One of the breath-taking place in Honolulu with unmatched beauty, welcome to Hanauma Bay. It offers great snorkeling experience with over 400 types of fish. When you visit, you will notice it overcrowded with visitors from all over the world. The reef is not holding up well and lost its original shape due to huge number of visitors.
snorkeling-at-hanauma-bay-oahu
Here is a list of common questions and their answers about Hanauma bay. You can decide if you plan to visit on your next trip to Hawaii.
What island is Hanauma Bay on?
Hanauma bay is located on the island of Oahu (among Hawaiian Islands)and is part of Honolulu county. On the map, the bay is located on the southern part of Oahu. Honolulu is the neighbouring county of Waikiki which is the main down town in the Island of Hawaii.
What is the address of Hanauma bay?
Hanauma bay address is 7455 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii. You can use this address in the google maps or GPS system for your trip. Although people do look for Hanauma bay phone number but unfortunately, the website does not offer any such number.
How much does it cost snorkeling at Hanauma Bay?
Hanauma Bay is free for the local Hawaiian residents and active local military people.
All kids which are 12 years and under 12 are also free to enter the bay, no matter they are locals or visitors. Entry fees for snorkeling at Hanauma Bay state park is $7.50 per person for all the tourists (non-residents). You can pay by Master card, visa card or cash.
Hanauma bay is inside the Hanauma bay state park. It is somehow expensive but worth the experience you will get while snorkeling at hanauma bay. The entry price of $7.5 do not include other facilities like Snorkel gears, lockers, tram rides or items from the food and gift shop inside the Hanauma bay state park. If you belong to the free category, make sure to display your ID cards.
NOTE : Hanauma bay tickets contain the time when your orientation for entry to the park is starting, you have to be there 5 minutes before your orientation time.
Is Hanauma Bay Closed (June 2020)?
As per current information, Hanauma bay is closed until 30th of June due to COVID-19 emergency state. This is due to the Honolulu city council laws which states that Hanauma Bay can be closed in case of an emergency. Additionally, any construction work that may involve recovering from a damage to the natural preserve can also result in closure of the park.
What are Hanauma bay hours?
Hanauma Bay state park is closed on every Tuesdays, therefore it is essential to plan snorkelling activity accordingly. Hanauma Bay is closed on Christmas Day (December 25) as well as on 1st January (New Years Day). Some Hawaii visitors may not like it as this is the high season in Hawaii when there are lot of tourists. As per the website, the Hanauma bay opening hour is 6 a.m. whereas, closing hours varies. In the winter months the bay closes at 6 p.m. On the other hand, in summer times, it closes at 7 p.m.
What are the best Hanauma bay hours for visitors?
The best time to arrive by car is early morning, say 7 am, or afternoon, between 1pm and 2pm. The problem is that parking spots at Hanauma bay are around 300 (three hundred) but still fill up very quickly. Therefore, you will have to either wait or find the parking elsewhere.
After 8 30 am, you will be lucky if you find parking at Hanauma bay parking lot. If you are coming by Uber or taxi, the ideal Hanauma bay hours are between 9 to 11 30 AM. If you cannot reach the bay before 4 pm, you will have less than 2 hours to do snorkeling at the Bay.
How do I get from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay?
You can get from Waikiki to Hanauma bay using public transport(bus), private rental car, uber/taxi and shuttle service operated by Hanauma Bay state park administration. Hanauma bay is around 12 miles away from Waikiki Beach and the travelling time will vary based upon the mode of transport.
Does Hanauma Bay limit visitors?
Yes, there is a limit for visitors. At one time, maximum number of visitors at Hanauma beach (lower part of the park) must not exceed 2000 at one time. This has been defined in the rules of Honolulu city council, The sole purpose is to control and limit the visitors and protect the bay from deterioration. Closure on Tuesday, entry fees of $7.5 and onboarding video at the entrance of the state park are some of the steps to keep the visitors number low. On average 75000 people/month visited the Bay in 2019.
How to travel to Hanauma Bay by Car?
If you are coming from Honolulu to Hanauma bay by car, you should take the H1 Freeway. At a certain moment H1 Freeway will become Kalanianaole Highway. You should keep on driving for around 10 miles. Once you have passed the City of Hawaii kai, you will see the entrance to Hanauma Bay at the top of hill.
Is Taxi better than Bus to come to Hanauma bay?
Considering the fact that Hanauma bay parking lot fills up very early in the morning, Uber or Taxi can be rented. Off course, Taxi/Uber is 15 times expensive in Hawaii compared to bus. Taxi will cost you around $40-$50 to reach from Waikiki to Hanauma bay, whereas bus will take $2.5 for a single journey.
Does the bus go to Hanauma bay?
Yes, Hanauma bay is assessible by Bus. On “Route 22 beach bus” you can go from central Waikiki to the Hanauma bay state park following the Eastbound to Sea Life Park direction bus. You can reach the bay using Public transport in 50 mins from Waikiki. Hawaii has pretty nice public transport system. It is better to ride the route 22 beach bus at starting points which is closer to downtown Waikiki. These stops are Waikiki Kalakaua/Olohaana and Waikiki Kalakaua/Kapahulu ,respectively.
