This experience on my brothers list of things to do on vacation. I went with no expectations and it became MY FAVORITE thing we did in Maui. We even came back for a second round before the airport! Highly recommend adding this experience to your trip. We didn't catch anything but it was fun to diving, practice breathing techniques, and learning to shoot under water. Keoki is the best guide and human I think I've ever met on this planet. Mahalo!!! read more

This was such an incredible experience!!! I would absolutely recommend and would gladly go again. Jonah was an excellent guide. Luckily it was just myself and one other participant, so it really felt like a private tour. I felt like I had plenty of time to ask questions about which fish we could shoot at and to get a better understanding of how the whole process works. Jonah also did a great job teaching us about breathing techniques and helping us to maximize breath retention in a way that was safe. Once we got in the water it was a total blast. In our case, both I and the other participant were experienced swimmers and comfortable in the water. I have to say I really appreciated that our guide gave us latitude to explore, dive deep, swim through archways underwater, etc. It was the real experience rather than having your hand held the entire time, though if one were to need more assistance I'm sure they'd be glad to give it. This really sparked a passion in me for underwater exploration and spearfishing. read more

This was an AMAZING experience! My wife and I were celebrating on our honeymoon and this was the last experience we had planned before taking off the following day back home, and this really felt like a "save the best for last" moment. What truly made the trip amazing was our guide, Keoki. He really made us feel comfortable, safe and most importantly made it fun. You could tell Keoki really took pride in his craft and more than anything wanted to make sure we had a great time. He was funny, relatable, skilled and patient as my wife and I had never done this before! We took numerous shots at spearing a fish and although we came close, we still had such a blast. If you're thinking of spear fishing in Maui, you HAVE to use this service and better yet please make sure you ask for Keoki! We will definitely be back! read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - Myself, Keoki and my wife! Keoki speared a grouper and a snapper - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Came here for beach equipment rentals and had great customer service. The sales woman was patient with my 8 year old son and fitted him with snorkeling gear. Also rented beach chairs, wagon, etc. She pointed out the best local snorkeling spots. Overall all very pleased with our experience. read more

Mahalo Maui Spearfishing and Keoki! That. Was. Amazing. 13/10 would do again and again. All of it was perfect and enjoyable and fulfilling. Keoki made the entire outing just by being himself. His instruction, personality, tips, attitude, stories, communication, skill... all the things you'd want in an instructor for a 101 class ~ spot on. Thank you so much brada for the experience ~ we are definitely going to be finding a way to continue spear fishing outside of Hawaii. My favorite part??? We found an octopus and got the chance to have to crawl all over us and hangout for a while before we released it back into the Sea... it was sooooo cool. So so cool. Maybe I go re-watch My Octopus Teacher hahaha. Mahalo mahalo mahalo! read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

The whole group came out empty handed, but we all had many opportunities for success. If nothing else, it was the most incredible snorkeling I've ever done in my life. I shot the gun 3 times which is the only thing I wish we got to do a bit more. But I learned how to dive! I can comfortably swim down to 20 feet which I was never able to do before. Would definitely recommend read more

This expedition was a highlight of our trip. Knowledgeable, experienced guides, epic snorkeling. My teens and husband really enjoyed going out with MSA, and agree it could become an infectious hobby! A guided tour is a great intro to the art of spear fishing. Like any skill, practice would greatly help someone be some more experienced and adept at diving down and knowing what to look for. The three of them learned a TON, and while they didn't even shoot at any fish, they got to swim with an eagle ray, see tons of fish, and hold an octopus. Like I said, they loved it! The more in shape you are, the more fun you will have. This isn't a boat tour. You drive to the beach with the guides, and then swim way out, after learning breathing and diving techniques. It was a great way for the teens to burn some energy and be mellow in the afternoon when they got back, haha. read more

