Under the sea takes on a whole new meaning at the Maui Ocean Center and Oceanography Center in Maui, Hawaii. This premier aquarium receives accolades from visitors who travel from all over the world to enjoy the awe-inspiring sea exhibits and displays. Maui Ocean Center is a colorful feast for the eyes and boasts the world’s largest exhibits of Pacific corals and Hawaiian undersea life.
Dive deep and enjoy more than 60 exhibits, 20 daily presentations, cultural activities, and special behind-the-scenes tours at The Maui Ocean Center. If you are adventurous and want to swim up close and personal with the sea life, there are special packages exclusively for you.
Visitors will experience a one-in-a-lifetime multi-sensory aquatic experience that is both educational and entertaining. The locals believe that there is a deep connection between those who live both above and below the sea. Maui Ocean Center is an incredibly special destination that educates and celebrates this. They hold true to their mission, “to foster understanding, wonder, and respect for Hawaii’s marine life.
Maui Ocean Center is not just an aquarium. It is a center that allows you to personally experience Hawaiian marine life and how the culture embraces it. There are touch pools, so you can personally interact with the sea life including a 360-degree tank with glowing jellyfish!
There is also an amazing tunnel underneath a 750,000-gallon ocean exhibit where hundreds of gorgeous fish, stingrays, seahorses, sharks, and other marine life sway and swim all around you. Many of these creatures are nocturnal so consider a sleepover package to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Maui Ocean Center was established in 1998 by Coral World International and has evolved throughout the years to have the “best and unique collection of Hawaii’s marine life. Some experts believe that it would take more than a lifetime to experience and see everything that lives in this three-acre aquarium center. Enjoy many species of marine life including Pacific corals, tropical fish, sea turtles, stingrays, sea jellies, sharks, octopuses and many more.
The Maui Ocean Center has conveniently located at 192 Ma’alaea Road, Wailuku, HI along the southwestern coast of Ma’alaea. It is conveniently located between the highway and the harbor that is home to some of the most beautiful scenery on the island. You can either drive along the Honoapiilani Highway, known as Route 30, or take public transportation. The No. 20 Bus from Kahului or Lahaina or the 15 Bus from the Piilana Village Shopping Center offer daily transportation.
After a fun day experiencing the exhibits and presentations grab a souvenir or two at the Maui Ocean Center’s Maui Ocean Treasures Gift Shop. Then enjoy the islands’ fresh catch of the day and local cuisine at the Seascape Restaurant that overlooks the gorgeous Pacific Ocean.
Maui Ocean Center is a wonderful Hawaiian destination that is both educational and entertaining. The best time of the year to visit Maui is April through May and September through November due to the pleasant weather. However, if you are in Maui other times of the year, add Maui Ocean Center to your agenda as the entire visit is a captivating, worthwhile, and memorable experience.
Insider Tips:
-The Maui Ocean Center has three acres of the “best and unique collection” of Hawaii’s under the sea world. There are special extra packages like overnight experiences to view the nocturnal creatures. If you are the adventurous type suit up and become one with the sea and swim alongside tropical fish, sea turtles, stingrays, sea jellies, sharks, octopuses and so many more.
-After a fun day experiencing the Maui Ocean City Center’s exhibits and presentations grab a souvenir or two at the Maui Ocean Center’s Maui Ocean Treasures Gift Shop. Then enjoy the islands’ fresh catch of the day and local cuisine at the Seascape Restaurant that overlooks the gorgeous Pacific Ocean.