Snorkeling is one of the most memorable activities you can enjoy while visiting Maui. Book a Maui Snorkeling Tour during your next visit to the island, and create memories to last a lifetime. The incredible variety of marine life you can see is awe-inspiring! Enjoy this blog to gain some fun facts and prepare for your underwater adventure.
Maui has the Best Snorkeling
Did you know that Maui is known as the #1 Hawaiian Island for snorkeling? This title is for many reasons: Maui is also the best place to learn how to snorkel because it offers beginners shallow and calm ocean conditions. Yet, it’s still wonderful for experienced snorkelers.
One of the main reasons people like to snorkel is to see tropical fish in their natural habitat. When you are snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of Maui, it almost feels like you are in a giant aquarium. The fish come in and out of your vision, bright colors catch your attention, and the fish move about like you are part of everyday life. You might even see the Hawaii state fish – Humuhunukunukuapuaa!
In the waters of Maui, the abundance and variety of colors and creatures are simply staggering. Snorkeling allows you to witness the wildlife in its natural habitat, much like going on a safari does.
So Many Fish!
Approximately 680 species of fish are known to inhabit the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. Of those, approximately 450 species stay close to the reef and inshore areas. Of those reef fish, about 23 percent are native or endemic to Hawaii and are found nowhere else in the world.
Maui was formed from two volcanoes. Volcanic craters are often fantastic for creating clear and calm bodies of water that make ideal snorkeling. Molokini Crater and the other South Maui snorkeling locations are abundant with beautiful reef fish and other marine life. In fact, Marine Biologists have identified over 250 species of reef fish that live at Molokini Crater and nearby snorkel sites.
Because the conditions around Maui are so perfect, you don’t have to try hard or dive deep to explore this fascinating world and its inhabitants. For shallow-water snorkeling, the protection of crescent-shaped Molokini makes for a very comfortable and serene swim.
What are the Most Common Fish in Hawaii?
The Yellow Tang is one of the most common fish spotted while snorkeling the Hawaiian reefs. Due to the vibrant yellow coloring of this particular tang, it is often the first fish that beginning divers and snorkelers recognize. Tangs graze and eat algae during the day and hide at night. The Yellow Tang has a rough oval shape and looks very compressed from the sides, with high-set eyes, a scalpel-like spine, and a small mouth.
There are 43 fish in the wrasse family, and 13 are native to Hawaii. The Saddle Wrasse is the most abundant reef fish in the Hawaiian Islands. Its name is inspired by the red saddle visible behind its pectoral fin. Incredibly, this fish can change sexes and color patterns during its life! This unique skill contributes to its abundance – when female wrasses are overrepresented in a group, they will often change sex to become male.
The Hawaiian Rainbow Cleaner Wrasse, another native species, is famous for its cleaning services. They populate territories called “cleaning stations,” where larger animals congregate to have parasites, loose skin flakes, and mucus removed from their bodies. They can even be seen cleaning the gills and teeth of much larger fish and eels! The Hawaiian Sea Turtle (Honu) can often be seen at these cleaning stations – one is at Coral Gardens. Take an excursion to Coral Gardens to see for yourself!
Fish You’ve Definitely Heard Of
The brightly colored Yellow Tang are perhaps some of the most recognizable Hawaii reef fishes. They are members of the surgeonfish family. Yellow tangs are popular fish to acquire for the aquarium trade. As of 2021, Hawaii banned collecting aquarium fish pending a further environmental review. This controversial dispute is ongoing.
Parrotfish are another easily identifiable reef fish. You will recognize Parrotfish males by their bright colors – blue, green, pink, and yellow. Their sharp front teeth (they look like a beak!) are used for grazing on fine seaweeds that grow on rocks and dead corals. Indeed, Parrotfish bite off chunks of coral and convert those pieces into fine sand. Estimations are that a large parrotfish produces as much as one ton of sand annually!
