Stay dry while enjoying a 2-hour Maui dolphin watching and sightseeing tour departing from Lahaina. Our Hawaiian-owned and operated small-group eco-raft tours offer a fun, family-style ocean adventure along West Maui’s scenic coastline.
Explore Maui on a small-group eco-raft tour to search for dolphins, spot whales, and sightsee along the coast with a local marine naturalist.
Sightsee, search for dolphins and enjoy snacks. Stay dry and still have an ocean adventure on our eco-rafts! Seasonal May-Nov.
Dolphins • Education • Food/Bev
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Search for dolphins and sightsee from our small group eco-raft. See whales outside of migration. Snacks included. Early May & Nov.
Whales • Education • Food/Bev
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All level snorkeling to Maui’s neighbor island of Lanai. Search for dolphins, learn to snorkel and enjoy breakfast and snacks.
Wildlife • Education • Food/Bev
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Our most popular whale watch tours include whale watching and educational talks from our marine naturalists. Seasonal December-April.
Small Group • Education • Wildlife
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Set out on a 2-hour eco-raft tour adventure along Maui’s West Coast from Lahaina to Lanai in search of dolphins from May to November or humpback whales from November to May. Enjoy scenic sightseeing, Hawaiian stories shared by your captain and marine naturalist onboard, plus snacks and beverages along the way.
Wildlife sightings vary throughout the season as some whales migrate to Hawaii each year. Because dolphin and whale encounters happen in the wild, every tour is different. While dolphin sightings are not guaranteed, we see them on 8 out of 10 trips, and the sightseeing, snacks, and storytelling make this an affordable ocean adventure for the whole family. In November, we search for early humpback whales as they begin returning to Maui before official whale season starts in December, as well as at the end of the season in mid-to-late April and May. This tour does not include an in-water portion, so no snorkeling is required. All sightseeing takes place from our small eco-raft, allowing you to stay dry while still enjoying an ocean adventure. Our small-group eco-rafts feature comfortable bench-style seating with backrests and 80% shade. Their low-to-the-water design also offers exciting eye-level wildlife viewing.
2-hour
Maui eco-raft tour. Please check in 30 minutes before
departure.
Small-group, family-style experience with a
semi-private feel.
Marine
naturalist guide sharing Hawaiian stories and local
knowledge. Dolphin search
during summer / whale watching during winter. Hydrophone
listening during whale watches.
Snacks
and beverages included: fruit, chips, cookies, soda,
green tea, and water.
Low-to-the-water raft with 80% shade and bench seating.
Eco-friendly, Hawaiian-owned, and locally operated.
Dolphin and whale sightings vary
in the wild and are not guaranteed during the summer months.
Whale searches are offered in
November during
early migration season and in April and
May at the end of whale season. Dolphin searches are
offered from May through
November.
For safety reasons, we cannot
accommodate pregnant women, guests with back or neck injuries, or
children under 3 years old.
Please bring reef-safe sunscreen,
a hat, and sunglasses.
Please do not bring spray
sunscreen.
Our low to water vessel may
experience ocean spray, so we recommend bringing a waterproof bag
for personal items.
Please provide at least a
24-hour notice for a full refund. Groups of 5 or
more require a 72-hour notice for a full refund.
Private charter cancellations require a 7-day
notice for a full refund.
Tours are subject to
cancellation or rescheduling due to weather or capacity.
Adults Dolphin Tour
FROM* $84
$104 Save 20%
Kids Dolphin Tour
(Ages 3-12)
FROM* $76
$95 Save 20%
• Small group family-style boat tour (the closest you can get to a private tour)
• Marine Naturalist Guide
• Search for dolphins (summer months) and whales (fall-spring), sightsee Maui’s coast and talk story with our Marine Naturalist onboard.
• Hydrophone during whale searches
• No swimming or snorkeling required!
Food and Drinks included: Snacks, soda, green tea and water.
• Just provide us with 24 hours notice of cancellation for a full refund, 72 hours notice required for groups of 5 or more for full refund. 7 day notice required for private charter cancellations.
• Tour is subject to cancellation or reschedule due to weather or capacity.
What To Expect
Check-in at least 30 minutes prior to your Maui dolphin watching tour. Our crew who are marine naturalist will help you board our small group eco-raft vessel from Mala Boat Ramp in Lahaina. Pods of spinner dolphins can often be spotted traveling along Maul’s coast or nearby her neighbor island Lanai, We relv on vour observations to see if vou can see them and other vessels and captains communicating sightings.
Our marine naturalist will share into about dolphins, whales and marine during your tour and also hawaiian stories while you enjoy snacks and beverages during your small group ocean wildlife tour. you do not need to know now to swim or snorkel or this tour, all adventuring is done onboard our rafts.
Our 2 hour sightsee ocean tour is designed as an ocean adventure for anyone who wants to learn about Maui, marine life and experience an express tour on the ocean Because dolphins are in the wild we do not guarantee their sightings, but we do our best to find them while following all federal regulations and protections for marine life. This tour includes searching for whales near migration season as well! This would be in the months of April, May and November.
Dress for all weather, light rain and wind and also sunshine! A hat, sunglasses, reef safe sunscreen or a sun shirt. Waterproof bag for personal items. Camera or Gopro for photos and videos, Gratuity for crew (Venmo accepted)
• Check-in at least 30 minutes prior to your dolphin sightsee tour time. Once you check-in we will size your gear and take you down to the boat to board. The boat will depart on time.
