Maui - Dolphin Tours
Dolphins on Maui win the award for being the most popular marine mammal. Everyone loves dolphins! The life cycle of dolphins is similar to that of other cetaceans. As mammals, dolphins bear young, and the mothers nurse them on milk See more...
Top Review Scores Listed First
Company Yelp ratings determine this browsing order. The activity finder compares your preferences and participation requirements first. Check current dates and availability with the booking provider.
Barefoot Hawaii may earn a commission when you book through links on this page.
Makai Adventures
Yelp company rating: 5.0 / 5
Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Tour
Operator option / inquiry
Māla Boat Ramp · About 5 hours
All guests must be able to swim. The child policy for this Viator option needs confirmation.
Published seasonal window: April 25–November 24. Check the operator’s calendar for current dates.
This Viator product currently reports unavailable. Ask the operator about direct availability for this exact experience; this does not establish that the tour is discontinued.
Snorkel the Turtles
Operator option / inquiry
Māla Boat Ramp · About 2.5 hours
Swimming ability is required for snorkeling. Confirm supervision and equipment for children.
Published seasonal window: April 25–November 24. Check the operator’s calendar for current dates.
Ultimate Whale Watch and Snorkel
Yelp company rating: 4.9 / 5
Lānaʻi Half-Day Snorkel and Dolphin Watch
Viator booking option
Māla Boat Ramp · About 4 hours
Ages 4 and older.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Lānaʻi Full-Day Snorkel and Dolphin Watch
Viator booking option
Māla Boat Ramp · About 6 hours
Ages 4 and older. All guests must be able to swim.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Maui Ocean Adventures
Yelp company rating: 4.9 / 5
Maui and Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Encounter
Viator booking option
Māla Boat Ramp · About 4.5 hours
The Viator option excludes infants; other child ages need confirmation. Moderate fitness is expected, and the boat has no restroom. Review back-condition and accessibility restrictions.
Maui and Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Encounter
Operator option / inquiry
Māla Boat Ramp · About 4.5 hours
This direct-booking option is for ages 4 and older, with up to 18 guests. The boat has no restroom; confirm boarding and participation requirements.
Dolphin Search and Island Voyage
Operator option / inquiry
Māla Boat Ramp · About 2 hours
Ages 3 and older. Pregnancy is not recommended; confirm boarding suitability.
Hawaii Ocean Rafting
Yelp company rating: 4.8 / 5
Five-Hour Eco-Raft Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Watch
Viator booking option
Māla Boat Ramp · About 5 hours
Choose the five-hour option. Ages 4 and older; guests must board unassisted. Check in at the address and time on the booking voucher.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Two-Hour Eco-Raft Dolphin Search and Sightseeing
Operator option / inquiry
Māla Boat Ramp · About 2 hours
Ages 3 and older; guests must board unassisted. This is a shared/semi-private departure, not an exclusive charter.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Teralani Sailing Adventures
Yelp company rating: 4.7 / 5
Wild Dolphin Sail
Operator option / inquiry
Kāʻanapali Beach · About 2.5 hours
Beach boarding is required. Lunch and drinks are included; this is not a snorkel trip. Sailing depends on conditions.
Published seasonal window: April 16–November 1. Check the operator’s calendar for current dates.
Blue Water Rafting
Yelp company rating: 4.7 / 5
Four-Hour Kanaio Coast Sea Caves and Snorkeling
Operator option / inquiry
Kīhei Boat Ramp · About 4 hours
Ages 4 and older. Coastal scenery and snorkeling are the main focus; dolphin sightings are a bonus.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Kanaio Coast, Molokini and Turtle Town Adventure
Viator booking option
Kīhei Boat Ramp · About 5.5 hours
Select the 5½-hour adventure, not the four-hour coast trip. Ages 4 and older; moderate fitness is expected. There is no onboard restroom.
Pregnancy and back or neck conditions can be incompatible with this ride. Review the operator’s full participation rules.
Maui Adventure Cruises
Yelp company rating: 4.7 / 5
Lānaʻi Snorkeling Adventure
Operator option / inquiry
Lahaina Harbor · About 4 hours
Ages 5 and older. The super-raft trip is unsuitable for pregnancy and certain recent back or neck injuries or surgery.
