The clear kayaking experience was so much fun! The water so beautiful and seeing the sea life below you was so cool! The staff was awesome and very friendly! read more

See all

My wife and I did the tour on a 2-person clear kayak on 12-Aug-2025. The tides were not too bad but the landing area was quite rocky, and it took about 15 minutes or so to be able to launch the kayak and start the tour. While the clear kayak itself provides great visibility, we sadly did not get to see anything below us as a result of the water not being clear enough. We stayed pretty close to the spot where we launched from in order to start the snorkeling portion where the tour guide tied the kayaks together for you to jump out and snorkel. I had called about how deep the water would be for snorkeling prior to the tour and was told "shallow" but the area was not shallow at all, and scared my wife (tour guide also apologized and stated that she changed the original snorkeling spot where it was more shallow to this other spot as a result of the original spot being too murky). I took a brief look at the area but could not see much other than a couple small fish. We had another couple that came along with us (they each had a 1 person kayak) and they also didn't appear to see anything as they wanted to go back (and we agreed). The tour was scheduled from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM but we ended up returning about 20 mins early (and as stated before, it took 15 minutes to launch). The tour guide was very polite and accommodating which is the reason I am giving this a 2 star. While my wife and I do not have much kayaking experience, this was not our first experience, and I had a kayak tour in Kauai which was wildly different than this experience. If you are an experienced snorkeler, you will get more out of this tour than us but do not expect to see anything from the kayak itself. Regardless, considering that it costs $125 per person, I think the value is very poor. read more

Forever memories were made on this trip. We were lucky to have both Marc and Curt as our wonderful guides. They were great with our children. I highly recommend this epic adventure. read more

Clear Kayaks Maui was very interesting. It was an alright experience but there were some issues I encountered that soured the overall experience and prevented me from giving this place a better rating. First there were some rescheduling issues, we scheduled a date and an Uber ride to the place in advance. The waters were way too high and they called us around an hour before our selected time and told us that we can't go kayaking and we can either reschedule or get a refund. I was able to reschedule the time but I had to pay the Uber cancelation fee because this company didn't give us enough time in advance to cancel everything which was inconvenient, but it wasn't that bad of an issue and we moved on. The next issue is that there were some frustrating miscommunications. The address to the place was confusing. They have their address mixed up on maps but they provided instructions on their website to try to make it work. We are very good with instructions and we tried to follow the instructions but without the help of a nice local, we still wouldn't have found the place. Once we found it, the place was near some constructed road and the business was a van rather than a physical place. So that was a minor inconvenience that we also didn't mind. It's the next inconvenience that soured the overall experience. When you first sign up for kayaking on their website, they ask how many kayaks you rent out for two hours rather than report how many people are joining the experience. The kayaks can hold two people each and we were a group of 2 adults and a kid so instead of renting out two kayaks, we get more bang from our buck just renting one kayak and switching between adults. When we got there, at first they made it seem like you can never switch out and they make you feel bad for not have renting out two. So I took one for the team and decided to not do the kayaking experience and let my girlfriend and little sister do it and have their fun while I stayed behind. Eventually my sister and girlfriend came back earlier and then all of a sudden the people said it was okay for us to switch out and go from there which was frustrating because I just felt like I was not able to do anything at all this entire time. So that was a miscommunication that really made me hate it at first. I was going to rate this place 1 star out of spite for making this experience so confusing and frustrating, but once things have settled down, I tried to focus on the positives and just be glad I was able to experience this. A simple summary of my experience was this: The workers give you a very basic explanation of what to expect and explain the rules and afterwards, they just let you do whatever with little to no supervision. The waters were very clear once we swam out far enough. There wasn't much life like they said there would be when we went far and it was an alright experience for what we had to endure. That is when I realized that you could easily get the same experience if you pick out a place and time, rent out a kayak, and do a little bit of simple research, you would save way more money and your sanity in the process. From this frustrating and inconvenient experience, I would rather suggest this: Cut the middle man out so you don't have to suffer the scheduling issues, inconveniences, or frustration. Just rent a kayak from the various rental companies around Maui, pick a place and a time, and you will get a very similar experience for less of the cost and trouble. I really tried my best to see the positives in this experience but it was my last day of vacation and instead of a nice smooth send off, this experience left me upset and stressed. read more

