Hanauma Bay Snorkeling & More on Oahu

Today is Day 1 in Hawaii and we are exploring Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve on Oahu. Along with our daughter and friends Lisa and Jack, and their kids, we have a full day planned. And it starts with Hanauma Bay, the premier snorkeling spot on the island. See what you need to know about Hanauma Bay snorkeling and more!

Make sure to check back regularly for all of our adventures in Hawaii at: Destination – Hawaii.

Planning Hanauma Bay Snorkeling and more

We weren’t originally planning Hanauma Bay our 1^st day in Oahu, but it’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays. And since we arrive on the island Saturday evening, and leave on Wednesday, that means we’re going Sunday morning. The other thing to note is they require reservations. Online you can book only 2 days in advance, at 7:00AM HST, and they usually sell out in 5 minutes. So for us, we have to book the day before we leave at 1:00PM EST. Though if you miss your opportunity, you can try to purchase walk-in tickets when the park opens at 6:45AM. For more information, check: Parks & Recreation/Hanauma Bay.

Since it’s a 6 hour difference for us, we plan to be up early. And since it’s also Lisa’s birthday, she wants to eat breakfast first at a famous restaurant.  Duke’s Waikiki Beach is named for Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Hawaiian swimmer and surfer. Though it’s in the opposite direction about 25 minutes away, so we plan to be there when it opens at 7:00AM. That will give us plenty of time to get to Hanauma Bay. So, when it’s our time to book, I snag 7 tickets for us at 9:30AM.

With our reservations set, we will be ready to hit the beach. We’re bringing towels, reef-safe sunscreen, water, underwater cameras and our own snorkel gear. Though you can rent snorkel gear on the beach for an additional charge. And after a few hours of Hanauma Bay snorkeling, it’ll be around lunchtime. Less than a mile away is Kona Brewing Hawaii Kai. And even though the original Kona Brewing is on the Big Island of Hawaii, this is too close to miss.  Breakfast, Hanauma Bay snorkeling, lunch and beer!

Duke’s Waikiki Beach Breakfast Buffet

Lisa had made a reservation for 7:00AM when Duke’s opens. Even though it shouldn’t be too crowded this early, having the reservation means our table of 7 should be ready when we arrive. It’s all about maximizing our time, which is good because we’re running late. We map direct to the restaurant located in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, and we arrive right at 7:00. The only option is to valet park here or to self-park a few blocks away. Pressed for time, we explain to the valets we’re going to Duke’s for breakfast. And they squeeze us in the garage. We then walk to the restaurant.

Though we have a reservation, we wait a few minutes before they seat us. But they have a large table set up for us with an ocean view and close to the buffet. And once seated, our server arrives promptly to take our drink orders. Coffee and water please! It’s included with their breakfast buffet, as well as various fresh juices. They also have a drink menu where Lisa orders the mimosa flight which is plenty to share.

Then we are ready to hit to buffet. First off is fresh local fruit including papaya and pineapple. And we discover Li Hing pineapple, sprinkled with a sweet and savory red powder made from dried plums. You can get it with or without so we try both.

In addition, they have staples like eggs, bacon and Portuguese sausage. You can even order small omelets made to order and brought to your table by your server. But you have to try the banana pancakes with the coconut syrup. It is so good! Check out Duke’s Waikiki for more.

Duke’s to Hanauma Bay

After we eat, I take the kids out to Waikiki Beach where we see some surfers in the water. We take a quick walk on the beach before heading back for the restrooms. Once we’re ready, we leave and ask the hostess to validate the parking ticket. Apparently they don’t validate valet tickets, but she tells us to try the front desk upstairs. So, the ladies go up and get it validated while I find the Duke’s store just outside the restaurant.

The girls meet us in the store where we shop for some t-shirts. By the time we finish, it’s after 8:30AM, and we need to get to Hanauma Bay 15 minutes prior to our reservation time. So, we give the valets our validated ticket. Though the validation only gives us a discounted rate, and we still have to pay. Oh well, our bellies are full and happy. So we leave for Hanauma Bay.

The drive is not bad, and we make it to parking lot entrance with less than 5 minutes to spare. There’s a few cars waiting to get in, and takes us a few minutes until our turn. Then the attendant asks if we already have reservations. Since we do, we give him $3.00 (cash only) and head into the large parking lot. We park in the upper lot which still has plenty of spaces and grab our stuff.

On the walk down we get our 1st glimpse of Hanauma Bay. And at the main entrance, an employee asks again if I have a reservation. I tell him we do at 9:30AM, and he points to a line. So we go to the back of the line and wait.

Hanauma Bay Museum, Orientation Video and Tram

We’re in line for our reservation time more than 5 minutes early. But we have to wait about 15 minutes before they call our line to the ticket counter. But before we get to the counter, we stop and are told to get our reservations out and be ready. So by the time we get to the ticket counter, it’s now 9:45AM. There’s only 1 person at the counter which is probably why it’s so backed up. And once we provide our tickets, we’re told to wait in another line before we can enter the museum.

So we wait another 10 minutes while everyone in the 9:30 line gets through. We still have an orientation to do, but they let us in the museum until they’re ready for the next showing. The museum does have some interesting displays about Hanauma Bay. But over 20 minutes later, a volunteer finally asks us to gather round where still tells us about the rules. She also explains how they limited the number of people who visit here due to the effects on the reef.

