WEST MAUI - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 70

on the other hand, is an ornately painted boat which takes a different approach from the
others. At first glance the adult price of only $98 for the five-hour tour (9:30-2:30) appears
to be cheap, but that's because it doesn't include the cost of food. Unlike other companies
with a set menu, Hula Girl has a kitchen on board where chefs make the food to order.
There is also free Wi-Fi for anyone who wants to immediately upload the GoPro footage
of an encounter with a sea turtle. Scuba diving is offered as an additional upgrade for both
certified ($65) and introductory ($75) divers.
LAHAINA
Wahikuli Beach Park
Since the majority of Lahaina is ringed by a barrier reef, there are surprisingly few options
for decent snorkeling. The few exceptions should only be snorkeled if they're your only
choice. Of the two places to snorkel in Lahaina, the one with the easiest entry is Wahikuli
Beach Park between Ka'anapali and Lahaina. While much of the bottom here is boring
old sand, on the far southern end of the beach is a rocky point that can have a large number
of reef fish.
Mala Wharf
In the actual town of Lahaina, the best snorkeling spot is Mala Wharf, and since this is
a functioning small boat harbor, you need to keep an eye out for boat traffic. The reward,
however, is a snorkeling site where legions of sea turtles and numerous reef sharks live
under the pilings littering the ocean floor. This is a site most often accessed by boat, but
the easiest way to reach it from shore is to park in the public parking area and cross over
to where the pier meets the sand. From here, it's a kick out to where the pier drops into the
water. While conditions are nice most times of the year, the only period you wouldn't want
to snorkel here is if the river draining into the bay is a rushing torrent of runoff. To find the
parking for Mala Wharf, turn off Front Street onto Ala Moana Street, following the signs
for Mala Ramp (which is just on the south side of the bridge from the Lahaina Cannery
Mall). Once you turn, you will make an immediate right down toward the boat ramp where
there are restrooms, showers, and a moderate amount of parking.
Rental Shops
The most comprehensive shop in Lahaina with the largest selection of gear is Maui Dive
and Surf (315 Keawe St., 808/661-5388, www.mauidiveshop.com , 7am-6pm daily) in the
Lahaina Gateway Center. Although when you first walk in it appears to be a massive retail
and surf store, the staff here will help you with everything you need from a set of fins to a