Snorkeling with electric sea scooters is the BEST! Our guide, "Octopus Joe", is extremely experienced: he knows the area well and we saw and swam with 2 turtles. As promised, he found an octopus and put on a show with it (humanely, of course). We saw tons of tropical fish too. The scooters themselves are an absolute blast. They're the most fun thing I've ever done in the water. This is our second time doing an e-scooter tour and we highly recommend this place. We had plenty of time to scoot around on our own in pairs, too. read more

We had an amazing time snorkeling and seeing the turtles and fish. As first-timers, we really appreciated how helpful our guide Payson was throughout the whole activity. He is very knowledgeable and patient. Perfect tour time, too! read more

If you only do one thing on the ocean in Maui, do the Zephyr kayak + snorkeling "whale watch" tour!! We've been to other snorkeling in Maui, and this was the BEST experience ever. We were swimming with SO. MANY. TURTLES. (Apparently if you go in the winter season, you'd see a lot of whales!)! I know there are other "turtle town spots around the island, and we've been to a "turtle town". But the sheer amount of turtles you will see here is unparalleled. Our guides Derek and Robbie were awesome: 1. They took so many photos of us - diving under waters to capture the turtles and us, took 200+ photos and 40 videos and was constantly in the water looking out for turtles. 2. They are also such great swimmers and made me feel at ease given that I'm fairly new to snorkeling. At some point I lost one of my fins and started panicking, but Derek swiftly recovered the lost fin! We also capsized at some point, but with Robbie's calm instructions, we quickly made it back to the kayak. Whew! 3. We also heard several interesting stories and facts about the history of the islands around. Overall, this is absolutely a can-not-miss tour in Maui and we can't wait to be back for the whale season! read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We had a great experience snorkeling with our guide, Robbie! I went with my mom, who started to panic and feel lightheaded early on, but Robbie was incredibly patient and kind--he stopped to talk her through it, helped her get comfortable in the water, and let her hold onto his boogie board for the entire snorkel so she could feel safe and relaxed. The snorkeling itself was a bit challenging with rougher water and about a 1/4 mile swim, but they offer hand jets for rent which really helped! We were so glad we got one--it made a huge difference when the current picked up or when we got tired. Robbie also dove down to bring up sea creatures for us to hold and took lots of great photos, making sure everyone got a chance to be captured both in posed and candid shots. We only saw one turtle, but there were still plenty of colorful fish and other marine life. All in all, a fantastic experience made even better by an awesome guide. Highly recommend! read more

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This was booked by a travel agent. When I found out that it's not a boat ride but a ride to Makenna Beach in a van, I wanted to cancel. Fortunately, I was within 48 hours so no refund. This tour is good for people who don't want to be on a boat all day or if you are nervous about jumping off a boat into the ocean. You are swimming out from shore, so you have to be an average swimmer with a little stamina. They have handheld jet available for $50 if you don't have the stamina. They take a ton of pictures and you download before you leave. Bottom line: you can pay more and get a boat ride or you can pay less and rent snorkeling gear and go yourself. This ended up working for us read more

Zephyr Maui - Turtle town - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Robbie was a great guide. We had someone in our group who had never snorkeled before and was extremely nervous. Robbie handled them with grace and kept them calm, so they had a wonderful experience, and it didn't slow the rest of the group down! The only negative was that they didn't have any prescription goggles. I didn't ask in advance, so that was my fault. This was the only time I went snorkeling in the last 35 years; the vendor didn't have prescription goggles available. read more

