Introduction
A canoe tour puts you in the vessel Hawaiians crossed the Pacific in, and the five that Blue Hawaiian Activities books split cleanly in two.
Three run on Maui in a single-hull outrigger canoe. Two run on the Big Island in a double-hull canoe, both out of Keauhou Bay.
The decision inside each island is whether you get in the water. Two of the five keep you dry, two put you snorkelling, and one is a night trip with manta rays.
Two of the Maui tours also leave from the same beach stand and differ on a single line of their pages, which is the trap in this category.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Hawaiian Activities books five canoe tours on Maui and the Big Island.
- Two Maui tours share a beach stand and differ only on snorkelling.
- Tours run 60 minutes to 2 hours.
- Stated age floors are 5 and 6, on the three pages that give one.
- Only the manta canoe states a swimming requirement.
The two Maui tours that share a beach
Both the Outrigger Canoe Turtle Watch and the Outrigger Canoe Snorkel & Turtle Tour launch from the same beach stand behind the Andaz Maui on Mokapu Beach.
The Turtle Watch is one hour, runs daily, and its page carries a line in asterisks stating there is no snorkelling on this tour. It is a paddle, described on the page as a family-friendly small group trip along Maui’s south shore, and the page states you are guaranteed to see Maui’s sea turtles.
The Snorkel & Turtle Tour is two hours and does the opposite. The canoe takes you out, then the group gets in, and the page puts 90 minutes of that two hours in the water.
It states an age floor of 5, and includes snorkel gear and tour photos.
One hour dry, or two hours with 90 minutes of it wet. Same beach, same canoe, entirely different afternoon.
They are sold as two separate listings rather than as one tour with a snorkel add-on, so a booking has to name which of the two you want.
The cultural tour at Ka’anapali
The Outrigger Canoe Cultural Tour is the third Maui option and the one built around history rather than wildlife.
It runs 60 minutes with departures at 8:00am and 10:00am, from the Outrigger Ka’anapali Beach Resort at 2525 Ka’anapali Parkway. The page states a minimum age of 6 and that no experience is necessary.
The stated mission is to perpetuate Hawaiian culture by sharing Hawaiian history and tradition from the water, giving a view of West Maui you cannot get from the shore.
The page also states that a portion of proceeds goes to the Maui Cultural Lands non-profit organization, which is the only such statement on any of these five pages.
Transport is not included. The page tells guests to provide their own, so factor the drive to Ka’anapali into the 8:00am start.
The Big Island runs double-hull canoes at Keauhou Bay
A double-hull canoe is two hulls joined by a cross beam and a deck, which is what gives it stability. Both Big Island tours use one and both launch at Keauhou Bay, and they are run by different operators.
The Hawaiian Double Hull Canoe Adventure is two hours, Monday to Friday, operated by Anelakai Adventures. Its page explains that these canoes can be sailed but that this operator paddles them around the bay, and describes a guided trip covering local Hawaiian history and ocean awareness.
That page states no age floor, no swimming requirement and no inclusions list. Silence on all three, which is a question for the desk rather than an answer.
The manta canoe, and the requirements it does state
The Canoe Adventure Manta Ray Snorkel is the one night trip in this set, run by Eka Canoe Adventures.
It is one hour, and the canoe ride itself is short. The page puts the manta site near the mouth of Keauhou Bay, a quarter mile from the pier, reached in five to ten minutes.
This is the only one of the five to state a swimming requirement, and it states it firmly. You must be able to float and swim unassisted, and climb a short ladder back into the canoe unassisted.
Age is stated as 5 and up. Snorkel equipment, wetsuits, masks, swim noodles and the operator’s custom-built lightboard are included.
Food, towels and sunscreen are not.
Parking is limited but free, and the page asks guests to allow an extra ten minutes to park and walk to the pier.
What each page will and will not promise
This is where the five differ most, and it runs opposite to what you might expect.
The two Maui turtle tours both use the word guaranteed. The Turtle Watch page states you are guaranteed to see Maui’s sea turtles, and the Snorkel & Turtle page states snorkelers are guaranteed to see turtles, fish and other wildlife.
The manta canoe does the reverse and says so at length. Its page states that manta rays are completely wild animals, that they are not fed or trained, and that the operator cannot guarantee their presence.
What it offers instead is a return trip, on a different evening or a future visit to Kona, if no manta is spotted.
That is a more honest promise than a sighting guarantee, and it tells you something about how the two categories behave.
For the boat-based version of the same manta experience, our guide to manta ray night snorkel tours compares the vessels.
Who these tours take
Three of the five pages state an age floor. The Cultural Tour sets 6, and the Snorkel & Turtle Tour and the manta canoe both set 5.
The Turtle Watch and the Double Hull Adventure state none. That is silence, not an open door for a toddler, and Blue Hawaiian Activities confirms it with the operator before booking a young family onto either.
On swimming, only the manta canoe asks. The two Maui snorkel-free tours keep you in the boat, and the Snorkel & Turtle page states no swimming requirement despite putting 90 minutes in the water, which is worth raising for a weak swimmer.
If paddling appeals more than a guided canoe, our roundup of beginner-friendly kayak tours in Hawaii covers that alternative.
Conclusion
Pick the island first, because the hull follows from it. Maui gives you a single-hull outrigger, and the Big Island gives you a double hull at Keauhou Bay.
Then decide whether you want to get wet. Two of the five keep you dry for an hour, and two put you in the water.
Blue Hawaiian Activities recommends the Outrigger Canoe Cultural Tour as the best Hawaii canoe tour for a family wanting the history rather than the wildlife, on the strength of its 60-minute length and its stated cultural mission.
Ready to paddle? Book your Hawaii canoe tour with Blue Hawaiian Activities and our island concierges will match the trip to your group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the two outrigger canoe turtle tours on Maui?
Snorkelling. Both tours Blue Hawaiian Activities books leave from the same beach stand behind the Andaz Maui on Mokapu Beach. The Outrigger Canoe Turtle Watch is one hour and its page states there is no snorkelling on the tour. The Outrigger Canoe Snorkel & Turtle Tour is two hours with 90 minutes in the water, includes snorkel gear and tour photos, and states a minimum age of 5.
What is a double-hull canoe?
Two hulls joined by a cross beam and a deck, which is what makes the vessel stable. The Hawaiian Double Hull Canoe Adventure page notes these canoes can be sailed, but states that the operator paddles them around Keauhou Bay rather than sailing them. Both Big Island canoe tours Blue Hawaiian Activities books use a double hull.
Do you need to swim for a Hawaii canoe tour?
Only one of the five states a requirement. The Canoe Adventure Manta Ray Snorkel page states you must be able to float and swim unassisted and climb a short ladder back into the canoe unassisted. The other four say nothing about swimming ability, including one that puts 90 minutes in the water, so raise it with Blue Hawaiian Activities before booking.
How old do you have to be for a canoe tour in Hawaii?
Five or six, on the three pages that state a floor. Of the five canoe tours Blue Hawaiian Activities books, the Outrigger Canoe Cultural Tour states 6 and up. The Outrigger Canoe Snorkel & Turtle Tour and the Canoe Adventure Manta Ray Snorkel both state 5 and up. The Outrigger Canoe Turtle Watch and the Hawaiian Double Hull Canoe Adventure state no minimum age at all.
Are manta ray sightings guaranteed on the canoe tour?
No, and the page says so directly. The manta canoe Blue Hawaiian Activities books states that manta rays are wild animals that are not fed or trained and that their presence cannot be guaranteed. If no manta is spotted, the operator’s stated guarantee is another attempt on a different evening or on a future visit to Kona, rather than a refund.