The stop where you have to get off is Hanauma bay parking lot. The Beach Bus on Route 22 does operate on Tuesday but is not stopping at the bay(as it is closed on Tuesday). You should always check the latest time schedule. The bus operating hours are 8:20 AM to 4:57 PM, please check the schedule when you are there.
Best way to go by public transport is to buy a one day pass which is $5.50 for adults and $2.50 for single way ride. https://www.thebus.org/fare/adultfare.asp
What is Hanauma Bay shuttle service.?
Hanauma bay shuttle service costs $25 (aside from $7.5 for entrance fees) and operated by the Hanauma Bay state park. It includes transportation for your roundtrip from Waikiki to the bay entrance. They also provide you with Snorkel equipment ,e.g. Masks and Fins inside the package. Based upon your booking time, they will pick you up, drop at the Bay, and you get 3-3.5 hours of time to stay at the state park. The timing of pickup is available at 4 slots.(6 am, 7 15 am 8 45 am and 10 15 am). You have to reserve the shuttle ahead of your trip.
What is a TRAM inside Hanauma bay state park?
The tram inside Hanauma bay state park is available to carry visitors to the beach and back to the entrance. Once you have watched the orientation video after entering the park, you can either walk for few minutes to reach the beach, or take the tram paying $1 (in cash). Majority of visitors opt to come back from beach to the entrance using tram ($1.25 in cash)
What to do if you don’t find place at Hanauma bay parking lot?
Parking at Hanauma bay is very cheap,i.e.$1 per car, but it must be payed in cash. It is refundable if you leave within 15 min of entry. If you do not find parking at Hanauma bay parking lot, other option is visit Koko Crater Trail Parking lot, which is also having good space. If you find parking at Koko Crater Trail parking lot, its would take you half a mile walk (10 mins)to reach Hanauma bay state park entrance.
In case you don’t find parking at any of above mentioned places, the next closest parking place is Costco wholesale https://goo.gl/maps/3UbmGXBrzujK1GEG6 which is 2.5 miles (45 mins walk) away from Hanauma bay state park. In case you are already late to leave for Hanauma bay on your car, you can try to reach the bay in the noon hours i.e. 1 pm to 2 pm. This is the time when people visiting the bay by car at the morning hours will be leaving the parking lot.
Is it good to visit Hanauma bay after 4 pm?
Important Advise : If you visit Hanauma Bay in the evening hours, please note that around 45 minutes before the closing hours, life guards are getting people out of the water. On the other hand, the entry gates close at the closing hours.
Lets assume you bought the entry tickets for hanauma bay at 4 pm. It will take at least 11 mins to watch the videos about history of Hanauma bay, before you are allowed to enter the Hanauma Beach. In case there are more people, the delay will increase. Walking from entrance till the Bay is also taking around 15 minutes, and if you are getting snorkel rental inside Hanauma Bay, it take few more minutes, and by 5 pm, you are in the water. In winter time, you will have hardly 15 mins to be in water untill guards will pull you out.
Are there sharks in Hanauma bay?
Hanauma Bay does have sharks but they are rarely seen. You don’t need to worry about sharks while snorkeling at the beach. Bay has Whitetip reef sharks which can be maximum 6 feet long. These sharks are visible in daytime only during their resting time next to reefs or in a caves. Hanauma bay sharks are not interested in eating humans. You will never be attacked unless you provoke them. There has been no incident at Hanauma bay about any shark attack in the last 15 years. Such safe waters makes snorkeling at Hanauma bay one of the most desired activity in Hawaii.
Does Hanauma bay has lockers?
Yes, Hanauma bay does offer two types of lockers. There is a small locker where you can put wallet, cash, watches, jewellery or key. The cost of smaller locker in Hanauma bay state park is $10. There is also option for a bigger locker at the lockers area, where you can put your hand bag or a proper luggage bag. Bigger locker cost $12.
Does Hanauma bay take credit cards?
At Hanauma bay, credit cards and debit cards are accepted for the entry tickets. You can also pay by credit card for renting snorkeling equipment. However, for paying at parking place and taking an internal tram to reach from entrance towards the beach area, you will have to use cash.
Debit/credit cards are definitely a good way to spend money, but it is not advised to use these on tourist places. There have been some occasions where visitors complained that their card data was leaked.
Do you need reservations at Hanauma Bay?
There is no reservations required to enter Hanauma Bay. Reservations are only needed if you are visiting through the official shuttle service (Its a different package). However, if you are going by your car, taxi or bus, you can simply buy tickets at the entrance and go down to the beach after watching the onboarding video session. In peak season, you may have to wait as there is a limit on the bay about how many people can be on the beach.
Are there change rooms at the Hanauma Bay?
Yes, there are change rooms at Hanauma Bay. These are located just beside the beach. Once you have watched the video after buying the tickets. You will walk for few minutes to reach the beach, and change rooms will be on your right hand side.
Do you need water shoes in Hanauma bay?
