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Turtle Canyon · Off Waikiki · Oahu
The Turtle Canyon Snorkel, from the Water
Oceanstar picks you up in Waikiki and gives you about three hours in the water at Turtle Canyon, with flotation gear for anyone who wants it and a lifeguard on board.
- 4.8 / 5 129+ Reviews
- 4 hours Duration
- 15-30 min How often an adult green turtle comes up to breathe, so you see them rise past you
- 77-82°F Average sea temperature off Honolulu, from February to September
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Oceanstar Snorkel Includes
Four hours from pickup to drop-off, about three of them at the reef.
Highlights
- Pickup from 12 points in Waikiki
- About three hours at Turtle Canyon
- Flotation gear and crew help for beginners
- A certified lifeguard on board
- A free return trip if no turtles are spotted
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off in Waikiki
- About three hours on the water at Turtle Canyon
- Snorkel gear and flotation gear
- Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, sea-chair floats
- Light snacks and drinks on the boat
- A shaded roof on the boat
Good to know: Pickup at 12 points in Waikiki; the snorkel site is about 20 minutes away by boat. · Flotation gear and help in the water for beginners, children and people who are not confident swimmers. · If no turtles are spotted, you can come back on another tour free. · GoPro rental and tips are extra. · Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. Touching marine life is not allowed. · Not Included: Go-Pro Camera Rental (optional), Gratuities
The Snorkel, Step by Step
From fitting the mask on the boat to the turtles below you.
Fit the Mask on the Boat
On the ride out, about 20 minutes from Waikiki, the crew hands out mask, snorkel and fins. Press the mask to your face without the strap and breathe in through your nose: if it stays put, it fits. Ask for a flotation vest or a noodle now, not in the water.
Float First, Then Look Down
Ease in from the swim step, lie flat with your face in the water and breathe slowly through the snorkel. Stay near the crew for the first few minutes, until the breathing feels normal.
Watch the Turtles Rise
The green turtles graze and rest on the reef below and come up to breathe every 15 to 30 minutes. Hold still at the surface, at least 10 feet (3 meters) to the side, and let them pass. Never touch or chase one.
Kayaks, Paddleboards, Then Home
After the snorkel the kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and floating sea chairs come out. The van takes you back to your pickup point about four hours after it collected you; if nobody spotted a turtle, you may come back free.
Photo Gallery
Turtle Canyon from the Water
Photos from the trip's listing: the turtles, the reef and the boat.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Before You Get In
The Turtle Canyon Snorkel, One Question per Page
What you see, the best time, safety and seasickness, a first snorkel, a cruise-ship day, the turtle rules and the map.
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Listing prices are per person, adult fare.
Four Turtle Canyon Snorkels, Seen from the Water
How long you are in the water, who is in there with you, and how well you need to swim. Prices from the listings, with the month they were checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Oceanstar, with pickup | Living Ocean Tours | Charter Oahu | Hawaii Ocean Charters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From $107 per person (checked November 2026) | From $62 per person in current promotion (usually $89) (checked November 2026) | From $61 per person in current promotion (usually $89) (checked November 2026) | From $85 per person (checked November 2026) |
| At the Reef | About 3 hours: the snorkel, then kayaks and paddleboards | Part of a 2-hour trip | Part of a 2-hour trip | A full 60 minutes in the water |
| In the Water with You | Crew help and flotation; a lifeguard on board | Guides who swim with the group | Flotation; a swim step to sit on | A guide and a safety diver |
| Swimming | Any level; not confident swimmers welcome | Basic swimming ability | All skill levels | Swimming required; ages 7 to 70 |
| No Turtle? | Come back on another tour free | Everyone may come back free within 12 months | No turtle promise | Your next trip is free |
| Best For | A first snorkel with everything arranged | Newer snorkelers who want a guide close by | A party with someone who will not swim | Confident swimmers who want the longest look |
| Check dates | See the guided snorkel | See the swim-step boat | See the hour-long snorkel |
Other Ways In
More Turtle Canyon Snorkels
A guide in the water, a swim step for non-swimmers, life jackets with crew help, a boat for six, and a wetsuit from a dive shop. One card per trip.
