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Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu, HI

Photo: ErgoSum88, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

7455 Kalanianaole Hwy · Honolulu, HI

Why you should go…

Hanauma Bay is a curved bay on Oahu's southeast coast, set inside a volcanic tuff ring that formed about 32,000 years ago. It has been a protected marine area since 1967, and about 400 species of fish live in its waters, along with green sea turtles. Every visitor watches a short educational video about the reef before heading down to the beach. Entry is by reservation, opened online two days ahead, with a limited number of walk-in tickets.

  • #snorkeling
  • #beach
  • #nature preserve
  • #coral reef
  • #oahu

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Diamond Head State Monument

    Under $25

    Climb switchbacks, steep stairs and a lighted tunnel to old military bunkers on the crater rim.

    7.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Honolulu Zoo

    Under $25

    See black rhinos, giraffes, elephants and native Hawaiian birds across 42 acres at the edge of Kapiolani Park in Waikiki.

    8.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Waikiki Beach

    Free

    Swim, take a surf lesson and stroll Honolulu's resort beach with the Diamond Head crater in view down the shore.

    8.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Lanikai Beach

    Free

    Swim in calm, shallow turquoise water off a half-mile of sand facing the twin Mokulua Islands offshore.

    8.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Shopping
    Free

    International Market Place

    Free

    Shop and eat beneath a preserved banyan tree at an open-air shopping center on Kalakaua Avenue in the heart of Waikiki.

    8.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Shopping
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Ala Moana Center

    Free

    Browse more than 350 shops and restaurants at an open-air Honolulu mall, with hula performances on Centerstage.

    9.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping