A Complete Guide to Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay on Oahu

Planning a trip to Oahu? There’s no shortage of incredible activities on the most popular Hawaiian island. One of the top-rated things to do when visiting the island of Oahu is to go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.

Hanauma Bay is a State Park and Nature Preserve located on the southeast side of the island. It’s regarded as one of the best snorkeling spots on the island, due to its clear water, flourishing coral heads, and diverse wildlife!

In this guide, I go over everything you need to know about visiting and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, including how to get there, the reservation process, what to bring, and more. So keep reading if you plan on visiting Hanauma Bay on your trip to Oahu!

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Everything You Need to Know about Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve on Oahu, Hawai’i

Must Know Facts about Visiting Hanauma Bay

• Open Wednesdays – Sundays
•  Closed Christmas Day and New Years Day
• Entry allowed from 6:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m
• All visitors must leave preserve by 4:00pm
• Reservations required (open 48 hours in advance)
• $25 per person, children under 13 free
• $3 per vehicle for nonresidents of Hawai‘i
• Coolers with food and beverages are allowed

Where is Hanauma Bay?

As you can see on the map below, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is located on the southeast end of Oahu. You can spot it on a map by looking for the large semi-circle. The word “Hanauma” literally translates to “curved bay“.

It’s right off Route 72, also known as the Kalanianaʻole Highway, and it’s pretty impossible to miss!

Hanauma Bay is right next to some other very popular spots on Oahu, like the Koko Crater Trail (full guide on this coming soon!), Lana’i Lookout, Halona Blowhole, and more!

If you have time, I highly recommend a full day on this side of the island so you can cover all the best spots!

History of Hanauma Bay

Before we get into the details of visiting and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, I wanted to talk a little bit about its history first!

Like most places in Hawaii, Hanauma Bay has been around for a long time and is a very respected place to the natives. Hawaiians have been visiting Hanauma Bay for centuries! In fact, records show that Hawaiian royalty frequented the Bay in the 1800s.

The Bay started being developed in the early 1900s and quickly became a tourist hot spot in the mid-1900s.  In 1967, Hanauma Bay was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park by the Hawaiian government. However, it took over 20 more years for protections to be put in place to preserve the Bay.

In 1990, the City of Honolulu put a plan in place to restore Hanauma Bay after years of overtourism. They established an education program, and in 2002, a Marine Education Center opened at the Bay.

Today, you are required to watch a short video before entering the Bay that explains the history of the Bay and the steps Hawai’i is taking to preserve it for future generations. The video goes over do’s and don’ts while in the Bay, like stepping on coral, wearing the appropriate sunscreen, etc.

Things to Know Before Visiting Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay Reservation System

Now that you know about the history and importance of Hanauma Bay, let’s get into all the details you need to know before visiting and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay!

A new timed online reservation system was introduced in April 2021 in an effort to reduce the amount of visitors to Hanauma Bay. This system limits the amount of visitors to about 1400 per day. Reservations open 2 days in advance at 7:00am Hawai’i Standard Time (HST). Below is the link to the reservation site.

So, if you want to visit Hanauma Bay on a Friday, you should log in to the reservation right before 7:00am on Wednesday. At 7:00am, all time slots for Friday will show, and you can choose the one you want. The time slots are in 10-minute increments, with 15-35 tickets per time slot. Once you select a time slot, you will be required to pay the entrance fee of $25 via credit card. You cannot bypass the entry fee and must pay online.

If you are not able to get a reservation, you can still visit the Bay by purchasing a walk-in ticket on the same day you plan to visit. The Bay opens at 6:45am, and the park website recommends getting there at this time if you want to purchase a same day ticket. There are also several lifeguards on duty!

Your Day at Hanauma Bay

Parking and Entry to Hanauma Bay

Upon arrival at the Bay, you’ll be required to pay for parking at the on-site parking lot. It costs $3 for non-Hawai’i residents and $1 for Hawaiian residents; the fee must be paid in cash. The parking lot seemed plenty big enough, but they do recommend arriving early to ensure a spot.

Once you park, you’ll make your way to the Visitor Center and find the appropriate line based on your check-in time. When it’s your turn, you’ll provide your ticket and make your way into the Education center. This room has different exhibits that explain things like the history of the Bay, the ocean life in the Bay, etc.

Your group will then be called into a separate room where you watch a 9-minute educational video about the Bay. This is required for all visitors. The video instills the importance of protecting the Bay and shares how to preserve it while visiting.

