Oahu: Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkeling Tour (Small Group)

Highlights

• Enjoy small groups for the highest level of safety and service
• See sea turtles or ride again for free—guaranteed
• Benefit from expert guides invested in you having a great time
• Ride in style on a deluxe power catamaran or brand new double decker power boat
• Enjoy snorkeling suited to all skill levels, from beginner to expert

Description

Turtle sightings Guaranteed — or your next trip is on us.

Turtle Canyon is Waikiki's most famous snorkel destination — and one of the ocean's rare cleaning stations, where specialized reef fish scrub algae from Hawaiian green sea turtles' shells. The turtles have been protected here for over 40 years, which means they're unhurried and completely comfortable with snorkelers. Your guide knows exactly where they rest, and brings you right to them.

We're the only operator in Waikiki offering a true 6-person semi-private catamaran alongside a small-group power boat option. Choose the experience that fits your group.

--- Your options ---

Option 1 · Semi-Private Catamaran — max 6 guests
Our 30-foot power catamaran "Keanuenue" carries just 6 passengers. With only 6 people on your boat, your guide is always right next to you — not stretched across 28 strangers. The difference shows up in the water. Perfect for couples, families, and anyone who wants a truly personal experience.

Option 2 · Small Group Power Boat — max 20 guests
Our brand-new 54-foot "Big Kahuna" is built for 49 passengers — we cap it at 20. That means a spacious, comfortable boat with a small, social group and two in-water guides with you the entire time. Great for solo travelers, small groups, and first-time snorkelers.

--- YOUR TOUR, START TO FINISH ---

Depart from Kewalo Basin Harbor, just minutes from Waikiki, and settle into the open deck as we cruise the south shore of Oahu. Keep your eyes on the water for spinner dolphins, spotted 3–4 times a week on morning departures.

At Turtle Canyon, your guide briefs you on snorkel technique and reef etiquette, gets you fitted with top-quality mask, fins, and flotation, then enters the water with you. You'll spend a full 60 minutes exploring the reef — following turtles through the coral, spotting parrotfish, eels, octopus, rays, and tropical fish species found nowhere else on Earth. First-time snorkeler? You're in the right hands. Your guide stays in the water with you the entire time.

From January through March, humpback whales migrate through Hawaiian waters and are sometimes spotted from the boat — occasionally even underwater.

Back on board, rinse off with a fresh water shower and crack open a complimentary cold drink while we swing by Diamond Head for a photo pass — the view back toward Waikiki from the water is something most visitors never see.

Waikiki: Sea Turtle Snorkel (Small group 18 People Max)

Waikiki: Sea Turtle Snorkeling Boat Tour (6 People Max)