Activity Tips
Kevin Ditamore – Owner / Manager
I am very familiar with South Pacific Kayaks and their operation. I’ve purchased two kayaks from these guys over the years. They are the premier kayak outfitter on Maui and I recommend their tours highly. There are lots of other kayak companies; some of them are OK and some of them scare me. Go with the best … these guys really know what they are doing.
The shorter 3 hour tours are suitable for most people in reasonably normal physical condition. The longer tours are a little more demanding and require a better level of conditioning, but they do not require an extreme level of fitness. Most of the kayaks are tandem, so the work load is shared between two people.
The Turtle Reef Tour (3 hours) goes to a spot called “Turtle Town” which is aptly named … there are many sea turtles here and they are quite used to people swimming around them. You wouldn’t know they are an endangered species from the numbers of them that are seen in this area. This is an easy-going paddle trip with kids. This might be the trip for you if you’ve never paddled a canoe or kayak before, and aren’t very familiar with the water. If you don’t have kids and you are staying in South Maui, do the longer version that includes lunch and a second snorkel stop.
If you do have a little paddling experience, try the 4.5 hour Pali Sea Cliff Discovery. Many people who live here on Maui have never seen this area up close from sea level. Access to this area is extremely difficult unless you are a mountain goat – so the best way is on this kayak tour!
For vacationers staying in West Maui, the most convenient trip is the West Side Snorkel Safari (formerly known as Ukumehame snorkel) … the area where this trip goes has some excellent reef that extends far off shore (further than most people would want to swim). This gives you a chance to snorkel with coral and lots of fish in places that shore-based snorkelers don’t go.
I recommend that you plan a kayak trip near the beginning half of your vacation. If wind or ocean swells force a cancellation of your tour, you have the opportunity to reschedule for a few days later when conditions are more favorable.
Some people ask, “Can’t I just rent a kayak and paddle around on my own?” Yes, there are beaches that have double kayaks available to rent for about $40 an hour. They will only allow you to paddle within a few hundred yards of the beach. Going further requires the knowledge of an experienced guide … someone who is familiar with Hawaii’s tricky winds and ocean currents.
If you see a kayak trip called “The Marine Reserve Explorer” advertised on other websites, they aren’t being updated promptly. The Ahihi Kina’u Marine reserve in the La Perouse Bay area is no longer open to kayaking. The state has decided to close the reserve to all kayak tour companies. Due to the explosive growth of kayaking companies on the South Shore, some of whom are less than reputable and/or properly equipped and experienced, the state of Hawaii has banned ALL commercial kayak trips in the Marine Reserve. This trip is no longer available with any company. This includes the trips that other companies have sold with some sort of guarantee (or strong insistence) that you will likely be able to swim with dolphins on your kayak trip. Dolphins do frequent the La Perouse bay area in the mornings, but there are no tours available in this area and rental kayaks are not permitted there either.
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