MOLOKINI & TURTLE TOWN SNORKEL TOUR
Quicksilver has been replaced by Calypso for our Molokini Snorkel Tour and Ma’alaea Dinner Cruise
Adults Online Special: $109.95 regularly $129.95
Kids 7-12 $89.95
Kids 6 & Under, 1 free per paying adult.
Additional kids 6 & under $89.95
Tour Information
Experience one of the most iconic destinations on the planet on a Molokini snorkeling tour. The Calypso catamaran can take you there with three gorgeous decks, two delicious meals, and one fantastic crew on a half day excursion!
Leave in the early morning from Ma’alaea Harbor, Maui’s centrally located launching point for tour boats. Find the best seat for you and your group: there’s plenty of sun and shade in and about the spacious cabins. Restrooms are located on the lowest deck for your convenience. When you first board Calypso, you’ll notice that’s where your hearty breakfast is, too!
Wear your bathing suit beneath your clothes, secure your hat, and pack your reef-safe sunscreen or rashguard and surf shorts to protect your skin from the awesome island rays. (We mean the rays of the sun, not manta rays or spotted eagle rays. There is a chance you’ll see those animals on your Molokini snorkeling tour, and they are awesome, but don’t worry: mantas eat plankton, and even your kids are too big to fit into a spotted eagle ray’s tiny mouth.)
Molokini snorkeling is world-renowned. Because this crater is so far offshore, and the inside of its bowl is protected from the open ocean, the visibility underwater is amazing – sometimes up to 100 feet! This site is now a Marine Life Conservation District and home to many fishes and birds, but it has undergone many permutations over the centuries. The captain and crew will tell you the tales; some are ancient legend, and some happened almost yesterday.
On your way to the crater, the crew will bring snorkeling equipment sized just for you. They will also explain how to use the gear if the sport is new to you, or if you need a quick review. Flotation devices and prescription masks are included on your Molokini snorkeling tour, while rental wetsuits and underwater cameras are available for an additional fee.
It’s easy to get into and out of the water on Calypso. Several wide staircases are lowered right through the surface. These steps are so easy to use, you can even sit on them while you put on your fins. The vessel also has more exciting ways to get in – the water slides and the jumping-off point from deck two! And if you prefer to stay completely dry, or you’d like to take a look underwater before you get in, head down to the glass-bottom viewing room to see the reef from there.
Now, let’s say you’ve snorkeled quite a bit before, and you’d like to try something new. Well, Calypso has snuba diving, too! Imagine swimming beneath the surface, breathing from a tube connected to a tank of air floating on a raft above you. That, along with an experienced guide to show you the way, is the snuba experience. Just think: you can be closer to the fish for a longer period of time – up to ten feet down!
When you’re finished exploring the crater, your epic Molokini snorkeling tour is only half over. Calypso will whisk you to a second site: Turtle Town! Turtle Town is located off Makena, on Maui’s south side. Hawaiian green sea turtles spend a lot of time here resting, being cleaned by fishes, and gliding around.
When snorkeling is pau (done) here, a delectable barbecue lunch and cocktails are served, and then it’s on to La Perouse Bay before returning to the harbor. La Perouse Bay, at Maui’s southernmost point, often hosts its own pod of spinner dolphins. You’ll look for dolphins and play Quicksilver trivia on the way back to Ma’alaea.
If this sounds like an awesome day on the Calypso, that’s because it is.
All snorkel spots are visited when weather and ocean conditions permit. If Molokini snorkeling conditions are less than fabulous, the captain’s next choice is usually Coral Gardens – off Maui’s west side.
See you soon!
- Glass-bottom viewing room
- Shady main cabin and upper decks
- Full breakfast with coffee, scrambled eggs, ham, donuts, cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, and juice
- BBQ lunch with chicken, pulled pork, and vegetarian entrees
- Ice-cold juice and sodas
- 3 restrooms
- Professional, experienced, friendly, safety-conscious captain and crew
- Historical and informative narration
- High quality snorkel gear
- Optional wetsuit and underwater digital camera rentals
- Flotation aids
- Easy access into and out of the water
- 2 water slides
- A jumping-off point on the second deck
- Freshwater showers
- Fun Jimmy Buffet music
SNUBA DIVE. BREATHE UNDERWATER!
8 years and older welcome. No experience necessary.