Would not recommend. These are different kayaks than others, shaped differently and can fill up with water easily if the waves are stronger. The instructor before we started was not clear when we started that if I sat in the back and my 7 old daughter in the front, water would collect so much that we almost sunk. No amount of pumping water out made a difference. We were pretty far out when this happened and felt very unsafe, plus since the boat was amost sinking it made it nearly impossible to paddle back to shore. We had to end our experience after 40 minutes. If I could give zero stars I would. The clear bottom is not that great. We went kayaking last year in normal kayaks at the same location with a different company with all our kids and had a great time. We've kayaked hundreds of times in Hawaii and other places, so we're not amateurs, and this was the worst experience. read more

I wish I can give this business 0 stars. My daughter and I ended up on the wrong side of the beach on our return, and the person in charge not only yelled at us, he also paddled the kayak away, leaving my 9 year old and I stranded in a dangerous rocky area with very rough waves. Our legs got cut by the rocks as we were hit with waves trying to walk back to the beach on barefoot over asphalt to get our shoes and belongings. The person staffing this business was incredibly mean-spirited and had some anger management issues for leaving a child in danger over a small customer error. It's an important consideration if you ever decide to rent from them. Whatever good time we had on the tour was ruined by this man's behavior. read more

2 hrs is more than enough time to kayak unless the water is calm and you're able to see the sea-life. Our day was choppy water and didn't see anything. Just coral, rocks and some sea urchins. Read the description carefully, I thought we would have a guide with us but this is a "rental" not a "tour". read more

This has got to be one of my favorite experiences ever. I've seen glass bottom kayaks all over the internet, but most of them are halfway across the world.. but when I saw that something was similar and available in Maui, which was where we were vacationing at the time, I knew instantly that I had to try it! We considered guided kayak tours around different parts of the island, but they were way too expensive. We liked the idea of being able to go wherever we wanted and for a much more reasonable price with the special addition of being able to see everything beneath us. It really was a unique, fun experience for the both of us! For a two hour rental, it was $75 (this is for a kayak that holds two people), not including tax and tip. This pricing included kayak dropoff/pickup, life jackets, a quick kayak lesson, and recommendations on where to paddle to see tons and tons of sea turtles!! I believe we booked the 8-10am time slot. It is recommended to choose an early time slot because other tours (guided kayak tours, snorkel/boat tours) might start crowding the area and you'll have to start avoiding people around the water. It wasn't that difficult to do though. On our kayak, we were also provided with a squeegee, a fish guide to help us identify fish we saw along the way, and these squirters to squeeze the water coming into our kayak. We kayaked through Makena Bay (also known as 'Turtle Town' because of the abundance of hawaiian green sea turtles) for about two hours. I got so excited at every sea turtle we saw!! You have to patiently wait for them. Sometimes you can see them through the floor of your kayak, but every now and then, they'll pop up on the surface of the water to get air. You are able to see tons of fish and coral you wouldn't normally see with a regular kayak. Oh.. don't forget to watch out for the snorkelers/swimmers if there are any. Sometimes they just swim or appear right right next to you and you don't even know it! It's a lot more difficult to paddle though since there are currents, but still nonetheless an awesome experience that I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone visiting Maui!! P.S. You can leave your wallets/phones with the staff. They lock it up in their car and give it right back when you're done with your trip. Also, make sure you wear flip flops and bring sun screen and maybe a gopro/waterproof camera to capture the whole journey! read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - could see underneath the kayak!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Really great experience. The kayaks were great with the clear bottom you have the best opportunity to see turtles and fish. They were great with giving us instruction, best places to look for turtles, and getting us launched. Great time. read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - Out at mckena landing - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

This place won't disappoint! It was very easy to rent a 2-person kayak. The guys (one is the business owner, I believe) were very helpful with getting us into the kayak and back into shore. Safety is very important to them, we were guided on where to walk in the water and back to shore to ensure we won't hit any of the hidden rocks below. The clear bottom kayaks gave us a nice view of the corals, fish, sea urchins, and turtles. We had a wonderful vacation with the help of local businesses like Clear Kayaks Maui! read more

Great experience to look down and see all the sea life. Out of Makena Beach so lot's to see there, especially sea turtles. The guys were so helpful getting us in and out of the kayaks. Easy to use and you don't have to go out in a group, you set your own pace! read more

