Maui Travel Forum

Thanks for any info!

I presume you mean to go to Molokini. Since you want to be there first thing in the morning, and have some amenities on the boat, I would look for a company that had a medium size boat. The larger boats take forever to get out there between loading, waiting for passengers, etc. and the small boats sometimes don't have enough area to relax. Also, if you go out of the Kihie landing, the trip on the water is much shorter. Also talk to them about going to the edge of the island area as the water is deeper and there is a better chance of seeing sharks. Karl

We just returned from Maui a couple of months ago. We researched this subject extensively before we decided to go with Paragon. It was a small group (19 people). It left from Lahaina which was very close to our hotel in Kaanapali and went over to the island of Lanai for the day. We had asked several previous travelers this question before we left and the majority recommended going to Lanai over Molokini. They claimed that the visibility was better and the variety of fish was better. I did not go to Molokini so I can't do a comparison. We LOVED Lanai and Paragon. It is a day long trip. We left around 8 or so in the a.m. and returned around 4 p.m. There was one snorkeling stop and the location is great. The salinity of the water there is so concentrated you could not sink if you tried. No one needed any type of flotation device. After snorkeling they dropped us off at the beach area with a picnic lunch. You were at the beach for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours and you could swim, sun, snorkle, explore, whatever. Then it was time to head back. They also fed us a continental type breakfast. Food always seemed to be available to snack on. There was also juice, soda and beer, although it was by no means a booze cruise. We will use Paragon when we go back again. I'll also suggest that you purchase the book "Maui Revealed". This thing is great for breaking down activites and tour companies so you can get a better idea of who provides the experience closest to what you're looking for. It also does a breakdown of restaurants and the Road to Hana trip should you decide that you're going to do that while you are there. Have fun. I can't wait until we go back!

We were thinking about going on the Four Winds II to Molokini because they offer snuba as an option. Plus it is a glass bottom boat. Has anyone been on this boat and what do you think of it. I would love to go to Lanai but since it takes all day, I'm unsure if we will be able to do that. We have a large group traveling with us.

Another question that I wanted to ask is if anyone thinks that the larger snorkel cruises are okay for older folks to go on as just a cruise. They won't be snorkeling but they might join us just for the boat ride. Would it be too rough for them?

We have been on the Four Winds. It's very nice, especially for people like small children or seniors who don't wan't to snorkel, because they can still see through the glass bottom. Not everyone snorkeled on our trip. They had nice food and drinks, and took a video which you could purchase at the end of the trip. That was a nice keepsake. Whether it's rough or not depends on the day you are going out. Hawaii is always windy, so there will always be waves. We have been several times with our kids and they have never had a problem. I think the Four Winds is a very popular choice, and I hear they have one of the best spots to anchor at Molokini. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Carol.

Great! Thank you so much. We have been thinking a lot about it and I think the Four Winds is that way to go. =)

Depends what you like. We went with Maui Dive Shop and they were great. They take one of the smallest boats which means they get to go to the best part of the crater. There are no waits as only 24 people are on the boat; we only had 9. They are professional and affordable compared to other companies. They don't offer as much food as other companies do and they don't have glass-bottomed boats for those not snorkelling but they were everything we were looking for. Check out my Things to Do Maui for their details.