15 Maui Kayaking Tours Worth Booking

1.Maui Clear Kayak and Snorkel Tour: Swim with turtles (Makena)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 551 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $130Our pick

Start at Makena Landing at 7am for a three-hour small-group tour with Ohana Ocean Adventures. You’ll paddle a clear-bottom kayak over Maui’s reefs, then snorkel with turtles and tropical fish if conditions allow. Guides such as Kyle, Curtis, Marc, and Michael are praised for patient instruction, safety, and marine-life knowledge.

“It was an incredible experience. Kyle was very nice and took his time explaining everything. This was our first time Kayaking and we had a blast! Now we have awesome pics swimming with turtles. Thank you Kyle! We had a great time.”

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2.Turtle Town Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 345 reviews · 3 hours · from $120

Paddle about 1.5 miles through Makena Bay with South Pacific Kayaks, then snorkel Turtle Town’s reefs with a guide such as Tyler, Jake, John, or Kyle. The small group format suits beginners and families with children age five and up. Equipment, safety instruction, snacks, drinks, and a dry bag are provided.

“Rabbit was a great tour guide. We saw lots of turtles, many fish and beautiful underwater plants. Definitely a must-see snorkeling spot 😊”

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3.Turtle Reef Kayak Tour of Makena, Maui

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 328 reviews · 2 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $121

Paddle 1.5 to 2 miles from historic Makena Landing with a guide such as Tyler, Jake, or Jeremiah. You’ll use a single or double kayak, snorkel above Turtle Town’s reef, and look for turtles, fish, rays, and seasonal whales. The 7:15am trip welcomes ages 5 and up and usually offers the best water conditions.

“Be prepared for a little workout, you are kayaking in the ocean. I'd recommend a long sleve T. Went out with my wife and 6yr old and had a great time. The whales were out in full force, maybe 20 yards out. Our guide Rabbit was awesome, knowledgable and attentive. He's good at coaching first timers up. After we went to the bay and saw 10+ turtles. It was a great day! I'll do it again.”

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4.Private Stand Up Paddle Boarding Tour in Turtle Town, Maui

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 293 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $169

Meet at 7:15 am in South Maui for a two-hour private paddleboarding lesson and wildlife outing. Aqua and Sky teach beginners patiently, share stories about Maui’s culture and ocean life, and photograph your time on the water. Expect sea turtles, coral, island views, and a relaxed pace tailored to your group.

“We joined this tour during our honeymoon trip in Hawaii and this was hands down the best tour we joined out of the other 5 tours! Aqua is super knowledgeable in terms of the islands and ocean life. It was our first time doing SUP and though I'm capable of swimming, I'm always nervous swimming in the ocean but Aqua is very encouraging and always making sure we're doing good, we felt super safe and it's the first time that I really enjoyed being in the ocean this much. We got to see a bunch of sea turtles that we weren't able to when we did the snorkeling with another…”

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5.Clear Kayak Tour with Pontoons and Optional Snorkeling-Unlimited

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 224 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $134

Start at Olowalu Beach with Jason, Gabriel, and their family team. Paddle clear-bottom kayaks across Maui’s reefs, using the hull like a window onto coral and fish. Pontoons add stability, and optional snorkeling brings you closer to turtles and reef life. Rash guards, dry bags, water, sunscreen, and local fruit are provided.

“Best and nicest guides in Hawaii!! Guides are patient, knowledgeable, and trusting letting each person go at the pace they desire. We saw 7 sea turtles up close!!”

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6.Premium Turtle Town Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 113 reviews · 3h 30m · from $151

Spend 210 minutes kayaking about two miles along South Maui’s Makena coast, then snorkel at two prime Turtle Town sites. Guides such as John, Jake, Steve, Miah, and Tyler lead the outing, explain reef life, and help beginners handle the gear. Winter trips may add humpback whale sightings.

“Jake was a really great Guide and we have seen a lot of turtles.”

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7.Turtle Town Clear Kayak & Snorkel Tour (8am-11am)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 100 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $130

Meet at Makena Landing for a three-hour morning tour with up to 10 people. Guides such as Chris, Kris, KP, and Macarena lead you by clear kayak to a nearby reef, where you snorkel among turtles and fish. Equipment, water, and patient instruction are included. Photos are available to buy.

“It was the perfect mix of kayaking and snorkeling! We saw a few turtles pretty close to us. KP was an amazing tour guide!”

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8.Whale Watch Kayaking and Snorkel Tour in Kihei

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 93 reviews · 3 hours · from $118

Paddle from Makena Landing into South Maui waters, watching for humpback whales from a sit-on-top kayak before snorkeling along the reef. Guides such as Jake, Kyle, Madison, and Jon provide safety help, island stories, and marine-life notes. The three-hour tour includes gear, snacks, water, and juice for up to 10 people.