Joe was a great tour guide on our snorkeling trip today. It was my two 17 year old boys first time snorkeling and they're now hooked. Joe got us up close with two turtles, an octopus and a starfish. He offered a water jet that turned out to be a game changer for my dad who ended up getting a leg cramp. My boys enjoyed playing around with it. Joe is excellent with photography and capturing your adventure while you enjoy the moment. My only disappointment (no fault of Joe's) was I thought (by the description and photos) we were going out on a boat to a reef several miles off shore to swim with turtles; we didn't. We just went off a beach where a bunch of other groups and random people already were. We saw a ton of sea urchins but not many fish...I think because of all the people. But Joe was great. We really enjoyed him. Book this tour; request Joe; the turtles are worth it. read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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We had a great time with our tour guide Joe! This excursion is perfect if you're looking to do a quick snorkel trip that doesn't require a long boat ride. I appreciated that it is also a smaller group setting so the instructor is able to make it a really personalized experience and take pictures of your group throughout the snorkel time. Overall, Joe made sure everyone felt safe, comfortable and had a great time, even when the water became a bit choppier than expected. Thanks again, Joe! We'll definitely look to come back again sometime in the future :) read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Best. Snorkeling. Ever. Our family of six (ages 12-65) had the most amazing snorkeling experience in Maui! Joe was our guide, ocean expert, photographer--and all-around legend. He made the adventure fun, safe, and unforgettable. We swam beside sea turtles Spotted octopuses in action Glided through schools of colorful fish Even saw a few sneaky eels Joe knew all the best underwater hideouts and kept us smiling the entire time. His photography and videography? Next-level. He captured every magical moment--like us gently holding sea creatures and swimming near turtles (no touching, just awestruck awe!). The photos and videos are unreal--we'll be reliving this day for years to come. Friendly, organized, and just all-around awesome people. If you're snorkeling in Maui, Turtle Town and Joe are the dream team. Seriously, don't miss read more

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This team keeps it sweet and simple. The booking process was smooth; pre-arrivel instructions were prompt and easy to follow: equipment was in good condition; guide (my man, Joe) was patient, knowledgeable, and funny. Pictures and videos turned out great. TIP - If you want specific video/photos, just ask. read more

Zephyr Maui - Preparing to snorkel with the excellent team from Zephyr Maui. - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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They refuse to refund us for a trip they cancelled! we booked a night trip they cancelled and rebooked for next day. Day trip is $20 less a person but they won't refund the $120 they owe us. And THERES NO BOAT!! You just walk in from the beach so save yourself $100 and buy your own equipment read more

I booked online through Zephyr's site a few months in advance for their turtle snorkeling with scubajets. The process was easy to book. The day before our snorkeling day, Adam the owner reached out via text and asked if my party of two would be able to move to the 10:30am slot instead of the 7:30am we had initially booked. My husband and I had made reservation lunch plans for our 2nd anniversary so we asked Adam if we could still do the 7:30am. He was willing to honor our time but explained that their numbers in snorkeling tours has been down due to the Maui fires and they were just hoping to consolidate their groups since my husband and I were the only two people booked for 7:30am. I appreciated the explanation for the last minute change so my husband and I decided to switch up our schedule and did the 10:30am snorkeling instead. We were given instructions of the meetup via text and met in a coffee shop parking lot at 10:10am. There were only 8 of us which made for a nice and more private experience. Joe was our guide and he was awesome! Very knowledgeable, helpful, and funny. He quickly learned and knew everyone by their names. He gave us a brief and thorough orientation of snorkeling. My husband and I hadn't snorkeled before so his instructions were very helpful! We were provided all of our snorkeling gear--fins, masks and snorkels. My husband and I opted to do the scuba jet for an additional price and Joe gave us clear instructions on how to use them. Since the scubajets weigh 10 pounds, we were also given life jackets to help stay afloat. Our group was driven in their company van down to Makena Beach. Make sure to pack your own towels, you can leave any personal belongings behind in their van. Joe took pictures of each party and then we geared up and started on the shore and deeper into the ocean water. My husband and I had a difficult time keeping up with the group who did have previous snorkeling experience. Joe noticed my husband and I were lagging behind a bit and kept checking in with us to make sure we were okay and encouraged us to let him know if we needed anything. I was a bit nervous and embarrassed with how slow I was but the scubajets came in handy when I realized hey this is what it's for! After getting the hang of using it, it wasn't hard to keep up with the group. We saw so many beautiful sea life, it was surreal! Joe did an amazing job with pointing them out to us and capturing photos and videos for us. We saw about 5 or 6 sea turtles and were so close to them. In fact, the sea turtles swam so closely to us, I was actually afraid of accidentally touching them. We also saw a big eel and schools of fish amongst the coral reef. Joe managed to catch an octopus and everyone got to gently pet him before he was released back. It was the coolest thing! We held sea urchins as well and just got the full amazing experience. I highly and absolutely recommend this snorkeling experience with Zephyr Adventures! I'm not a great swimmer and grew up afraid of water. So finding this kind of business meant everything to me! The main aspects I love about them is the small groups for a more personal experience, their deep respect for sea life, their above and beyond friendly service, and their genuine care for their customers. It was so wonderful to have the ability to fully enjoy the snorkeling while our guide was the one who focused on snapping pictures and videos for us. It was $75 for all the photos and videos and transferred through Apple airdrop if you have an iPhone. Please don't hesitate to book with them! We'll definitely have to come back with friends and family to do this again when we're back in Maui one day. read more