Great challenging outing and adventure if you are a beginner looking for a first time spear fishing experience. Guides spent two hours on land going over basics of breath holds and technique before getting into the water. Hans was my guide and his breath hold ability was impressive. On our group trip, we went out of an area just south of Lahaina. The guide knew all of the local area fish, which ones were good to eat, and the behaviors of each, such as how skittish they were and how to stalk them. He also went down with some clients to make sure they were okay upon resurfacing after a shot at a fish. Keokei, the other guide was very entertaining, and has extensive knowledge of the greater area fishing spots. Both guides caught large invasive Roi and several other edible fish on our outing. The one downside of this outfit (an area that they could greatly improve upon) is that they lacked full wetsuits with hoods. They only offered short wetsuits without hoods which were not suitable to myself as I get cold easily. They could also use larger inflatables for better breathe up resting for all clients. I would not recommend this 101 outing to someone who has freediving or spearfishing experience as it is the essentials for folks who have never been exposed to it. That being said, it is great for families and groups of friends that want to try it out in a safe setting with competent guides who will help you troubleshoot issues and let you learn about the gear and sport. read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - Big ol' meaty Roi Keokei caught next to Han's little wimpy limp Roi. Roi eat 150 reef fish per year and need to be removed. - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Maui Spearfishing Academy provided an awesome first experience spearfishing. The staff was super friendly and Kioki in particular being super helpful with teaching us how to operate in the ocean. read more

Caught a silver fish about 1-2lbs my first time out! Chose this place over top shot because the Academy advocate and encourage hunting invasive species more than top shot; very apparent if you compare their websites. Also the Academy starts later, is less expensive than top shot, and small group of 5 with two spears. Great for beginners and advanced. Guide will spend time in shallow and deep (~30-50') waters. Even if you don't catch anything it was an amazing snorkeling adventure. read more

Keoki was hands down the friendliest, most informational, and encouraging guide I've ever had. He was able to teach our party of three how to dive and equalize our ears underwater, know which fish to go for, and how to use a spear gun properly. Once we got out to sea, Keoki was very nice and understanding of our strengths and limits. He was able to guide each of us and provide us with the best opportunities to spear the fish! For me, I was too scared to dive underwater and it never felt like I was pressured to do anything I didn't want to. After everyone else was able to practice diving and even catch a fish, we moved to shallower waters to make it easier for me to use the spear gun. Last but not least, in addition to catching fish, we were also able to just snorkel around and were able to see octopi and sea turtles! Thanks so much for the great service! read more

DO NOT MIS THIS ACIVITY! It is absolutely awesome and the people that Manage it: Bobby, Sarah and Joseph are down to earth people; just all around Good Vibes. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Joseph was my Guide for the day, he is just off the chart with his fun, upbeat personality and your SAFETY is his #1 concern. He is an awesome Instructor leaving nobody behind tending to everyone. You will learn so much from him and you can use his knowledge and apply it threw out your Lifetime especially if your like me a "Water Baby" read more

If you're looking for some local adventure on the island this is the place to go!! The cool thing about this excursion is that you're hunting for game fish or invasive species that harm the reefs. It's not like you shooting a bunch of beautiful reef fish. They really are good ethical guys who genuinely love the sport of spear fishing. The class starts off with some breathing practice and techniques for free diving. As well as some free diving safety procedures. Bobby then took us out to the ocean to practice our skills and teach us how to use the spear gun. Everything was taken at a great pace to ensure everyone's comfort and safety. It was beautiful and so much fun trying to identify our hunt. We split into two groups with two guides, and Each group had a unique experience. We swam with a pack of 20+ sea turtles. The other group ended up getting a 25 pound fish. Im sure the results will vary, but no matter what it was beautiful and a fun skill to learn. read more

