Town with Meals (Malolo)
Two stops with breakfast and a deli lunch
