Enjoy the best of holiday experience in Hawaii by taking a tour to the iconic Molokini Crater, a volcanic islet located just 3 miles off Maui’s south shore.
Going on a Molokini snorkeling adventure aboard the Calypso is one
of the surest ways of enjoying a fun and memorable holiday in the area. The
Calypso is a brand new power catamaran that offers visitors numerous
opportunities to explore the wonders of the South Maui coastline.
The Molokini Crater is surrounded by crystal clear waters that are home to more than 200 species of fish. That makes it an ideal spot for both snorkeling and diving.
What Can You Expect On A Snorkeling Tour?
Your snorkeling tour and ocean excursion can no doubt be exciting
with Calypso’s friendly crew on board. The boat departs from Maalaea Harbor-the
island’s centralized and easily accessible harbor. The Calypso usually heads to
two amazing places for excursions namely: Molokini and Turtle Town.
Onboard Experience
While aboard the Calypso for a morning snorkeling tour,
you’ll be served with donuts, eggs, cinnamon rolls, ham, fruits, juice and
more. The motorized catamaran features 3 spacious decks, easy-access points to
and from the water as well as professional captain and crew.
It is also designed with aquarium-style glass bottom windows that allow those on board to sit down and explore the reef without dipping even a toe on the ocean. The Calypso is simply a comfortable vessel for both landlubbers and ocean adventurers to ride in.
Molokini Crater
The extinct Molokini cone islet sits off the shore of Kihei
and rises out of 300 feet of water. Endowed with pristine waters and abundant
marine life, this area is an ideal spot for snorkeling.
Here, you can venture deep into the waters and experience first-hand Hawaiian native marine species like fish, manta rays, urchins, sharks, whales and more. The conditions and
the environment in this area is almost untouched, based on the fact that Molokini is
a preserved marine and bird sanctuary.
The underwater visibility at Molokini can sometimes go up 100 feet, something that can guarantee you having unlimited snorkeling adventure.
Turtle Town
Turtle Town is another prime snorkeling area in Maui that
you should visit after Molokini. Here, you have the opportunity to swim
alongside the Hawaiian green turtles.
With calm waters and thriving corals, you can for sure enjoy the spectacular underwater scenery. The sea turtles usually spend a lot of time in these waters nesting, interacting with fish and gliding around. You can always feel free to take photos while snorkeling in Turtle Town, just to document your underwater adventures.
After Snorkeling Tour Experience
Once you’re done snorkeling either in Molokini or Turtle
Town, you can return to the boat to relax and/or enjoy some barbecue lunch. The
Calypso usually serves buffet-style foods with great options like chicken, pulled
pork, sandwiches, chip cookies and pasta salad.
There’s also a trivia game(Quicksilver) that you can play on board and stand a chance of winning a crew t-shirt. While all this is going on, you can enjoy Jimmy Buffet music that’s playing in the background.
What’s The Duration of the Tour?
The Calypso snorkeling tours to both Molokini and Turtle
town are usually scheduled for 1.5 hours. During this time, you can enjoy sightseeing,
snorkeling, relaxing on the boat and/or taking photos. If you’re organizing for
a special occasion, you can pay for a private charter that will schedule the
tour time based on your specifications.
What’s The Best Time to Do the Tour?
Any time of the year is perfect for snorkeling around Molokini
and Turtle Town. However, if you’re crazy about swimming with the dolphins,
then the best season to visit Maui is between Mid-December and Mi-April. During
this time, there are plenty of humpback whales weighing up to 45 tons, whose sight
can be great to behold.
Things Included In the Tour Package
- 3-deck catamaran boat with sufficient seating
- Professional captain and crew
- 11 individual dive steps for easy access into and out of
the water - 2 water slides
- Flotation devices and safety accessories
- Glass-bottom viewing room
- Ham/egg breakfast, donuts, cinnamon rolls, fresh fruits,
coffee and juice - BBQ lunch with pulled pork, chicken and vegetarian main
course - 2 freshwater showers
- 3 restrooms
- Informative and historical narration
- Onboard music with plenty of Jimmy Buffet music
Things Not Included In the Package
- On-board SNUBA option available for guests aged 8 years and
above - Alcoholic drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Wetsuit and underwater digital camera (only available for
rental)
Are There Any Extra Costs Charged?
In most cases, the cost of the Calypso snorkeling tour is
usually fixed based on the destination(s) you’re headed to. You can enjoy free meals
(for breakfast and lunch), accessories and other amenities provided on board. However,
you can choose to spend extra money on alcoholic drinks, SNUBA service, wetsuits
and camera hire. For private charters, you might be required to pay extra
charges depending on the type of occasion you’re scheduled to go for and the
time you’ll spend at sea.
Who’s The Tour For?