A GUIDE IN THE WATERLiving Ocean Tours: Guided Turtle Canyon Snorkel
Living Ocean Tours' two-hour guided snorkel on the Coral Kai from slip B-1 in Kewalo Basin Harbor: a safety talk and a snorkel lesson, then guides who get in the water with the group, find the turtles and reef life, and give newer snorkelers flotation and a hand. Light snacks, soft drinks and a restroom on board. If the group sees no turtle in the water, everyone may come back free within 12 months, subject to space. Basic swimming ability is required; from age 3; not for pregnant travelers.
A SWIM STEP TO SIT ONCharter Oahu: Turtle Canyon Snorkel with a Swim Step
Charter Oahu's two hours to Turtle Canyon from Pier B, capped at 20 guests: snorkel gear and flotation devices, a crew of certified divers, lifeguards and watermen, a swim step where someone who does not swim can sit with their feet in the water, and floating platforms tied off the boat. Juice, snacks and water are included and you may bring your own drinks. Bring a photo ID; harbor parking is paid by the hour.
LIFE JACKETS FOR ALLBlue Ocean Snorkeling: Turtle Canyon in a Life Jacket, with Pickup
Blue Ocean Snorkeling's three hours on a catamaran from Pier D in Kewalo Basin, with pickup at set points in Waikiki: a short run to Turtle Canyon, then the snorkel with life jackets for everyone and crew who help less confident swimmers with flotation boards, and afterwards kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and sea scooters. Snacks, cup noodles, coffee and tea on board; GoPro rental costs extra. Anyone prone to motion sickness is asked to take medication before boarding.
A FULL HOUR IN THE WATERHawaii Ocean Charters: Small-Group Turtle Canyon Snorkel with a Guide in the Water
Hawaii Ocean Charters' two hours from Kewalo Basin Harbor: a 15-minute run out, a briefing on snorkel technique and reef etiquette, then a full hour at Turtle Canyon with a guide and a safety diver in the water, on a 6-guest catamaran or a power boat capped at 20 guests. Fresh-water rinse, a marine restroom, water, local juices and sodas. Swimming is required; ages 7 to 70; touching marine life is not allowed. If you see no turtles, your next trip is free.
SIX GUESTS AT MOSTHawaii Apex Charters: Turtle Canyon Snorkel for Six, Hands-Off
Hawaii Apex Charters' 90 minutes for six guests at most: a 10-minute briefing on Hawaiian culture and wildlife, 15 minutes by speedboat, 35 minutes snorkeling at Turtle Canyon with lifeguard-certified guides, fins, mask, snorkel and life vests, then back. A strict hands-off rule for turtles, fish, urchins and starfish. A photo and video package comes with the trip. You should be comfortable in the water; not for anyone prone to seasickness or with back problems.
A WETSUIT INCLUDEDDive Oahu: Turtle Canyon Snorkel with a Wetsuit, from Ala Moana
Dive Oahu's three hours from its dive shop at Ala Moana: a briefing on the snorkel spots, a wetsuit and snorkel gear, a first warm-up swim to look at fish, then Turtle Canyon with a guide, keeping a safe distance from the turtles. Drinks and snacks on board. All snorkelers must know how to swim. Bring a towel and biodegradable sunscreen.
The Snorkel
What Happens Once You Are in the Water
The turtles and the reef, how well you need to swim, when the water is at its best, and the rules that keep the turtles coming back.
Turtle Canyon is a stretch of reef off Waikiki where the snorkel boats anchor so you can swim above Hawaiian green sea turtles, honu. You do not dive: you float face-down at the surface in a mask and snorkel, watch the turtles graze and rest on the reef below, and see them rise past you to breathe, which an adult does every 15 to 30 minutes. The trips run 90 minutes to four hours, start from about $60 a person (checked November 2026), and suit most people who are comfortable in the water, with flotation gear for those who are not.
The short answer
For a first snorkel with the least to arrange, book Oceanstar’s Turtle Canyon snorkel with pickup, sold on GetYourGuide as [4HR w/PickUp] Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkel 6-in-1 Activity. A van collects you at one of 12 points in Waikiki, the boat takes about 20 minutes to the reef, and you get about three hours there: the turtles first, then kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and floating sea chairs. The crew gives flotation gear and help in the water to beginners, children and anyone who is not a confident swimmer, and a certified lifeguard is on board. If no turtles are spotted, you can come back on another tour free. It costs from $107 in current promotion (usually $120) a person, with 129 reviews (checked November 2026).
Check dates for the turtle snorkel
If you would rather have a guide swimming beside you, Living Ocean Tours’ two-hour snorkel from Kewalo Basin Harbor puts its guides in the water with the group and lets everyone come back free within 12 months if the group sees no turtle: see Living Ocean Tours' guided snorkel, from $62 in current promotion (usually $89) (checked November 2026).