If you're interested in renting a kayak in Maui, then I highly recommend Clear Kayaks Maui with Derek! I came across Clear Kayaks Maui via Google. My family wanted to go kayaking during our vacation, and I had seen on Instagram that we could potentially rent a clear kayak. Clear Kayaks Maui was actually not the company I was looking for, but I am so glad that I had rented with them instead! We had a 2-hour reservation at 7 a.m. Derek called around 6:30 stating that it would not be a good day to kayak because of the wind. He advised that we should kayak on a different day so that we could see more wildlife. I really appreciated that he was so honest! We ended up kayaking on a different day, and we had a great time! I had kayaked before, but it was so much cooler using a clear kayak. read more

Kayaking is one of the must-do activities while you in are Maui, so why not do it in a clear kayak. For $75 dollars, you get a kayak rental for 2 hours and 2 hours is more than enough time to paddle around. (I think they charged $80 if you were paying by credit card so bring cash) We unfortunately only saw one turtle but it was spectacular to be so close next to it. Parking along the road is a breeze, and the two guys that helped us were super nice and informative. I would totally do it again the next time I am in Maui. read more

We loved this unique experience while visiting wailea. The boat was unique, unlike anything we had ever experienced while visiting Maui.

Found this place on Yelp and was very happy with our experience. Booked a 7am slot with 2 kayaks from Clear Kayaks Maui for my family of 5. I was glad that other reviewers mentioned that small children could sit in a parent's lap, because being an odd-numbered family does cause issues with some activities. I was a little panicked because we were about 8 minutes past 7, and the FAQs had mentioned to show up early to sign waivers, but luckily they're sort of a launch-as-you-come operation, so there were others waiting for a few minutes before us and we weren't "late." I was also relieved that the 2-hour mark started from the time we launched, and not from 7 am because it was a short wait before we were able to get in and get going. The whole family enjoyed the experience. The kids especially loved the water sprayers. We saw several turtles and didn't have problems with it being too choppy. The downward viewing did make 2 members slightly queasy towards the end, but we followed the instructions to stop looking down and put one of the life vests down to block the view for the last bit. A word of caution, which has nothing to do with this company, a few snorkel boats dock near where you are going around and the snorkelers give zero you-know-whats that you were CLEARLY already paddling a momentum-propelled boat in a straight line. They will cross and float directly in front of you completely obliviously, so watch out and stay away from the area where they are once they fan out. We had to sit for awhile and steer very carefully to get out from the crowd. Loved loved being able to see what's below you. My view was obscured from the toddler in my lap, but even what I could see was cool. I can't really imagine wanting to kayak and NOT see below you now. Also really appreciated being able to go around on our own. Some of the other group kayakers we saw seemed bored. Will definitely try again and recommend! read more

AMAZING experience at clear kayaks. Our guide Derek was awesome and super helpful. He got us set up easily and soon we were on our way out into the beautiful ocean on our clear kayak. We paddled all around turtle town and explored the area. Overall we saw 6 tutrtles, a manta ray, and tons of fish. We used waterproof cell phone cases so we could take pictures while we were out there and they turned out great. The only downside (and this had nothing to do with the service) is I get really bad motion sickness and I didn't realize how choppy the water would be and I ended up getting really sea sick after about 20 minutes on the water so if you get sea sick I definitely recommend taking some Dramamine before hand! Overall it was an amazing experience that my boyfriend and I will always remember and I highly recommend clear kayaks and Derek! read more

See all

My family and I rented two clear bottom kayaks and we had a blast. First, the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. They gave us tips on where to look for turtles and whales and also tips on how to paddle correctly. Second, the kayaks were great and everything you would expect. They gave us squeegees to help keep the bottom clear of water so our view of the under water was not obstructed. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to enjoy kayaking as well as being able to see what's below you:) The view of maui from out in the ocean is also breathtaking. read more

This was a great experience! So much better then a normal kayak! Being able to see to the bottom was just like snorkeling. Derek was great and we had a blast! Don't miss this! read more

I get a little freaked out about getting on the water sometimes so I was a teensy bit intrepidaitious about our outing on the ocean. I figured I'm in Hawaii - I should branch out a bit, I'm glad I did. As other reviewers have said you sit lower in the boat so there is not a lot of chance to tip over, you get a quick instruction and are directed as to where to go and then we were off. It was relaxing and we just floated along... a sea turtle came up to us and said hello. It was great. If you are even a little bit hesitant, don't be. Jeff and Kyle were great. Highly recommended. read more

