Why Lanai is a Better Snorkel Destination than Molokini

So, you want to explore the island of Molokini, but getting to a tour departure location from your West Maui accommodations has proved too much of a hassle. Well, don't fret. In actuality, the little island you see across the water, Lanai, is actually a much better snorkel destination! Fortunately, this is one adventure that you don't have to skip out on due to inconvenience.

We will take you on an exciting Lanai Snorkel and Dolphin Tour that departs from the scenic Lahaina Harbor located just off of Front Street. We want to ensure that the best Maui adventures are in reach for our guests. If you haven't been out to Lanai yet, we strongly recommend it, assuming you're interested in snorkeling the vibrant coral reefs that reside there.

You'll board one of our spacious, stable double-deck adventure yachts, departing at 7am and returning around 1:30pm. On your trip, we'll provide you with continental breakfast and a barbecue buffet lunch featuring burgers, veggie burgers, chicken breasts, and hot dogs with sides like potato salad, tropical fruit, chips, cookies and unlimited soda and juice.

You'll be snorkeling in the pristine waters of historical Lanai, as well as one other location chosen on the day of departure that is fully dependant on water conditions. We will never "force" you to snorkel in areas with poor visibility or overly rough water conditions.

Our professional staff will get you fitted in the latest snorkel gear and help you with safely devices like floaties, boogie boards and life preservers if you aren't fully comfortable in the water. Of course, we'll also have professionals in the water watching over you to make sure you're as safe and comfortable as possible.

Oh, about those dolphins. While not a guaranteed sighting, on a majority of trips, fabulous spinner dolphins greet the boat and play in our wake. There aren't many photo opportunities better than a leaping dolphin!

As for the things you should bring with you, we recommend a towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat and whatever else you want to use to cover your skin for the hours that you'll be out in the sun. Last but not least, you might want to bring cash for souvenirs. All proceeds from souvenir sales go to our Research Direct program, which supports top Hawaii marine scientists. We believe in conservation and these are truly, Hawaii's top researchers.

So, let's circle back to the top of the article. Why is Lanai a better snorkel destination than Molokini? The main reason has to do with congestion in the water. In fact, the Molokini caldera is so congested with boat traffic that the Hawaii State legislature recently put forth a 2019 bill to Governor Ige to reduce the number of tour boats that can enter the waters. Governor Ige ultimately vetoed the bill stating: “This measure is unnecessary as DLNR already limits the number of Molokini Shoal MLCD commercial use permits to 40. DLNR is in the process of working with the commercial use permit holders to adjust the operating schedules to coordinate access to better manage the impact of commercial activity on this precious natural resource.” Your read that right. 40 boats! To summarize, snorkeling in Molokini can be a real cluster****!

If you have any questions or need assistance with your Lanai Snorkel and Dolphin Tour booking, you'll find our contact information on the top of this page. We look forward to seeing you onboard! Mahalo!

By the way, did you know that you can now save $10/person on our Maui Princess Dinner Cruise or a Snorkel Adventure to the island of Lanai? Well you can! Just use the promo code VIP20 after clicking on this link: Hawaii Ocean Project Adventures.