Paragon II at Molokini

Rating: 4.85 out of 5 stars
^{*how we rate vendors}

Rated #1 Molokini Snorkel Boat

In a nutshell: These guys really know how to sail!
Minuses: Food is a lower priority than beer. (Maybe that’s a plus?!?”)
Sound-bite: “They raised the sails quickly and we were soon traveling at 20 knots!”

Location:		Maalaea & Lahaina Harbors
Phone:		808-244-2087
Website:		www.sailmaui.com
Price:		$50 - $150

Description:
Paragon has two high-performance sailing catamarans, Paragon I and Paragon II.

Paragon II, which sails out of Maalaea Harbor won our award for #1 Sailing Snorkel to Molokini. Both boats do a lot of real sailing, which sets them above the competition who mostly rely on motors to get around. I've got two friends who sail extensively that have both been on Paragon and both rave about their skill and enthusiasm. Similar sentiments are echoed from visitors.

Tours Offered:

Molokini during rush hour ;-) (Photo: Ron Garnett/HTA)

Molokini Snorkel & Performance Sail (Paragon II sailing out of Maalaea)
5-hour performance sail, snorkel and whale/dolphin/turtle watch. Breakfast & lunch are included.

Many vendors offer snorkel trips to Molokini Crater; the factors that went into rating them #1 are:

~ More personal size (read: you won't be herded around like cattle.)
~ They let you explore and don't have to force you to stay close to the boat.
~ You'll have a blast sailing instead of motoring.
~ Whale watching, dolphin & turtle sightings are a shared focus of the sailing portion, not an afterthought - so you'll stop, linger and enjoy when the show is good.
~ Maalaea harbor is less crowded and closer to Molokini than Lahaina Harbor.

Coral Gardens Afternoon Sail & Snorkel (Paragon II sailing out of Maalaea)
3-hour hour trip to a snorkel spot tucked inside the cliffs between Maalaea and Lahaina. Snacks are included.

Lana'i Snorkel, Beach Picnic & Sail (Paragon I sailing out of Lahaina)
7-hour performance sail to Manale Bay on Lana'i. The bay is a marine preserve and is well known for large quantities of spinner dolphins that often swim with people. Picnic on the beach.

Lahaina Champagne Sunset Sail (Paragon I sailing out of Lahaina)
2-hours sunset sail with drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Etc.
Whale watching is included in all trips in season. Unlimited beverages, including beer & wine, (and some trips Mai Tais) are included. Private charters are also available on either boat.

Other Reviews: ^{*ordered by accuracy}

Tripadvisor

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Yelp

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Google

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• Hawaii Ocean Rafting
• Trilogy Excursions
• Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Adventures

Screen capture of 315# Pacific Blue Marlin (see video below)

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

In a nutshell: Hard-core sportfishing.
Minuses: 3:00
Sound-bite: “Hey mister, is that a Florida Marlins logo on that-there baseball bat?”

DETAILS:
Alright, first of all this isn’t a trip for the kids. These are die-hard fishermen willing to take along the serious angler who isn’t interested in going halfway.

Captain Fuzzy Alboro is a well known, born and raised Maui fisherman and many come here seeking him out by name. Fuzzy knows where to go and when to go. (Speaking of when, you’ll be leaving before anyone else – at 3:00 AM.)

Fuzzy’s pride and joy is a 32′ Boston Whaler Express Fisherman with twin 370 Yanmar engines. Fully equipped with a fish finder, GPS chart plotter, marine head, protection from the elements, a microwave and fridge. The Die Hard is also fully outfitted with quality gear, including 80 Shimanos with bent butt rods, 50 Shimanos with stand up rods and 30 Shimanos and Penns stand up rods and an arsenal of lures. Capt. Fuzzy prefers to fish with live baits, and the Die Hard is typically stocked with plenty of ‘em.