Amenities

When the video ends, it’s time to make your way down to the Bay! You can either walk or take the free tram. I recommend walking as there’s tons of great photo ops, and it’s a quick downhill stroll. You can take the tram on the way back up!

In terms of amenities, the Bay has a snack bar and restrooms at the top of the hill. You can also bring your own cooler full of food and beverages if you wish!

Once you make your way down to the beach, there’s more restrooms, showers, locker rentals, and picnic tables for your convenience.

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

Alright, you’ve arrived at the Bay and it’s time to go swimming! There’s lots to consider, so let’s dive into all the things you need to know before snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.

Renting Equipment vs Bringing Your Own

If you’re planning to snorkel at Hanauma Bay, you will have the choice of bringing your own snorkel gear or renting some at the Bay. The cost of a standard snorkel rental at the Bay is $20.

Personally, I recommend bringing your own snorkel gear. The gear at Hanauma Bay isn’t the best quality, and there may be a long line to rent. Even if you don’t have your own, you can buy a relatively good set, including fins, for $40, like this one. If you ever plan on snorkeling again in your life, it’s worth it to invest in your own equipment.

What to Bring to Hanauma Bay

Aside from snorkeling gear, there are a few other items that you should bring with you on your day at Hanauma Bay. Here’s a complete list to make sure you don’t forget anything!

• Reef-Safe Sunscreen (more on this in the next section)
• Quick Dry Beach Towel
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Bathing Suit
• Cash for parking
• Underwater phone pouch or camera
• Beach chair/umbrella (nice but not necessary)
• Reusable water bottle

Reef-Safe Sunscreen requirement

An absolute must-have when snorkeling Hanauma Bay is reef safe sunscreen. Why? Hawai’i has passed a law banning the distribution and sale of products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been proven to damage coral reefs. They were the first state to do so! So make sure you are NOT wearing sunscreen that contains these chemicals while visiting Hanauma Bay.

In addition, I recommend also avoiding sunscreens with octocrylene and avobenzone, as Hawai’i is trying to ban these as well. Brands like COOLA and MANDA are both great options that do not contain any toxic chemicals! 

If you’re looking to read more about reef-safe sunscreen and its importance for protecting coral reefs, check out this article!

Snorkeling Tips and Safety

Alright, it’s finally time to get in that gorgeous water! Like I mentioned earlier, Hanauma Bay boasts some of the best snorkeling on the island of Oahu. There are a few different spots I recommend checking out, but first, let’s talk about safety and rules.

If you are a beginner snorkeler, one of the most important things you need to know is NOT to stand on or touch the coral reef. Coral reefs are living beings, and standing on them can severely damage them. Also, don’t feed the fish! These are both extremely important to protecting this historic marine ecosystem.

Luckily, Hanauma Bay is great for beginner snorkelers. The water is pretty shallow, and there aren’t typically strong currents or waves. However, you should always swim with a buddy while snorkeling!

In terms of where to snorkel, take a look at the map below from the Hanauma Bay State Park website! For beginners, I recommend checking out Triangle Lagoon and Keyhole Lagoon, which are right off the beach! For more experienced snorkelers, the Channel and Outer Reef are further out into the lagoon, and here you’ll find bigger fish and possibly sea turtles!

In terms of types of fish around the Bay, you might see triggerfish, parrotfish, goatfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, tang, surgeonfish, and more! Make sure to keep a look out for the state fish of Hawaii, the reef triggerfish, also known as the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa.

Leaving the Bay

As I mentioned earlier, there is a free tram that takes visitors up and down the large hill from the beach to the visitor center. There might be a short line and wait, but I highly recommend taking this on your way back up! After a long day of snorkeling in the sun, that walk up would be brutal!

The park officially closes at 4:00 pm. However, guests must start exiting the beach area by 3:15pm. The last video at the park is 1:40 pm, and no entry is allowed after 2 pm.

Final Thoughts

That wraps up my guide to visiting and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay on the island of Oahu! As you can see, Hanauma Bay is one of the best places to visit on Oahu. Even if you’re not a big snorkeler, it’s a great place to hang out, relax on the beach, and enjoy some incredible scenery!

Psssst: Planning a trip to Oahu? Make sure to check out my 3 Day Oahu itinerary and my list of the 13 Best Things to Do in Waikiki!

Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning!