Waikiki's Most Affordable Turtle Snorkel Boat Tour - Mana Kai Catamaran
Overall Rating
4.75
Friendly crew and so much marine life
Reviewed by: Andrea, 2024/04/12The snorkeling was such a blast we saw several turtles and a ton of fish. The crew were such a pleasure to be around every one of them was nice, knowledgeable and friendly. The boat was small but that was the best part because then we had a much more intimate experience and were able to feel comfortable with our crew(not hard they were all so nice). We were out for over an hour but could hang out on the boat and reenter the water whenever we felt like. The boat had a nylon strap front you could sit on and get wet which we did on our way back to shore after the snorkeling. It was a great relaxing and fun time. Definitely would recommend this company because the price is great, the crew was amazing and the trip was not overly packed.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/04/10 |
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Brilliant!
Reviewed by: RoesL, 2024/01/20An incredible experience. Turtles were everywhere, plenty of tropical fish and we were lucky enough to see dolphins as well. The crew were fantastic, super friendly and helpful.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/12/27 |
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Veltra is the best excursion site in Hawaii!
Reviewed by: Ernesto , 2024/01/13Excellent experience for the whole family! The crew were very helpful and courteous. I highly recommend this excursion. I have used Veltra for years now and will continue to use them. I had missed my flight and couldn’t make it to the original date . I called and they were able to reschedule me with no hesitation. Great customer service and care!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/12/21 |
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Amazing
Reviewed by: Raoury, 2023/09/12Truly an incredible experience; managed to see a pod of dolphins on the way there, and multiple turtles once we got to Turtle Canyon, its basically like swimming in an aquarium. The boat isn't the largest of ones you see going out there but it allowed for us to hang our legs off the side into the water as it sailed out, just totally absorbing the vibes of it all. Great price for an amazing experience.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/08/17 |
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Snorkeling
Reviewed by: Dago, 2023/08/18Wowwwww!!! What an experience!!! The staff was super friendly and very helpful!!! 10/10 I highly recommend booking this trip out to turtle canyon.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/08/16 |
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Definitely a must, we’ll worth it!
Reviewed by: Monica Quevedo, 2023/06/23This was a super fun activity. Staff members were super friendly and very responsible, making sure everyone was safe at all times while on the boat and in the water! Family saw lots of fishes and couple of turtles! The ride was a fun one and you get a great view of Waikiki. Mahalo to the team!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/18 |
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Chill atmosphere, kind service, and amazing sights among the fish and turtles!
Reviewed by: Nick Pettyjohn, 2023/05/01My wife and I had a great time. The two guides, captain and turtle-whisperer, were confident, relaxed, and funny. The pick-up location was incredibly convenient for us, near our hotel on the Waikiki beach strip. The ride to the canyon was just 15 minutes, and looking back on the city was breathtaking.
Once there, we distributed masks and floaty-belts and jumped right in! I foolishly wiped off my mask and it clouded up, but the captain was keen to fix it after I brought it to his attention. The turtle-whisperer was around to spot turtles and check in on our snorkelers, but otherwise we were allowed to roam.
There were quite a few other tour boats and snorkel groups at the site, but we were able to still find turtles and fish while staying a bit away from the groups of other snorkelers. We ended up among a school of black fish and had two turtles swim very close to us! Once while my wife and I were holding hands. A highlight of our vacation!
Don't go into this expecting a private/guided tour of the reef. Instead, it's a relaxing transportation to a great snorkel spot, with equipment included. For this price, I highly recommend it.
Mahalo for such an amazing review and sharing your photos!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/25 |
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Turtle snorkel
Reviewed by: ErinQ, 2023/04/29Staff on boat were helpful snd professional. Snorkel equipment was ok, kind of old but worked. It was nice to be able to bring our on snacks and drinks on board.
Mahalo for joining us!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/08 |
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Amazing!