See all

My husband and I had a FANTASTIC morning with Bobby and Joey and the rest of our group. Maui Spearfishing Academy was highly recommended in our travel book, and the Yelp reviews echo all the good things. For the tldr version, this is a great day even if you don't get anything. The snorkeling and hunt alone makes it worth it. I had decent expectations for myself for how the day would go, knowing I probably wouldn't be able to spear one, but hoping my husband would. The first half of the morning, Bobby gave us some of his own background, some information on the fish we were going to be going after, safety information, etc. We got wet suit shirts, flippers, and snorkel masks. We went on an overcast day (weird weather for the area), so Bobby and Joey thought long and hard about where they wanted to take us out. We stopped first on a beach in Kaanapali and practiced some breath holds on dry land. This was a very relaxing time, and Bobby gave us some tips on how to increase the amount of time we'd be able to go. We also practiced clearing our ears, which would allow us to dive deeper. However, Bobby told us beforehand that about 1/4 to 1/3 of participants have trouble with this part, so he assumed 1 or 2 of us in the group would have have difficulty (sure enough, that was the case!). After the beach practice, we drove down the road a ways for the trip, and four of us went with Bobby while the other three went with Joey. Time FLIES in the water. We swam out pretty far, getting to see all the coral and fish on the way (we even saw some turtles and a shark! Don't worry, it wasn't interested in humans...). At about 20ft deep, we stopped for practice breath holds and to see how far down we could go. One man in the group and I couldn't clear our ears, so we were only able to go down about 10 feet or so. My husband and another man had no problem getting down 20+ feet. We swam out deeper, and before we knew it, Bobby spotted a roi and one of the guys in the group shot it on his first try! It was so awesome! Huge roi at 5lb 1oz, at just about 20ft down. The hunt was on! Before too long, my husband got a 3lb roi at about 40ft deep! We saw a few others and missed them, and then Bobby was able to get a black-tailed snapper on our way back. The one guy and I who couldn't equalize our ears didn't even mind that we didn't get a chance to hunt. It was fun to be included, try it, and get to snorkel anyway and watch the others do it! You can tell that Bobby loves what he does. I would recommend EVERYONE who comes to Maui to come here and try out spearfishing. Even women! Even though I was the only woman on our trip, I didn't feel out of place or like I wouldn't be able to do it. I want to continue to try to equalize my ears so that maybe next time I WILL be able to hunt! It was so much fun, I loved it. read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - My husband and his 2lb, 15oz roi caught at 40ft! - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

See all

I went out on the 4th of July with Keoki. He was an excellent guide and put me in a great position to get some fish. I highly recommend him and this outfit. read more

I highly recommend this company! I took my son for our first spearfishing experience and it was really wonderful! We both really loved it. Our guide was Keoki and you can tell he's been doing this his whole life and truly loves this. We were in excellent hands and were very well prepared. When we come back to visit we'll be sure to book here again! read more

I've always wanted to give spearfishing a try but live in a land locked state. Maui Spearfishing Academy got me started and I am looking forward to using what they taught me in the future. Keoki is an excellent teacher, and I enjoyed spending my morning with him. He will push you to grow your skills, and you will get some good exercise in the process. I can't say enough good about Keoki. He even tracked me down afterwards to return my wallet and a pair of water shoes that I'd left behind. I highly recommend MSA to anyone interested in going Spearfishing. I look forward to coming back someday and going hunting with them again. read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - One less invasive fish on the reef, it's a grouper locally called a roi. - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

See all

Went out with keoki today. Went with my wife, and her family. It was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. He was awesome. Made us feel like we were doing great even when we missed. Can't wait to do it again. So much fun read more

