Are you thinking about going on a Hanauma Bay snorkeling adventure? Need a little advice on what to expect and how to plan for a Hanauma Bay snorkeling trip?
Perfect! You are in the right spot.
In this post, we are going to cover all the basics about snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. We will look at all the information you need to plan a day trip.
Hanauma Bay is gorgeous and is worth putting on your Hawaii itinerary! The water is warm and these pictures do not have any filters! It really is that blue! Snorkeling in Oahu may be the highlight of your entire trip!
Let’s plan a Hanauma Bay snorkeling adventure!
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What is Hanauma Bay? Well, in the Hawaiian language hana means bay and uma means curved, so basically Hanauma Bay is curved bay. It is one of the most beautiful bays on Oahu.
Hanauma Bay snorkeling is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Oahu. It was formed from a volcanic crater and now is the perfect location for viewing sea life.
Hanauma Bay is now a nature preserve park that has over 400 species of fish living within the coral reef just below the surface of the water. You will also see green sea turtles in this area.
Hanauma Bay has over 3000 visitors every day which is about 1 million visitors every year.
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is the best place to snorkel in Oahu! Let’s learn more about it!
Are you still trying to decide if you should snorkel at Hanauma Bay? Let’s answer some basic questions so you can feel comfortable and make a good decision.
If you want to avoid crowds get your reservation early in the morning or in the early afternoon. The most popular times are between 9;00 am and 12:30 pm.
I know what you are thinking (if you are like me), Hanauma Bay is extremely popular and it will be crowded…..but I am here to tell you that I didn’t feel that way at all! Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is a great experience!
There is enough space to spread out and enjoy what is above and beneath the water.
Yes and No. If the tide is low you shouldn’t have a problem. However, as the tide comes in there are some strong currents. There are lifeguards on duty. They mark where the current is strong with cones and warn to stay out of those areas. Just be smart!
Taking the shuttle and getting the equipment together is about the same price as driving and having to rent equipment. Meaning it is about $20 to rent equipment. If you are nearsighted they do offer masks with prescription lenses. That might be worth it right there!
Life vest and floaties are not available to rent on site but you can rent them from the shuttle provider.
Yes, you can bring your own equipment. Personally, I like having my own equipment. I purchased a snorkel set on Amazon before I went on my first trip to Hawaii and used it almost every day of our trip. I highly recommend purchasing it ahead of time.
Are you wondering how much time you should spend snorkeling at Hanauma Bay? This is a great question.
What I found is that snorkeling is hard work. Ultimately, we swam and swam and explored the reef and become tired. If you take lots of breaks and relax on the beach you could spend all day here. I would probably allow about 3-4 hours to fully enjoy the area.
If you are taking the shuttle they will have a specific return time about 4 hours from the time they drop you off. This is a great option if you do not have a car but does limit your time at Hanauma Bay.
If you are driving from Waikiki it will take between 20-40 minutes depending on traffic. It is 10.7 miles away from Waikiki.
We did not experience any problems with driving and thought it was a great option.
If you did not rent a car and still want to experience Hanauma Bay snorkeling, there are many shuttle services from Waikiki. The price range for the transportation shuttle ranges from $17 -$25.
For that price, you will receive round-trip transportation as well as professional snorkeling gear to use. A separate $7.50 entrance fee is not included in that price.
The answer is YES! If you are planning to use this service call ahead and arrange your times. There are specific pick-up times throughout the day.
Pick up and return times are as follows:
7:15 am – 11:45 am
10:15 am – 2:45 pm
Parking at Hanauma Bay was pretty easy. One piece of advice we read was to get there early as the parking lot fills up fast. Taking it easy is part of why we go to Hawaii and we did not get there too early.
Finding a spot was not a problem! There were still quite a few available by the time we got there. We went at a very busy time of year and observed that even when we left there were spots available. But just be aware that there are only 300 available spots.
The parking fee is $3. Parking fee is refundable if you are in the lot for less than 15 minutes. Parking spots are very close to the entrance.
Admission is $25 per person. Children 12 years and younger, Hawaii residents, and active US military (with ID) are free. The $25 does not include snorkel gear.
One thing you might want to consider is the Go Oahu Card , which will get you into Hanauma Bay and many more Hawaii attractions.
Hours of operation are 6:45 am – 4:00 pm daily in the summer months. In the winter it closes at 4:00 pm. Mondays and Tuesdays are not open.
Yes, there are two sizes of lockers available to rent. For a smaller locker, the price is $10. A larger locker is priced at $12. (Double-check these prices, with inflation they are probably higher)
A smaller locker will hold a cell phone, wallet, and keys. The larger locker will hold a backpack.
As of April 2021, a reservation is required. You will need to reserve your time and pay in advance. This reservation will allow you to watch the orientation video.
Once you arrive at Hanauma Bay, you are guided to an area to wait for a mandatory instructional video. This video tells the history of Hanauma Bay and the nature of the natural preserve.
I really enjoyed the video and learned many things. Most importantly, I learned that you can not step on the coral reef! The fish depend on the coral reef to survive and we do not want to damage it.
Hanauma Bay has an educational center where you can observe what types of animal life are present in the bay.
The main goal is to preserve animal life and learn about all the ways to keep the environment safe.
It also has a 12 minute video that is interesting and informative.
It is so hard to know what to pack for Hawaii …but for Hanauma Bay snorkeling a beach bag filled with the following items is just want you need.
Here is your checklist! If you need any of the following items, you can click on the links below and order them on Amazon.
I wanted to warn you it is a steep 10-minute walk down to the bay from the visitor center.
Fortunately, we made some friends as we watched the video and didn’t mind the walk as we were chatting. On the other side walking up the hill was intense. It was a really steep climb!
If you prefer not to walk a tram service is available to take you down. This is included in the entrance fees you paid. I would consider this for the hike up!
Once you walk down the steep hill it is time to snorkel. Hanauma bay beach is a great place to relax and get your gear on.
One thing to be aware of is that the water is very shallow during low tide. The coral extends pretty far out but the depth of the cove remains fairly shallow even as you swim farther out. It was really easy to get scratched and cut.
Overall, even with the shallow water, I would say snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is one of the best Oahu snorkeling bay areas on the island. It is absolutely gorgeous!
The sea life is amazing. There are so many beautiful fish to see! You will even get to see the Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, which is the state fish. Yellowfish, trumpet fish, and angelfish are also swimming throughout the cove.
There are lifeguards on duty but I imagine that would be a hard job as everyone is sticking their face in the water!
Many people were relaxing on the Hanauma beach. In my mind, I had only thought of Hanauma Bay as a place to snorkel not relax and hang out. I was wrong so many people were enjoying the beach.