There is a lot of coral at Hanauma bay, therefore, it would be more safer to get water shoes. Beach is sandy, however, there are quite a lot of seashells, that you may like to protect your feet against. Additionally, while snorkeling in the water without fins, you may accidently touch coral and get a cut. Therefore, you can bring the water shoes if you don’t get fins.
Can you bring beach chairs at Hanauma bay?
Yes, you can bring beach chairs to Hanauma bay. You can also bring your own snorkel equipment, food, cooler, umbrella and beach towel. A must have thing to bring to Hanauma bay is the reef-safe sunscreen, because of special law in Honolulu.
Can I rent snorkel gear at Hanauma bay?
Yes, you can rent snorkel gear at Hanauma bay. For renting snorkel gear, you have to pay $20 for standard snorkel set. There is an option to rent Premium snorkel set for $40. Please note that, you have to pay the rental fees, aside from the $7.50 that you payed at the entrance of hanauma bay. You can pay by cash or card, but it is recommended to pay by cash in order to reduce risk of card data theft.
Is Hanauma Bay free before 7 AM?
According to the website, there is not such information about Hanauma bay free entry for everyone before 7 AM. Website only talks about free entry for locals with valid Hawaiian Ids. However, there is some kind of loophole in the entry system of the bay that allows some visitors to fool the system and enter without payment when the employees are starting their work day.
However, there is a possibility to enter free into Hanauma Bay State park in case the Director of bay approves. This is mostly happening either for educational purposes or certain promotional programs.
Is there food at Hanauma bay?
You can get food at Hanauma Bay but it is only available at the Snack bar named as Bay Rock Cafe . This snack bar has a limited but expensive variety of food and drinks. The Snack bar is located next to the entrance after the Parking lot. You will not find any other food place inside the bay once you go down to the beach area.
Cold drinks and water can range from $3.75 to $4.5 at the Bay Rock Cafe. Hot drinks are in the range $2.5 to $5. Other food items like hot dog, wraps and Chicken strips with fries are in between $4.5 to $9. Food can appear pricy but taste is not bad. Some people may complain about service, which is common issue with any other touristic place.
Where are the turtles in Hanauma Bay?
You will find sea turtles near the reefs in shallow waters in Hanauma bay. However, the quantity is quite less compared to north shore beaches in Oahu. If you find one, you will love to snorkel next to it. Just make sure you dont touch it or irritate it with your actions as it can result in heavy fine.
What fish you can see at Hanauma bay?
There is more than 400 variety of marine species at Hanauma Bay. You will find family of TANG fish (Yellow Tang, Convict Tang, Achilles Tang, Pacific Sailfin Tang), surgeonfish(Orange band, whitespotted ),Butterfly fish (threadfin, fourspot, bluestripe), Moorish Idol, Manybar goatfish, wrasse, cardinal fish, squirrel fish and Bluefin Trevally.
What can you do at Hanauma bay?
You can snorkel at Hanauma Bay which is ranked amongst the top beaches in USA. You will find a huge variety of coloured tropical fish underwater along with turtles. Turquoise water colour and temperature is excellent for swimming for visitors of all age groups.
Is Hanauma bay dangerous?
Generally speaking, Hanauma bay is safe. However, if you keep moving away from the shore, certain parts of Hanauma bay are certainly hazardous. There have been over 50 deaths for people drowning in last 25 years. On the other hand, the rescues are also around 500 per year.
Although waters in Hanauma bay are calm and hardly get any big waves. People crossing the limit of safe snorkeling area will go beyond “Witch’s Brew” and “Toilet Bowl” and put their life in danger.
Is it allowed to bring dogs to Hanauma Bay?
No, it is not allowed to bring any kind of dogs to Hanauma bay, as its a nature preserve. Even if the dogs are small enough to be put in a cage, it will not be allowed to enter the park.
Is Hanauma bay handicapped assessable?
Yes Hanauma bay is handicapped assessible, once you are inside the park, there is an option for electric wheel chairs. However, you will have to pay some extra cost.
What is the depth of Hanauma bay?
Hanauma bay depth varies from 2 feet to 15 feet. This is the reason that it is a world famous snorkeling spot among all age groups. You will see children, adults and old people snorkeling at various points at the beach. You can easily spot the suitable point to snorkel as there will be a lot of people at the beach to give you an idea. Otherwise, You can ask the life guards at the beach about the shallow areas at the beach.
What is prohibited at Hanauma bay?
It is strictly prohibited to touch any marine life at the bay. You are not allowed to fly any drones. Surfing and kayaking activities are also not permitted. It is not allowed to play volleyball at the beach.
Can I smoke at Hanauma bay?
Smoking has been prohibited in the Hanauma beach area since 1994. Offenders may be fined up to $100. If you want to smoke in the state park, you should walk up to the entrance, get a stamp, smoke outside the entrance and come back. The stamp will allow you to come back.
How much time is sufficient at Hanauma bay?
For experienced snorkelers, it may take 3 hours to explore one third of the bay. The key point here is that each part of the bay has its own marine life which gives a unique snorkeling experience. Therefore, you must utilize the opportunity to discover underwater species. For amateurs only planning to spend time at the bay, minimum 3.5 hours is a must.
0 Comments