Kayaking was on our list of activities to do while we vacationed in Maui last week. Lots of the places now only offer "private" tours so they can charge you more money. When I found this place, I knew this was the one. Very reasonably priced and it has a clear bottom! No one else on Maui offers this! We called just the day before and talked to Kyle. Don't always go by what the website says, if you are within 24 hours, call directly to see if they have any openings. Kyle said all his time slots were open, so we booked the 8am. He also told us that the water may be choppy so he would call us at 7am if we were still go to go. We were staying at the Makena Beach & Golf Resort, so this place just happened to be down the street. It was easy to find, because there are multiple kayak and paddle board companies that launch from this area. Just look for the green and orange kayaks. Once we got the payment straightened out, Kyle gave us the basics. He was very thorough and pointed us in the way of Turtle Town. We happened to be the only ones at this time, and Kyle even came out on his paddle board to see how we were doing, and to even help us find turtles. Unfortunately, we saw no turtles today, but still had a great time. You can see clearly up to about 50 feet below the kayak and you will see plenty of coral with plenty of fish. We are definitely going to do this again the next time we are in Maui. read more

Don't get me wrong, a guided tour is a nice way to hit the ocean as well. But this was a great option for my wife and I for various reasons. 1) you launch from and can kayak to the same locations other kayak tours launch from. You can bring your own snorkel equipment and jump in where multiple boats bring snorkelers and there are kayak snorkel tours going to. 2) the clear bottom gives you a nice feature to see below. Honestly, you probably won't be right over a turtle or exotic fish and just paddling along, but you will see life below you. Plus, if you're going to jump in and snorkel you can identify areas with coral first. Finally, you can only see ocean floor about 50 or so feet below you. If you can't see the ocean floor, you've probably ventured out. 3) $$$. This was honestly why we used this company. We couldn't justify paying somewhere in the same vicinity of price for one person (aka double for us both) for a guided tour when we could do it at our own pace and own locations for the cost. Definitely a scenario where the lower cost option was not a "cheaper" scenario. 4) the staff is "on it". They were early, set up shop, have an app for on site credit card payment, etc. and they stay there the whole time so if you come back early, no worries. read more

Seriously SO much fun!!! Definitely highly recommend, me & my husband had an amazing time and got to see tons of sea turtles! Calvin was our guide and he was awesome...so kind and knowledgeable!!! Thanks Clear Kayaks :-) read more

The Clear Kayak guys were great, the launch spot is super easy (even for non kayakers like us), the flat bottom kayaks provide a decent view to the coral reefs and aren't easily tipped and we did find some turtles. We took 3 teens and 2 adults (it was calm enough I would have felt comfortable taking a younger child too). All boats are 2-person, so 3 boats total (at $75 plus tip each). We all enjoyed our 2 hours on the water, and it was nice not to be with a huge group. We had some questions, and got a call back with answers and advice to go at the 7 or 8am slots for calmer/easier kayaking. Then online booking was easy too. As my son said, it was fun, but you couldn't see the fish as well as snorkeling. To be expected. I realized about 45 minutes in that I was starting to get motion sickness from viewing the coral sliding by as I looked down through the bottom of the boat. The rest of the time I was content to spend more time looking up, which solved the issue...and I still saw several turtles breach the water's surface. Afterwards they gave us tips on good local breakfast spots. read more

One of our favorite family outings of all time. Jeremy was an amazing guide and a great storyteller. Got to see two turtles among other fish. Had a blast. Highlight of the excursion is that we got to meet his ohana. Pumpkin muffins are out of this world delicious! Mahalo from our ohana! read more

Our first ocean kayak experience, it was awesome, the intro by Derek was perfect. The clear bottom kayaks made the day, difficult to see under water in a regular kayak, but the scenery through the bottom was spectacular. Coming to Maui, check this out, not expensive and very friendly and helpful. Turtle town was an experience unto itself. read more

It was a very enjoyable paddle out into a beautiful bay rimmed with three reefs. The clear bottom gave an amazing view of the reef and sea life, including fish and sea urchins. We saw two sea turtles, who were close to the surface, right where we were told to paddle. It was nice to explore at our pace, rather than be part of a large flotilla of kayaks. read more

I don't want to exaggerate but this was one of the better experiences of my life. The guys were on time, very easygoing, professional and really helpful for first timers like my wife and I. The kayaks are all custom, newer and very well maintained and all had a fish ID chart attached. We saw 5-6 different turtles (and even one resting on coral underneath us) along with a lot of different fish and coral. The paddling was very easy and simple to maneuver. And in case you are wondering the instruction time and setup doesn't eat into your time on the water (so basically you get 2 hrs from whenever all the setup is done). HIGHLY recommend! read more

