Hanauma Bay image

Hanauma Bay

Bay

This popular nature preserve on a bay features a beach, green sea turtles, parrotfish & more. People often mention beach, snorkeling, parking, people, time, fish, water, line, beautiful, tickets,


Address

Hawaii 96825, USA

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (2.1K reviews)

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Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: beach (49) snorkeling (42) parking (31) people (30) time (29) fish (29) water (25) line (23) beautiful (22) tickets (19)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Antonio R. 2 years ago on Google
    This post is informational only. Remember Hanauma Bay is a Nature Preserve, not a typical beach, so there is an educational element to the parishioners to bring awareness to keeping the ecosystem alive. As one of the volunteers here there are always alot of people who show up not really knowing what coming to the bay entails, so this is to give some insight into what happens after you purchase your ticket and your time slot gets called. This will not cover the online booking, costs, or parking. That's all managed by the state. Most people think once they buy their ticket for the movie they will go directly to watch it. That is not the case, you must first go through a brief orientation by a volunteer or education staff. It's about 3-5 minutes depending on the person. This is where you learn what you can and can't do at the beach as well as what's available to you and their locations. AFTER the orientation you then go to the video (could be a minute or two wait depending if the previous video group has concluded or not). The video is about 7 minutes or so. I have had several people say they watched the video on YouTube. THAT DOES NOT COUNT. After the video you are able to go to the beach. All of the orientation and video is to for educational purposes, Nature Pres erve remember? If you have issues getting to the bay or rather you would not want to deal with all of the above there are other free snorkel spots on the island, turtle bay, kawela bay, and sharks cove, and electric beach are pretty decent spots.
    106 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Bri K. 1 year ago on Google
    How is this real?!? 😍 Tickets sell out when they are released 48 hours in advance. If you don't get a ticket, they save about 400 tickets to hand out to walk ins each day! We arrived at 5:55 AM and were first in line. The line started about 6 AM. They opened at 6:45. We were in the first group to go down and start snorkeling. The water was the clearest and we saw the most fish first thing!! It was SO COOL! So many beautiful fish!! So my tip is definitely to arrive as early as possible because as it gets busier the water gets murkier and the fish stay further away. Also they don't currently sell food in the bay so if you want to stay more than a couple hours, bring food! Overall, totally worth it!!!
    52 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kemner F. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing place. So many views in the bay and around. Def bring all beach essentials like towels, water, snacks etc. def reserve because it can sell out however I’ll detail my experience to avoid extra price. The coral are pretty much dead unfortunately. But there is a lot of fish to see! Did not have reservations BUT we showed up at 645am right when the park opens to get walk on tickets. Do not show up earlier otherwise they will turn you away! Show up at 645am and you will get tickets and pay 3$ for parking. Cash only. Park your car and head inside with all your stuff I highly recommend going in at this time to avoid the crowds and so you have more time here. The admission office takes cash and card so pay 25$ per person. They do offer rentals for lockers and equipment but the beach is pretty safe. As for snorkeling, we just bought our own from ABC store since it’s cheaper but you can rent your own I recommend booking thru trip advisor if you do not have a car or are going late since they can shuttle you and it includes the snorkel rental (50$). The lot does get full closer to lunch time and they don’t let you park if it’s full. Otherwise, if you go first thing in the morning, you can enjoy the park at half price of trip advisor
    26 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 cody p. 1 year ago on Google
    If you are a local resident you get in for free and don't have to make a reservation if visiting before 9am. Otherwise it's $25 and you have to reserve your spot. Parking is only $1 for residents and $3 for non residents. You can hike the trail even if you don't have a reservation. We got there right when it opened and were some of the first people at the beach. They make you watch a video and listen to someone explain the rules your first time there, which is super necessary for such a great conservation. The snorkeling was great. We saw a lot of fish we haven't seen before and some fish we have, but just bigger than we've seen elsewhere. It's a pretty big spot so we only did the middle section and plan to come back and do the sides on separate occasions. The water is for the most part calm, at least it was on the day we went. I think it usually is because all the coral stops the waves before they get to you. Super accessible place. They have wheelchair ramps and a shuttle that runs you to and from the top and the bay. Well worth going here and will be back multiple times. Oh, they also have a hut where an expert is to talk about the fish with you if you want. Very cool. Also, they have rental snorkeling gear on site and a snack stand.
    25 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ling H. 7 months ago on Google
