A Complete Guide to Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay on Oahu
When I told my parents I was heading back to Oahu for work, they suggested I try to go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
Well, they didn’t remember the actual name, just that they had been snorkeling “at a beach shaped like a horseshoe”, and it was one of the most beautiful places they’d ever been!
A quick Google search showed me they were talking about Hanauma Bay! I immediately added it to my plans, but I quickly learned that I couldn’t just show up and swim.
Hanauma Bay is a State Park and Nature Preserve, and in order to protect the beautiful coral reefs and wildlife in the bay, they have strict daily visitor caps and conservation rules.
In this guide, I’ll cover 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.
Visiting does require some advanced planning, but it is absolutely worth it!
A Quick Look at the Island of Oahu
Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini guide to the island of Oahu to help plan your epic adventure!
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Where to Stay:
Hilton Hawaiian Village ($$)
Sheraton Waikiki ($$$)
Moana Surfrider ($$$$)
When to Visit:
– My favorite time is April/May (great weather and in between peak season)
– High season is December – March (also whale season!)
– Summer (July-August) is very warm and also sees a good amount of crowds
Things to Do:
Pearl Harbor Memorial 🇺🇸
Sea Turtle Snorkel Tour 🤿
Kualoa Ranch 🦖
Must Know Facts about Visiting Hanauma Bay
- Open Wednesdays – Sundays
- Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
- Entry allowed from 6:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m
- All visitors must leave the preserve by 4:00 pm
- Reservations required (open 48 hours in advance)
- $25 per person, children 12 and under are free
- $3 per vehicle for nonresidents of Hawai‘i
- Small 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 southeastern end of Oahu. You can spot it on a map by looking for the large semicircle. 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, Lana’i Lookout, Halona Blowhole, and more!
If you have three days on Oahu or more, 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.
Please make sure to follow all rules when visiting to help preserve the Bay for future generations!
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 timed online reservation system was introduced in April 2021 in an effort to reduce the number of visitors to Hanauma Bay.
This system limits the number 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 7:00 am on Wednesday.
At 7:00 am, 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.
Note: It is extremely likely that all tickets will sell out for the day, so make sure to log on right at 7:00 am and buy your ticket as soon as you are able!
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 6:45 am, and the park website recommends getting there at this time if you want to purchase a same-day ticket.
Note: If you are unable to secure your ticket to Hanauma Bay, there is plenty of other snorkeling on the island! My top recommendation is this turtle snorkeling tour!
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 are more restrooms, showers, locker rentals, and picnic tables for your convenience.
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
While Hanauma Bay is absolutely beautiful from above, you have to see the underwater landscapes here to truly appreciate it.
Like I mentioned earlier, Hanauma Bay boasts some of the best snorkeling on the island of Oahu (and one of the cheapest on the island, unless you just snorkel off a free beach!).
It even rivaled the snorkeling on the Big Island, which was my favorite!
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 lookout for the state fish of Hawaii, the reef triggerfish, also known as the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa.
Renting Gear
If you’re planning to snorkel at Hanauma Bay, you have the choice of bringing your own snorkel gear or renting some at the Bay. The cost of a standard snorkel set rental at the Bay is $25, which includes a mask, snorkel, and fins.
Personally, I recommend bringing your own snorkel gear instead. The gear at Hanauma Bay isn’t the best quality, and there may be a long line to rent.
If you don’t have your own mask and snorkel, but you plan to snorkel more than once in your life, it’s worth it to buy your own gear!
You can buy a relatively good set like this Cressi travel set for $70, including a mask, snorkel, and fins!
What to Bring to Hanauma Bay
Aside from snorkel gear, there are a few other items that you should bring with you on your day at Hanauma Bay.
- 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.
The best way to avoid all potentially harmful chemicals is by purchasing mineral sunscreen like Blue Lizard or this specific SunBum!
If you’re looking to read more about reef-safe sunscreen and its importance for protecting coral reefs, check out this article!
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 line towards the end of the day, but I highly recommend taking this on your way back up as I did! 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 3:15 pm.
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!
If you’re visiting Oahu in the summer, the North Shore has some surprisingly good snorkeling too! Read my full list of things to do on the North Shore here!
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Read More Oahu Blog Posts Below! ⬇️🌺
How to Spend 3 Days on Oahu: The Perfect Oahu Itinerary for First Timers!
13 BEST Things to Do in Waikiki on Oahu, Hawaii
TOP 8 Sunset Cruises in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
Cheap (and Free!) Things to Do on Oahu, Hawaii
Best Hikes on Oahu with Waterfalls: A Complete Guide
A Complete Guide to Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay on Oahu
The BEST Things to Do on Oahu’s North Shore in Hawaii
Surf Lessons on Waikiki Beach: Everything You Need to Know
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