Maui Reef Adventures, Ma'alaea

Maui Reef Adventures helps visitors explore Maui's pristine coastline aboard their exhilarating rafts. The small-group adventures let you get up close and personal with Maui's unique marine life and sea cliffs, with seasoned guides leading the intimate snorkel cruise to explore the pristine reefs of Maui's Molokini Crater, Olowalu and Turtle Town. Their unique "drift snorkel" allows for maximum exploration and safety while in the water.

• Molokini Crater and Turtle Town: This trip takes small groups to Molokini Crater, where a dormant volcanic crater now plays host to hundreds of species of reef fish and coral. The waters here are renowned for their clarity, and allow snorkelers an unobstructed view of the thriving ecosystem below the waves. Trip includes a stop at Turtle Town, a secluded cove where groups can snorkel with the region's population of Hawaiian green sea turtles.

• Coral Gardens and Olowalu Reef: Private Charters to Coral Gardens: A highlight for Maui visitors, Maui Reef Adventures offers private charters for groups to Olowalu and Coral Gardens, one of Hawaii's oldest reef systems for snorkeling that's especially beginner-friendly. Many guests see parrotfish or wrasses, or even one of the more than 350 manta rays that call the area home. Coral Gardens, a reef known for the secret caves and passageways. Along the way, keep your eye out for pods of spinner dolphins, whale sightings (Dec-May) and enjoy up close viewing of Maui's sea cliffs and marine life with this highly personalized snorkel experience.

• Whale Watching: Held during the winter and early spring, this trip chronicles the return of thousands of humpback whales who arrive each year for mating season in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.