One of my favorite places on the planet is the Maui Ocean Center. We call it The Aquarium, and it really is the place to learn about Hawaii’s underwater animal friends without getting wet.

We always start with the surge pool, and then wind through tanks that take us deeper and deeper under the sea, past seahorses, coral, frogfish (humaumau), eels (puhi paka) and end up at a shark tank. That’s where I met a diver who was cleaning a tank. And, good luck finding the frog fish, king of the camouflage. I’ll give you a clue: there are a lot of them in their exhibit, and they are red and look like sponges. Even with all of those hints, you will stare at their tank for a really long time before you see one wink at you.

Outside the reef exhibit, is a saltwater Touch Pool with starfish, wana (urchins) and sea cucumbers. I visit tide pools all over Maui, all of the time, and I never see starfish that big! I love their bump, bumps, bumps.

The Sea Turtle (honu) lagoon is nearby. We stand up top to watch their heads pop up as they take a breath, then down the stairs, we watch them play under the water through the glass. Sometimes, they have baby honu in the tank and they aren’t much bigger than a potato chip. Soo cute, I could eat them! The hammerhead shark tank is next and just like the honu, you can watch them on top of the water with their fins cutting the surface, or underneath through the glass.

All those exhibits are fun, but nothing beats the grand finale, just past the dolphin fountain. It starts with whales (kohola) and monk seals (‘ilio holo i ka uaua) and then you think the glow-in-the-dark jellyfish tank is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen... until you turn the corner to a 750,000 gallon tank. It’s better than amazing, with more sharks, rays, and fish than you can count. They’re all from Hawaii and seriously, it’s not hundreds, but thousands and most of them are bigger than me and you! In the glass tunnel, they swim right over your head! I could spend the whole day in there.

When we are finished looking at all the tanks, we visit the store. If I were you, I would go with the big orange he‘e, he’s one of my faves. Then, we sit under the orchids and eat ice cream. Could life get any better than that? The Maui Ocean Center is absolutely awesome!