    We went there last year and it was truly a heavenly experience. It was quite a struggle to reserve a spot online a couple days in advance and we went there early in the morning (7 am) and waited in a long line of cars to get in. Everyone is directed to watch an educational video about preserving the wild life in the bay and safety. You can take trolley or walk down there (which is what we did) to meet a transcendent scene down the bay. The sand, the crescent hill surrounding the bay, the tranquil emerald/blue water and the blue sky put together a surreal scene that makes you remember this as the most beautiful place on Earth! Adding in the fish you see during snorkeling makes the experience even more vivid. There isn't much shade except for a handful of palm trees. Put ample amount of coral-safe sunscreen and multiple times if you want to be there for more than two hours. We all got sunburn despite the sunscreen we put on early in the morning, which probably got washed out as we stayed in the water. The burgers and fries in the park are pretty good and reasonably priced. The staff took good care of the visitors and managed the park very well. The beach closes at 2pm but you can stroll around on the top of the bay to take in more scenes. Definitely a must-go place if you are visiting Oahu.
    20 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Miranda H. 1 year ago on Google
    Make sure you sign on right at 7am because tickets are sold out within minutes. With Covid restrictions, the beach is less crowded compared with our previous visits pre-Covid. The tram is also free for all visitors going up and down now. The beach itself is quite pebbly, but snorkeling is phenomenal!
    17 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Anwesha P. 1 year ago on Google
    Best & must place to snorkel and visit here during your visit to Oahu. It’s easy to snorkel here as it’s a bay with lots of reef and partly covered by rocks as well so it’s not wavy water. Hence it’s good for non swimmer too as you can see the fishes from the beach or standing in the water itself. It’s very shallow and kids will definitely love this place. It’s a perfect place to enjoy the day and you can also bring your own food and have picnic with family too 😊 We made reservation 2 days in advance and there is also an additional parking fee of $3. (If you are not staying for more than 15 mins then you can get refund of the parking fee). Since we had reservation, we were taken in group for the time slot we booked for and were shown a small video as well for DOs and DONT’S in the beach and in the reef which was very informative. The staffs were very welcoming and good 😊
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kimberly C. 3 years ago on Google
    ** Went in December 2020**Located in Oahu about a 20 min drive south from Honolulu. We took an uber then walked up the rest of the way where you line up. We got there about 7:20 am and there was about 60 people ahead of us. I recommend you go early so you don't have to wait in line too long. They were only letting 30 people in at a time about every 15 -25 mins or so. They were alternating 30 people in line then would take 30 people in cars (people count not car count) so if you are in a car going up the hill (heading south only) , It is a lottery drive by if you are there at right time when they let cars in. They will NOT let you sit in your car on side of road and wait. Once we got in, you will watch a short movie about the bay. Fyi -we knew in advance the snorkel equipment shop was closed so come with your own or rent snorkel equipment else where.They do have restrooms and a drinking fountain. I suggest to bring drinks and pack a lunch. I recommend life vests if you aren't a strong swimmer especially for kids. They DO have lifeguards . I don't think they are open every day and I believe they close entrance at 2 pm so check that out before you go. They DO accept cash and cards. I wish I brought my keens (waterproof sandal shoes) so I could walk into the water more comfortably. The water wasn't as clear as I thought it would be (but it was partly cloudy/sunny that day)and the coral wasn't that pretty. Please use coral safe sunblock and protect what's left of this. We did see the beautiful types of tropical fish without going out too far and enjoyed snorkeling here very much and we WOULD go again.🤙🐠🐟
    10 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jackie G. 11 months ago on Google
    So it is beautiful, and totally worth it. But here is some helpful tips I wish we new earlier. 1. All you need to make a reservation is to show up with as many people as you can to get the reservation tickets. Then depending on your time slot, you could just come back. But you could also just go right in. 2. It's a beach with snorkeling, come prepared for the "beach". Chairs, umbrella, snacks ect. 3. There are beautiful fish that will come right to you, but there is more to the left where it's a little deeper. 4. Don't need the fins they are very heavy and uncomfortable. So just rent the snorkel and new mouth piece. 5. Sunscreen! It's sunny and beautiful so get out there!
    10 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shen Y. 3 years ago on Google
    After closed for 9 months, the nature has time to recover and be prosperous. Much much more fish than I visited before the pandemic.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brad C. 3 years ago on Google
    This is the Covid rating. It was great! The bay is taking about 700 people per day as opposed to the normal 3,000-5,000 people per day. "Out of the water" call happens at 3pm, gates out of the park close at 4pm. The "hike" from the ticket area just follows the road where the tram goes. It is concrete with great views of the Bay.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Chelsea W. 3 years ago on Google