If you are already familiar with snorkeling, and you’d like to try something new, enjoy snuba diving! Snuba brings you closer to the fish for a longer period of time than snorkeling can. An experienced guide accompanies you throughout your dive. You breathe from a tank of air that is floating on the surface, and you have the option to swim down to about forty feet – taking your air tube with you! Snuba does not require prior experience breathing from a tank.
AWESOME AMENITIES!
Glass-Bottom Windows
When the boat is moored, feel free to use Calypso’s most unique amenity: the glass-bottom ocean view! Not many Molokini snorkeling tour vessels boast this feature. Descend below the lowest deck to look through four panels of aquarium-style glass! There is room to relax, sit down, and see the reef without dipping a toe in the ocean. Bring the little ones, so they can see what the older kids are discovering in the ocean outside.
Safety
Our top consideration on your Molokini snorkeling tour is safety. Our passenger vessel Calypso is certified by the United States Coast Guard. We abide by all USCG applicable rules and regulations, and we carry all required safety equipment. We also provide safety instructions and information about the snorkel sites and the boat. In addition, an attentive crew member is in the water with the guests for the duration of each snorkel.
Jumping Platform
Calypso’s high second deck will tempt your inner daredevil with its super scary jumping platform. Are you ready to take the “leap of faith?” We bet you can do it! 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . JUMP!
Flotation devices
Should you care to spend your water time strictly on the surface, Calypso’s got all kinds of ways to float you. Included in your Molokini snorkeling tour are pool noodles, float belts, boogie boards, and life vests of all sizes. Wetsuits can help you float, too, and they are available to rent. For the whippersnappers, we’ve got kickboards complete with viewing windows! These boards are so comfy, kids have been known to nap on them while checking out the fishes.
Ease of Water Access
Almost every place you look, Calypso has created a path straight to the place you want to be – the ocean! 11 individual dive stairs lead you right to the water, and each has its own handrail for a convenient entry and exit. The rear dive step is particularly cool. It’s lowered directly into the sea, which is quite similar to boats visiting the Great Barrier Reef! You’re going to love it.
Two Water Slides
As if your Molokini snorkeling tour couldn’t get any more fun, Calypso sports two exciting water slides. One zips you straight up and off the bow with a thrilling drop. The other is a bit calmer, but still quite fun. The whole family can go up and down, and around and around all day. Slide, shout, splash, swim, climb stairs, and do it again. Why not? You’re on vacation!
Snorkeling Instruction
Our crew members are advanced ocean explorers, and they will explain the snorkel equipment they provide. You will be outfitted with a snorkel set that fits to your face and feet, and you will learn what to expect on your first float above the reef. Feel free to ask questions throughout your Molokini snorkeling tour. When you are ready to hop in, go for it!
Comfortable Seating
4,000 square feet of comfortable, intimate and covered seating is found on three separate decks. There are tables for most every seat. Each deck is outfitted with speakers, so no matter where you’d care to sit, you will be able to hear the narration, safety information, and jokes from captain and crew. For the best tan and the best views, go up to the top deck. When you return to your seat after your ocean adventure, no worries – every chair was made to get wet and still feel cozy.
Two Freshwater Showers
Once your Molokini and Turtle Town snorkeling sessions are complete, and you’re pau playing in the sea, it’s super nice to rinse off all the salt. “Pau” means “finished” in Hawaiian, and Calypso has two freshwater showers available for you to use. The shower water is warm, too!
Cookies
Imagine you’ve made friends with Calypso’s fun, responsive, and dynamic captain and crew. You are now happily spent after snorkeling Maui’s blue waters and exploring the truly epic boat. You and yours are relaxed in the shady cabin when out of the blue, your favorite crew member brings you a delectable gift – chocolate chip cookies! We can tell you from scrumptious experience that biting into a cookie is one of the best ways to end an incredible day at sea. And yes – we have plenty to go around!
Large Shady Cabin
There’s a good chance you’ll need a break from the island sun during this 5.5 hour tour, no matter how much you want to prove to your co-workers that you went to Hawaii. No problem! Calypso has you covered – literally! The shady main cabin will provide all the respite you need, along with plenty of airflow. Enjoy comfortable chairs, tables to accommodate small and large groups, and the tasty food and drink counter. Yes, please!
Three Restrooms
Calypso is fully equipped for a half day excursion on the water. There are three on-board restrooms for your convenience. Once installed on a boat, they’re known as “marine heads,” of course. The heads are located on the main deck, which is the first one you’ll discover when you come aboard.