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Hawaii Sea Turtles Snorkel

Want to see Hawaii Sea Turtles up close in their natural environment?
Join us for an incredible snorkeling experience at Coral Gardens.

Hawaii Sea Turtle Facts

What is a sea turtle cleaning station?
A sea turtle cleaning station is a place where the turtles go and seek out fish to eat the algae off their shells.

What is the best time of day to see turtles in Hawaii?
Sea turtles are often seen on our afternoon Maui Snorkel tour, you can also find them along the beaches of Hawaii and shorelines. Hawaii sea turtles enjoy sunbathing and resting during the daytime hours. The sea turtles often feed on the rocks and coral close to shore.

What do sea turtles eat in Hawaii?
Hawaii sea turtles eat seaweed and algae that grow on the lava rocks

When do sea turtles hatch in Hawaii?
There is no specific season, but a female when nesting will come ashore and lay eggs every 15 days. It then takes 6-9 weeks for the eggs to hatch.

While snorkeling at Coral Gardens (one of Maui’s top snorkeling destinations), we often get the chance to see Hawaiian green sea turtles resting on the ocean floor, eating algae and sea grasses, or visiting their local turtle ‘cleaning station’.

Hawaii Sea Turtle

Interesting Facts About Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles

Hawaii’s green sea turtle’s habitat is split between the ocean and land. In Maui, the Hawaiian sea turtle nests and lays their eggs, while they spend most of the time in the ocean.

A Hawaiian sea turtle has an approximate lifespan of 80-100 years.

An adult sea turtle can weigh up to 700 lbs.

Turtle in Hawaiian is honu and gets its name from the color of its skin (rather the color of their body fat). Hawaiian turtles are typically found in warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters and have been observed nesting in over 80 different countries. In the U.S., can find sea turtles in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and even Florida (east coast).

Swimming with Hawaii Sea Turtles

Swimming with sea turtles in Maui is legal but remember to keep your arms at your side and stay a minimum of 15 feet away. Swimming too close to sea turtles can cause them great stress. Please do not touch or feed the sea turtles, rather observe them in their natural environment.

Can I touch Hawaii sea turtles?

Hawai green sea turtles in Maui are a protected species, and you should not touch the sea turtles while snorkeling.  We ask that you respect them, along with whales, dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, manta rays, and any other wild animals you may encounter on your trip.

Butterfly Fish

See Hawaii’s wildlife and turtles on our afternoon tour

Hawaii sea turtles are often seen on our afternoon snorkel tours, along with tropical fish and occasional manta rays. One fish we see quite often is the humuhumunukunukuapua’a (reef triggerfish). The humu humu is the Hawaiian state fish.

During whale season you can also join us for a chance to see humpback whales while onboard our tours.

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