Customer Reviews

Snorkel Maui and Lanai: Guide to the underwater world of Hawaii

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have used both the Snorkel Kauai and this book on different trips to Hawaii. On our most recent trip to Maui, I found this book to be quite useful for finding those harder to find access points to the numerous beaches in South Maui. I also have the Maui Revealed book by Dougherty & Friedmann, but I find their discussions on snorkeling spots to be quite limited in all of their books and definitely not as good. Also, with Snorkel Maui and Lanai, the beaches are organized geographically around the island, the maps are closer to the page describing the beach, and the directions to get to the beach and find parking are much better than you will find in the Maui Revealed book. I didn't mean this to be a comparison of these two books, but based on other comments, I think if you want to explore the beaches in detail for where is best to snorkel you should buy this book. It is not expensive and is a good deal.

The most useful section of this book is on pages 40-42, "Maui Snorkeling Sites at a Glance". They list the beaches going from west to south to east around the island and a "snorkel worthy" rating, how easy is the access, facilities, what page you'll find the description on, and then a brief note on each. These pages are well worth the cost of the book and I would use them constantly to plan our next day. I found their ratings (A, B, or C) to be dead on and "easy, intermediate, or advanced" rating to be good, too. The next best aspect of the book is letting you know about the beach access parking, you don't often get that for every beach in Maui Revealed.

A very useful book!

P.S. As they suggest, do NOT miss Honolua Bay, Malu'aka Beach, and the Fishbowl (we followed the instructions from Maui Revealed for that one, though). Ulua Beach was beautiful and good for snorkeling, too.

Hope this helps.

We bought the Maui/Lanai version of the book and found it was the book we used most once we got to Maui. We spent 6 days snorkeling in the mornings and this book gave us exact information about where to go! Some of the sites were wonderful and off the beaten path.(None of the other books or the dive shops had ALL of this information.) Well worth the small investment!

This book will guide you to a lot of hidden places that are well worth the trip. In addition, it's written with a sense of humor and a down to earth attitude that makes it very enjoyable to read. If you've never been snorkeling before, the first chapter will "get your feet wet." If you're an experienced snorkeler or diver, the descriptions and maps will help you maximize your time on Maui. The only thing that prevents me from giving it 5 stars is that some of the maps contain small inaccuracies. Nothing that you can't figure out when you're there, but a little disconcerting. Still, an extremely helpful book. If you like snorkeling, and are going to Maui, you need this one!

I thought this was a good guide to snorkeling on Maui until I got to Maui and my brother had "Maui Revealed." Maui Revealed is a guidebook that is not limited to snorkeling, but surprisingly, its coverage of snorkeling sites is much more complete than Snorkel Maui. For instance, at La Perouse Bay, there are many coves that are wonderful that can only be reached by hiking. Snorkel Maui won't get you there. Maui Revealed will. I would pass on this book.

The version of Snorkel Maui and Lanai (second edition) listed as copyright November 2000 is the most recent version of this book. If you are seeing this on the reviews for the 1996 version, click on the authors name to find it. It has more maps and sites, and up to date information! The Amazon search engine from time to time sends folks to the original 1996 out of print edition in error.

The actual copyright of the second edition is 2001, and we will get that corrected on Amazon.com

We bought both this book and their other guide, Snorkel Hawaii The Big Island, and snorkeled both islands.

We were impressed by the detailed instructions and very clear maps. My husband gets seasick easily, and the tip on that cured him! The section on Lanai got us to go over there, and it was a lovely excursion. Highly recommended.

However general guides may be, they are not a substitude for a guide written for snorkelers only.
We find this book amust for snorkeling Maui, it is loaded with information targeted for snorkelers. It has invaluable maps and provides information about each site, such as how to get to, what to expect, water currents, weather and very detailed directions. We found the information to be very accurate.
Using this guide, my wife and I became adicted to snorkeling and were able to enjoy 1 hour plus snorkels twice a day for a week enjoying the beautiful and diverse underwater life safely.
Thanks to the Malinowski's for this great guide!

We bought this and the Snorkel Hawaii: The Big Island, and are very pleased with how useful and well done they are. There are overall locator maps, useful Site-at-a-glance summary pages, detail yet easy to read maps for locating the snorkeling sites and entry points, special tips and caution about the sites, as well as review about boat trips. There's also a useful overview on snorkeling gear, basic care, and snorkeling hazards. Highly recommended if you're planning a snorkeling trip to Hawaii.

After reading reviews from everyone about this book, I had to purchase it myself before a trip to Maui. This book was an indispensable guide! It offered great advice about snorkel equipment and safety which was VERY helpful for us beginners. The authors rate snorkeling places according to quality and difficulty. Maps and detailed information are provided so that even the most remote places are easy to find. We did the "'Ahihi-Kina'u unmarked trail" and loved it! It was amazing to have a beautiful cove all to ourselves. I definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to snorkel in Maui.

My wife and I went on a multi week trip to 4 Islands of Hawaii, including 4 days on Maui. I had done a little snorkeling at home, and my wife had never snorkeled before. We bought this book, followed the advice on preparation and then began to explore once we arrived on Maui. If you want to find secluded beaches, with prime snorkeling as soon as you put your face in the water, then buy this book. We toured around western Maui and were able to stop at multiple spots that we never would have guessed to hold excellent snorkeling. The Malinowski's do an excellent job. You won't be disappointed.