I just finished up my third experience with Maui Spearfishing Academy and like the first couple times, I had an awesome time and can't wait to go out with them again. Spearfishing 101 was truly the best thing I've ever done in Hawaii and that's speaking from the experience of visiting for over 100 total days across a dozen trips throughout my life. All the guides are excellent and are very passionate about freediving/spearfishing to the point that they typically do it personally on most days when they are off from leading tours. It's such a great benefit to utilize their experience and vision in spotting fish and sea creatures because they notice a lot of little details that are easy to miss. Each time I've gone we've gotten a few invasive species and also saw a lot of sea life we weren't targeting. The coolest things I experienced was watching a guide feed one of the invasive fish we shot to an eel and also a guide found an octopus we got to hold. My tips for those who go, and you really should if you're in decent shape, is to eat a high carb dinner, like pasta or pizza, the night before because being in the water for a couple hours burns a good amount of energy. The morning of the tour, eat very light like a single banana and if necessary take Dramamine along with lots of water. Sometimes on boats I get seasick but didn't have any problems on the spearfishing tour. Also, be sure to apply some sunscreen on your lower back as well to usual areas because floating there can be a gap between the wetsuit top and swim trunks that gets exposed to the sun. After taking the Spearfishing 101 trip, it's possible to go on an afternoon excursion, but afternoons are hard for me and I've enjoyed refreshing the basics in the 101 class each return visit. Every other person on the tours I've been on had an awesome time as well, I can't recommend doing this enough! read more

The spear fishing 101 class was the highlight of my trip to Maui. Our guide, Kerek, did a fantastic job teaching our group. He taught us free-diving techniques to help us equalize underwater and hold our breath longer (I was able to nearly double my original time). He also taught us about fish identification and went into some history about how these invasive fish got to Maui as well. Once we were out in the water, Kerek made sure we were well equipped to get some good shots on the fish. We practiced diving down and getting comfortable hanging out at the bottom of the reef. After that, he guided us around, finding fish, and setting us up for plenty of nice shots. He even gave us some extra time in the water as well which allowed me to go home with a catch. I can't recommend this experience enough for those with any interest in trying this sport out! read more

We went out with Bear and it was incredible! Our vacation to maui was the trip of a lifetime and it wouldn't have been complete without spearfishing. Bear was patient and most importantly, made sure we were safe. THANK YOU SO MUCH for the memories we created today! Book your trip NOW if you want to have the best experience in Maui that combines snorkeling and Spearfishing. read more

Our tour guide was Hans. Super cool guy and enjoys what he does. I'm an experience spear fisherman who went for the adventure and pick up some techniques I may be missing. I picked up a few techniques and was lucky enough to have a good group of guys. If you are new to spear fishing this is right up your alley. If you are experienced I would suggest going in with a patient mind knowing other people are not going to have many skills. That being said I highly recommend this agency as your spear fishing guide. I plan to take their free diving course in the future when I visit the island again. Actually, if you are an experienced spear fisherman I would suggest that course instead. I believe you'd get a better skill set for spear fishing in your home turf. Thanks again for the guide, Hans! I'll try to not be such a "cat" with my breath holds in the future. Haha jk! read more

I've done a fair bit of adventuring on the islands and this one may've been my favorite. Keoki was an amazing guide: filled with Aloha spirit, information and energy. If you're somewhat athletic, have been snorkeling before and have a tiny bit of common sense, you're qualified for the 101 Intro to Spearfishing class. It's surprisingly accessible and easy. If you're the person who stands like a deer in headlights, in the airport walkway, this might not be your adventure, because they get right to it. :) read more

I did a private lesson with Keoki, which was an amazing experience. I never had spear fished before, so I didn't know exactly what I was getting into, but Keoki did a great job walking me through the basics. We then swam offshore about a quarter of a mile and spent about 2 hours in the water hunting. If you like adventure, this is one the top things to do in Hawaii. read more

It was a great experience learning all about spearfishing. Just the snorkeling experience and watching the guide demonstrate how it's done was fun all by itself. I did get to take some shots at some fish only to find out that it's harder than it looks! I highly recommend trying this only if you have had a lot of experience snorkeling. read more