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We had Robbie as our guide and had an amazing experience for our first guided snorkel! Robbie was very Informative, friendly and accommodating. We felt safe and secure and that made the snorkel enjoyable! It was 1/4 mile along the shoreline to get to where the turtles are, but along the way we saw SO much! Turtles were swimming around and resting along the bottom, it was awesome! We watched Robbie free dive down to take pics and bring up Red Pencil urchins for us to hold. Such a unique experience and we learned a lot!!! I began not feeling well during the snorkel and Robbie towed me back in on his board which was super helpful and make me feel better. The adventure was above and beyond our expectations!! read more

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Joe was fabulous! Even though the water was murky he pointed out a lot of wildlife including turtles! He helped guide me to be a better snorkeler :) thanks for making my trip! read more

Joe was great! Was a rough a day with a hurricane brewing and murkier waters and he was still able to get us to see turtles, starfish and sea urchins! Got some amazing turtle photos too!! Thanks again, Joe!! read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Zephyr and Joe are amazing! Joe was very thorough with safety and made everyone feel comfortable in the water. He guided us to beautiful sites, and we saw gorgeous turtles! read more

My wife and I had the pleasure of snorkeling with Alec and Matt yesterday. What a great experience! Alec was our lead; courteous and professional. Along with Matt, these guys kept the adventure safe, fun and engaging! Zephyr Adventures Maui - this is what a small and local is about! read more

Zephyr Maui - Happy customers, great memories! - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

ThOh my gosh! So much to say about this company. They are 100% not like any other company out there. They truly believe in assisting the customer. Let me explain. First off, when booking, I was deciding between this company and another larger boat to snorkel company. I went with this one because of the reviews. They had a ton of 5 star reviews - aka read the reviews, there is a reason why this one has a crap ton of 5 star reviews. I was NOT disappointed at all. We got there, checked in and Joe our guide was so knowledgeable and went over safety. He was extremely clear on instructions and was so nice. We got all our stuff and headed out. Our group had 11 people (which included our family of 4 with a 7 year old that had a hard time keeping the snorkel in his mouth). Joe was extremely patient and kept helping us throughout our experience to get him situated with his gear. During our snorkel one of the members did not listen to instruction and caused a panic moment. Joe handled it very professionally and with the utmost care. He took the safety of the client into priority and also made sure the other clients had a premier experience. He was able to navigate a hard situation and I appauld him for his ability to handle it. While I am not going to go into details about specifics, I can say Joe went above and beyond for us. We didnt expect anything from the situation because we missed 10-15 mins of our tour (the guest who didn't listen to safety and cost us to lose tour time) BUT we got a text from Joe later checking in and making sure we were happy with everything. We couldn't believe it. This small company actually cared enough to check in personally with us later to ensure we were happy and satisfied. They reached out to us and really, truly cared we were taken care of. 100000% customer service. We knew the situation was out of the companies control and was due to a crappy client, but they still went out of their way to make sure we were satisfied. No company EVER does this level of customer service. Hats off to Joe and Zephyr. This level of personalized and customer service is not seen anymore. You will NOT regret booking with them. read more

Everything everyone says, PLUS the videos and pictures. The experience was great, but having the videos immediately afterward (for no added expense) was just fabulous. I have already regaled every family I've seen with tales of the adventure and suggested that this is a top outing. I am not that person most days! Joe and Alec...great team members! read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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These guys are awesome. Robbie was a fantastic guide. He made the trip fun and took some awesome pictures of the turtles and our family. Extra special thanks for taking care of some of the weaker swimmers in our group! read more

Had a great snorkel tour! Robbie was a wonderful guide. Took my father with us and he got to have an experience of a lifetime. read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkel photo tour - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We had an epic snorkel adventure with Joe in Turtle Town. Several in our group had limited/no snorkel experience and Joe was patient and very helpful, ensuring that everyone with him had a wonderful experience. I took my cousin who has very limited mobility, and Joe was able to help her get comfortable with her gear and tow her to where we needed to go. The icing on the cake was definitely time spent with my favorite animal on the planet. I'll cherish this memory and the photos Joe shared for a lifetime. read more