Of course, you’ll want to be on the lookout for Hawaii’s state fish – the Rectangular Triggerfish (Humuhumunukunukuapua’a). This little fellow owns the longest fish name in Hawaii! Rectangular Triggerfish are a common sighting for snorkelers and scuba divers in Maui. This solitary fish spends its day digging for invertebrates buried in the sand. They are very aggressive-minded and can often be seen chasing other fish out of their territory. They are especially aggressive when guarding eggs. If predators chase them, they are known to make a grunting noise as a warning to other fish.
A close relative is the beautifully colored Picasso Triggerfish which is also quite aggressive. It has even been known to chase divers and snorkelers when guarding its nest! They are small and unlikely to do any harm, however.
Speaking of Triggerfish, the Pinktail Triggerfish can often swim in shallow water and grow up to 16 inches in length. They are one of the largest triggerfish in the species.
Native Hawaiian Damsels are small fish often seen swelling in and out of cauliflower corals as juveniles and actively defending larger swathes of the reef as adults. They are territorial and make distinct clicking noises when threatened. They will even dart at your hand or mask! Have no fear – they are smaller than 5 inches. Unlike most animals, the males provide sole care for the offspring. The females guard the territory. The Domino Damselfish, Snowball Damsel, or Three Spot Damsel is only found around the Hawaiian Islands.
The Moorish Idol has beautiful yellow, white, and black markings with an extended dorsal fin. You might recognize him as Gil from Finding Nemo. These strikingly-colored fish can grow an impressive 10 inches in length! Its name comes from the Moors of Africa, who believed the fish brought happiness. Indeed, your snorkeling trip in Maui will bring you happiness even if you don’t glimpse one of these beauties.
White Tip Reef Sharks are the most common reef shark sightings around Maui. Don’t worry; they are generally harmless to divers since their diet is primarily small fish, octopus, and crustaceans. Unlike other sharks that must constantly swim to breathe, they can pump water across their gills, allowing them to rest on the bottom during the day.
Some of the More Unusual Fish
You might not be lucky enough to spot these unusual fish of the Maui reef, but it would be fun to try!
If you want to try an evening snorkel trip, the Raccoon Butterfly Fish is the most nocturnal. The Raccoon Butterfly Fish can usually be found in small schools and can be identified by its orange-yellowish color, with its upper part being much darker than the bottom part and black eye area. This reef fish can grow to almost 8 inches and eats nudibranchs, tubeworm tentacles, and other invertebrates.
The Trumpet Fish is one of the most unusual-looking species you’ll see around Maui. Known locally as the “nunu,” it is found in caves, under ledges, and in shallow and deep waters (up to 300 feet). Sometimes it is bright yellow; other times, it is darker. It is generally long and thin (much like the Needlefish or Cornet fish, both are in the same family) but easily distinguished by the complex shape of its head. They have an upturned mouth and a “chin,” called a barbell.
The Frogfish is a master of camouflage. Experienced divers are always on the hunt for these alien-like creatures. Their soft, textured bodies resemble a piece of coral or sponge because frogfish match their colors to their surroundings. They can be found in many colors, from yellow to brown, orange, and multicolor. Frogfish are anglerfish with a special appendage that acts like a fishing lure to attract unsuspecting organisms. While sometimes rare, they can be found in the waters off Maui!
With only TWO sightings of a Yellow Boxfish ever previously recorded in Hawai’i. A third sighting in January 2020 off of Makena, Maui, makes it one of the rarest fish a diver could see here. Yellow Boxfish are so rare in the Hawaiian Islands because they don’t really live here. These three sightings are believed to be waifs, individuals that arrived in the islands as larvae drifting from their home range in the Indo-Pacific.
The Best Snorkeling On The Planet
The Pacific has the deepest ocean on earth, averaging 14,000 feet. Isolation and depth contribute to the quality of the ocean and coral reef surrounding Maui. A healthy coral reef results in exceptional snorkeling. When you factor in the warm, tropical climate and a unique selection of fish to see, it’s easy to understand what makes snorkeling in Maui countless hours of fun! Be sure to book a snorkel adventure when you make your plans; it will be the highlight of your trip! And, to keep our reefs healthy, please be sure to use reef-safe sunscreen before diving in.
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