Turtle Canyon Snorkel: Semi Private Boat Tour

This is a fantastic experience you should not miss doing if in Waikiki. My wife and i really enjoyed snorkeling, we saw lots of beautiful fish and turtles. We would go again for sure.

Captains Christina and Stephanie were amazing! As someone who usually doesn't feel comfortable in the water, they made me feel immediately at ease - their safety and gear demonstrations were short but efficient, and they helped myself and others adjust their gear as necessary. I felt incredibly safe and got amazing views of the shallows and the turtles. Although we didn't opt in, they also had packages with GoPro's and Captain Christina was an amazing videographer for the passengers who did opt in, finding amazing shots; Captain Stephanie brought the vibes and handled the boat excellently. Would book again!!

Capt Stephany and Avery were the best! Friendly, educational, fun… this is the way to go! Loved the speed boat option, perfect amount of time in the water with turtles. Good equipment and felt very safe. Highly recommend, especially if you have teens!

stephanie and avery were fantastic!! I chose this tour because of the small group aspect. I didn't want to be on a boat with 30 other people! we saw some of those boats and hands down if I did it again i'd do the small boat with capt max! keep the groups small!

Loved our snorkeling experience with Avery and Steph! They were the best guides and really went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience. They have floaties if you’re not the most confident swimmer and they provide all the snorkel gear too if you don’t have your own. We saw 3 turtles and like a million incredible fish. Highly recommend!

We had an amazing family experience with the Captain Max Boat Tours! Stephanie and Christina were absolutely wonderful - so friendly and helpful from start to finish. They guided us through everything, made sure everyone in our family felt comfortable and safe, and did a fantastic job showing us the turtles and fish. They were patient with us, explained everything clearly, and made the whole experience fun and relaxing. The small-group boat made it feel very personal, and Stephanie and Christina really went above and beyond to make this a memorable experience for our family. We are so glad we chose this tour and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Oahu, especially families!

This is the absolutely best way to snorkel and see the turtles. We saw some other tours that were on larger boats and had upwards to 20 participants but we felt Captain Max's tour was superior to these because it was a smaller boat and there was only four of us. As a result, we got a lot more individualized attention. Our guides, Stephanie and Christina were excellent. Both were extremely knowledgeable and worked continuously to ensure our equipment fit properly and that we had a good experience. Christina went out of her way to make sure we were in the best spot to see the turtles and she knew what she was doing. We saw no less than 17 turtles in the spot we were in (away from the bigger tour boats). They were lovely ladies who were confident (Stephanie was a great boat driver) and customer focused. We would absolutely use Captain Max's tour when we come next time and highly recommend this tour.

Stephanie and Christina couldn't have done a better job and making the day so much fun. Believe it or not we saw 16 sea turtles! They new exactly where to go to find these amazing turtles. We've gone snorkeling several places in the past but nothing compares. If your looking for a reputable company offering snorkeling Captain Max Boat tours is the best choice!

Had a blast! Got to see lots of sea turtles and fish. Avery and Stephanie were awesome! Highly recommend.

We booked the Turtle Canyon snorkel tour for a family trip and it ended up being one of the highlights of our whole vacation. Avery and Stephanie were fantastic — friendly, professional, and clearly very knowledgeable about the area. They were on time and ran a smooth, well-organized trip from start to finish. What really stood out was how they handled our 5-year-old daughter, who got nervous and didn't want to get in the water. Instead of just letting it go, they went out of their way to gently encourage her and make her feel safe, and she ended up having an amazing time — it turned into one of the highlights of her whole trip. That kind of patience and care makes a huge difference with young kids. We saw plenty of turtles, the water conditions were great, and it was a small, relaxed group (just my wife, daughter, and three other guests on board), which made it feel personal rather than crowded. Highly recommend this tour, and especially Avery and Stephanie, if you're looking for a snorkeling trip that's great for families with young kids.

Stephanie and Christina took my wife and I out to see the turtles and the tour was fantastic. Beautiful day and beautiful weather. They made the tour fun and did a great job showing off cool parts of turtle canyon. I would highly recommend checking out their tour!