Reviewed by: Melissa, 2023/04/26Such an amazing morning! The crew were very friendly and knowledgable. Everything was provided and very easy, they were willing to assist and answer questions and offer advice. I have some incredible videos and memories.
We are so happy to hear you had a memorable experience! Mahalo for joining us!
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/24 |
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This tour is definitely worth doing!
Reviewed by: Michelle, 2022/09/24I've been to Oahu many times. I brought my fiance this time since he's never been. I wanted him to try out snorkeling and see things other than fish, so the turtle tour was a perfect fit. Honestly the crew did a great job. Even the people we had on the boat with us doing the tour was a wonderful group. The only few downsides were: it rained. And I mean it poured! Not for very long and I'm sure the people in the water didn't notice it much, but I was sitting on the boat at the time and I was trying to cover our backpack and towels, since we would need them to dry off later, and it was coming down like pellets. But it didn't last more than 10-15 min and was more or less over. But the sky stayed dark making it hard to see through the already dark water. The turtles became less visible and it made our whole group decide to get out of the water and come back onto the boat to head back in. We were out there for a good amount of time but not the full time. The other problem we had was it got very crowded in the water looking at the turtles. 4 other boats full of passengers were doing other turtle tours as well. There was just a lot of people bumping into each other. I tried to stay away from most people and still saw a ton of turtles, but my fiance on the other hand had a harder time. It was also scary when I'd look up and not see him through all these other people. The last problem was that there were a few people who didn't know how to swim or snorkel. So it took a long time to explain how to use the snorkel equipment and pass out floaties. The positives were the boat was smooth sailing. Everyone was on time and nice. The turtles were wonderful. Hard to see them when they get super deep but they were big and beautiful and did not disappoint. Lots of fish to see too. The couple who run the boat are wonderful and so are there family who came and helped out as well. For the price I would definitely recommend this and probably do it again when we go back!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/09/03 |
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Love this tour
Reviewed by: Tyra, 2022/09/11The sailing boat was very clean and was able to hold our group with 6 families. The Staffs were so nice and helpful.I spotted 2 turtles, one was very close to me, super exciting. Some of my friends even saw more with babies, we all had a very remarkable experience.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2022/08/17 |
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SO MANY TURTS!
Reviewed by: Tom C, 2022/08/26The experience was brilliant from start to finish. When we first arrived, we were worried there was no clear booth for arrival, but THEN like Maui himself on the ocean, the catamaran came out of the waves and docked right on the beach! The friendly crew checked us in, told us to grab some snacks if we wanted and then got us onboard.
They said if we wanted a fun, but wet, ride, we should sit on the net at the front. We did, and got SOAKED by waves and it was so fun!
We got to turtle canyon and were given high quality snorkels and instructions. There were other groups there, only one of them were slightly annoying but there’s plenty of turtles to go around!
We saw more than 15 turtles, ranging from babies to grown ups. They got so close but don’t forget- don’t be a turtle toucher!!! They were so visible and it was a once in a lifetime experience. We are still in Waikiki and honestly considering doing it again!
Do not book ANY other turtle snorkel experience in Waikiki other than this one!!!
5 stars and a huge tip
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/08/24 |
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Snorkeling with sea turtles
Reviewed by: Diana S., 2022/07/14Great time! From the boat ride, to the snorkeling it was a great experience! We saw a couple of turtles, they even came up twice right next to us to get air. The wife was very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/07/12 |
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It is affordable
Reviewed by: OCFD519JH, 2022/06/09Like I said it is affordable. The kids running the boat we’re friendly an did the best they could. 22 people, some of which had not only never snorkeled, but were clearly uncomfortable in the water were too much for the crew to safely manage. I personally had to save a struggling passenger while the guy that was working the lifeguard shift was wrangling other dingdongs! Not the lifeguards fault he was just dealing with too many other folks and couldn’t get to the panicky woman fast enough. I don’t mind, I am a water rescue swimmer with my fire department but still… Her screaming for help couldn’t be heard over the clamoring of the other passengers on deck and the music playing onboard. When folks are in the water 100% attention to the swimmers is the only safe option and if you can’t hear them then the music needs to be off and eyes need to be on the swimmers. The operation was also billed as a sailing and snorkeling adventure with sailing being the key word for me. The wind was fine and other boats were sailing but our sails never went up. If you’re on a budget do it. but for 20-30 more you could do the same thing with a power boat, dolphins and turtles, food and water, and a photographer who would gladly sell you the images from the trip for a few extra dollars. In all honesty a confident swimmer could have reached turtle canyon in a easy half hour of swimming but that’s not for everyone.