Afterwards we wait another 5 minutes before we head past the rope down to the theater. Here we watch the required orientation video about the bay. It is informative, and afterwards we are finally able to go to the beach. We can either take the tram or walk down.

It’s recommended to take the walk down to see the views. And we couldn’t agree more. As you take the leisurely walk down, the views of the bay get even better and better. And you can see this bay was once a volcanic crater.

Arriving at the Beach

We can’t believe it’s 10:30AM by the time we get to the beach. But that’s when we see something that draws our attention. Past the lifeguard stand to the left, we something laying on the beach. As we get closer, we see it’s a Hawaiian monk seal resting.

There’s a roped-off area around the seal giving it plenty of space. And they need it. They get worn out by the strong currents, and come in to sleep on the beach. If we didn’t see it move his head, we’d think he was totally passed out.

There’s a small crowd admiring the seal as it lies motionless. Not sure where the other seals are, but this one doesn’t mind taking a nap here by itself. Even with all the people around, it ignores all of them staring from a distance. Since we’re still carrying all our gear, we decide to park our stuff on the beach nearby.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Snorkeling

There are different areas of Hanauma Bay where you can enter the water. The opening closest to the seal is the largest one called Keyhole Lagoon. It’s more accessible than areas on the right of the beach, which is probably why there are a lot of people here. But we’re ready to get in the water. And as soon as we do, we see some big fish.

We see a few orangespine unicornfish that look like they have bows near their tails. When I bought a new iPhone, I got a waterproof case. And I tested it underwater in a Florida spring before this trip,. And it worked great. So, I’m excited to try it here and capture this colorful fish. Another even more colorful fish we see looks like a rainbow-colored parrotfish. There are many colorful species of them, so hard to tell which one it is.

One fish that I am excited to see is the Hawaiian state fish called the humuhumunukunukuapua’a. If that’s too hard to say, it’s also called a reef triggerfish. As you can see there are plenty of fish to spot while snorkeling in Hanauma Bay. Though there are a lot of snorkelers here, too. Especially closer to shore, it’s easy to bump into someone. Though we’re very proud of our daughter. We’ve been teaching her how to snorkel, and today she is doing great and enjoying it.

There are areas of the reef you can swim over and some you can’t. I try to find a way to swim over to the next area called Backdoor Lagoon. But there is no way to swim from one lagoon to another without exiting the water and walking down the beach. So I get out.

Back on the beach at Hanauma Bay

Back on the beach, I see the kids are done snorkeling. I was in the water for about an hour, but I want to walk down the beach to another spot. Though we all wind up walking down the beach, and around the seal who seems even more passed out if that’s possible. We even see someone making a replica seal in the sand.

Behind the lifeguard stations we find the restrooms. It’s after noon now, and everyone’s ready for lunch. So, the kids take turns changing clothes. While they’re changing I look around and notice an information hut. I also spot where you can rent your snorkel gear.

And just past it is where we pick up the tram to go back up to the entrance. The ride only takes a few minutes, but goes straight up. So, we’re glad we don’t have to walk it. Back at the top the rest of us change for lunch in the restrooms by the snack bar. Though they have some decent food options, after 4 hours here we’re ready to also get some drinks.

Kona Brewing Hawaii Kai Lunch and Beer

Kona Brewing’s Hawaii Kai location is just 4 minutes up the road on the docks of the Koko Marina. And though it’s not until after 1:30PM we make it to the restaurant, they are busy and don’t have a table ready for the 7 of us. So, while we’re waiting, we check out their bus outside and their store inside.

Becky decides to go inside to the bar to get everyone drinks while we continue to wait. She gets some mocktails called Playground Punch for the kids. And we finally get some Koko Brown beers we’ve only seen once in Florida, and haven’t had since until now.

The drinks hit the spot, but we patiently wait for at least 30-40 minutes before we’re seated. By now we are starving. But we order more drinks first and I get a flight to try more beers.

Finally time to order and I get the fish tacos with fresh ono or wahoo. Becky gets their Gouda burger and with both get mac salad as a side. Normally I take pictures of all our food, but we were starving and devour it. Let’s just say they were good.

Food, beer, cocktails and mocktails with a great view is always a winner. The restaurant is literally on the docks to the marina and we can see the boats parked outside in the turquoise water. It definitely hit the spot. You can check out more at: Hawai‘i Kai Pub | Kona Brewing Hawaiʻi.

Summary of Hanauma Bay Snorkeling and more

We spent about 4 hours at Hanauma Bay, with over an hour snorkeling. Though having to wait over an hour to get in and do the orientation was too long. But Hanauma Bay is absolutely gorgeous. And getting to see a Hawaiian monk seal was a highlight. There are multiple spots to get in the water and snorkel and we recommend doing more than one. Though we saw fish as soon as we got in the water, and our phone cameras worked great.  We could definitely see spending the whole day here.  Though we recommend getting here earlier to beat the crowds and get in the water sooner. Also, don’t forget to make reservations online in advance, and bring $3.00 cash for parking.

Having breakfast at Duke’s beforehand gave us the fuel we needed after flying the day before. We really enjoyed the food, though we recommend getting there early to self-park and walk to the restaurant.  And afterwards, Kona Brewing Hawaii Kai is close and great spot to stop for lunch and drinks. Though I’m not done yet, so look for our next post on the Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail.

Make sure to check back regularly for all of our adventures in Hawaii at: Destination – Hawaii.