    WARNING: this is not a quick activity, plan to wait several hours. Covid review: I visited on Saturday 12/12/20 and read the instructions on https:/hanaumabaystatepark.com prior to arrival. Since their website says they open at 8am, we arrived at 7:45am. When we arrived the parking lot was closed but the staff told us the park was open and the lot was closed due to covid. We then parked half a mile away in a residential neighborhood and joined the line to get in (around 75+) standing at the entrance of the parking lot. Instead of letting people into the actual parking lot where we could appropriately social distance and be in the shade, the kept the crowd near the parking lot entrance in the sun for over an hour. What made the experience worse was they would randomly let in 3 or 4 cars every 20 min into the parking lot. This was at random because there were not any cars leaving, meaning these lucky few got to skip the line that had accumulated (100+) and wait in the shaded parking lot. The (100+) people that were roasting in the sun caught on and tried to run to their cars and get in when they randomly let a few in, most (including my husband) were unsuccessful and when they pulled up the staff said only 3 at a time. Once we made it past the line at the entrance of the parking lot, we entered a new line in the actual parking lot, which they moved in groups of 30. We waited here for 45 minutes because they were letting the groups who had driven in go before us to pay and watch the safety video. When my husband asked why those had driven in got to go first, the male staff member told us it "was our choice to walk instead of drive".... my mind was completely blown. As a summary, we waited close to 3 hours in the sun to get in, while a lucky few got to bypass the line by driving in. My recommendation is to wait in the car at the lookout point near the entrance of the parking lot to wait until the staff arbitrarily let in a few cars. While the snorkeling here was amazing, I would not recommend this experience until online booking by appointment is available. Being told to stand in line in large groups is not safe, especially when the staff encourages you to get back in line while trying to socially distance.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Elise L. 1 year ago on Google
    Best day of my life. Plan to spend the whole day there! You could just snorkel as long as you want. The beach is amazing and great snorkelling experience for a beginner
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Grace A. 3 years ago on Google
    Joined the line at 7:00AM (on NYE) and was let in at 8:45AM. Got to the beach at 9:45AM.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Kendall 3 years ago on Google
    WARNING- WAIT TIMES 2-3 HOURS We arrived at Hanauma Bay excited for the experiences we have heard so much about. Immediately upon arrival we were yelled at through a microphone to MOVE! The intersection was so dangerous, and many wrecks almost happened before our eyes. They closed down the parking lot due to it being full, so we had to park halfway down the mountain and lug all of our stuff a mile up a mountain in the heat. They don’t allow drop offs of your stuff, which makes it difficult with coolers, small children, and elderly. If that’s not bad enough, they only allow 30 people in every 15 minutes and you are forced to wait outside so you can “social distance”, but there is nothing safe about it. No one wears masks, no one is distanced, and there is little to no shade so everyone was melting for the 2-3 hour wait. The worst part is, they let random cars in every 20-30 mins when the rest of us have been melting our butts off to get in. When we finally arrived, we were SO ANGRY because 1/2 of the parking lot was empty. We were forced into another line to pay for overpriced tickets, and yet ANOTHER LINE to watch a stupid 10 minute video that basically says “don’t touch the coral”. The view itself was breathtaking, but once you get down there it is apparent the coral is dying. The entire reef is turning white and has algae overtaking it. Fish were pretty, but it was sad to see them living in such sad conditions. A 2 year old could come up with a better system than this lunacy. Have they ever thought of an online booking system?
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Miley X. 3 years ago on Google
    Impossible to get in even if you come early. Terrible management. Why not have a booking system??
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Marie J. 3 years ago on Google
    Wow the workers are horribly rude!!! They never explain why or how, and just tell you to drive out!!! Since we arrived at around 8:30 (early enough, I thought) I asked if they’re already full, and one of them told me just to drive out and not to come back, giggling!!! I realize the reasons only after reading the reviews here. The kids on the back seat watched everything and say they don’t want to do snorkeling there because of the rude workers.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 JB C. 3 years ago on Google
    No wonder this beach is rated as one of the best in the world because it is magnificent. Important tips: get there EARLY, bring your snacks, and have PATIENCE. The beach is closed on Monday and Tuesday to allow the reef to grow, prevent reef fatigue and death of the marine life. Bring your own snorkeling gear and wear beach shoes while snorkeling. You WILL see some beautiful fish very close to the shore. Second note: the pretty blue stones on the beach are PLASTIC not shells...take a moment to police up any trash and glass you may see on the beach and for the love of God don't litter. Save and respect this Gem of the Hawaiian Islands.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jay C. 3 months ago on Google New
    Best place for snorkelling if you’re a beginner or visiting Hawaii. Unfortunately closed on Monday/Tuesday so will have to get up early at 0700 48hrs before the day you want to book for. Prices when we visited are as follows: -Lockers $10/12 (small/large) - unlimited in/out -snorkel/mask $15 ($20 with fins) -parking $3 (but fills up fast) Definitely worth the booking and the drive though.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Debra J. 1 year ago on Google
    Great place to snorkel. Or if you are me sit on the beach and watch others snorkeling. If you are not a resiit is $25 per person over 12. Active duty military are free. It's best ot get reservations. You will be required to watch a video before heading to the beach. The video explains exactly what this bay represents and why it must be protected. There are showers, lockers, and bathrooms.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dr G. 11 months ago on Google
