Molokini Crater vs Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park: which should you do first?

If you only have time for one, do Molokini Crater first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 86 against 77 for Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park, and it has 40 ranked ways to see it versus 38. Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park is the cheaper entry at $25, so it is the better pick on a tight budget. With a full day in Maui, pair them: plan Molokini Crater in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Side by side

Molokini Crater compared with Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park in Maui
Molokini CraterPuaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park
Ranked experiences4038
Top Outty Ranking9388
Average ranking (top 10)8677
Cheapest experience$119$25
Average time needed4h19.8h
Free cancellation100% of options100% of options
Free to visitNoYes

Best ways to see Molokini Crater

  1. 1. Molokini Crater + South Maui Coast Adventure from Kihei, Maui

    Outty Ranking 93 · from $233 · 5h

  2. 2. Molokini Crater Snorkel and Turtle Cove High Quality Adventure!

    Outty Ranking 90 · from $205 · 4h

  3. 3. Maui: Molokini and Turtles Luxury Yacht Snorkel

    Outty Ranking 88 · from $318 · 5h

  4. 4. Maui: Molokini Crater and Turtle Town Snorkeling From Kihei

    Outty Ranking 86 · from $194 · 3h

  5. 5. 2-Hour Molokini Guaranteed Snorkel Trip from Maui

    Outty Ranking 85 · from $119 · 2h

All 40 Molokini Crater experiences

Best ways to see Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park

  1. 1. Maui: VIP Private Road to Hana Tour with Pick Up

    Outty Ranking 88 · from $299 · 8h

  2. 2. Maui: Small Group Road to Hāna Tour 6 to 8 passengers

    Outty Ranking 82 · from $282 · 8h

  3. 3. Maui Classic Road to Hana Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour

    Outty Ranking 79 · from $25 · 12h

  4. 4. Maui by Storm: Epic Private Luxury Road to Hana Adventure Tour

    Outty Ranking 78 · from $1,600 · 9h

  5. 5. VIP Private Road to Hana Tour in Cadillac Escalade with Pickup

    Outty Ranking 78 · from $698 · 10h

All 38 Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park experiences

Frequently asked questions

Molokini Crater or Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park: which is better?

If you only have time for one, do Molokini Crater first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 86 against 77 for Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park, and it has 40 ranked ways to see it versus 38. Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park is the cheaper entry at $25, so it is the better pick on a tight budget. With a full day in Maui, pair them: plan Molokini Crater in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Which is cheaper, Molokini Crater or Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park?

Ranked experiences at Molokini Crater start from $119 and at Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park from $25 per person. Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park can also be visited for free; paid options add guides, skip-the-line access or transport.

How long do you need at Molokini Crater and Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park?

Experiences at Molokini Crater run 4 hours on average and at Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park 19.8 hours, so both fit in one day in Maui with a break in between.

Can you do Molokini Crater and Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park on the same day?

Yes. Book the longer visit for the morning when crowds are lighter, and keep the afternoon for the other. 100% of Molokini Crater options and 100% of Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park options offer free cancellation, which makes it easy to adjust.

What is the best tour of each?

For Molokini Crater: Molokini Crater + South Maui Coast Adventure from Kihei, Maui (Outty Ranking 93, from $233). For Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside Park: Maui: VIP Private Road to Hana Tour with Pick Up (Outty Ranking 88, from $299).