For those of you who don’t swim, don’t feel comfortable in the water, or have small children that don’t swim. this is not how you spend your money. Endangering yourself or your family because “anyone can snorkel” in open water, when you’ve never done it before makes the trip that much less enjoyable for everyone including the crew. It is not their job to pay all their attention to you, and it becomes unsafe for everyone else.
Any chance to get in the water will always be awesome for me so like I said it is affordable. If it’s your best option yay!
Go for it!
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2022/06/07 |
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Beautiful tour
Reviewed by: Tammy koop, 2022/03/23Friendly, relaxing and beautiful life memory and experience.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/21 |
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Excellent
Reviewed by: Merideth, 2022/03/06We had a great time. We saw so many dolphins swimming around the boat. I only saw one turtle but had a great time anyway!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/04 |
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Great turtle sail!
Reviewed by: Josefina, 2022/02/27We had a great time snorkelling with turtles with Mana Kai Catamaran, we saw around 6 of them! Friendly crew, easy to check in and find the boat. Recommended experience.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/02/21 |
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Friendly staff, lots of turtles!
Reviewed by: Linda, 2021/09/09Great value, crew was amazing! They helped call out where turtles were and even helped us get great go pro footage of a bunch of sea turtles! Boarding location was super convenient for us too!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2021/08/29 |
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Turtle canyon snorkel tour
Reviewed by: Sheila, 2021/09/05We had a great time. Staff was helpful and kind. Waves were choppy but didn't stop us from getting it done!
When you get to the Duke statue look for the rainbow umbrella on the beach. The catamaran is tied up in the water waiting for you. The sail was not up so didn't see the rainbow sail on the catamaran. Check in with the folks at the umbrella and wait patiently for the late comers. We had approx 25 people on our tour and it was just right. Not over crowded but not spacious either.
They took us out about 15 mins off Waikiki shore to a place called Turtle Canyon. There were several other boats and craft out there doing the same thing. But it did not interfere with us.
We saw plenty of fish and 1 turtle. Fun was had by all. For the price you can't beat this tour. I am a frequent visitor to Oahu and would bring more friends on this tour again. Coming back next year with a different group and will suggest it again for them. Great for beginners and intermediate snorkelers.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2021/09/03 |
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Mana Kai Turtle Snorkel
Reviewed by: Liz , 2021/08/26Our family enjoyed the boat ride. It was about 15 min away. The staff was wonderful. I was able to see only two turtles and some fish. That was very cool. The current was a bit strong at times. Glad the staff helped me with their surf boards.
My three kids ages: 4,5,8, had a hard time swimming because the current was a bit strong so they were only in the water for about 5 minutes. The goggles & snorkel equipment were too big for the toddlers. Next time we will pack ours. We did pack the vests for the kids but they do have some available.
They did see some turtles over the surface. Great weather. We did the 2 pm tour. Make sure to pack some nausea medicine, some folks felt very sick.
We liked being able to bring our own food & drinks.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2021/08/24 |
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Turtle snorkeling
Reviewed by: Elizabeth Brindley, 2021/08/14This was perfect for when we had family visit. Two hours of fun, and we saw so many turtles. Definitely a memorable experience.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2021/07/21 |
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Mana Kai
Reviewed by: Richey/Espino clan, 2021/05/24Great crew great sail our family scattered our moms (Grammie) ashes with a great ceremony and a wonderful and private area. After we went to an area for snorkeling this was a great way to end our day!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2021/05/18 |
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Great Trip!