    Great place to snorkel in Oahu. Tickets are limited and only released online 48 hours prior. No tour groups allowed but you can guarantee a ticket if you book a transport package to the bay via a small number of providers. We booked via the Hanauma Bay Snorkel Adventures. We were picked up from our hotel in Waikiki, picked up our snorkels and fins and entered the bay with plenty of time to explore. The process was seamless and stress free. It's a pretty safe bay to snorkel and lots of beautiful fish. Would definitely recommend going early to avoid the main crowd as this can affect the visibility.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dom S. 1 year ago on Google
    This is a Hawaiian gem 💎. Very exotic location which is being reserved very well. Do NOT forget to book tickets two days prior. They get sold out in minutes. Walkins are available but wait time is 5hours. Once you enter the place just is just mesmerizing. It's a volcanic peak which is now a reef and it's preserved well. Snorkeling paradise ✨️. You can rent a kit for $20 and food is also available. There is also a complimentary pick up ride to the beach. Great place for Snorkeling and beach activities. Definitely recommend this place. ⛱️
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shiv P. 1 year ago on Google
    We really enjoyed our time at the Hanauma Bay. Excellent place for snorkeling. Would highly recommend getting tickets 48 hours in advanced. Getting tickets is free since payment is on arrival ($25) per person. Take cash cause they charge a service free for credit cards. Getting tickets is really competitive. They go really fast. You have can get tickets 48 hours in advanced 7AM Hawaiian time. If you miss out on getting tickets. Get there super early around 7. And they might let you in depending on the number of people that show up. If you don’t get tickets you may have to a while. Once you get in though, it’s a great experience for snorkeling.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Shubham R. 1 year ago on Google
    If you don't get reservations, don't worry as there are walk ins available. Couple of things you need to do : 1. Come early (around 6am) as the walk in gets over by 7.15am. 2. There will be a long queue for the parking, so to save time you can park nearby at Koko district head park and walk from there. 3. For the walk ins all party needs to be in the queue else they won't entertain. So it wont work if someone goes ahead to wait in the queue and the other person in the car is finding parking. 4. The walk ins time reservations you get are usually in between 10 am - 1pm so plan your snacks, drink and sitting arrangements as you may have to spend couple of hours at the park or you can come back later. They let people go 1-2hrs earlier based on the availability. 5. The parking gets full pretty easy by 8.30am 6. Lastly if you need to make reservations online, do it from your PC right at 7am. The 7.30-9:00am spots fill pretty quick. Try the 12.30 and later pm first. Good luck. This place is worth the wait and hype.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Portia K. 10 months ago on Google
    The view was breathtaking. Disappointed by the amount of fish we see while snorkeling, the best place to snorkel is in Sharks Cove. You have to book to get in at 7am 2 days ahead, parking is a bit of a nightmare. The clear water makes up for it. We went in the afternoon just hours before the beach closes and it was very crowded. We managed to take a few pictures of the water without people in it and it’s just heaven on earth.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dylan W. 4 months ago on Google
    This is the best snorkeling beach I have ever been to. We were swimming with parrot fish, bonefish, jacks, angelfish, goatfish, lots of fish I didn't know what they were, and we even got to see a monk seal!!It's a very safe snorkeling beach, but make sure you get your reservations 2 days ahead, because they sell out fast. It's a amazing beach, and I highly recommend it!!! 🐢🤿🐟🐠🐡
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ali S. 5 months ago on Google
    This is a must visit on your trip to Waikiki. Here are your rules: 1. You have to go snorkeling if you physically can. I couldn’t believe how cool it was! 2. Be with the first group (7 am). Once more people get there it gets murky. It’s really clear the first 30 minutes or so. 3. Don’t get the flippers. Get the life jacket instead if you want some help swimming. It’s not that it’s hard but you’ll be swimming around and you’ll get tired. So life jacket over flippers. 4. If you do not have a reservation (highly recommended) you need to be at the gate at 6:30-6:40. They will let a limited number of walk ins at 6:45. If you are a walk in don’t drive. Take an Uber and them walk the rest of the way. There’s a long line of cars when it opens. 5. I would 100% bring ear plugs. I got some water in my ear that still is swooshing around and they don’t have them. You’ll see some amazing fish, it’s so beautiful. Might even see a turtle. Enjoy it, it’s really amazing!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 William E. 3 years ago on Google
    They need an online reservation system like Kauai uses for a couple of their beaches.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ann L. 3 years ago on Google
    It's absolutely beautiful here! The best place to snorkel and see colorful fishies. There is an admission fee to get in and you are required to watch an educational/safety video before you can head down to Hanauma Bay. It's a bit of a walk down to the preserve but you can pay a small fee to hop on a small shuttle bus. However, the walk isn't that bad and you can such a great view of the preserve. It's look so serene but it was pretty crowded since this is such a popular site in Oahu. There is a changing room and outdoor water faucet to get off the sand. This preserve is so precious so make sure to keep it clean and be mindful of the fishies. A must to check out on the island.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 David G. 3 years ago on Google
