Hanauma Bay

Snorkel a Sunken Volcanic Crater

Hanauma Bay- This sanctuary is home to hundreds of reef fish waiting for a handout. Stop by the Education Center to learn what you’ll find when snorkeling the turquoise waters.

Edged by a 2,000-foot golden beach, Hanauma Bay is Oahu’s prime snorkeling destination. No matter how many times you visit this collapsed volcanic crater, it’s the indescribable feeling of tiny mouths nibbling at your swimsuit that will bring you back. Signs tell where you can find specific fish. They’ll swim right up to you.

Rent a face mask, snorkel and fins and you’re on your way to an adventure that you can write home about. More than 50 species of fish are found in Hawaii’s waters. You’ll lose count of how many you see at Hanauma Bay.

To protect the natural state of the bay and its inhabitants, steps are being taken to ban fish feeding in the Bay. Though disappointed, visitors still have fun snorkeling and understand the importance of maintaining Oahu’s resources.

Hanauma Bay is open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and closed Tuesday. The number of visitors each day is limited so it’s best to go early. Phone (808)396-4229 for recorded info, conditions at the bay and the status of the monthly invasion of jellyfish. Visit the education center and find out why it’s not good to walk on the reef.

Cost is $1 per vehicle. Entrance fee is $3 per non-resident 13 years and older; no charge for residents with photo ID. Wheelchairs and trolley service are available to handicapped persons at no cost. Check out the educational center and learn about the bay’s marine life—and why it’s not good to walk on the reef.

SNORKELING:
Most rental companies offer roundtrip transportation to Hanauma Bay, snorkel lessons or a fish guide; just call and ask.If the bay is too crowded, another popular snorkel spot during the summer is Shark’s Cove on the North Shore. Don’t let the name scare you—it’s been a long while since anyone has seen a shark in the waters. Also popular with scuba divers, to the right of the cove is an inlet through which divers pass into deeper water and its underwater alcoves.

SCUBA DIVING:
Oahu’s best dives are offshore and the island is a favorite for wreck diving. The Mahi is a shipwreck that’s one of the more popular dive sites on Oahu. A sister ship to Jacques Cousteau’s Calypso, The Mahi is frequented by Spotted Eagle Rays, fish, eels and turtles. Another shipwreck is The YO257, a 110-foot long wreck sunk off Waikiki by Atlantis Submarines. Dive options abound: reef and shallow reef dives, artificial reefs, lava formations and airplane wrecks. If you go it alone, consult with a local dive shop familiar with the sites. Better yet, make reservations with a vendor who’s experienced in diving Hawaii’s waters.