This was a great way to snorkel with sea turtles. We swam with many and the crew was great! Definitely recommend

Great experience we enjoyed ourselves !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're trying to decide whether to book this tour, stop looking and just do it! My wife and I have been in Hawaii for four weeks, and during the tour she turned to me and said, "This is the best thing we've done the entire time." That says everything. One of the best parts of this experience was that the boat only accommodates six guests. With our family of four onboard, there was only one other guest with us, making the entire trip feel incredibly personal instead of crowded. It honestly felt like a private charter. Captain Stephanie was outstanding. She made us feel safe from the moment we stepped on the boat, was incredibly knowledgeable, and had the perfect balance of professionalism and a relaxed, relatable personality that made everyone feel comfortable. Our guide, Sophia, was equally amazing. She knew exactly where to take us to find sea turtles and the best snorkeling spots. Her knowledge of the marine life, welcoming attitude, and fun personality made the experience even better. She even took photos for us so we could simply enjoy the moment instead of worrying about capturing it ourselves. We swam alongside sea turtles, saw huge schools of colorful fish, beautiful coral, and some incredible scenery. The semi-private boat made the whole experience feel exclusive, relaxed, and never crowded. It was the perfect mix of adventure and tranquility. If you're visiting Oahu, this is an absolute must-do. We would recommend this tour to couples, families, and anyone looking to experience the beauty of Hawaii from the water. Thank you, Stephanie and Sophia, for giving us a memory we'll be talking about for years to come. We'll definitely be recommending this tour to everyone we know!

Avery and Steph are great guides! Funny and they know what they are doing! I had a great time with my kids.

Our guides were great! Stephanie and Amos were friendly and patient with our kids! The location was perfect.

This was such an amazing experience! The guide and captain were wonderful! Our daughter was a little nervous and our guide made her feel so much better! We saw so many turtles and fish! I highly highly recommend this tour and I never leave reviews!

Cap Amos and Stephanie did great!

This was so much fun! Really enjoyed that it was a small group so had plenty of time with the guide. Stephanie and Sophia were great!

Great time and lots of turtles. Small group so we all received extra attention, making sure everyone was comfortable and safe in the water.

Emily and Stephanie are phenomenal. I reserved a semi private boat and it was more than worth the few extra dollars. It was very personable and fun. Emily is a killer snorkel guide, she tells you about the wildlife, gives great guidance and asks if there ia other things to see if you want to snorkel on or stay where you are. I can’t recommend this guide enough and these girls are top notch!!

Awesome trip. Really well guided and from the beginning it felt like we were in good, experienced hands. Saw loads of turtles and a reef shark amongst other marine life. If you want a trip to remember, this is it. Merci.

Christina and Stephanie were absolutely wonderful! They were friendly, fun, and made being on a small boat a comfortable experience. My niece was a bit nervous, but ended up having an amazing time! I will definitely recommend to friends, family, and strangers to book the more small, intimate experience. Definitely worth the money.

Got a complimentary upgrade to a semi private boat with Captain Stephanie and Enron - had a great time! While the group tour could have been fun, it was great to have a personalized experience and a guide always right next to you pointing out wildlife. Would recommend!

They were very helpful I would go again they were very patient and very knowledgeable and super nice

Jeff and Christine were great guides! We had a blast. Saw so many fish and plenty of turtles. Great deal and good way to pass a couple of hours!

If you want a personal tour this is it!! Only 6 people on the boat. it was all our family which was amazing. Captain Jeff was great giving island info and tidbits. Jeff and Christine were so helpful on snorkeling in’s and outs! I hadn’t snorkeled in 30 years and was a little nervous but Christine was so sweet and explained everything! It was easy getting off on and the boat as well! We saw so many turtles, and fish would Absolutely do this avian!

Great time snorkeling with turtles and lots of fish. Christina and Stephanie were great Captains and Christina adjusted my mask in the water so it did better keeping the water out. They have a small boat so was cool because on way back we saw dolphins, Stephanie pulled up close, we could practically touch them (which we did not do). Going out early (7:30 am) we beat the crowd a bit.

The snorkeling was amazing. Hosts were kind, informative, and accommodating. Water was crystal clear. Would highly recommend!

It was great! I would recommend this company! They are a small company. You get taken out on a 6 person group compared to the huge boats. The snorkel guide ensures you stay together and makes sure everyone sees the turtles when she spots one. It was a great experience! (Just make sure you have the updated meeting location at the building not gate C)

Attentive and informative guide and Captain. Jeff the Captain and Sophia the guide were great and caring

My wife and I and our 16 year old daughter went on the turtle canyon snorkel tour. Visibility wasn't great because of recent storms but we still saw a couple of turtles and lots of fish while we were snorkeling. Stephanie and Emily (captain and tour guide) were great. Very professional and a lot of fun to hang out with. After we finished snorkeling there was a big pod of dolphins that we got to follow around for a while. They didn't have a tour immediately after ours so they stayed out past the normal time so we could watch the dolphins.

Great experience for the whole family. Turtles and fish, the crew was very nice and knowledgeable. Recommend.

Enjoyable tour. Boat ride in and out was fun, small fast Navy type boat. If you are prone to getting sea sick, take some other tour with a slow moving type. Only saw a couple of turtles who laid on the bottom and refused to come up, so they must be hit or miss. Colorful fish swimming around in the water though. Friendly staff. Be aware the address of the meeting location on the emailed information is incorrect and quite a bit off. So don't show up right before the tour starts.