    The Disneyland of snorkeling. That is not meant in a good way. Long lines and fees for some of the worst Snorkeling on any of the Hawaiian islands. Honestly it is easy in and out for novice snorkelers but you can have a much better experience for free at dozens if not hundreds of other Hawaiian beaches. I would skip 100% of the time If you must do it park at the Coco crater parking lot for free and walk up the access road. Best part of this experience was that introduced us to the ridge line hike which was really good
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Hudson R. 3 years ago on Google
    This beach is beautiful and out of the way from buildings!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 ibrahim s. 3 years ago on Google
    Best snorkeling place in Oahu ever. Lots of fish to see and beautiful beach to spend the day. I highly recommend it
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 A G. 3 years ago on Google
    Totally not worth the money ($12 per person, $10 parking and no snorkelling equipment provided). The water is too shallow and so you risk scratching your body badly swimming over the corals. So you will have to swim around them but then end up seeing less fish. Instead go to Diamond head beach where there is plenty of fish and the water is not too shallow and you won't run the risk of scratches from the coral. Plus parking and entrance is free and is in the city itself.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 byron b. 3 years ago on Google
    We loved it... best snorkeling so far on Oahu .... We arrived early and waited at the lookout about a half mile away. At 7:40 am we headed to the parking lot. They open the parking at 7:45 am sharp and the trick is to get in line early. You get a time to enter then have to watch a 9 minute film we found very interesting Going early made this trip easy and enjoyable also we went in the middle of the week
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rongqian M. 2 months ago on Google New
    Great wildlife natural reserve and snorkeling 🤿 place! Need to buy tickets online two days before. A bit overcrowded, but family friendly and good for novice swimmers.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Miguel Lara I. 3 years ago on Google
    It's pretty cool here. Good for snorkeling. You can see a lot in the water.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 I am T. 1 year ago on Google
    Bring your water shoes (must), life-vest (if you don’t know how to swim), and your snorkeling gears (must). Use coral reef safe sunscreen. You’ll see the fishes but reef itself is pretty much dead. BRING SNACKS/food and drinks for sure.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Mandar P. 3 years ago on Google
    Amazing Snorkeling experience - lots of fishes and coral. However, due to COVID restrictions, Hanauma Bay is operating at limited capacity. Only 30-40 cars are allowed in the Hanauma Bay Parking lot at any given time. People who find parking are the lucky ones who get priority entry into the Bay. Majority of the people park elsewhere (nearby residential area) and have to wait in a queue to get entry into the Bay. They permit 30 people every 15-30 mins to enter the Bay. We stood in the queue today at 8:45 AM, and were permitted entry into the Bay by 12:15 PM. The wait was extremely painful - there aren't any restrooms nearby, no place to sit, people weren't observing the 6ft social distancing norm (some of them not wearing masks). It got more annoying watching some lucky folks get priority entry (due to freed up parking) while we stood in the queue. My tip if you plan to stand in the queue - get a beach chair/shade, get food and drinks and ideas for killing 2-3 hrs of waiting time. Good luck!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Suna Y. 3 years ago on Google
    REAL TIME REVIEW -- I'm writing this review just right in the waiting line to get entered Hanauma bay. I got here at 7:20am and it's 10:04am now. Its been almost 3 hrs waiting. This is crazy. This place definitely needs to figure out a better option. At least online booking. And no parking here but they just let in a few random cars all of a sudden I don't know whats the reason behind. Also, no foods, no drinks, and no rental here at all. So be prepared.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mary 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing beach for snorkeling 🤿! It’s just magical and like a natural aquarium! 🐟🐠🐠🐟🐠 It needs reservation and booked veeeery fast! 720 spots in maybe 3 to 5 minutes. Be ready to book in advance and on-time. I’ve been there in June and December… June is so dry, but in December the mountains are so green and looks much more beautiful!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Olivia H. 4 months ago on Google
    Definitely worth the visit, but what a pain to get tickets! Also, BRING CASH FOR THE PARKING. Parking is $3, but if you are like me and don’t realize it’s cash only you’ll have to use their ATM which charges a $5.25 fee plus whatever fee your bank charges you. Ugh! We logged on right at 7am 2 days beforehand to try to get tickets, and the website kept having errors after we would enter our information. There were two of us trying on different devices over and over again. It would say there were tickets available, but then we would get one of the errors when we tried to finalize the purchase. Finally at 8:45am I tried again for an afternoon slot and was able to get tickets. Annoying! Thankfully when we arrived there an hour early we were able to get right in. Check-in, Orientation, and getting to the beach takes up about 30 mins. We spent a little over 2 hours swimming. Pretty good snorkeling even with some bad visibility. Lots of unique fish, and we even saw a turtle!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Casey N. 3 years ago on Google
    It was absolutely gorgeous! BRING YOUR OWN SNORKELING GEAR because when we went the snorkeling place was closed for rentals but we still made the best of it. Also, go EARLY they fill up fast!