DIRECTIONS: Check-in at Dive Maui Shop, 1223 Front St, Lahaina. Parking at Longs at Lahaina Cannery Mall. Park and walk toward the ocean to Front Street. Make a left and walk over the bridge. The dive shop is on the right, next to Snorkel Bob’s blue building.
Our temporarv lahaina location for our snorkel tours is approximatelv 15 minutes from Kaananali and 20 minutes from other West Maullocations includina Kahana Napil and Kapalua. Our snorkel tours are nearby for visitors staying in West Maui, but also a great option for visitor staying in Kihei or Wailea that want to venture to West Maui
and exolore the calm waters oft the coast of Lahaina.
While Maui is home to man species of dolphins, we most frequently see spinner dolphins on our dolphin and sightseeing tour. Spinner dolphins are nocturnal but will continue to move in their pod during the day, turning off part of their brain so they can rest while continuing to travel. Because spinner dolphins are nocturnal there are protections in place to ensure our encounters with them do not disrupt their benavior.
Our Maui dolphin search tours are guided by marine naturalist educated to share factual and fun information about dolphins, Maui and Hawaiian history. We offer small group tours so you can ask questions, participate and experience eye-level encounters with Maui’s marine life.
Your ticket for dolphin watching supports our small local business and helps our team of Maui locals get back to work adn on the ocean to heal after the Lahaina wildfires.
In Hawaii, it is illegal to intentionally swim with, chase, or harass wild dolphins, specifically spinner dolphins that frequent Maui’s waters. Approach laws are in place for spinner dolphins because of their nocturnal habits. These laws are in place to protect dolphins while they rest during the day.
Our captains and naturalists are trained to guide you on a responsible dolphin watching tour from the water so can observe dolphins in the wild and follow all protection laws. On ocean rafting tours departing from Lahaina, Maui, dolphins are often seen swimming naturally alongside boats, riding the wake, or traveling in pods- offering an unforgettable experience without disturbing their behavior.
Ethical dolphin encounters prioritize observations, respect and conservations, a value we implement on our rafting tours.
The best time of day to see dolphins in Maui depends on the species and location of the dolphins. Dolphins can be observed all day long traveling along the west Maui coast near Lahaina or our neighbor island Lana’i. We schedule our dolphin excursions at a time of day that we believe offers the best ocean conditions for traveling between islands to search for visible pods.
This tour is unlike any other in Maui because it combines adventure eco-ocean rafting, small-group access, and native-Hawaiian owned local expertise. Departing directly from Lahaina, this tour is designed to maximize our time on the ocean for wildlife encounters while hosting a small group of passengers. Our captains and crew have deep local knowledge of dolphin travel patterns, seasonal marine life, Hawaiian stories and a passion for the ocean — making each trip a uniquely personal adventure for you. This isn’t a scripted tour; it’s an authentic ocean adventure shaped by real-time conditions and dolphin behavior in the wild.
This dolphin and sightsee tour is perfect for adventurous travelers, couples, families and anyone looking to experience Maui beyond the typical tourist path. If you love encountering dolphins in the wild, an open ocean exploration, and a fast-paced adventure, this tour is right for you.
Guests choose this tour to:
• See dolphins and whales (seasonally) in the wild
• Sightsee Maui and enjoy Hawaiian storytelling
• Avoid crowded boats and tourist heavy excursions
• Experience the ocean the way locals do
• Support a native-Hawaiian owned local business
Lahaina is known for its warm temperatures, lots of sunshine, and mild ocean conditions year-round. Because Maui is mostly affected by trade winds, Lahaina is protected on most days due to the lee created by the West Maui mountains. This lee does not exist in Kaanapali or Kihei. Maui is home to 17 microclimates, with weather changing every 5 miles. During winter months (December–April), ocean conditions can vary due to winter weather patterns. In summer (May–November), we have our warmest days in Maui. All tours operate with safety as the top priority, and routes or activities may be modified based on daily weather and ocean conditions.
“We just had the most amazing dolphin watching trip with Captain Jack and Val! We went out on the 9am tour and they started by taking us over towards Lanai to try to find that pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins. While on the way there we saw some sea turtles and flying fish. The guides were great and made the most of the weather, but then we got lucky with dolphins too, so we thoroughly enjoyed the trip! This will be a Maui vacation highlight for me for sure!”
“
“Great experience. Captain Jack and our guide, Bree, were awesome. It was a beautiful calm day on the water. We found a large pod of dolphin with minutes of leaving the dock. we also saw spotted Eagle rays as we were boarding and a few sea turtles. Both Jack and Bree provided commentary and color to the experience. i would recommend this tour and come again. “
Wildfire Impacted Business
We are grateful to partner with Lahaina Community Land Trust whom uses donated and special funding to prevent Lahaina 2023 wildfire victims from being forced to sell their land.
How can you help?
When you book a tour you can opt to donate to support LCLT and their mission.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LCLT
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Mahalo for your support this season, especially as we rebuild after the Lahaina fires!
Check-in Location: Temporary Dive Maui Shop, 1223 Front Street Lahaina, Maui, 96761
Parking : Front Street or near Lahaina Cannery Mall parking lot.
OUR MISSION is to provide a fun, authentic, aloha filled, Maui ocean experience that educates and inspires visitors to love and respect Hawaiian culture, the ocean and our island.