Wonderful experience on this 6 person outing to snorkel with sea turtles. Very organized and well run.

We love seeing and snorkeling near turtles in Hawaii and for an upcoming trip to Oahu we weren’t sure we were going to be able to see them. I read about the excursions off Waikiki that all but promised seeing Honu. I did some research and chose to book with Captain Max Boat Tours and their Turtle Canyon Snorkel. 

I read reviews and what really attracted me to this outfitter was the fact they ran semi-private boat tours with only 6 guests. Correspondence (email) leading up to the excursion was clear and helpful. We arrived a few minutes early and visited their small shop while checking in. We waited just a few minutes and then were walked over to their boat dock, meeting both the guide, Sophia and the boat captain, Stephanie. They gave us safety information and prepared us for the short boat ride out to “Turtle Canyon”. Our craft was a zodiac type inflatable raft with a mounted seats and a windscreen for the captain. We glided out to the snorkel zone with Waikiki beach before us, a grand ocean view of this famous beach. Sophie helped the other guests get their snorkel gear (included in the price) except for us - we bring our own snorkel equipment. 

We put in the water and after all guests were in, Sophia called in the direction she was leading us. On the way over we swam through schools of fish. This was an awesome experience we did not expect - we snorkel a lot and love seeing the marine life. We learned that some outfitters feed the fish out here and so they stick around instead of swim away, which we’re used to experiencing. In about 20 feet of water our guide pointed out several turtles on the bottom. Lucky for us, one of them swap up for air - and stayed near the surface for quite a few minutes (longer than we usually see) which allowed us to get a great view of this beautiful creature (all the while, maintaining a safe distance to protect the turtle). Sophia led us to two other spots nearby, seeing fish on the reef below and several more turtles. Once again we were fortunate to have another turtle swim up to the surface for a few breaths. I’m very glad we chose Captain Max as some of the other outfitters that bring larger groups would have been a very different experience with a group clamoring for views of the few turtles that were out there. Our guide was knowledgeable, approachable, and friendly - and ensured we were all safe (and the marine life were also protected). On there way back we were treated to another great view of Oahu, with Waikiki and Honolulu in the foreground and the mountains behind. Thanks Sophie and Captain Stephanie for a memorable excursion! NOTE: We know that early in the morning is generally the best time to snorkel as the water tends to be calmer, visibility better and fish ore active. We had a 930 start but next time would be the early time (730) as I learned there are even fewer other outfitters out on the water at that time.

What a great experience. I was on the Ruby Princess. The tour departed from aa dock about 20 minutes walk from Pier 2. I was surprised that I was the only person signed up for the ride. The captain was Jeff and then there was Christina. She was awesome. She told me all about where we would be going and what to look out for. She came into the water and helped me see the few turtles that were around that day. There were also countless fish and of course other snorkelers.

I give it 4 stars because it said it was given in different languages and I honestly did not see anyone who spoke other than English, but that does not mean that it is a great experience and the guides are super friendly and charismatic.

Great boat ride! Didn't see many turtles and it was still wonderful! Such a warm, sunny, beautiful day!

Turtle Canyon was great. Saw lots of fish and several turtles. Santiago and Stephanie were great. The small group tour was easily worth the small premium over taking one of the larger boats. We had 5 total in our group. Santiago was in the water with us pointing out turtles and other points of interest. Have gone on large group snorkeling excursions before and you’re kinda on your own to figure it out. Highly recommend.

The expedition was worth every penny. The crew was amazing. Saw so many fish and turtles. Beginner friendly.

great and knowledgeable staff took us out to reefs away from the large groups and saw many turtles!!

The best, the girl who was the ambassador and care taker was excellent. Very nice person and will out for your well being. 100% worth !!!

Great trip with very knowledgeable and helpful guides. We saw several turtles within minutes of getting in the water!

Lots of fun! See lots of fish and turtles! Great experience overall! Our boat driver and guide were amazing!

100% recomend this tour. The crew were incredible. Conditions were perfect and the water crystal clear. There were a few other tours on the reef but this crew knows the spot! Jumped in amongst a large school of fish and then they took us straight to a congregation of around 8 turtles that were happy to swim amongst us, providing very close encounters so you can take in their beauty and get lots of footage.

Great tour, small group, so many turtles on a day with perfect visibility 🐢 They were on time and allowed us the freedom to explore the area.

Riding on the boat itself was fun, it's fast! Enjoyed snorkeling as well, lots of fish and saw 3 turtles. It feels like it goes by quickly but it's a good time. Captain and guide are very laid back.

Absolutely fantastic. The entire experience was worth getting up. I highly recommend this tour as the captain and snorkel guide were great. Santigo knew everything about the fish and wildlife we were seeing. Seeing the turtles unhurried and in the natural habitat was the highlight. I would do it again over and over.