  • 1/5 Paul K. 8 months ago on Google
    Really disappointed, water was cloudy and difficult to see what little fish were present. The beach is beautiful, but definitely not worth the expense. It’s an expensive outing once you add the cost of the tickets, plus Taxi/Transport to/from Waikiki beach. Don’t waste your time, rent a car and travel to the upper part of the island, there are beautiful beaches, turtles, sea lions, and fish a plenty at other (free) locations around the island.

  • 5/5 Yoyo Y. 8 months ago on Google
    Snorkeling is so fun! The bay is pretty and great for snorkel beginners. Great for kids as well. Remember to wear water shoes, rocks under the sea. They have best and face mask for rental. But no beach umbrella and beach towels, you have to bring your own.

  • 5/5 Jodi N. 10 months ago on Google
    Beautiful underwater world! Its an easy, quiet, gorgeous bay. There's lifeguard on duty, he's very alert and over intercoms guides u away from rough coral to sandy footing. There's a sandwich, snack and beverage bar at the top. Shower off the sand before u grab the trolley back up the hill. Awesome, memories made!

  • 3/5 Lucy V. 1 year ago on Google
    It is expensive and you need a reservation to get in. The enter process is not the best one because even when you have your reservation you need almost 45 minutes more for indications and to see a video of how to keep the reef safe. I hope the money they charge is being use in the facilities they have, the restrooms were awful, I had been in beach public bathrooms better that the ones in Hanauma Bay. The snorkeling experience is ok but you need to know how to swim, they rent finks and googles if you don’t have. Important is open from Wednesday to Sunday. From 7 to 4.

