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Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu: Address, Phone Number, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Reviews: 4.5/5

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Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

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Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
4.5
16 894
#4 of 318 things to do in Honolulu
Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
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A perfect snorkeling spot.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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4.5
16 894 reviews
Excellent
10 625
Very good
3 978
Average
1 607
Poor
445
Terrible
238
bktx1
Texas496 contributions
Beautiful place
Jun 2021
The park is hard to get into, as reservations are required and they book up quickly. The bay is beautiful as are the surrounding landscape. The water is nice. Reefs are in very shallow water so it can be hard to navigate when snorkeling. Staff is not very friendly.
Written 17 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angelia B
14 contributions
Worth it if you can get reservations!
Jun 2021
This was one of my favorite experiences! The view is amazing! The waters are so blue and there were so many cool fish to see. There are bathrooms, a shuttle to take you up and down the big hill, food to buy, snorkel gear to rent, and a gift shop. Even though there were reservations and our appointment was early in the morning, there were still thousands of people there on the day we went. It got a little crowded in the water and things got churned up a bit and cloudy water because of it, but it was still an amazing experience. Just got as early as you can and don't be late or they won't let you in!
Written 15 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
hutchens74
Edwardsville, IL124 contributions
Top notch snorkeling
May 2021 • Friends
I have snorkeled all over the Caribbean and Latin America. This is one of the most diverse places I have ever been given the privilege to snorkel. I can't even tell you the numbers of fish I saw that were different than anything I have ever seen. I even saw a moray eel about 6 foot long! It was really cool to see the coral that was starting to return as well. Remember no matter where you are in water that's not a pool, it ends up in the ocean. Practice reef and sea animal safe practices. The only downside is we were not able to secure online reservations so we had to get up at 5 am, drive there, wait in line, then wait til 840 to go in because that was as early as we could get in. I could have stayed all day but there is much more to see on the trip. Apparently we were there when the tide was really low and its even better when you can snorkel over the reef instead on just around it but even still.... Don't miss this spot.
Written 12 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jill
Rapid City, SD1 contribution
Reservation tickets a joke!
Apr 2021 • Friends
Tried to get a reservation to take my sister, who has never been to Hawaii, to experience hanauma bay and do some snorkeling! What a fiasco that was! Never was able to go visit! Don't waste your time trying to get tickets.
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jenny F
10 contributions
Great Snorkeling, Great Memories
Jun 2021
This could be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We loved the snorkeling and saw lots of life. It was not overcrowded and though it was stressful to get the tickets, we are so glad we did. My one concern was I didn't feel the lifeguards were super attentive. They were available if needed, but with two teens and a kid out there, I was a bit nervous.
Written 5 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Louise
5 contributions
Coral needs more care
May 2021 • Family
This coral in here is precious. There needs to be a regimen in place to have it better taken care of. Rude staffs looked like they do not care about the natural beauty. Staffs are real bad mouthed.
Written 29 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brenna
5 contributions
Advance
May 2021 • Family
You need to book in advance. When you get here, the staffs are rude, very rude. The coral is ok though.
Written 29 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amy
3 contributions
Beautiful cove for snorkeling
May 2021
We loved the opportunity to go to Hanauma Bay. It was a little tricky reserving tickets (you have to go on right when they open....and they sell out spots within 2 minutes!) It took us a couple days to get tickets. We actually appreciated the online ticket purchasing for a specific time versus standing in line all day hoping to get in. The movie you watch before hand is very informative and necessary to preserve the reef. We saw so many different kinds of fish and an eel. It was a beautiful preserve where you can see a lot of marine life! Highly recommend!
Written 28 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
chperu
Miami, FL5 contributions
Great snorkeling
May 2021
I did not visit Hanauma Bay, but from conversations with other guests, they mentioned that it was a great place to spend the morning snorkeling. You need to make reservations in advance if you want to visit.
Written 28 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
schikarmane
Cupertino, CA40 contributions
Unfriendly reservation system, great snorkeling
May 2021 • Couples
Getting the reservation was the hardest part. The on-line reservation system opens at precisely 7:00am. Unlike other reservation systems that hold your desired number of places for a few minutes while you complete and submit your form, this one is a mad race against time and all others that are trying. The first time, I submitted my form at 7:03am and received a “capacity reached” message. The next time, I was much more efficient and submitted by 7:01 and got through. The official web site says even though you made the reservation, parking might be full when you get there. Crazy! So even though we had a 10am reservation, we showed up by 7:30am. But in speaking to the staff there, they said the reservation system allows only as many people as there are parking spots. Though parking was nearly full, there were indeed several open throughout the time we were there, till about 2pm. Bottom line, the reservation system and web site needs to be made more user friendly!

The rest is straightforward. Once you’re parked, before you can descend to the water, you have to watch a video at your reservation time. Until then, if you show up early, you can spend time exploring the open space around the parking area, which is very nicely maintained with beautiful trees and park benches, with lookout points offering great views of the bay. The staff are very helpful and friendly. There is a good variety of fish, large and small, of different colors and the snorkeling was great, but I’d say there are other easier to access places in Hawaii where there is equal or better underwater life.
Written 27 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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