North Shore Turtle Cove Guided Snorkeling Tour
4.5
North Shore Turtle Cove Guided Snorkeling Tour
By Hawaii Real Nature Tours
About
The North Shore of Oahu is a popular spot for snorkeling, with colorful coral reefs and an abundance of marine life. This excursion is ideal for those with limited time who want to maximize their chances of spotting marine life. Head out into the open water from the beach and look out for green sea turtles, eels, tropical fish, and more as you swim and snorkel.
Read more
Ages 8-65, max of 9 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Features animals
Highlights
- Fantastic marine life sightings such as green sea turtles
- Swim out to North Shore Cove from the beach
- Choice of morning or afternoon tour departure times
- Personalized experience: choice of private or small-group tour
- Professional guide
- Local taxes
- Snorkeling equipment
- Life jacket
What's not included- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure details
- Shark’s Cove, Haleiwa, HI 96712, USA Meeting at sharks cove (bike pass) North Shore
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9887P4- IMPORTANT: If you have never been in the ocean before, are afraid of water, are not able to put your face in the water, or cannot swim/float on the surface, it is strongly recommended that you book the private tour option (please see booking options); if you booked the regular small-group tour and are unable to go into deep water with the guide, you may miss the tour without a refund.
- Not recommended for children 8 years and under (a private snorkeling tour can accommodate ages 6 and up)
- You MUST be at the meeting place on time; if you are not on time, you may miss the tour without a refund.
- From Waikiki, it's roughly a 70-minute drive; from Haleiwa town, it's about 20 minutes; from Turtle Bay, about 20 minutes. Be aware of traffic, especially the 11:30am and 2pm tours, as there is usually heavy traffic on the North Shore; please drive safely. DIRECTION: The meeting place is the North Shore Bike Trail, which can be found on Google Maps (Research North Shore Bike Trail) Address: There is no physical address. Beginning of North Shore Bike Trail you can find on google map (NORTH SHORE BIKE TRAIL). Opposite side (Ocean side) of PUULA ROAD on Kamehameha Hwy at lawn area, find a "green bike pass sign." Directions: From Waikiki or Haleiwa town. Pass the Waimea bay, fire station (on the left) and Pupukea Food Land (on the right), 0.2 mile from fire station. Pass all food trucks (such as North Shore Tacos etc) and car repair shop Pupukea service on your right. As soon as you pass PUULA ROAD on the right, meeting place is on the left (Ocean side) lawn area, there is green "Bike pass" sign. The guide will call your name. From Kahuku (Turtle Bay Resort). Pass the sunset beach, 1.2 miles from the Pipeline and a Sunset elementary school. When you pass KUMUPALI ROAD, slow down you are 0.2 miles to get meeting place. Just before PUULA Road there is lawn area by the Ocean, find a green bike pass sign. If you see the fire station on your right and Pupukea Food Land on your left you already passed. It is 0.2 mile before the fire station. The guide will call your name.
- Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or other serious medical conditions.
- If you have any disability you must let us know when you book.
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9887P4
Itinerary
- You'll start atShark’s CoveShark’s Cove, Haleiwa, HI 96712, USAMeeting at sharks cove (bike pass) North ShoreSee address & details
- 1North ShoreStop: 90 minutesSee details
- 2Shark's CoveStop: 90 minutesSee details
- You'll return to the starting point
+
–
About the operator
Hawaii Real Nature Tours
206
Honolulu, Hawaii
Joined in May 2015
#34 of 315 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Honolulu
- U7028FLelizabethb00Perfect experience!!!!!We had such a great experience with Hawaii Real Nature Tours!! We asked to tour places off the beaten path with less crowds and they delivered completely! We loved our trip to Secret Island Beach and hiking Lulumahu Falls especially. We also enjoyed learning about places to eat that we wouldn’t have gone to normally. The icing on the cake was their suggestions of where to shop with our teens. Another benefit was that they took pictures on our excursions that we wouldn’t have been able to get ourselves. They even were kind enough to make a video slideshow for us to music! We would do tours with them again for sure and highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for kind people to show them around the island in the way only a local can!!!
