Teralani Sailing Adventures

I often get asked how you know which is a good snorkel sail or whale watch on Maui. What I answer is that, with very few exceptions, you can't go wrong. The reason is that the market is so competitive that the bad tour operators don't last very long. Choose one that's been around for a few years and you'll likely have a great time.

This doesn't mean that there aren't companies that are a step above the rest. One of my favorites is Teralani Sailing Adventures which operates from Ka'anapali Beach in West Maui.

I first sailed with them about six years ago and have done so on several occasions since, on both snorkel sails and winter whale watches. I am pleased to tell you that I have always had a great time.

Their catamarans are two of the best that you'll find on Maui. The most recent, the Teralani 3 was built in Tacoma, Washington and launched in April of 2005. It came to Hawaii and was shortly thereafter followed by one of her current crew, Holly, who fell in love with the boat back in her home town.

Even more important than the quality of the boats is the quality of the staff. Whether it's one of their newer crew members such as Holly or some of their veterans, the crew is friendly, knowledgeable and just great fun to be around. That's the main reason I keep sailing with Teralani.

It really all starts with the family. You see, Teralani Sailing Adventures is a true family enterprise. The boats are owned by Mike Kelley who I had the pleasure of meeting this fall when he was on a holiday outing with family and friends. (You know things are going well when the owner's on board and tells the crew to go further out to sea to catch the wind so that we can sail back from our snorkel spot on an otherwise calm day. The added hour was very welcome!)

The family involvement does not, however, stop with Mike. You see Teralani Sailing Adventures and their two boats the Teralani 2 and Teralani 3, are all named after Mike's oldest daughter Teralani. Lani in Hawaiian means heaven, thus the name means "heaven on earth." Teralani, whom I also had the pleasure of meeting is now a young lady and quite the spokesperson as well as the "face" of the company.

Not to be outdone, however, Mike's youngest daughter, Kianna, (who is still hoping for a boat in her name) is prominently featured in the company's latest flyer. I can assure you that she's a force to be reckoned with. She definitely takes charge when she's onboard.

The point of all this is that when you're on one of their boats, you really are made to feel at home, and that's not just the case when the owner is on board.

When I've gone on snorkel sails with Teralani, I've always had plenty of time to snorkel to my heart's content. On every whale watch I've seen plenty of whales. For snorkel sails, they'll provide the mask, fins and a selection of flotation devices.

Teralani Sailing Adventures offers several different sailing options depending on season. These include early morning and late morning snorkel sails to Honolua Bay or along the West Maui Coastline, a morning whale watch (in season), an evening sunset sail and an evening dinner sunset sail. Trip times also vary by season.

Food and beverage (including alcoholic drinks) vary based on the sail selected, but rest assured, you'll always have your fill of food and drink on Teralani. For safety reasons alcoholic beverages are not available prior to snorkeling.

A morning snorkel sail currently costs between $89 and $115 plus tax depending on boat selected and length of sail. Considering that the extended sail lasts at least five hours, you definitely get the most for your dollar of almost any other paid activity you can chose on Maui.

If you have a large group, charters are available.

My only complaint about Teralani Sailing Adventures is that their website needs updating. Not only are the images outdated, but the information on which boat sails which trip is incorrect. I'm sure they'll be updating it soon. Their flyer has just recently been updated and it's a beauty with updated photos of the boats, Teralani as well as her sister Kianna.

You can visit their website at www.teralani.net or email them at info@teralani.net. (Don't use the email address on the website. It's old and doesn't work.)

If you want to see what you'll experience on a Teralani Sailing Adventure view our Teralani Sailing Adventures Photo Gallery.

We give Teralani Sailing Adventures 5 stars but deduct one for their outdated website. Once that's updated, we'll give them the five stars they deserve.