You may end up on the back side of Lanai – or even all the way over in Hana. These are local guys who know a thing or two about where they’re going. If you’re gonna cry about spending an hour or more getting to the right spot that day, well, you may be frustrated with Fuzzy, because he isn’t interested in “the customer is always right” if it means doing it wrong. On the other hand, if you’re a die hard sport fisherman, you paid to go with these guys because they knows exactly what they’re doing.

Like I said, you’ve gotta be serious to go on this trip. (Is “Die Hard” starting to make sense to you?)

Oh, and for the squeamish: the video has some batting practice on the head of the Marlin (to immobilize it prior to taking it onboard.)

Key Info:
Location: Lahaina Harbor
Phone: 808-878-2362
Rating source: Maui Guidebook
Web: http://fishdiehardmaui.com
Prices: Share: $185 – $200 ; Private: $1,000 – $1,100

View Lahaina Town in a larger map

You may also be interested in:

• Finest Kind Sport Fishing
• Luckey Strike Charters
• Aerial Sportfishing Charters

Jumping into a tidepool

Rating: 4.91 out of 5 stars

In a nutshell: Highly personalized touring, hiking and adventures.
Minuses: High quality isn’t ever cheap.
Sound-bite: “We all felt like we had done something truly amazing, adventurous and memorable.”

UPDATE, MAY 2010 – Looks like one of the bigger and certainly most aggressive players in the market is forcing Alicia out of business. Unfortunately the hike guide business is highly restricted by Maui law, and not a level playing field. A real shame, because exactly what Alicia offered was her taking you out to special places as a friend – something that Maui government, and one of the more established tour operators in particular don’t want to see. If this looked like your dream and you’d like me to set you up with someone special, head over to the contact page and let me know – I can probably hook you up with a knowledgeable local guide.

DETAILS:
Awapuhi Adventures is a small one-woman operation, and let me be the first to tell you that one woman is precisely who makes it so spectacular. Alicia (owner and guide) is a well versed naturalist and has such a passion for the island that it is infectious. Alicia also takes the time to understand your abilities, needs and desires before she designs the perfect adventure for you.

Since this is such a highly personalized tour, you’ll also always get to go at your own pace. You won’t ever feel rushed to hurry up and move on, or pressured to do anything you aren’t comfortable doing.

Alicia has a true gift for understanding her guests, and making the spectacular wonders of Maui accessible to the full spectrum of travelers, whatever their ability. Believe it or not, you don’t even have to be a hiker or a swimmer to see spectacular hidden sights, to snorkel and to experience being under a hidden waterfall.

Aahhhhh...waterfall!

Awapuhi Adventures stands out because your day is tailored so that you visit more than one place and really get to experience Maui in all her glory. In the same day you can experience waterfalls, snorkel in tidepools, visit cultural sites, and have a picnic lunch on a secluded beach. If you find that one of the things scheduled along the way is somewhere you’d rather stick around, then by all means you’ll stick around. It is a whole lot more like coming to visit a friend who is sharing what they love than anything else you might go in to this expecting.

And you’ll actually become immersed in what you’re doing – eating wild fruits right off of the trees, learning about Hawaiian culture, the history, and the unique flora and fauna – oh, and you’ll have such a load of fun doing it.

Yummy picnic lunch.

The price is all inclusive, and includes healthy and yummy home-made food (tailored to your taste and any dietary restrictions), all the equipment you’ll need for your chosen adventures, and pick-up/drop-off from your hotel. Alicia is also trained as a wilderness first responder, and carries a first-aid kit. (Don’t take that for granted…I’ve found more than one guide that had no training for responding to an emergency.)

Definitely don’t let the price scare you off – if you’re a family or small group, it won’t cost more than the group tours. If you’re a couple or traveling alone there is an old saying that goes something like “you may not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you don’t pay for.” A day with Awapuhi Adventures is quite impressively ranked by every single customer review I could find as among the most special and memorable activity they did. If you need more convincing, see the link to their Tripadvisor reviews below, when I wrote this Awapuhi had 27 reviews on there and every single one was 5/5 stars. (I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.) In fact, another theme runs though those same customer reviews: several who were initially tentative about the value came out so highly satisfied that they booked an additional day.