- PJGELSON00Swimming with turtles and Bob was the Bomb!Visiting from SF with my 4 teenagers-we wanted to do something fun on the North Shore. Snorkeling with Bob was great fun for us all!
- Karlilloyd00Amazing day and Awesome tour guide!!I went on an excursion with my sister and two friends and we had an amazing time! Akima was our tour guide and I highly recommend her! She is awesome and has so much knowledge of the area and things to do in Oahu. She first took us on a hike, to lunch, and then she took us to sharks cove to snorkel. My sister wanted to see the sea turtles more than anything on our trip to Oahu. We were a bit skeptical when we arrived at sharks cove because no one on the beach said they had seen any turtles in the water that day. But Akima knows exactly where they are!!! Not only did we see 7 sea turtles and tons of beautiful fish Akima filmed the entire excursion with her GoPro so we can relive the experience again and again! I highly recommend a tour with her! It was an experience of a lifetime!!!
- Kelli S00Excellent time, lots of knowledge!Akima was very friendly, had lots of knowledge and was very fun! She took us to many local places and shared lots of history. She also has GREAT taste in food!! She took fantastic pictures and showed us the best snorkeling. She also took us to get wetsuits within 15 minutes upon request!
- 445cindyr00Great overview of Oahu with fun knowledgeable guideAkima drove us all over Oahu from our cruise port to the surf breaks on the north shore and all the way around the quiet part of the island. She was very accommodating and friendly. We really enjoyed the day.
- paulgraf201800Snorkeling in Sharks CoveGreat experience with a patient guide. Very good for people inexperienced in snorkeling. we got to see quite a bit and really enjoyed our time. The meet up point is a little difficult to find, but other than that it was very fun and enjoyable.
- Nicole P00Great Tour Guide Not Great WeatherAkima Kai, our guide was amazing. My fiance does not know how to swim and she made sure we were both comfortable and safe while snorkeling. The weather was not great as there was a storm coming and the waves were a bit large. Because of the weather, we were only able to see a few fish, coral, but unfortunately no turtles! Akima was still very accommodating and did her best to show us the most despite these conditions.
- MATT G00Robert was great!Robert met us in the morning and accessed our skill level. Then we went out. Very comfortable time in the water, a lot to see. No turtles today...but we know how elusive they can be at times. Nature is what you find when you get there... Very personal time spent with us in the water. Robert took pictures and video that we are able to download also! I would highly recommend this tour!
- mgall300Turtle Cove SnorkelingGreat snorkeling tour to do with family/friends. Plenty of fish in the water and we were even able to see a few sea turtles!! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. She explained everything to us and answered all of ours questions. I would highly recommend this tour if you plan to visit the North Shore!
- Ellen C00North Shore Snorkelling tourThis morning I went on the north shore snorkelling tour with Akima. It was fantastic to have a guide show me the sights of Shark Cove. Akima made sure to stop and show me different wildlife, along with telling me details about the various species. It was a great morning in the water and I would definitely recommend doing this tour.
- Elizabeth D00North shore Turtle Cove SnorkelingKnowledgeable, friendly and fun tour guide! We were shown spots of high interest we may not have seen on our own, and given details about wildlife and the surrounding area. At the end, our guide provides us with beautiful pictures of our swim. Great experience!
- kcmehlin00A vacation highlight!!FOR SURE a “must do” when visiting Oahu!! Although you can go to Sharks Cove on your own, (which we’d done 2 days before), it was 💯x better with Bob, our guide!! We went way farther, felt so much more comfortable, and saw lots of different fish and sea turtles! He dove to the bottom with our GoPro and got a great video of us snorkeling over a turtle. He even taught us how to dive! We had a blast! And the tips he gave us on local beaches, hikes, and food joints were invaluable. Wish we’d done this on our first day! Thanks Bob, this was a vacation highlight! Mahalo!!🤙🏻
- Ann M00Best snorkel guide ever!Our guide, Akima, was absolutely amazing! We had two teenager inexperienced swimmers whom she paid very careful, patient attention and very soon they were comfortable snorkeling in the water. Akima was kind and knowledgeable and we had an amazing experience.
