SOUTH MAUI - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 266

lokini, the 9am Molokini Eco Express only lasts 3.5 hours at $55/adult. An 8:30am trip
makes stops at both Molokini and at a bay off Lana'i ($95/adult), although this means
spending a lot of time crossing the channel, which can often be rough on the way home.
If you would prefer to be on a smaller vessel, the 7:30am Molokini Wild Side excursion
costs $110/adult and spends a greater amount of time focusing on the marine and bird spe-
cies found in the waters of South Maui.
The Pride of Maui (101 Ma'alaea Boat Harbor Rd., 808/242-0955,
www.prideofmaui.com ) offers a five-hour excursion aboard a large power catamaran for
$96/adult. Trips depart at 8am from an area next to the U.S. Coast Guard station, although
this is another popular boat which can frequently load over 100 passengers. During the
summer and fall months (when it isn't whale season), there's also an afternoon snorkel trip
to a location along the West Maui shoreline which runs for 3.5 hours and is only $48/adult.
Turtle sightings are guaranteed on these trips, although the winds can often be howling in
the afternoon, so don't expect calm conditions.
The Four Winds II (Slip 80, 808/879-8188, www.fourwindsmaui.com ) catamaran of-
fers both morning and afternoon excursions. Despite the fact that Four Winds II has a mast,
often it's so windy in Ma'alaea Bay that the boat isn't able to sail. Small children will
love the glass bottom part of the boat when stopped at Molokini, and unlike other boats
which also make a stop along the shoreline, Four Winds makes Molokini its only stop so
you have plenty of time to relax and explore the crater at your own pace. The downside of
this, however, is that you won't get the chance to snorkel with turtles. The trip departs at
7am and costs $98/adult. There's also an afternoon charter at a much reduced price of $45
which goes to a spot named Coral Gardens tucked out of the wind.
One of the cheapest trips to Molokini is on Frogman II (Slip 87, 888/700-3764,
www.frogman-maui.com ) . Frogman offers excursions often tied in with a promotion at
Boss Frog's charters, and as long as your expectations aren't too high, you can still have
an enjoyable day on the water. The price for the morning trip is only $60/adult. Frogman
also offers an afternoon trip at the cheap rate of only $30/adult, although it can only make
it to Molokini on the rarest and calmest of afternoons. On most occasions Frogman ends
up tying up next to Four Winds II at Coral Gardens, and while it might not be the same
as Molokini, for that price you can't complain. If you want to upgrade to the next level of
quality (but also upgrade the number of people on the boat), the sister boat is Quicksilver
(Slip 44, 888/700-3764, www.frogman-maui.com ) , whose Molokini snorkeling trip visits
two spots for $85/adult. While this trip is similar to those offered by the other large power-
boats, what Quicksilver is known for is the semi-formal dinner cruise, which features live