Maui: Whale Watching & Turtle Snorkel Tour with BBQ Lunch

4.77

(131 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already leaning over the rail when someone shouted — not sure who started it, but suddenly everyone was pointing at the water. Our guide, Kaleo, grinned and said “Humpbacks!” like it was an old friend showing up unannounced. The ocean was that deep blue you only see in Hawaii, and honestly, I didn’t expect to be so close to these whales. You could actually hear them breathe — this huge whoosh that made me laugh out loud. It’s weird how quiet everyone got after that, just listening.

The boat itself (Pride of Maui) felt more like a floating patio than anything else — tons of space to wander or just flop down in the sun. There were kids racing for the water slide (I almost joined them), and the crew kept bringing out trays of pineapple while we waited for our turn to snorkel. When we finally jumped in, I fumbled with my mask at first — Li laughed when I tried to say “honu” (turtle) in Hawaiian. Probably butchered it. But then there they were: green sea turtles gliding past coral, totally unfazed by us flapping around above them.

Lunch was burgers and teriyaki chicken cooked right there on deck — nothing fancy but after swimming it tasted perfect. The smell of barbecue mixed with salt air is something I still think about sometimes. After snorkeling they opened the bar; I sipped a mai tai while drying off in the sun, legs dangling over the side, trying to memorize that feeling before heading back toward shore. The whole thing felt both laid-back and kind of electric at once.