Hawaii Snorkeling Trips
- Snorkeling is a thrilling yet relaxing experience.Snorkel image by LenseGoneBad from Fotolia.com
Hawaii boasts one of the most beautiful natural landscapes on Earth. Towering mountains, lush greenery and sandy beaches draw millions of tourists every year. If you're planning a trip with family or friends to one of Hawaii's islands, a snorkeling trip is both an adventurous and relaxing way to spend an afternoon. - In addition to shopping, you can also enjoy snorkeling on Oahu.snorkel image by Emmanuel Lacoste from Fotolia.com
With the largest population of the Hawaiian islands, Oahu is the center of shopping and nightlife. However, it is also the home of many beautiful beaches that lead to exotic fish. The snorkeling tours here can vary from a few hours at $20 to a full day at over $1000. In other words, you need to set your agenda and decide what kind of experience you'd like. You can take a public or private tour, enjoy a provided lunch or not, and even choose to swim with sharks if you're in a daring group. Tom's Barefoot Tours (see Resources) has virtually every level of experience that you can share with your family and friends. - With a sparse population, a self-made snorkeling itinerary is a great choice when staying in Kauai.Snorkel, mask and flippers on the coral reef image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com
Kauai is known as the "garden island" because of its abundant greenery and rich variety of plants. Because of its laid-back lifestyle and sparse population, a fun alternative to a regimented tour is to plan a self-made itinerary for snorkeling. You can either rent gear from your hotel (many don't even charge) or find a shop on the side of the road. Then it's up to you where you'd like to go. According to the Kauai Explorer website (see Resources), the Makua Beach on the North Shore or Poipu on the South are perfect destinations to see fish and other marine wildlife. For safety reasons, always follow the daily tide warnings for the surrounding area. - Maui has several cave snorkeling tours that offer a unique view of aquatic life.cave. grotto. sea running into a cave. image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
If you want something in between the hustle and bustle of Oahu and the quiet calm of Kauai, you might find it on Maui. This diverse island offers a wide range of snorkeling tours that can take you from the blue open waters to deep caves. Each tour sports a colorful variety of aquatic life for you to enjoy. Maui Snorkeling (see Resources) offers several choices of catamarans, boats and rafts that will take you to the different destinations.