Pick your snorkel
Oceanstar: Turtle Canyon Snorkel with Waikiki Pickup, Then Kayaks and Paddleboards
Oceanstar: pickup in Waikiki, flotation gear and crew help in the water, a lifeguard on board, about three hours at the reef.
Check dates →Living Ocean Tours: Guided Turtle Canyon Snorkel
Living Ocean Tours from Kewalo Basin: a snorkel lesson, guides who swim with the group, and a free return within 12 months if nobody sees a turtle.
See the guided snorkel →Charter Oahu: Turtle Canyon Snorkel with a Swim Step
Charter Oahu: a swim step where a non-swimmer can sit with their feet in the water and watch the turtles come up, 20 guests at most.
See the swim-step boat →Hawaii Ocean Charters: Small-Group Turtle Canyon Snorkel with a Guide in the Water
Hawaii Ocean Charters: a full hour in the water with a guide and a safety diver, for confident swimmers aged 7 to 70.
See the hour-long snorkel →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
What you see in the water
The boats anchor over the reef and you climb down the swim step into clear, warm water: off Honolulu the sea averages about 77°F in February and 82°F in September (NOAA monthly means). Below you is the reef and its limu, the seaweed the turtles graze on. The turtles rest on the bottom, feed along the reef, or swim up through the water to take a breath at the surface before gliding back down. NOAA’s turtle program notes that green turtle sightings have become a regular occurrence along Waikiki’s shallow reef, which gives the turtles foraging grounds and places to rest.
Around them swim reef fish, triggerfish, trumpetfish and angelfish among them, and on a good day an eel, an octopus or a ray. Look out for the rectangular triggerfish, humuhumunukunukuapua’a, Hawaii’s official state fish. In Hawaii, green turtles visit “cleaning stations” where convict tangs and other fish pick parasites off their shells, so a turtle hanging still with fish around it is usually having a wash. What you see at Turtle Canyon goes through the turtles’ behaviour and the fish one by one.
How deep is it? No agency describes a reef called Turtle Canyon off Waikiki. The nearest official record is the state’s Canyons Reef moorings, half a mile east of the Ala Wai harbor channel buoys, which the state boating division’s Oahu mooring guidebook describes as lava reefs ending in sandy seafloor, with a maximum depth of 40 feet at the end of the reef, Hawaiian green sea turtles and large schools of black durgeon triggerfish. Whether that is the exact spot the tour boats use is not on record, and you never need the depth anyway: you stay at the surface and look down. Do not mix it up with the state’s “Turtle Canyons” moorings in Maunalua Bay off Hawaii Kai, a different reef on the far side of Diamond Head; the Turtle Canyon map shows both.
Who it suits
| You are | What helps | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| A first-time snorkeler | A flotation vest or belt, a briefing on the boat, a guide in the water | Turtle Canyon for beginners |
| Not a swimmer | A boat with a swim step or crew help, and a life jacket you keep on | Turtle Canyon for beginners |
| Travelling with children | A boat whose minimum age fits, a life vest, an adult beside each child | Turtle Canyon for beginners |
| Prone to seasickness | Medication taken before you board, a seat away from the bow, eyes on the horizon | Is Turtle Canyon safe? |
| On a cruise ship in Honolulu | A trip from Kewalo Basin, a 20-minute walk from the Pier 2 terminal, and time to spare before all aboard | From a cruise ship |
Snorkeling is the activity most often involved in visitor drownings in Hawaii, and Hawaii’s health department advises a buddy, a flotation vest or belt, and staying out when conditions look rough. Tell the crew before you get in if you have a heart or breathing condition, have just flown in, or have had a recent bout of flu; is Turtle Canyon snorkeling safe covers sharks, currents and seasickness as well.
When to go
Hawaii’s ocean-safety program says morning hours are usually the best time for snorkeling, and the Turtle Canyon boats run their trips from the morning into the afternoon. Summer is the peak of the south-shore surf season, so on a summer swell the water off Waikiki can be churned up and the boat ride bumpier; trade winds blow about 90% of the time in summer and about half the time in winter. From November through May, humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters, peaking January to March, so a winter trip may add a spout on the way out. The best time to snorkel Turtle Canyon has the month-by-month picture and where to check the surf forecast on the morning.
