This was a wonderful trip for both those experienced with snorkeling and novices. My family included both types, and everyone found the experience amazing. Instructions was good and we had an excellent guide in the water who was extremely knowledgeable about the turtles, fish and the reef ecosystem. The biggest fear was not seeing turtles, but we saw a bunch. More importantly for those considering this tour is that although the turtles don’t reside in Turtle Canyon, there are important biological reasons why they go there regularly. I read that there are more in the morning, and we were on the 9:30 trip, so things may be different in the afternoon, but they guarantee you will see a turtle. The “deep” water is only 30 feet and was crystal clear to the bottom. Some of the tour is over reef where the water is only 10 feet deep. There are also large numbers of fish, and many different types.
In addition to the guide, they also had several other folks in the water. One was a lifeguard who followed the group in the water, another performing a taxi service who went with people who wanted to go back to the boat early. Speaking of which, don’t be concerned about the two hour time of the session, the dock is so close to turtle canyon that you will have a full hour in the water, which is definitely long enough to se everything and vibe with the turtles and fish.
There was no alcohol, but a variety of complimentary non-alcoholic beverages in cans as well as little packages of snacks (the sort of things you’d take with you to the park with small kids, but I found my granola bar hitting the spot after 45 minutes in the water).
Finally, parking (at least on a Saturday) was tough. The lot near the dock was full. If you continue around the marina towards the beach, there is free parking but aggressive signs state it’s only for people at the park and adjacent beach and people parking for the marina are subject to fine and tow. We parked there anyway as otherwise we would miss the tour, but if I had it to do over again I’d take the local trolley or Lyft.
Odpowiedź od gospodarza
Mar 2025
Thank you for your detailed review! We're so glad your family, both experienced snorkelers and beginners, had an amazing time at Turtle Canyon. Seeing so many turtles and exploring the reef is always a highlight! Our crew works hard to ensure everyone feels safe and supported, and we’re happy you appreciated their care. Thanks for mentioning the parking tips too – we agree that using a trolley or rideshare can be helpful. We hope to see you again for another great snorkeling adventure in Honolulu!