PacWhale Eco-Adventures
Yelp company rating: 4.4 / 5
Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Watch — Lahaina
Operator option / inquiry
Lahaina Harbor · About 5 hours
Children require a reservation and supervision. Confirm the day’s sailing, meal and departure arrangements with PacWhale.
Lānaʻi Snorkel and Dolphin Watch — departure inquiry
Operator option / inquiry
Māʻalaea departure is not confirmed for this selected option · About 5 hours
The older Viator option must not be treated as the current Lahaina sailing product. Ask PacWhale to confirm the exact departure and participation rules.
Ask PacWhale whether a Māʻalaea departure is available for your dates; this option is not confirmed.
Kaanapali Ocean Adventures
Yelp company rating: 4.4 / 5
Lānaʻi Half-Day Snorkel Experience
Viator booking option
Kāʻanapali Beach · About 4.25 hours
Published minimum age is 5; younger guests require an inquiry. Beach and Zodiac boarding require mobility. Private/shared wording is inconsistent for this Viator option—confirm before relying on a private arrangement.
Full-Day Lānaʻi Snorkel Charter
Viator booking option
Kāʻanapali Beach · About 7 hours
Children must be accompanied. Beach and Zodiac boarding require mobility; check pregnancy, back-condition and other participation rules. Confirm capacity for your exact charter; the direct website is an inquiry route, not proof of an identical seven-hour booking.
Private Whale Watching and Dolphin Search
Operator option / inquiry
Kāʻanapali Beach · About 2 hours
Two-hour minimum private charter, up to 20 guests. Beach/Zodiac boarding is required. Whales are seasonal; snorkeling is not promised.
Dolphins are wild animals. Sightings and ocean conditions vary.
Maui Dolphin Tours
Dolphins on Maui win the award for being the most popular marine mammal. Everyone
loves dolphins!
The life cycle of dolphins is similar to that of other cetaceans. As mammals, dolphins
bear young, and the mothers nurse them on milk and provide care. A dolphin calf is born
tail-first with eyes open, senses alert, and enough muscular coordination to follow its
mother immediately. At birth, the mother helps her calf to the surface to get its first
breath. While nursing lasts between one and a half to two years, the mother will remain
with her calf for a period between three and eight years. There is some variation in the
age at which sexual maturity is reached, the reproduction rate, and the life expectancy
among the different species of dolphins. Most species tend to bear one calf every other
year or so during their reproductively active years and are believed to have an average
life expectancy of about thirty years.
The two most popular species of dolphins located in Maui waters are the Spinner
dolphins and the Bottlenose dolphins:
- Spinner dolphins are the smallest of Maui's common dolphins. They are
generally between five and six feet in length and weigh 130 to 200 pounds.
Hawaii has its own subspecies that is easy to recognize by its distinctive three-
tone color pattern, which consists of a sharply defined dark gray cape on their
backs, a stripe of lighter gray on their sides, and a white or pink belly. This
species gets its name from its spectacular habit of leaping high into the air and
spinning several times on their tails before falling back into the water.
Researchers are not sure why the dolphins spin, but most people who have had
the opportunity to watch them don’t seem to mind and find it a real treat.
- Bottlenose Dolphins are not seen as frequently, but there are lots of them out
there. They usually travel in smaller pods and are much larger dolphins. They are
usually well over six feet in length and weigh in excess of 400 pounds.
Around Maui, dolphins congregate at night in large herds in the deep channels between
the islands to feed. During the day, dolphins break up into smaller groups and come
near shore to rest and play. A few of the places where dolphins can commonly be seen
on Maui are along the southern boundaries of Maui, especially the La Perouse Bay and
Kanaio area, and off the coastline of Lanai.
As anyone who has had the opportunity to watch dolphins perform in a show can attest,
dolphins have an impressive ability to learn and imitate behaviors, often for what
appears to be the sheer pleasure of doing so. This observation, together with their large
brain size, has led to numerous studies of dolphin intelligence. Dolphins' brains are
about the size of our own. Unlike Maui's famous humpback whales, dolphins are year-
round residents of Maui and can be seen swimming off all the Hawaiian islands during
virtually every month of the year.
Back To Top