  • 5/5 Venus S. 3 years ago on Google
    Great place to snorkel beautiful spot to stop and eat lunch look around

  • 4/5 Barton 8 months ago on Google
    Hanauma Bay beach is gorgeous. Be prepared to deal with a lot of people. Heavy tourist location. Takes about 35 minutes to get through the orientation and allowed entry. If you forget any supplies or necessities their is a shop on site selling items such as sunscreen etc.

  • 4/5 Anthony M. 3 years ago on Google
    Pretty fish though only a few. Bay is gorgeous. Reef is shallow.

  • 5/5 Joe R. 5 months ago on Google
    Excellent place for snorkeling. Water temperature is warm. Recommend to wear beach footwear when snorkeling. The rocks and corals are sharp and will cut you by accident if you’re not careful. You aren’t supposed to touch them but sometimes big waves can throw you off balance. Fishes are numerous and not scared of humans.

  • 5/5 Samantha M. 3 years ago on Google
    Awesome snorkeling!! So many big, colorful fish! They’re being very covid cautious, plan to be there at least a few hours & make sure you bring a mask

  • 5/5 Matt M. 3 months ago on Google New
    Beautiful beach area and the snorkeling is fantastic. Saw a large variety of beautiful fish, my favorite being the rainbow parrotfish. You should call several days ahead to reserve a parking spot although we did not and still got a spot same day.

  • 2/5 Mohawk G. 3 years ago on Google
    Used to be a great place, now staff is very rude, pushing you around .

  • 3/5 Ricardo M. 3 years ago on Google
    Beautiful bay, but the people in charge of letting people in were awful and unwilling to help. Bad experience that can definently be avoided if they are smart and create an online reservation system to limit the amount of people that can be there in a given day.

  • 1/5 Thunder 3 years ago on Google
    It is a good place to snorkel, but under their pandemic entry rules it is unsafe for both pedestrians and driver's trying to get in. Took us three hours to walk in and we were there by 7:15. Heard tonight they are making changes and not allowing people to walk in anymore. Problem is you get there and no one knows what to do except the staff person with the bullhorn. So, cars are setting out in the road, some trying to drop off passengers while other cars are trying to drive past. It is dangerous and they have no plan in place to make it work. Just keep turning away cars.

  • 5/5 Nick Z. 3 years ago on Google
    Heaven for snorkeling. It's one of the places I recommended most, if you are the first time to be in O'ahu.

  • 5/5 Jennifer F. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) I loved it, the place is beautiful. The water is a bit cold and very clear. You can appreciate the variety of fish there is. ♥ ️ ♥ ️ ♥ ️ (Original) Me encantó, el lugar es hermoso. El agua es un poco fría y bien clara. Puedes apreciar la variedad de peces que hay. ♥️♥️♥️

  • 5/5 Pavanjit C. 3 years ago on Google
    This bay is AMAZING! Absolutely beautiful and worth the visit. The snorkeling is so much fun with a lot to see. The water is shallow and reef is all the way to the shore. Makes it easy to snorkel. The only drawback was the long line to get in and they closed the parking lot but randomly let cars in. No rhyme or reason for it. We got there at 12, had to go look for street parking (there is plenty on the street down the hill before you get to the park) which is about 15 min walk. Then we go in line and did not make it to the beach till about 1:30. The beach closes at around 3:15. So we got in about an hour of snorkeling. But it was good snorkeling so we were satisfied. Plan ahead, get there earlier so you have more time. Take food and water.

