The One Trip Everyone In Hawaii Needs To Take In Their Lifetime
By Megan Shute|Published August 02, 2016
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
The Hawaiian Islands are an absolute dream – especially for those interested in water sports. From surfing and kayaking to scuba diving and snorkeling, the Pacific Ocean surrounding the islands’ is almost always warm and inviting. And while we believe that everyone should try new things as often as possible, there is one activity that cannot be missed: Molokini is an ancient volcanic crescent-shaped cinder cone, and it is perhaps the greatest snorkel and scuba destination in the world.
Located just 2.5 miles off the shores of Maui's Makena State Park is Molokini, all that remains of an ancient cinder cone that last erupted more than 230,000 years ago.
Divers and snorkelers from around the world flock to this beautiful islet to experience its crystal clear waters and plethora of vibrant sea life. Because Molokini is rock, and not soil, there is nothing to wash into the water and inhibit visibility. In fact, you can often see more than 150 feet into the ocean.
Though the islet is protected, it certainly pays to arrive early as the waves and currents pick up as the day wears on. While this means you will often need to be at the harbor before 5 a.m., it is totally worth it to be among the first visitors to the reef - an excess of visitors will sometimes scare off some of the larger sea creatures who hang out near the cinder cone.
From colorful fish and vibrant coral to manta rays, green sea turtles, moray eels, and even whitetip reef sharks, Molokini is home to more than 250 species of fish, and you will find spectacular marine life you won't encounter anywhere else in the state.
Whether you scuba dive or snorkel is up to you, but personally, I would fork over the extra cash to dive - simply because it is a once in a lifetime experience - and you will be able to explore more secluded areas around the reef.
In 1977, Molokini was declared a Marine Life Conservation District, and it is imperative to protect this magnificent slice of reef for decades to come.
