Along Maui’s rocky shoreline, tidepools offer one of the island’s most intimate encounters with marine life. These shallow, wave-carved pools are home to crabs, seaurchins, cowries, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and small fish tucked into every crevice. Exploring them offers more the longer you linger. Look more than you touch, and if you do handle an animal, return it gently to exactly where you found it. Replace any rocks you overturn, as countless creatures shelter beneath them. It is illegal to remove coral or live rock from Hawai‘i’s waters — both are protected. A few precautions will keep the visit safe and enjoyable. Stay aware of wave activity; the ocean can surge without warning along rocky shorelines. Sturdy footwear protects against cuts and contact with venomous sea creatures. If exploring with children, a fish ID guide — available at Maui Ocean Center and many snorkel tour operators — helps younger visitors put names to what they find.