- Shane K00Snorkeling at Sharks Cove, PupukeaWhat an awesome experience made better by our awesome guide, Bob! We were thinking of buying the gear ourselves - but having Bob take us to the hot spots we’re definitely worth it, we saw 2 turtles and countless schools of fish, and had an awesome time! Highly recommend *****
- Vicki M00Road to Hana...Amazing!We booked a private road to Hana tour that took about 12 hours and we were not disappointed. Our driver Robert was the awesome. He knew his way to the best spots on the trip and even found a beach with sea turtles. There were six of us so perfect for a private tour. I would highly recommend it to anyone and esp our driver Robert who was enjoyable, helpful and and courteous.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
18 reviews
Excellent
16
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Shelby S
Quincy, MI94 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
The two guides that helped us with our gear and took us out were so attentive. It was an outstanding experience and the first time I have ever experienced snorkeling as a fun activity. If you are comfortable in the water I highly recommend this activity. We also got to see a sea turtle!
Written September 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FubiniFamily
San Francisco, CA8 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
Love, just loved this experience. Easy in and out of the water process. The guide was beyond capable and focus on us having the best time. We could of easily gone on our own, but she knew right where to go for turtles and the best fish viewing. Highly recommend.
Written July 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angelina D
San Bruno, CA3 contributions
This tour was definitely my favorite Hawaiian experience; seeing turtles, colorful fish, and learning about sea life was all so amazing!
Akima did such a great job explaining how to use the snorkel gear and how to navigate through the waters which made us feel so comfortable and confident swimming in the ocean.
I would recommend this to anyone visiting Oahu!
Akima did such a great job explaining how to use the snorkel gear and how to navigate through the waters which made us feel so comfortable and confident swimming in the ocean.
I would recommend this to anyone visiting Oahu!
Written May 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
angit68
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States45 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
I did not end up doing this excursion but paid full price. The guide tried to help me and was very nice. All you get for the 69.00 is a guide who walks you out from the beach. They changed our meeting place multiple times.
You are basically paying to rent the equipment. There were a lot of other people there with their own equipment, including children, snorkeling and swimming.
There was no boat ride out to a reef like I have done before. I am not a good swimmer and my fin got caught in the reef. You can't put your feet down, and then when I tried again my mask started letting in water.
Other people who went did see 3 turtles and a couple of fish, but if we had bought equipment at Walmart we could have done this ourselves.
Again, the guide was very nice and sweet, but it is not worth 69.00.
You are basically paying to rent the equipment. There were a lot of other people there with their own equipment, including children, snorkeling and swimming.
There was no boat ride out to a reef like I have done before. I am not a good swimmer and my fin got caught in the reef. You can't put your feet down, and then when I tried again my mask started letting in water.
Other people who went did see 3 turtles and a couple of fish, but if we had bought equipment at Walmart we could have done this ourselves.
Again, the guide was very nice and sweet, but it is not worth 69.00.
Written June 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha,
Thank you for your feed back.
Please let me say. We do not mention BOAT, our website or other booking agency.
We clearly says "Beach snorkeling" "No boat"
This place is nature preserve, no boats are allowed.
Also we mention if you are not familiar with water strongly recommend book as private tour so the guide can take time with you to getting the water but you didn't I had another guests with us so I just could not take the time to help you to getting the water.
(i remember you, I am sorry you couldn't come with us but it is very unfair to review one star, you didn't even book a tour, your friend booked a tour, he didn't tell you it is not a boat.)
We appreciate you book as a tour. Your safety is number one priority.