Key Info:
Location: Pickup or Meet
Phone: 808-269-6031
Rating source: Maui Guidebook & Tripadvisor
Web: http://awapuhiadventures.com
Price: $100-$200 per person (Typical, actual cost depends on your party size, tour time & destination.)

You may also be interested in:

• Maui Eco Adventures
• Hike Maui
• Maui Hiking Safaris

Three horse riding tours w/great views

Key Info:
Location: Punakea Lp, Lahaina
Phone: 808-667-2222
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.mauihorse.com
Price: $110 – $135

View Lahaina Stables in a larger map

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• Ironwood Ranch
• Mendes Ranch
• Finest Kind Sport Fishing

Kayak & snorkeling tours of South & West Maui. They also offer surf lessons.

Key Info:
Location: Meet at launch site(varies), South & West Maui
Phone: 808-874-7652
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.keliiskayak.com
Price: $50 – $150

View Larger Map

You may also be interested in:

• Maui Eco Tours (Reported Closed)
• Hike Maui
• Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Adventures

The oldest, most experienced hiking company in the state.

Key Info:
Location: Meet at Park N Ride commuter lot., Kahului
Phone: 866-324-6284
Rating source: Tripadvisor
Web: http://www.hikemaui.com/
Price: $70 – $160

View Kahului Maui Park N Ride Lot in a larger map

You may also be interested in:

• Awapuhi Adventures
• Maui Eco Adventures
• Maui Hiking Safaris

Guided hiking tours. Full or half-day.

Key Info:
Location: Throughout Maui
Phone: 808-573-0168
Rating source: Tripadvisor
Web: http://www.mauihikingsafaris.com
Price: $70 – $160

You may also be interested in:

• Awapuhi Adventures
• Maui Eco Adventures
• Hike Maui

Horseback riding on family owned & operated ranch.

Key Info:
Location: 3530 Kahekili Hwy, Wailuku
Phone: 808-871-5222
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.mendesranch.com
Price: $90 – $130

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You may also be interested in:

• Ironwood Ranch
• Lahaina Stables
• Finest Kind Sport Fishing

Hiking and soaring over gulches and through the trees

Key Info:
Location: Upcountry & Kaanapali
Phone: 808-878-8400
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.zipline.com/
Price: $85 – $150

View Maui Zip Lines in a larger map

You may also be interested in:

• Pi’iholo Ranch Canopy Tours
• Pi’iholo Ranch Zipline
• Awapuhi Adventures

This is a great option for a mellow trip. Luckey takes a completely different angle than our #1 rated (and aptly named) Die Hard Sportishing – these guys specialize in a more casual (and also upscale on the Real Luckey) trip. They’re all about fun first, and welcome both newcomers and experienced fishermen. Great option for families. The owners Tad and Cindy are wonderful folks – they’ve been doing this here for over 35 years, so they’re not recent transplants still figuring out how to fish in Hawaii.

Big Game fishing or Small Game fishing, heavy tackle or light tackle, trolling or bottom fishing. They can go after Giant Blue Marlin, Striped Marlin, Spearfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Barracuda, Giant Trevally, Hawaiian Salmon, and other game fish as well.

Two boats: Luckey Strike II & Reel Luckey.

Luckey Strike II is a 50 ft. Delta Marine sport fishing vessel powered by twin 375HP Cat Diesel. Large flying bridge, two heads, two fighting chairs and a decent sized cabin. Two fish finders, GPS, live bait tank, tuna tubes & radar.

Reel Luckey is a 38 ft. Mediterranean Yacht complete with all the trimmings (including A/C!)

Key Info:
Location: Lahaina Harbor
Phone: 808-661-4606
Rating source: Tripadvisor
Web: http://www.luckeystrike.com/
Price: CALL

View Lahaina Town in a larger map

You may also be interested in:

• Finest Kind Sport Fishing
• Die Hard Sportfishing
• Aerial Sportfishing Charters