The rules in the water
- Stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a turtle, in the water and on the sand. That is NOAA’s and the state’s recommended distance; it is guidance, not a legal line, but harassing a turtle is against the law.
- Never touch, chase, ride or feed a turtle. Hawaii’s natural-resources department says touching or feeding a turtle in any way counts as a disturbance and is illegal; under state law a first offence is a misdemeanor, with a fine of at least $250, up to a year in jail, or both.
- If a turtle swims toward you, stay still and let it pass. Do not dive down on a resting turtle or block its way to the surface.
- Sunscreen: since January 1, 2021, Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription. A rash guard means less sunscreen in the water.
The turtle rules at Turtle Canyon explains how to judge 10 feet with your hand in the water.
Planning the rest of the trip
- Turtles on other parts of Oahu, from Laniakea Beach on the North Shore to Hanauma Bay: snorkelingwithturtlesoahu.com covers where else to snorkel with them around the island.
- Choosing by the pier nearest your hotel, or a boat with hotel pickup: snorkelwithturtleswaikiki.com goes through the Waikiki departure points one by one.
- Comparing the Turtle Canyon operators and their prices: turtlecanyontour.com sets the boats side by side, operator by operator.
Into the Water at Turtle Canyon
Oceanstar's snorkel with pickup in Waikiki: flotation gear for anyone who wants it, a lifeguard on board, and a free return trip if no turtles are spotted. Starting from $107 per person in current promotion (usually $120).
See datesMore Trips with Open Dates
More Turtle Snorkels Off Waikiki with Open Dates
Turtle snorkels and catamarans with live availability. Times and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Turtle Canyon Snorkel: Questions
Swimming, depth, safety, seasickness, the best time, cruise days and the turtle rules.
Not on every boat, but you need to be comfortable in the water. Oceanstar ($107) gives flotation gear and help in the water to people who are not confident swimmers, Blue Ocean Snorkeling ($90) puts life jackets on everyone, and Charter Oahu has a swim step where a non-swimmer can sit with their feet in the water (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Hawaii Ocean Charters, Hāwea and Dive Oahu ask you to swim. See Turtle Canyon for beginners.
No agency describes a reef called Turtle Canyon off Waikiki. The nearest official record is the state's Canyons Reef moorings, half a mile east of the Ala Wai harbor channel buoys, with a maximum depth of 40 feet at the end of the reef; whether the tour boats use that exact spot is not on record. You float at the surface and look down, and the turtles come up to breathe every 15 to 30 minutes. The Turtle Canyons moorings off Hawaii Kai are a different reef.
Sharks live in all Hawaiian waters, but the risk is extremely small. That is the wording of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, which puts the long-run average at about three or four shark bites a year across all the islands. Snorkel in daylight with the group, stay out of murky water and leave if fish or turtles start behaving erratically. See is Turtle Canyon snorkeling safe.
The morning. Hawaii's ocean-safety program says morning hours are usually the best time for snorkeling, and an early trip leaves you a fallback if the boat has to reschedule for weather. The turtles are there all day. See the best time to snorkel Turtle Canyon.
The ride is short, 10 to 20 minutes, but the boat rocks at the reef while you swim. If you are prone to it, the CDC's advice is to take medication before you board rather than once you feel ill, to sit away from the bow and watch the horizon, and to skip alcohol. Meclizine and dimenhydrinate take about two hours to work.
Yes. Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean sell a Waikiki Turtle Canyon snorkel excursion of about three hours; Princess's starts at $199.95 and Holland America's at $189. Or book your own two-hour trip from Kewalo Basin, a walk of about 1.6 km (20 minutes) from the Pier 2 terminal, such as Hawaii Ocean Charters ($85, GetYourGuide checked November 2026), and leave a wide margin before all aboard. See Turtle Canyon from a cruise ship.
No closer than 10 feet (3 meters). That is NOAA's and the state's recommended distance in Hawaii, in the water and on land. You are far enough if the whole turtle, seen from the side, fits between your thumb and little finger held out in a shaka. Hawaii's natural-resources department says touching or feeding a turtle in any way is a disturbance and illegal.
No. Turtle Canyon is off Waikiki, between Kewalo Basin Harbor and Diamond Head, and you reach it by boat. Hanauma Bay is a nature preserve on the far side of Diamond Head with its own entry fee. See the Turtle Canyon map.
Still have questions? Email us at info@turtle-canyon-snorkel.com