Booking choice: The Four Winds II sail and snorkel, from $213 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
A Molokini morning means an early start, strong sun on the water, an hour or more snorkeling and a breezy ride back. Every tour here includes the mask, snorkel, fins and flotation, and the five-hour trips include breakfast and lunch.
What is left is short, but getting the sunscreen wrong is the one thing that can actually break a Maui rule.
The quick answer
Bring mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (Maui County has banned the sale and use of other sunscreens since October 2022), a rash guard, a towel, a hat, sunglasses with a strap, a light layer for the ride back, seasickness tablets taken before boarding, and cash for tips. Wear your swimsuit. Gear, flotation and food are provided.
What should you bring on a Molokini snorkel tour?
Pack light: you will not need much beyond sun protection, a towel and a warm layer.
- Swimsuit, worn under your clothes
- Mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide)
- Rash guard or light long-sleeve swim top
- Towel and a dry change of clothes
- Hat and sunglasses with a strap
- A light layer for the windy ride home
- Seasickness tablets, if you need them
- Cash for the crew tip, and a card for Maalaea parking
Packed? The Four Winds II supplies the gear, optical masks, flotation, breakfast and lunch.
Check dates for the Four Winds II sail and snorkelWhat sunscreen is allowed on Maui?
Only mineral sunscreen: since October 1, 2022, Maui County allows only sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to be sold, distributed or used.
Hawaii state law also bans sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate. Buy a mineral sunscreen before you leave home or on the island, put it on well before you board so it dries, and reapply after each swim. Sail Maui provides reef-safe sunscreen on board, and the Alii Nui lists reef-safe essentials. A rash guard means less sunscreen in the water.
What should you wear?
Your swimsuit, with a rash guard for the water and a light layer for the ride back.
The ride home is usually windier, and you will be wet. Wear sandals you can take off on deck. If you feel the cold, rent a wetsuit top where offered: the Four Winds II lists it as an extra, and one guest on Four Winds' Maui Magic trip called it definitely worth the $10 extra at the crater.
Do you need your own snorkel gear?
No: every tour includes a mask, snorkel, fins and flotation, but bring your own mask if you have one that fits well.
If you wear glasses, ask for an optical mask: the Four Winds II and Pacific Whale Foundation list them, and guests on the Pride of Maui mention prescription goggles. Leave a full-face mask at home: the Pride of Maui does not allow them for safety reasons. Defog your mask with defog gel or baby shampoo.
How do you avoid seasickness on a Molokini tour?
Take seasickness tablets before you board, sit in the middle of the boat, and watch the horizon.
Tablets work best taken ahead of time, not once you feel sick: a Malolo guest recommends it. Bigger boats move less: one Malolo guest wrote that the double hull boat handled the seas very well, with no seasickness. Rafts are bumpier. Crews help: an Alii Nui guest says the crew looked after a motion-sick partner, and a Malolo guest was given ginger ale.
Worried about the swell? The Pride of Maui is a big, stable power catamaran.
Explore the Pride of MauiDo Molokini boats provide towels?
Not always: the Four Winds II and the Malolo list towels as not included, so bring your own.
Bring a quick-dry towel and a dry change for the drive back. The Alii Nui has freshwater showers on board, and Four Winds mentions them too. On the rafts from Kihei, pack everything in a dry bag: there is little shelter from spray.
How much cash should you bring?
Enough for a 15 to 20% crew tip, plus a card for the parking meters at Maalaea.
Tips are not included on any trip here. Maalaea's meters take cards or a QR code; guests report about $3 an hour. SNUBA on the Pride of Maui is paid on board. See Molokini tour prices for the full list of extras.
Want sunscreen supplied? Sail Maui provides reef-safe sunscreen on board.
Check dates for the Sail Maui performance sailWhat should you leave behind?
Chemical sunscreen, full-face masks, fish food and anything valuable you do not need.
Molokini is a Marine Life Conservation District: no fishing, no collecting and no feeding the fish, and do not touch the coral. You cannot land on the islet, so there is no need for beach gear. Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch or leave it in the car.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use regular sunscreen on a Molokini tour?
No. Maui County has allowed only mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) to be sold or used since October 2022.
Do I need to bring snorkel gear to Molokini?
No. Every tour includes a mask, snorkel, fins and flotation; the Four Winds II and Pacific Whale Foundation also have optical masks.
Should I bring a towel?
Yes. Several boats, including the Four Winds II and the Malolo, do not include towels.
Is it cold on a Molokini trip?
The water is warm, but the ride home is windy and you will be wet. Bring a light layer, and consider renting a wetsuit top.
Ready to book
Choose your boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Molokini Sail & Snorkel on the Four Winds II
- Morning snorkel at Molokini Crater, conditions permitting
- Tropical breakfast, lunch, water, soda, beer, wine and juice
- Mask, snorkel, fins, optical masks, sea boards and flotation
Molokini Snorkel & Performance Sail
- Snorkel at Molokini Crater (about an hour in the water)
- Light breakfast with local coffee, buffet lunch and drinks
- Snorkel gear, flotation and reef-safe sunscreen
Pride of Maui: Molokini & Turtle Town
A stable big catamaran with open bar and SNUBA add-on