“It was a great experience, even though we didn’t see any whales. Our guide made the most of it and snorkeling was superb.”

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9.Private Beginner Paddleboard 101 Lesson: Makena Landing!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $159

You’ll learn stand-up paddleboarding with a private Ocean Expert at Makena Landing, a protected cove in Maui’s Turtle Town. Expect shore instruction, guided practice in the water, chances to see turtles, and photos taken by a professional guide. Snorkel gear may also be provided.

“We had the best time with Lowe paddle boarding for our first time ever! It was our honeymoon and second to last day in Maui. We did just about everything we could on the island and figured we should enjoy a special activity. Boy were we in for a treat!! We thought, how could our trip get any better? And it absolutely could- and it did!! Lowe was so knowledgeable of the island, gave great instructions, recommendations, and shared stories with us. She took great amazing photo shots of us on the water and in the water with turtles and fishes! Since it was our first time paddle boarding, I…”

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10.Private Beginner Paddleboard Lesson with Snorkel in Turtle Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $179

Meet your private ocean guide at Makena Landing Park for a two-hour beginner paddleboard lesson along Maui’s Wailea Coast. You’ll practice on the board, snorkel while holding on, and look for honu, reef life, and possibly whales or seals. Guides such as Peg, Chris, and Tristen provide patient instruction, local stories, and optional photos.

“Awesome tour. Perfect for beginner. Free and easy parking. Tristen is very patient and guided me step by step. I was able to stand up on the paddle board the first time! I also saw a sea turtle popped its head out to breathe in the air. So cute!”

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11.Self Guided Clear Bottom Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 31 reviews · 2 hours

You’ll paddle a clear-bottom kayak around Makena Landing, known as Turtle Town, with time to spot sea turtles, coral, reef fish, and seasonal whales. The local crew provides a safety lesson, PFD, fish card, and squirt gun, then lets you explore at your own pace. This is a self-guided outing, not a narrated tour.

“It was a great activity for our family group. (Husband and I, 75 & 74; 14-year-old and 8-year-old granddaughters). We rented two kayaks. My husband and the 8-yo were in one kayak; the 14-yo was with me. The 8-yo was not very helpful paddling. The 14-yo was a rock star, so we covered a lot more ground. The bay is very clear, and you can see down for over 20 feet. We saw a lot of sea anemone, coral formations, a lava tube, several sea turtles, a group of scuba divers and various fish. There are no "guides." The owners meet you on the beach give you the equipment, explain…”

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12.West Side Discovery Kayak & Snorkel from UKUMEHAME

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 27 reviews · from $120

Spend three hours kayaking about 1.5 miles along Maui’s Olowalu or Ukumehame Coastline with a small group of up to 10. Your guide handles the safety briefing and leads you to one or two snorkel sites, where you may see green sea turtles, tropical fish, dolphins, manta rays, monk seals, and humpback whales in season. Gear, snacks, and drinks are included.

“Had a fabulous time with Jake our guide. He even caught an octopus for us to see. We ended up having to move locations (we knew a few days in advance) as the original one was too windy. This location did not disappoint. Lots of fish, turtles and even a reef shark. Jake was funny and very knowledgeable. Would take this tour again.”

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13.Semi Private Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) Class at Kalama Beach in Kihei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $140

Meet Surf Club Maui at Kalama Beach Park for a 90-minute semi-private SUP lesson with a maximum of six people from your own family or friend group. Coaches such as Turtle, Anton, Mike, and David teach safety, paddling, and balance, then guide you onto the water. Gear, reef shoes, rash guard, parking, showers, and changing rooms are included.

“We switched to surfing instead of SUP, I am glad we did, David was awesome and we all had a really great time learning to surf. Great spot for beginners, would definitely do this again.”

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14.Guided Clear Kayak Tour – Unlimited

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3 hours · from $129

Join Gabriel, Jason, or another CPR-certified guide for a three-hour clear-kayak trip over Olowalu Reef. You’ll use reef-safe sunscreen, reusable water bottles, and provided gear while looking for turtles, fish, dolphins, manta rays, and distant whales. The launch site changes with conditions, and directions arrive at least 24 hours ahead.

“We learned so much from Jason and Gabriel. They were ver accommodating for our wheelchair and Jason was a hoot! Bonus was some fresh pineapple afterward. I did get a bit uncomfortable after awhile as there are no foot holds in so your back really takes the paddling. Those with pontoons said the bar hit them in the back. Highly recommend!”

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15.Beginner Level Private Stand-Up Paddleboard Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 2 hours · from $169

Meet your private English-speaking guide at Polo Beach for a two-hour beginner lesson on calm ocean water. You’ll learn on shore, practice with close support, and see Haleakala Crater from the sea. Children age 3 and up can ride in front of a guide. Fresh fruit, water, towels, and on-ocean photography are included, while photo packages cost extra.

“It was amazing with a great one on one instructor who was great!!”

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