“Amazing experience! We paddled out, saw turtles, and our guides were so kind and fun.”
Verified Review
This two-hour snorkel tour launches directly from the beach at Grand Wailea in South Maui, where you’ll board a six-person Hawaiian-style outrigger canoe (OC6) for a personalized ocean experience. No paddling or snorkeling experience is required—your guides are champion-level paddlers and friendly hosts who’ll navigate to a calm reef spot and help you into the water to swim alongside turtles and colorful reef fish. With group sizes limited to just six guests, this tour offers an active yet easygoing way to explore the shoreline, soak up local ocean knowledge, and experience snorkeling without the crowds.
GUEST REQUIREMENTS
For all ages, group size limited to 6 guests.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Paddling and Snorkel
WHAT TO BRING
Swimsuit, sun protection
CANCELLATION POLICY
Changes or cancellations must be made 48 hours prior.
WHAT GUESTS ARE SAYING
4.8★ from 170+ reviews on TripAdvisor
Guests love this tour for its simple mix of paddling, snorkeling, and storytelling. Many mention how calm and safe the experience feels — especially for kids or first-timers who appreciate the guides’ patient tips. Families say spotting turtles right off the canoe is a highlight, and the small-group style means there’s no loud crowd or lines to hop in the water. The sense of paddling an outrigger with true local paddlers adds a layer of connection that bigger tours don’t deliver.
Highlights:
- Two Hour Tour
- No experience necessary
- Tour includes snorkel gear
- Tour departs from the beach at Grand Wailea
- Available daily
About:
First we cruise the warm waters on your private outrigger canoe until we find a good spot, then we strap on our snorkel gear and hop in the water to swim with the friendly sea turtles. Our OC6 canoe can accommodate up to 6 people, allowing families to enjoy a great ocean experience together, away from the crowds. Our guides are fun, personable, and knowledgeable in addition to being State Champion paddlers. We offer several different canoeing adventures, from Snorkeling and Whale Watching to paddling for sport and exercise. There is no better way to snorkel or whale watch than from a private outrigger canoe.Maui Pacific Tours is a locally owned outfitter specializing in outrigger canoe adventures along Maui’s calm South Shore. Led by State Champion paddlers, the team pairs traditional Hawaiian canoeing with guided snorkeling tours that feel more like sharing a morning with old friends than joining a crowded boat. Launching from the beach at The Grand Wailea, they glide families and small groups over warm coastal waters to find calm reefs and friendly sea turtles — all at a gentle, relaxed pace that lets you linger as long as you like.
Location: Tour departs directly from the beach fronting The Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, HI 96753.
Check-In: Arrive at least 15 minutes early to meet your guide on the sand, get fitted with snorkel gear, and hear the paddling briefing. Look for the Maui Pacific Tours canoe crew near the Grand Wailea’s beach activity area.Customers will receive a full refund or credit with 48 hours notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price.
FOLIO TRAVELOGUE
Canoe and Coral: A South Maui Paddle with Sea Turtles
We launched right from the beach, barefoot in the morning sun, the outrigger canoe skimming over the South Maui shoreline like it belonged to the water. There were six of us and two guides—warm, easygoing, and quietly proud to share the ocean.
As we paddled, the reef came into view beneath the surface—lava rock, coral shelves, the shimmer of fish darting in and out. We drifted to a stop. The guides passed around masks and fins, offered a few gentle tips, then one by one we slipped into the water.
“A sea turtle gliding below the canoe, with nothing but reef and breath between us—that’s Maui magic.”
I hovered above the reef, drifting with the light current. A sea turtle passed beneath me, slow and unbothered, and I followed it at a respectful distance, heartbeat steadying. The ocean here was calm but alive—schools of goatfish, a flaring triggerfish, the faint pulse of coral polyps just beneath sunlight.
Back in the canoe, we coasted along the coastline. The guides shared stories of their childhoods on this water, and the meaning of the outrigger—not just as a boat, but as a lifeline, a way of life. No motor, no crowds, no stress—just paddles, breath, and salt.