Fun experience. Ryan was super helpful and gave us all the information we needed from how to paddle to where to see the best stuff. Had a great time in the water. read more

We got in contact with one of the owners the day before and he told us exactly where to meet him and it was easy to find. We got there early and all his kayaks were already in the water with other customers and were waiting about 10 min for one of them to come back. The bottom of the kayak is clear so you can see down the water but I get motion sickness so I did get a little sick looking down as the kayak kept rocking. Also i'd recommend not to go when the sun is too bright, i'd say go on a day thats kind of cloudy as there will be glare against the clear bottom and hard to see down. The guy was really nice and we had a great time :) read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - One of the owners of Clear Kayaks - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Great experience the owner was helpful with directing us towards the great spots in the ocean. Also great activity to relax and enjoy the water. read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - Us before the storm lol - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Great sea kayak experience! Two reasons: - You are not confined to a group "tour" with a guide. They give you the kayak and send you on your way. Thank god! Life is too short to spend it with 20 of your "closest" friends who you've never met before! - The clear bottom kayaks. Okay, it can be a bit tough to see what's going on underneath you at times, but compared to the standard sea kayaks most firms are renting, it definitely is a unique experience. Staff were pleasant and professional. We would definitely use them again! read more

We got so lucky. We were very, very close to a huge whale and her calf. It was timing, and it was also the good people at Clear Kayaks Maui. They took down my email and sent some shots they took! That's going the extra mile. Bravo. 6 stars if I could. read more

Called in the same morning and scheduled a 9am kayak session. Kyle was very helpful and friendly and set us up right away. We went out tandem with 5 other kayaks. We were free to roam wherever we wanted to. We ended up rowing over to a beach, got out and swam for a bit to cool off, and then kayaked back. The clear bottom is very unique and definitely recommend it to try at least once. read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - Hanging out in turtle town! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

Kyle was great getting into and out of the water, explaining the basics to the new kayakers in our group, (who speak French and only a little english), making sure we had everything we needed for a fun day on the water. They include all the little things that make the day perfect including a sponge for drying off the bottom of kayak and helping with visibility, small pump in case you hop out and bring some water back in that double as a water gun. We saw bottle nose and spotted dolphins, turtles, tons of fish, coral, and even a few scuba divers! Plus dove down and caught a few lobsters since they are in season. One of the best days on the water since moving to Maui months ago. Go with them is you plan to kayak at all, you won't regret it. read more

I was a little apprehensive about kayaking because of clumsy experiences in the past but this turned out to be amazing. The two guys running it (Kyle & Derek) are really laid back and friendly and they explain everything in a relaxed way while you're getting ready. They also keep the perfect distance so that if you need them they're there but you still feel like you're free to explore on your own. The reefs are beautiful and the fish and turtles are a spectacular site. This is now one of my top recommendations for people vacationing on Maui. read more

Great experience Derek was super helpful. Would do it again anytime! We kayak a lot and clear bottom is this area is the only way to go... made it very special. read more

Had to cut our excursion a little short due to sea sickness (don't forget to take Dramamine!), But this was an awesome experience! A unique way to see The Sea life, especially for those who don't want to get in the water and swim with fish and turtles. You are given a flyer with the various types of fish so you know exactly what you're looking. Also, before heading out, we were told exactly where to go to see sea turtles, the cleaning station, etc.. read more

We had an amazing time using the glass bottom kayak! Derek and staff were very friendly and informative about how to use the kayak and where we should go to spot the most turtles and fish. Would recommend going at 7 am when the water is very calm. We were the first people out on the water and spotted a turtle right away at turtle town. The glass bottom adds a special touch to the kayak experience since you can see the reef and fish swimming below you. Highly recommend!! read more

Clear Kayaks Maui - Spotting turtles at turtle town! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Jason and I had a great time this morning. Thanks to the guys for giving us easy to follow instructions. :-)

It was an amazing experience. Our guide/trainer gives lots of great information and tips on how to handle kayaking as this was my first time. Since the kayak is clear bottom we can't wear watershoe/flip flop on the kayak. He also gives us tips if we get sea sick as my son was towards the end. We got to see many fishes and a turtle. My daughter and my husband able to see 3 of them. It has been my long life dream to be up and close to a sea turtle as I found them to be an amazing animal, so graceful. One of our best experience. I did have a little och moment as I got off and slip on the rock and weave wipe me out. It wasn't anyone faults but for me. I would totally do it again and with clear kayak as well. read more