The Calypso snorkeling tour is ideal for the family and people
of all ages who want to enjoy the beautiful ocean scenery and/or explore the
underwater world. Children aged 8 years and older are welcome to enjoy SNUBA Dive.
This option provides kids with special equipment that allows them to snorkel and
breathe with ease while underwater. That means you can get everyone onboard
while going for a snorkeling tour with the Calypso.
Why You Should Go For the Tour
The Calypso snorkeling tour provides you with once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to get away from the noise of the city and unwind, in an otherwise
remote setting. Whether you’re looking for an ideal summer spot to relax or a
perfect team building setting, the Molokini, and Turtle Town never disappoint. And
Calypso offers you the best option to spice up your snorkeling tour even the
more.
What Should You Bring?
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Polarized sunglasses
- Spare clothes
- Waterproof Dry bag to protect stuff from the water.
- seasickness bands
Pros
- Knowledgeable and helpful crew
- Delicious breakfast and lunch
- Spacious and comfortable catamaran
- Snorkeling Gear and flotation device provided
- Plenty of beautiful fishes and turtle to see
Cons
- Hard to get to know each other as the boat is crowded with people.
- Need to pay for the parking
In Conclusion
Maui is no doubt a paradise for snorkelers and casual
holidaymakers alike. And in order to enjoy a rewarding and memorable
experience, you need an experienced tour company to guide you around.
The Calypso snorkeling tour is the best tour service you can use on this part
of the Island. So if you’re planning to visit Maui this coming summer or holiday, be sure to organize your tour with the Calypso.
Have you already been on the Molokini snorkeling tour aboard the Calypso?If so, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments below.
Daniella has been passionate about travel, the sea, and nature for many years. As a child, she frequently traveled throughout the Mediterranean and continued with her journeys throughout her adult life.
Her experiences have created the desire within her to share her love for traveling with other passionate and adventurers who want to discover beautiful horizons and new cultures.
A fan of snorkeling myself and loves this article for the fact that it share the details and the excitement that you can expect when you plan for your trip to Maui. I’ve never meet a dolphin or whale, the real ones with my own eyes before and mid-December would just be nice for me to plan for my Christmas trip and something to look forward to for sure. A must read article for those who are looking for snorkeling or holiday spot.
Hi there,
I am glad you’ve found this article useful!
If you’ve never met dolphins and whale, then you should surely do the tour between December to April. So yes, Christmas would be the perfect time to plan your trip to Molokini:
Thank you for the comment and wish you a beautiful day!
This looks like so much fun! I am planning a trip to Hawaii for my son and I this next summer as a graduation present to him. Of course, we both love the ocean and being in the water. I have not snorkeled in a very long time, so I am looking forward to it. If we are on a pretty tight budge, being a single mom and all, which snorkeling tour would you recommend as the best one to take? The Turtle Town or Molokini snorkeling tour? Thanks for all your great information!
Hi Matt,
Yes, it is a fun trip, no doubt about it:)
That’s a fantastic present for your son’s graduation. Both spots, Molokini crater, and Turtle town are included in the tour. This trip is inexpensive for what you get. It cost $100.95 per person, which is reasonable!
I hope it helped! Let me know if you need to know more info. I am always happy to help:)
Thank you for the comment and wish you a lovely day!
We just did the Calypso tour last summer. I can’t say enough good things about it. The snorkeling at Molokini and at Turtle Town was absolutely amazing. We saw so many turtles! I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone. The staff was friendly and really knowledgeable. They seem to have all the hot spots figured out. The only thing I wish was different, is I wish the tour was longer. But I am sure nobody wants it to end. Next time I want to try Snuba, or actual scuba diving. Thanks for your review, very spot on.
Hi Kris and Steve
Tha’s wonderful! I am glad you’ve enjoyed the tour:)
Oh, yes, I am sure no one wants the journey to end. They are so many beautiful landscapes to explore, and the underwater world is fantastic. What could you ask more:)
Do you mind if I ask you if you did the tour with Viator?
Thank you for sharing your experience, I really appreciate!
I wish you a lovely day!
We are from Florida and went on the calypso with our daughters 15 and 13 and I have to say the boat is beautiful. We went to two separate snorkeling locations and did see a lot of different sea life and turtles. The breakfast , lunch and drinks were very good . The only complaint I have is that the snorkel mouth piece was not new but used. I think for what you are paying you should get a new mouthpiece. Otherwise I would recommend the staff was amazing and on hand to help at all times.
Hi Odalis,
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Molokini tour!
Great to hear that you had a good time with your family! Yes, the snorkeling gear that boat companies provide on board are used, and it’s not aesthetic. They should definitely invest in new equipment, and I hope they will do it soon:)
Thank you for the comment and wish you a wonderful day!