Reviewed by: Erinn B, 2021/04/30The crew were amazing! They not only showed us where to find all the turtles while we snorkeled (saw about 5/6 different turtles surfacing a million times right next to us), they followed a pod of dolphins for a while so we could get a good view and watch them in their element. We drove around the water for a bit before going back as well so you can snack and drink after snorkeling. The weather was amazing and we were the only boat out there (did the 8AM tour) for majority of the time so had all the ocean to ourselves! Some people didn’t/couldn’t snorkel but they hanged out on the Net of the Catamaran with their drinks and still had a great time napping and drinking lol.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2021/04/28 |
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10/10
Reviewed by: Bailey, 2021/04/1210/10 amazing. The best time we have had in Honolulu, crew knew what to do and say to us. Great job guys this was gorgeous and breathtaking
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2021/04/10 |
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Good Break from the Crowds at Waikiki
Reviewed by: Ohio Couple, 2020/12/10Captain Woody and Jacob were very knowledgeable, engaging and personal. We wanted to snorkel for 1 -2 hours and did not need drinks and food, just a couple of relaxing hours in the water and sitting. This was very affordable and low key. The turtles did not disappoint us as we followed and observed several along with a multitude of fish.
The trip does not include flippers so we rented 2 pairs for 10.00 total from the Waikiki Dive Shop on Nahua St., a short walk away.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2020/12/07 |
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Swimming with turtles
Reviewed by: Jane, 2019/03/01We had the best adventure. After seeing so many other cruises going out looking crowded and rushed we were a bit concerned.
Turned up at 8.30, check in process easy and efficient =)
Great weather, even better staff.
And best of all plenty of space for all on the catamaran. We were blessed with a small group.
Short cruise out and we were already spotting turtles.
All our equipment checked, help given if needed and off we went. 2 hours of watching dozens of green sea turtles in their natural environment. AMAZING!!
having Zac in the water with his trusty surf board gave everyone a great sense of ease.
On our tour was a gentleman who didn't feel to sure in the water but the boys went out of their way to get him an extra floatation buoy and stayed close til he felt more comfortable.
I would recommend Ruski (?) and Zac and the Mana Kai tour to anyone who asked.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2019/02/21 |
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Fantastic value tour
Reviewed by: Mike, 2019/02/24For a quick tour where you will more than likely run into several honu, the Mana Kai Catamaran morning snorkel is a great value. We not only ran into 5-6 large honu at the shell cleaning station, we also found a pod of spinner dolphins. The captain careful followed the dolphins at a safe distance, so we managed to snap some great pics.
Will definitely do again upon my next return!
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2019/02/17 |
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Fun trip!
Reviewed by: Judy, 2019/02/23Trip was really fun. I was afraid of getting sea sick but the water was calm. I’ve been on many snorkel trips in Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas that take you out on a boat for 5 hours or so and provide lunch. Those I felt were way too long and you lose half the day. This one was only about 2.5 hours in the morning which was perfect. We had our 10 year old son with us and his attention span is short and he tires out after 30 minutes of snorkeling. Best part was we got on and off the boat at Waikiki Beach and did not have to drive to a harbor so we saved another hour or so. We saw lots of turtles right away and our son loved snorkeling with the turtles even though he was not a good swimmer. They provide life vests to everyone. I highly recommend going on this tour.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2019/02/20 |
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Fantastic
Reviewed by: KJH, 2018/12/15This was a great experience! There were a ton of turtles and fish. The boat folks were friendly and great. It’s an easy short little cruise out to the spot with good views back toward Diamond Head and the city. Thanks guys!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2018/12/15 |
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Mahalo for joining us!