Oahu Turtle Canyon: Waikiki Snorkel Tour & Reef Wildlife

4.59

(140 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the color—the water off Waikiki really is that kind of blue you see in postcards, but it feels different when you’re actually standing there with your feet on the deck, mask in hand. Our guide, Kaleo, had this calm way about him; he handed out wetsuits and cracked a joke about how even locals get chilly sometimes. I could smell sunscreen and something sweet—maybe pineapple?—and honestly, I felt a bit nervous about jumping in. But then someone else admitted they were too, so we laughed and just went for it.

Floating above Turtle Canyon was quieter than I expected. You could hear your own breath through the snorkel and the soft clinking of gear as people adjusted their masks. Suddenly there was this big shape gliding below—a honu, one of Hawaii’s green sea turtles. It came up for air right near me, so close I could see little bits of algae on its shell. Kaleo pointed out some fish with colors I don’t even have names for (he said 21% are only found here). The current was gentle today, just enough to rock you if you stopped kicking.

At one point someone spotted a pod of dolphins in the distance—just quick flashes of silver—and everyone got excited all over again. In winter they said you might see humpback whales breaching nearby; can’t imagine what that would feel like from the water. If you’re not into swimming, there were a couple folks who just stayed on the boat and watched the whole scene play out against Diamond Head. Snacks showed up after we got back onboard (I grabbed two without thinking), and nobody seemed in a hurry to leave.