Yes there are so many people doing own snorkeling but so many people die or rescue every day in Hawaii this is why we are here.
We have great knowledge of the area, water activities, water rescue trained and CPR certified. We know where the sea turtles hang out usually.(You saw few of them, didn't you?) We are here for your safety and enjoyable snorkeling time. Especially with your skill. I do not recommend going to water without guide.
I do not understand >They changed our meeting place multiple times.
We have never changed meeting place. If we changed just because the Ocean condition (I explained to you right?) that we could not go to sharks cove. yes we did change the place one time and that place you cannot find yourself, also that day there is NO way to swim and see the turtle in the water in North Shore with that water condition. Only the beach I took you guys that is the one of the few places you could go in the water.
Aloha
Akima
Written June 9, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NetNet
1 contribution
Jul 2019
This was my first time snorkeling ever and Bob was very patient with me and the other two ladies with me. Unfortunately we did not see any sea turtles but we did see some beautiful fish. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend to anyone going to this area. The only real disappointment is the pics we were supposed to have received via email. Never received them and was really excited about seeing them. Could we still get them??
Written August 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha, thank you very much for review us. We are glad you enjoyed our snorkeling tour.
I am sorry for your photo, did you purchase photo package before the tour? Please email us even you didn't purchased. Our guide sometimes take pics of fun or our SNS reason that case we give away the pics.
Written August 21, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dalehut
Kite, GA1 contribution
Jul 2019 • Friends
Bob was the best guide! There were 3 of us ladies age 55-58 and he was patient and educational. Beautiful water with awesome coral & fish in the cove. Highly recommend this snorkeling trip
Written July 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel C
Gilroy, CA2 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
My wife and I had a great time on the snorkeling tour, and saw several turtles along with many colorful fish. Akima was a great guide. She explained everything we needed to know and helped to identify what we were seeing. We even forgot one of our cameras and she arranged to return it to us later that day. She really went above and beyond!
Written June 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cmalitz
Las Vegas, NV2 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
We had an amazing time, wonderful experience and location. Our tour guide was sooo extremely knowledgeable and professional, she explained everything in detail before we started which made the experience more comfortable especially for our young kids who are not used to swimming in the ocean. She even would stop during the swim, dive down and bring up objects for kids to touch hands on. She made an extra point to check in with me throughout the swim secondary to I have a tendency to get very motion sick. We will definitely use this company again. Having someone in the water who I felt was capable to save us in the water if something was to happen is the best peace of mind. My husband is no little man (6'4, 250lb). I would highly recommend this company. Best day in Hawaii by far.
Written August 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saukendar
Chicago, IL4 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
My daughter had never been snorkeling before, and I had not gone for 20 years, so we were both a little apprehensive. Akima put us at ease, emphasized safety, and got us out into the deep water. We were up close with turtles, held a spiny sea urchin, and saw lots of colorful fish (including some humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa - hey Akima, we remembered the name!). It's a great tour for beginners like us, with flexibility in the schedule (longer or shorter, shallow water or deep) depending on the participants.
Written July 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathy H
1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Friends
I was lucky enough to go snorkeling in Sharks Cove with Bob. He is a fabulous guide with more information to share than I can comprehend. He found us all kinds of wonder to see. Many types of fish and turtles to watch. I was so excited, I booked another adventure two days later. I saw even more species and was still completely enthralled. Akima joined us on the second day, she has a huge amount of information and history to share as well. I am addicted! Definitely a must do while on Oahu!
Written June 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If we were to go on this tour Wednesday November 7th 2018 would be be guaranteed to see turtles??
ebhoppy
Kennesaw, GA4 contributions
Where do you park for this tour? And is meeting p,ace hard to find?
Nicole P
1 contribution
Hi I was wondering how much time I should allot for this experience? I have a 2:45 PM flight out of HNL the afternoon of August 8th and would like to do the 9:30 am tour.
Thank you!


