  • 5/5 lienyuan l. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Great place, no time to play with water, light scenery is satisfied. (Original) 很棒的地方, 沒下去玩水, 光看景就滿足了.

  • 5/5 alexa? 3 years ago on Google
    i remember going here a while ago it was cool seeing my dinner (the fish) in the ocean before they got cooked and served in a platter with sauce on the side.

  • 5/5 Olivia W. 3 years ago on Google
    This is such an incredible area to see! COVID19 precautions are in place and they are upheld amazingly. I felt very safe here. Bring your own snorkeling gear and reef safe sunscreen. We spent about 3 hours here. We drove in and waited inside to go in. We waited probably 45mins to go through the whole process of covid and learning about the reef.

  • 5/5 Ruchit M. 3 years ago on Google
    1 hour wait after parking the car was worth it. Had a great experience snorkeling in the bay. However, there is some serious discoloration of the reef. So please don't touch or step on them. Do your bit.

  • 5/5 流浪嗜酒師 3 years ago on Google
    恐龍灣是夏威夷歐胡島最美的珊瑚礁淺水景點之一,是由火山口噴發堆積形成的,這裡有豐富的珊瑚群與魚類,還有時候還會能遇見海龜喔! 來這裡不管是潛水、浮淺、游泳、戲水、曬太陽都很推薦,建議要來次朋友可以搭公車、也可以自行開車前往(停車費另計),記得要自備飲料、食物、水、浴巾、野餐墊子以及陽傘喔!!(因為這裡時麼東西都沒有,臨時購買非常昂貴!) 恐龍灣的時間是6:00~19:00(每週二公休),入園是要付門票費用的,每人7.5美金,禁帶酒精飲料與寵物入內,而且園區內也禁止吸煙,重點是要入園前還必須要觀看生態影片喔!!

  • 5/5 Estrella W. 1 year ago on Google
    Expensive but worth it because this is a unique and magical snorkeling experience. Exquisitely beautiful bay.

  • 5/5 David T. N. 3 years ago on Google
    Best snorkeling in Hawaii.

  • 5/5 Alizée L. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) This bay is really beautiful, on site you can rent masks and snorkels. I am nearsighted and I was even able to rent a mask adapted to my eyesight. (Original) Cette baie est vraiment magnifique, sur place on peut louer masques et tubas. Je suis myope et j'ai même pu louer un masque adapté à ma vue.

  • 3/5 Alisha B. 3 years ago on Google
    The covid measurements really take away the greatness of the place. You are expected to wear a mask on the beach. Be prepared. We spent over an hour just trying to get down to the beach so we didn't get to enjoy it as much as we wanted. Book online and skip the wait. The beach is amazing. Just when we were about to give up on the snorkeling, the fish found us. We were surrounded by several species each beautiful and full of color.

  • 1/5 Willie R. 3 years ago on Google
    Came here,not crazy early, but regular 8am. Also we did not come with high hopes of actually getting in. We just wanted to see how and why it was such a mess to get in. There is no reservation system which makes no sense. This was the silliest thing to me. If you want to control who comes in and avoid all the issues they are getting why not simply have people request time slots online like other popular places around. Again, this review is for their system and staff, not for the actual bay which from what I been told and seen online is heavenly. As we drove by the first time there was a line of people trying to get inside waiting outside. Parking lot was already closed. Instead we went to some of the spots around the area like sandy beach and had a great time. Much better time spent than waiting two+ hours waiting like we heard some people did. On our way back out we saw a line still there around noon with a bunch of cops around. We even got yelled at by their staff for slowing down. Just doesn’t make sense why they don’t just make thing simple for themselves and visitors

  • 5/5 EnjoyingExploring 3 years ago on Google
    I use to live approximately five minutes from the bay. My daughter and I would visit frequently to snorkel and it was the most breathtaking area ever! Get there early because if you don’t, you will be fighting the crowds. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to see the sea turtles !! A must visit

  • 5/5 Christina Q. 3 years ago on Google
    非常美的天然岛屿,景色秀丽度假胜地


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