Yogi and Suchna believe in taking the road less traveled and stumbling upon some hidden gems along the way.

For over a decade, they’ve mapped their way across various continents, sniffed out unusual routes, discovered new flavors and stayed at quirky hostels. 

We know Hawaii is a great place to handboard, but today they share with us tips and tricks from the underworld in Maui Hawaii. The second largest Hawaiian island of Maui is known across the world for its beautifully inviting tropical beaches and opportunities to explore the fascinating marine life.

When you are in Maui, there is no way you can avoid noticing the close relationship that the locals share with the ocean and the teaming bulk of exotic wildlife that it supports.

When in Maui, do not miss the opportunities to go snorkeling and treating your eyes to a wonderfully colorful world under the water. The marine life here has an abundance of creatures ranging from schools of fish, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles.

The world under the ocean surface is splashing with a spectrum of colorful fishes which include various types of Angelfish, Scorpionfish, Eels, Hawaiian Turkey fish, Hawaiian Squirrelfish, Broad stingray, Hawaiian White spotted Toby, Hawaiian cleaner Wrasse and others.

A big variety of sharks including the dangerous Tiger Shark also inhabit the waters. Several of these fish species are endemic and to get an opportunity to locate some during your snorkeling experience is indeed something to boast about for a lifetime. With such a wide variety of sharks and jellyfish present in the waters, it is only fair to say that taking safety precautions and following the coastal
instructions is of prime importance while visiting these areas.

Some of the dangerous species to look out for are the tiger shark, the varieties of jellyfish, Eels and Sting Rays. You will also be spotting various invertebrates like the Spiny lobster, Sea Urchin, Sea Stars, Hermit crabs, Sea cucumber.

The reptile species frequently observed are those of the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle and spotting one is a lifetime experience. It is reportedly the largest hard-shelled turtle and weighs above 400 pounds. They are known to migrate many miles away for nesting. It is estimated that an average female nests only once in a few years and lays around 100 eggs out of which a very limited few ever survive.

If you happen to be around these places in the winter months, you might just be the lucky one to spot Humpback Whale and Hawaiian Monk Seal, which are amongst some of the world’s endemic marine mammal species. The humpback whales make a 3000 plus miles journey from Alaska every year around this time to mate and give birth to their young ones.

These are endangered species, and various human threats are affecting the growth of these species. Considering this, the government has also developed the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to protect their habitat.

Coral Reefs form a very critical part of the marine life in Maui. However, unfortunately, a big part of the surveyed reef sites is fast declining due to human actions like overfishing, coastal runoffs, pollution levels, etc. The government, however, is bringing in various new reforms and action plans to restore the beautiful coral life of Maui.

Armed with the above information about the marine life of Maui, one wonders about the best ways to explore it to the maximum during a vacation trip. When you are on the magical Aloha island, there is a list of activities that you should certainly consider to explore the beautiful marine world around you.

The first definitely would be to try out snorkeling and treating your eyes to the variety of fish, green sea turtles, the beautiful volcanic coral reef and other marine life. Kayaking with a guided tour is another exciting way to explore some of the marine preserve areas. Maui is also one of the world’s leading locations for scuba diving.

And what better way could there be to explore the abundant marine life, coral formation and the incredible ecosystem under water. Of course, for anyone in Maui, whale watching is something that is not to be missed.

The once in a lifetime opportunity of observing the beauty of these giant marine
mammals taking a splash along with the playful spinner dolphins is a memory that you will always cherish.

Catch up with Yogi & Suchna of TheVillaEscape HERE→