7 Wildlife Kayak Tours in Maui 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 $120Best value

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.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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6.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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7.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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