Zephyr Maui - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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We had a wonderful time with Robbie. We went on an evening tour and he took us to a place where turtles came in and out of a cave, we saw lots of turtles and he spotted lots of other wonderful wildlife, including a spotted leopard ray. The kids had a great time and he was very careful with his explanation and watching over to make sure everybody was safe. We were with a group that was slightly ambivalent/anxious about snorkeling, and they all loved it! read more

We had an earlier session with Joe. He is fantastic. Though my partner had a hard time to breathe in the right way and water isn't very clear for the day, he really did everything to offer us an amazing experience. Had a fun snorkeling trip! With Joe's experience, you could trust him to find sea turtles read more

We had a blast! Gene is the man. What a fantastic tour guide. We kayaked out snorkels with sea turtles and had a wonderful experience. I highly recommend. read more

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Joey was informative, funny, and had his eye on our group the entire time. I felt prepped both in what to expect, how to use his equipment, and how to pace my self. Definitely recommend!! read more

We had a wonderful time with Joe. He is a first class guide. The trip was a great value. If you are going to do the snorkel trip, rent the scooter, it is fun and makes all the difference. read more

We did the turtle snorkeling tour with Robbie! It was absolutely amazing. Robbie made us feel comfortable in the water, and made sure we got all the photos and videos we needed!! You can tell he is passionate about what he does, and knows exactly what he's doing. If you are in Maui, you absolutely have to do this snorkel tour!! It was gorgeous and we even got to swim with a turtle! Pictures don't do this justice, check it out yourself! read more

Our group had a fabulous snorkel excursion with Joe. Super thorough safety briefing, followed by a snorkel to a location near a sea cave frequented by sea turtles. We saw a handful of turtles up close and it was amazing! The equipment was really nice (compared to setups I've had before) and Joe was very knowledgeable about both the location and the marine life. The snorkel adventure is very convenient for those staying in the Wailea and Kihei areas. It took us 5 min from Wailea! The turtle snorkel takes off from shore (no boat or kayaking required). We were really happy to support this small business. read more

Phenomenal! This is a first class experience. I am very nervous in deep water, but by the end of it all I was relaxed and astounded with the beauty I got to witness. Thanks to the competent staff and guides. I got to interact with an Octopus, have an anemone crawl, yes crawl in my hand... and participate in the underwater beauty of our planet. Highly recommend. read more

Zephyr Maui - Part of our group about to head out on a snorkel tour. - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

This is a tough review to make but it is objective/honest. We booked the whale/scuba kayaking combo for $119. We promptly received a welcome email with instructions that a pin drop would be delivered the night before. Nothing came until morning. Fortunately we were up early and saw that it was a 50 min drive from our up-country house that we were staying out to the NW shore where the launch point would be so we hightailed it out in order to arrive at the posted 7:45am time. We got there first, followed by 4 other couples for the sold-out group of ten that morning. The one crew member assigned to us arrived about 20 minutes late due to difficulties with getting the kayaks out/loaded onto the trailer but that was no biggie since launch is normally around 8am and no one in the group was minding a work/clock! The crew member setup the 10 kayaks and we were off before 9am. He advised that there would not be any snorkeling due to the slightly choppy and brown/sedimented water but he'd make it up on the kayaking portion. That was a royal bummer, especially since it didn't come with a price adjustment nor any other "consolation." We paddled for about 30 minutes before seeing a whale breach... it was very far away, a good 2 miles. The kayaks and paddles are of very good quality and the experience of going far from shore was nice. After just another 40 minutes of paddling, however, the crew member told us it was time to return. We had seen a couple more whales breach in the same vicinity, but still easily more than 1+ mile further. We saw boats and aircraft circling their general area. In hindsight, the distance from (any) shoreline to the whale gathering areas is just not realistically reachable by kayak. I failed to pay better attention to the photos posted by Zephyr... none show kayaks anywhere near a whale within the same picture, especially none posted by patrons. This is probably why the snorkel encounter is the highpoint of this excursion, as it is (realistically) the only consistent highpoint. I can imagine when the waters are navigable for snorkeling it is absolutely fantastic. But therein lies the giant risk of this particular trip under the terms provided by Zephyr. Given the impossibility of being anywhere near the whales and given that snorkeling is completely dependent on the limited distance of a kayak's reach, there is a tremendous risk of unfulfilled snorkeling (and whale watching) if pre-booking here. The water/weather is always going to be dicey, especially in the winter. On the other hand, with a chartered boat (for roughly the same price) you WILL get near the whales and the boat can quickly adjust to find calmer waters further from the shoreline that will have clear snorkeling. Our return paddling took half because you have the waves propelling you. We were back before 10:30a. The crew member again apologized for the shortened outing and no snorkeling. The crew member was very friendly and did a fine job setting up and breaking down the kayaks. He apologized for the shortened outing (both due to his late arrival and due to the absence of any snorkeling) but those words rang (visibly) hollow on the faces of all ten of the random members of this morning's group. And for these two teachers (me and my partner) who debated whether to part with $240 for this particular "whale watching and snorkeling opportunity" from among so many competing options, it was our biggest and only regret of our anniversary stay. I wrestled with how to describe our experience - to be both favorable to the positive aspects but also responsibly realistic for the sake of future Yelp participants. I also let my thoughts percolate for a week so as not to write purely in disappointment. I hope this candid, well-intentioned review aids both visitors and Zephyr. Pro Tip: bring cell phone lanyards (water-proof pouches that hang around your neck, available on Amazon) and you'll easily be able to take your own spontaneous pics and vids of you/your partner. The crew member has an excellent SLR camera that he brings and he will take some staged photos of each couple/kayak once well out from shore but it will cost an additional $25+ depending. read more

