Kaua'i snorkeling recommendations

[Ann Marie]

Aloha,

I have a friend that is going to be coming to Kaua'i in March/April and doesn't SCUBA dive but does want to snorkel.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go and if there are any spectacular shops if they want to go on a day trip?

 

[DMJulie]

Aloha,

I think the south shore offers some great snorkeling. I have sent non-divers to Poipu Beach Park, Koloa Landing, PK's and Lawai Beach. Poipu Beach Park is great for first time snorkeling. It is an easy walk off the beach down into the water and there is a lifeguard there as well.
Poipu Beach Park as plenty of parking, showers, restrooms and an great deli across the street.

Aquatic Adventures Scuba is located in Poipu and they have snorkel gear rentals (I think 5 bucks a day). They are a wealth of information on the water conditions, dive/snorkel sites and places to check out/eat.

I suggest contacting them or another great water activity company to find out the latest water conditions before going out on your own.

Hope this post helps.

Happy Diving or I guess Snorkeling

 

[nematoid]

Aloha,

I have a friend that is going to be coming to Kaua'i in March/April and doesn't SCUBA dive but does want to snorkel.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go and if there are any spectacular shops if they want to go on a day trip?

Aloha Ann Marie, there are many places to snorkel that time of year. Even the northside at Tunnels and Kee are sometimes good conditions that time of year. My reccomendation is to check with the local dive shops for the best conditions. Fathom Five, Aquatic Adventures and Kauai Down Under dive up north and are aware of the conditions. As far as snorkel rentals there are many locations to rent or buy your snorkel gear. Give your friend headsup on the danger of snorkeling in Kauai....may lead to an addiction to the underwater world(I'm living proof of this addiction)

 

[Peter_C]

Lots of good info above, and as said it is weather dependent. If they do not own snorkel gear have them go to Walmart and buy their own stuff for the same price as renting. It does not take much to float around the surface and look at pretty fishes.

 

[Scubaman7596]

Aloha Ann Marie,

How Are You doing?

Any way check out Kauai Rafting Tour - Kauai sea rider zodiac and snorkel tours in Poipu Kauai by Captain Tara.

She leads phenomenal snorkel tours, She has a degree in Marine Biology, and has decades of experience in hawaiian waters. The Great things about the tours is she does multiple sites and since you are on a boat your can get close to whales,( talk about some cool shots) and she puts a hydro phone in the water for you.

We had a whale cruise by the boat while we were diving on monday ( different company)
It was one of the single greatest things i have ever seen

 

[aascubagirl]

Aloha,

I have a friend that is going to be coming to Kaua'i in March/April and doesn't SCUBA dive but does want to snorkel.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go and if there are any spectacular shops if they want to go on a day trip?

Aloha!

Should be great snorkeling during that time frame, barring any unforeseen bad weather. If your friends are beginner snorkelers, I definitely recommend starting at Poipu Beach -calm, protected beach with lifeguards and plenty of fish, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and turtles. If they are already comfortable in the water, one of my absolute most favorite places to snorkel is Lawai Beach. I go there w/my nieces every summer and we always have a blast and see tons of aquatic life.

The north shore might be good that time as well, as nematoid mentioned. I highly recommend checking with one of the local snorkel/dive shops before heading up there, though, as conditions can be treacherous if the weather is not cooperating. If conditions up there are good, Tunnels, Kee or Anini beaches are my favorites. Again, calm waters protected by an outer reef, plenty of fish and usually quite a few turtles.

If your friends want a guided snorkel tour, Aquatic Adventures has a best-selling guided snorkel tour we call the Turtle Tour. It is awesome But otherwise, we're just as happy to provide tips on snorkel sites, directions, weather conditions, and rental or retail snorkel gear. And our shop is within walking distance of Poipu Beach.

Best of luck to your friends as they plan their trip!

 

[Gina/TeamKas]

Aloha,

I have a friend that is going to be coming to Kaua'i in March/April and doesn't SCUBA dive but does want to snorkel.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go and if there are any spectacular shops if they want to go on a day trip?

Aloha Ann Marie,

You already got some great information above, I agree that you can go to Walmart or Costco now (Yeah Costco) and buy yourself a set. I get nervous about people properly washing snorkel gear and if your gonna spend $5 a day do the math renting gear at $5 a day if you rent it for the week you could have bought yourself a set. Costco has the US Divers set and I love mine even though I rarely use it I'm a scuba addict. As far as locations in March/April stick to the south side, Poipu Beach, Lawai Beach (Beach house area) the fish are usually more abundant in the morning. If you want to do a tour I recommend Captain Tara of Kauai Sea Riders snorkel tours in Poipu. When I was a concierge I went out with her twice and as I said I'm not a snorkeler but when I went on her tour I was so impressed by her aloha spirit, marine knowledge and the sites she took us to. It totally blew any snorkeling I had done from the shore out of the water. She takes you on a raft/zodiac to places that are off the beaten path. Places that I as a local resident had never snorkeled at. My fellow concierge and I took her grandma with us and she did awesome. Tara has a perfect safety record which in my opinion is extremely important when booking an activity or tour. You can't put a price on safety!

Also if you want up to date ocean/beach information go online to Kauai Explorer it is one of the best sites for visitors to get accurate ocean safety information. I hope that my information was helpful to you. Have a blessed and beautiful day!

 

[DMJulie]

With all the suggestions on here your friends are going to be busy =)

If your friend wants to do a boat day trip thing, then check out Captain Andys Sailing.
I love love love the Snorkel Sightseeing tour that Captain Andy's puts on. The trip is 5 1/2 hours and we had breakfast, lunch, drinks, snorkel (provide all the gear) and sight-see the Na Pali coast (weather conditions permitting). This time of year they also include whale watching on their tours. Check out Na Pali Coast Kauai Activities - Captain Andy's Sailing, rafting, boat tours for info on them.
I was working full time for Captain Andy's before I caught the scuba bug, so I have been out on numerous tours with Captain Andy's and other boat tour companies. When ever I had a day off I would go out on the snorkel trip....it was/is my favorite that they offer.

 

[llqwyd]

Malama Ke Kai is a good one to try. They are a very eco-friendly tour sponsored by the save our seas group

 

[Ann Marie]

Thanks everyone! I WANT TO COME VISIT YOU ALL NOW!!! You've made it sound so wonderful. I will definitely think about your warmer water when I'm out diving tomorrow, I hope it will be at least 55F!

So much great info, I'll have to send her a link to this page.

:kiss2: