Wahikuli State Park - Lahaina Maui

Snorkeling is good around the north end at the foot of Puu Olai, a 360-foot cinder cone. During storms, however, big waves lash the shore and a strong rip current sweeps the sharp drop-off, posing a danger for inexperienced open-ocean swimmers. Snorkeling is good on both sides of the bay. Parking is difficult unless you're staying in the resorts in the area. Snorkeling all around this area is good. If you go early, you may find yourself in the midst of the pod.

Maui is one of the beautiful islands of Hawaii. During your visit to the tourist attractions in Maui you will come across beautiful locations and pristine beaches. Maui Dive Shop provides this great guide for snorkelers and divers, including maps to the best places to snorkel, hints, tips, articles, and more. Maui is surrounded by beautiful water. Tread lightly, there are rocks hiding under those waves.

Maui is home to many top locations when it comes to a snorkel or dive adventure. Along the northwest coast, from Honokahua to Maalea, you'll find a number of good spots to snorkel while on your Maui vacation, many appropriate for beginners.

Swimming is best when the tide is high, there is a break wall that provides a safe swimming spot for younger children. Always swim with caution and at your own risk since there are no lifeguards on duty at most of Maui's beaches. Swimming and snorkeling here is decent enough, but not spectacular. Like other beaches along the highway, Papalaua can be convenient if not spectacular.

We sat around for perhaps half an hour, spotting occasional shells at the surface, seeing some turtles through the water on the reef below us, and even detecting some SCUBA bubbles a couple of times. Unfortunately, none of the honu who surfaced showed enough of their profiles to be clearly identified. The sand shelves away abruptly from both sections, so swimmers soon find themselves in deep water, but bathing is usually safe outside periods of high winter surf. The rugged lava coastline around the Black Rock itself is one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui.

The shore break often attracts body boarders, and once beyond the surf you will find the conditions to be perfect for swimming parallel to the expansive shoreline. Sunbathing here is also quite good, but the beach lacks the unspoiled quality of a Kaanapali or Kapalua Beach. You don't have to be at the top for sunrise, but I have to tell you -- watching the sky slowly light up is a near-religious experience you'll never forget.