Rachel and Adam are wonderful people and this tour is a must!! 2 majestic turtles swam with us and lots of fish on the reef as well. read more

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The Scuba-Jet Scooter tour was incredible!! Great trip for families and perfect for kids! Our guide Robbie made the trip amazing; he is the best! The pictures and video turned out great and we got to see turtles! Highly recommend! read more

Joe was a great guide and ensured we had a wonderful tour. Small business that provides big fun. Our family enjoyed the experience with close ups with turtles, an octopus, a cushion starfish, and some red urchins. read more

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Booked an 8:30am tour with Rachael and it was so fun. We had a group of 7 which made it so intimate and customized. Weather and water was perfect! Although I've taken multiple swim lessons, I can't swim. Rachael was prepared with a life vest, fins and boogie board. She made the whole trip fun, safe and entertaining. Highly recommend booking a tour with Rachael, she's knowledgeable, knew where all the turtles were and made sure we saw what we came here for; sea turtles and all things underwater. My group had a great time and took home great memories, videos and pictures. Thank you for the experience! Sidenote, when we got back to shore at around 10ish, the large boats were coming in and 30+ people started flooding the waters. I recommend booking early. A smaller tour makes for a VIP/exclusive experience. Highly recommend local tour vs large boat if only snorkeling. read more

Best activity of our whole trip!!! Joe was fabulous and we loved the small group attention versus being We got to see a giant friendly turtle, octopi, an **eagle ray** and so many beautiful fish. I'm pregnant and soooo winded even walking on steps, the company was So helpful in our planning and assuring me this would be fine. highly suggest getting a tour with the scuba jet unless you're in good shape/like to swim. We got to see and do so much because it was super easy to get around with the jets. We felt totally safe (and are a bit OCD about this). Would totally come back with kids for this one! The masks were also really good quality, listened to the directions and didn't have one leak which I used to have a lot. Again- shouts to Joe who has amazing eyes for octopi, being a very cool and nice guy, and being a smaller locally owned business!! read more

Joe at Zephyr Maui was the most incredible guide - not only did we get to experience some amazing things - swimming with sea turtles was our favorite - but meeting the octopus was also a highlight - he was incredibly patient with our group of nervous and novice snorkelers. My 80 year old mom had a blast and we will remember this for a lifetime. Thank you, Joe! We will recommend Zephyr Maui to everyone! read more

We booked a early morning tour with this company. Joe was out guide and we could not have been happier with the experience. Fortunately for us, we got Joe all to ourselves! With only 2 people in his group we really got a lot of direction, reassurance (for me), we got to see many turtles, octopus, sea urchins, etc... What a fabulous experience and Joe was amazing, very knowledgeable, and has a very calming demeanor. We're coming back later this year, we will for sure be booking this experience again! read more

Hands down, greatest snorkeling guides that exist, Shelby was incredibly knowledgeable and her experience was obvious. We saw plenty of wildlife and got to spend plenty of time in the water. Safety was a priority and we had a blast. We will be back!!! read more

Zephyr Maui - Beautiful clear water! - Snorkeling Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Did the evening snorkel and had a great time. Went with my 9 year old and 23 year old and both had a great time! Would recommend & will do again when we return to Maui! read more

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