Snorkel Kauai: Guide to the Underwater World of Hawaii

This guide is indispensable for locating the best snorkeling sites in Kauai. The information on public parking as well as entering and exiting the water at the sites is very helpful. I just returned from a trip to Kauai, and this book was absolutely priceless in helping me choose the best snorkeling sites on the island. If you're a serious snorkeler, this is the book for you! Even if you're interested only in swimming beaches on Kauai, this book is great for getting directions to the beaches and info on public parking.

What a book!!! I purchased this book prior to going to Kauai in December 2003. Did my reading/research and thanks to the Malinoski's found some excellent snorkeling locations. I only wish there was more vacation time to hit every spot listed within the book. My brother and I snorkeled one location (which was listed within the book) and swam with several green sea turtles. It was amazing!!! If you do the same, remember that you CANNOT harass or even touch the turtles. They are protected by Hawaiian law, as are the monk seals (sea lions). I just bought the Malinowski's book for snorkeling Maui. I hope to visit Maui this Christmas and see more amazing underwater sights. (one tip of advice: purchase a good underwater digital camera -OR- a disposable underwater camera (Fuji or Kodak, $8-10 at Walmart) for your snorkeling adventures. You'll find plenty of fish, coral and other underwater life to photograph).

Boy, I wish I had had this guide at the beginning of our recent trip to Kaua'i. It's terrific! We've snorkeled in many of the places described - Ke'e, Tunnels, 'Anini, Po'ipu, Pu'u Poa, Hideaways - and the information jives with what we experienced. However, with this guide in hand we'd have known not just which places to go (other guidebooks steered us there), but more detailed information about the reef formation, currents, and safety aspects of each spot. For instance, I spent most of my time at Ke'e fighting the current on the left side of the bay, when all along the best conditions are to the right.In addition to on-the-nose snorkel information, the authors do a very good job of advising novice snorkelers on equipment, techniques, and safety concerns. There are helpful sections on general fish types (not an exhaustive guide, but enough to help a beginner distinguish a wrasse from a parrotfish), plus plenty of pertinent information on the island, its weather, and interesting excursions out of the water. Although we've been to the island twice now, I learned some useful things for our next (anxiously awaited) trip. This is the book I'd recommend first to anyone interested in snorkeling on Kaua'i. There are other fine general guidebooks out there, don't get me wrong, but this is exactly what it says it is: SNORKEL Kaua'i. Mahalo, Judy and Mel!

Of all the Kauai guidebooks we've read, this has the best snorkeling details by far. We went to Hoai Bay in Poipu, and it didn't look that promising. But when we swam out to just where the book says, there were more turtles than we'd ever seen before in one spot.All the beach info is helpful, too, and the maps are easy to follow. Well worth taking along.