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Oahu: Green Sea Turtle Snorkeling & Catamaran Tour

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/19

Duration3h

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Swim with Turtles off Waikiki's Coast

You board a catamaran at Kewalo Basin, snorkel among Hawaiian green sea turtles and reef fish with Diamond Head as your backdrop, and return with all gear and instruction included. The boat provides shade, a restroom, and free water. Plan for a morning or afternoon on the water with a USCG-licensed captain who keeps groups safe and small.

Step-by-step itinerary

Meet at Kewalo Basin Harbor
Board 50' motor catamaran
Receive snorkeling equipment and instruction
Snorkel with green sea turtles and reef fish
Enjoy views of Diamond Head volcano
Spot dolphins or whales if lucky
Return to harbor and disembark

The Experience

The water is so clear you see the turtles before the boat stops moving. Kewalo Basin fills up early—fishing boats, charter yachts, the smell of salt and diesel fuel—and then you're walking the dock toward a 50-foot catamaran that's already loaded with snorkeling gear. The crew checks you in fast, hands you a buoyancy vest if you want one, and points you toward the shade on deck. Ten minutes from Waikiki, and you're already moving past Diamond Head, the volcanic crater rising sharp against the skyline while the water underneath shifts from green to that impossible turquoise.

Turtle Canyon is maybe a fifteen-minute ride from the harbor. The catamaran slows, the engine cuts, and the guide gives you the basics—how to clear your mask, how to breathe through the snorkel, where the turtles usually hang. Then you're in. The reef fish come first, small and fast and everywhere, darting between coral that's been growing there longer than anyone on the boat has been alive. And then you see one: a green sea turtle moving through the water like it owns the place, which it does. They're slow and deliberate, and you can float maybe ten feet away and just watch. Sometimes a second one drifts past. The guide stays close, pointing things out, making sure nobody panics or gets too close. Dolphins show up some days. During whale season—roughly January to March—you might hear a humpback breach in the distance, though you won't see it clearly from the water.

The boat has a restroom, which matters on a snorkeling trip, and they hand out free bottled water all morning. Alcoholic drinks and snacks are available for purchase if you bring cash—the crew doesn't take cards. You're out there maybe two to three hours total, depending on conditions and how long people want to stay in the water. Kids under eight can ride along and stay on deck, which is fine if they're not swimmers yet, but they won't get in. Arrive fifteen minutes early; the boat leaves on schedule, and parking at Kewalo Basin is tight—some free spots, but paid lots are right there if you need them. Uber and Lyft can drop you at the marina too.

What’s included

The tour includes a fully equipped 50-foot motor catamaran with deck seating, shade, and an onboard restroom.
Snorkeling gear and instruction from a USCG-licensed captain are provided, along with complimentary bottled water.
Alcoholic drinks and light snacks are available for purchase onboard.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Go Tours Hawaii

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to snorkel with Hawaiian green sea turtles without arranging your own boat or gear—the catamaran, equipment, and instruction are all set. Expect a morning or afternoon on the water; the boat leaves on time, so arrive fifteen minutes early.