Our group was small and we were paired with just Hans. The first hour or so you meet at the shop to get your gear and then drive over to a nice hotel parking lot to learn safety and the types of invasive fish you're allowed to shoot at. Then we drove more south along a road but there was a homeless guy at the spot so we drove a few feet further to park off the side of the road. We got out and it wasn't the beach but really- the ocean waves hitting the rocks off the side of the road. There was a lot of broken glass there so we had to be careful when we changed into our flippers. Once we changed we climbed over the rocks and swam out into the ocean with Hans and started right away. Let's just say- the experience was a lot more underwhelming than expected. It was pretty bare out there and we each took turns shooting at a spoon first. Since we're not allowed to hold our own spear (which I understand for safety reasons)- we each only got to shoot it twice while we were out there- and that's including the practice shot at the spoon. For $200+ I think it was an okay one time experience. We didn't see many fish- let alone the invasive ones we're allowed to catch. Didn't catch anything but I guess I'm happy we learned box breathing and realizing I can swim a lot further into the ocean than I ever imagined myself to do. read more

Great combo experience! Educational, fun, and thrilling! They gave a fun question/answer intro before taking us outside to teach us different diving techniques and assess our individual abilities on land, later in water then we went on the hunt! Our guide's name was Hans, he wasn't new spearfishing by any means. His experience showed as he answered questions and assisted us in learning things. He kept a watchful eye on us but still let us explore and discover while swimming/hunting. I felt safe with guide and by the end I feel more confident swimming on my own in the ocean. Besides being a great instructor, he was fun and personable, it was easy to see that he really enjoyed his job of helping other people into this sport. The experience never felt rushed and I learned tricks to have me diving deeper than I ever realized I could! I strongly recommend taking the time to try this activity read more

So what can I say this was an experience man. Good people all around from Bobby to Hans (our dive guide) to the great people I was paired with matt,mike,Laura,and Kim... solid! Hans took us thru a boat load of info for intro divers to freediving and spearfishing... this wasn't a snorkel trip! All great info and I picked up several gems thanks! Then we hit the water, and we were in it for a solid 2 hours(and that made me happy)! We got put on the fish. The groupers and other Evasive fish. We also were put on tasty fish! It's up to us to shoot them. We were coached thru diving to 50ft. Prior to that I've only done 30ft and man did Hans make you feel comfortable pushing you dives it was great. And Bobby did a wonderful job of pairing like ability watermen and women together that helps so much in the experience the academy is trying to provide and the client trying to receive! Thanks everyone for a great time and an amazing experience. read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - What's in this photo people who had a great time with Maui spearfishing academy. - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Keoki was an awesome guide and instructor, and Bobby did us a real solid finding us a last-minute slot to go out on. The company cares about spear fishing the right fish, not just any fish, so you're not out there destroying the reef. The whole group wants to go spear fishing again. read more

Thanks for such an awesome experience! I highly recommend going out with instructor Hanz. Hanz took the time to teach us about all the local fish, including what was invasive and what we could and could not shoot. He taught us about breath holding and how to relax under water, which helped me hold my breath for the longest I've ever been able to! When we went out and implemented these skills, I shot a snapper and we caught octopus and lobster!! If you are looking for an adventure while on Maui, this is the excursion for you! My recommendation is to know how to free dive and equalize your ears prior to your day out in the water! read more

See all

This was a great way to learn about spearfishing in HI. Bobby and team did a great job of teaching good technique as well as the required safety. I had a great time saw a ton of fish and got all the shooting I could handle. read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - Shooting instruction prior to getting in the water. - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

KeeOhKee (sorry for the name butcher) is a Bad Ass! We started our trip at 808 Boardshop where we got a tutorial on fish species and safety. From there we hit the water. Everyone in the group shot a grouper. We almost got an octopus. We saw a decent sized eagle ray. All and all it was an awesome morning in the water! I will definitely be going out with Maui spearfish academy again!!! Aloha read more

Went out on a private freediving class with the owner of this business, Bobby Twitchell -- turns out to be the most amazing ocean experience I ever had! Bobby is no doubt one of the best experts in this area. He perfectly understands the theories and philosophies behind breath-holding and freediving. Spending a morning with him and I really get to know the sport! He would take you to the Ocean and let you practice your free dives there. It felt 100% safe to be with him and I reached the 30 feet bottom after a few attempts. Felt in love with freediving because of this amazing intro experience and will come back again! read more

Maui Spearfishing Academy - Free Diving Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

See all

Excellent little company for beginner spear fishing. Met at 7:30am and return around 1pm. Guys were a lot of fun and it is a long day. My son got two shots off and didn't hit any. He did learn some tips , but floating it can be tiring being out in the water that long. Wish there was more opportunities to shoot, but it's a great experience. Park on the side of the road across the street and the family enjoy either Kapihaa beach or Napili while they are out. read more

Wow. The highlight of my visit to Maui was definitely the Maui Spearfishing Academy (MSA). My spearfishing day started off in the morning on a bit of a cloudy day, I was a little worried about the weather, but upon arriving at the MSA headquarters, my worries were immediately dispelled by the energy and cheeriness of my guide for the day, Keoki. Keoki was born and raised on Molokai and never stopped having a smile on his face throughout the entire day, nor a lack of great stories about his life on the islands - particularly about fishing in the seas or hunting in the jungles. My group was just me, another Maui visitor from the mainland, and Keoki. After spending a bit of time going through the safety and on-land talking points about how to spearfish, we jumped into the MSA SUV and headed to a close beach. We entered the water simply by swimming out from the shore and spent the next few hours swimming around, spearfishing for invasive fish species, and getting some great sights of fish, sea turtles, and octopus'. I didn't quite have the aim to hit any of the fish, but the challenge and fun of trying was such a cool experience. Our time on the water was plenty long and when we got out I was ready for a nap. I'd recommend anybody who's visiting Maui to give these guys a try. MSA, and our guide Keoki in particular, created such an awesome and fun experience: and one that is helpful for keeping the Hawaiian reefs less overrun with invasive fishies. Keep up the great work MSA! read more

Definitely recommend anyone who is interested in spear fishing invasive species to check out this company. Keoki was our guide and instructor and was the nicest guy with a passion for what he does. This was the best part of my trip to Maui and I will definitely get back in touch if I come back to Maui or have time on my trip to go again. I learned so much and I would love to pick up the sport back home. Definitely a business I support and would love to see do well! read more

Absolute blast! Got lucky and had a small group, just my son (13) and I. Not only do you learn critical breathing and ear popping techniques, you get a fist hand eduction on Sustainable spear hunting safety and most importantly How not to shoot your eye out. After the learning we headed out to the water. Where we applied or attempted to apply what we learned. What fun. Not only did we take some shots at some fish (so close) we saw numerous turtles, Octopus and even fed a Puhi kauila. (Google it)!! This is something I would recommend for anyone wanting an Adventure! Be a descent swimmer, Relax and Enjoy!!! You welcome! read more

Let's see. I booked the day before at 7 PM and I still got a person to call me and set me up for the morning. They also have online booking if you are more organized than me. So two stars. I did the free diving in the morning and the spearfishing in the afternoon. The free diving was excellent, I heard whales, got 20 meters, had a great time and learned a lot more than I ever did diving. So two stars I did the spearfishing in the afternoon, off the bat I will let you know that the resorts throw tons of pesticide which coupled with global warming limits the amount of wildlife in Maui. The spearfishing class is a great intro but I doubt you will be catching much. So one star just cause Maui sucks on that aspect. Now, you can always up the ante and take their Lanai spearfishing tour. All in all, I thought the freediving first and the spearfishing after was the best combo you can get for the sport since Maui relies on you sitting on the bottom ambushing the fish. Other than that, Sarah was great, she did the admin work. Joey was great at the freediving stuff. and Bobby dragged us along the spearfishing adventure. read more

Serious in depth training from the islands' finest. This was a great experience I'll definitely be doing again on my trip to Maui.

Such an amazing experience on Maui. You must do this. You learn about the island as well as yourself. Great instructors.