andiamo

I will be in Oahu/Honolulu the end of October. I have never been snorkeling, but am intrigued by it (and a bit scared....aren't their eels in the coral that bite?) Can anyone offer advice...what do I need to know? Do you just wear your bathing suit, or is special attire required? I've read about some places in Oahu to snorkel, some right off the beach, some where you take a short boat ride to get to a great location...can anyone offer any advice as to which is the best one for a first timer? If it's crowded with a lot of people, do you really get to see a lot of fish? Is it really worth it? How long should you plan to be out there? I may have a car one day, or may take the bus, so please feel free to offer the best places on the island. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

gbhost

I've never snorkeled in Hawaii before, but may I suggest that if you have a problem with sea sickness/motion sickness, that you take a dramamine before you depart.

I've snorkled many times in waveless inland lakes here in Michigan and enjoyed it. So, on a trip to Key West we thought we would take one of the group snorkeling excursions. The 30 minute boat ride to the reef was fine and the snorkeling was spectacular, but when we got back out of the water I was green. Apparantly laying on top of the undulating water while staring down did the trick and affected nearly a quarter of the 25-30 people in my excursion. Several were throwing up over the side of the boat on the ride back....

Marilyn

My best advice to you is to be sure your mask fits properly. Otherwise you will not have a good experience.

cd

For a first timer I recommend Hunamma (sp? Bay in Oahu. Go early as it does get crowded but you can walk in from the shore at your own comfort level. The fish actually swim around your feet while on shore! You can rent equipment there. I would bring alcohol swabs to clean the mouthpiece. If you take a tour on a boat, you would want to wear a lifevest. The tour people will have them.

lahainaluna

cd had a good recommendation. I think it is Haunama Bay. It is very protected and the water is calm. Just so you feel completly comfortable you might want to try out the mask and snorkel in your hotel pool. Just to get the feel of it. I would also stop by a WalMart before you leave home and pick up some of those surf shoes or take an old pair of light weight sneaker (Keds type) along. There are a lot of rocks there and that attracts the fish but if you get nervous you may want to put your feet down and collect yourself and with your feet protected you always have the confidence that you can take a break.

I agree with Marilyn about the mask. When you rent, don't feel rushed. Just tell them you are a beginner and need some extra help. Most places are happy to help but if you don't say anything they will just think you know what you are doing. Some people that are experienced can have a "I know it all" attitude so the staff will not try to give you advice if you don't ask. Anywhere you rent your equipment can also rent you a life vest and it can make all the difference if you are at all nervous.

Don't do anything if you are not comfortable and go at your own pace. It is an incredible experience and can be the highlight of your trip if you don't get in over your head.

Have fun!

Cindyrella

We did a snorkle tour to Haunama Bay. DON'T do this! You don't need to waste the money. It's a lot of driving and stopping and waiting plus they try to sell you everything. Buy a cheap underwater camera before you go, they'll be $20 there. Drive there on your own--go early! We went in the early afternoon and literally could not a find space to put down our towels. The snorkle gear there was really crappy, most of it was broken. Rent your own. My first snorkling experience was on Oahu and I'm addicted now. Have fun!

islandmom

Just don't put your hand in the coral or any holes and the eels won't bother you. I would start out from the shore in an area with lifeguards like Hanauma. You can find good gear from Snorkel Bob's.

Marilyn

Here's a second vote for Snorkel Bob's. I bought a mask there with magnifying lenses so I could see underwater. Much less expensive than a prescription mask (which they can do as well) and works pretty well. They told me to try it out and if I needed different strength lenses, come back and they would replace them. Great service!

viking

Snorkling can be excellant walking distance from your Waikiki hotel, but it's not idiot proof. You have to go to extreme left or right ends of beach where hotels end, then swim way, way out where it gets very shallow, then drops off. There must be an absence of surf and surfers at these spots (not elsewhere) or it can be dangerous and water gets cloudy. The left spot is marked with signs for waikiki marine conservation district, and can rival hanauma bay when things are right.

jette

Viking is right, Waikiki can have some great snorkeling. My personal favorite on Oahu is right off Laniki beach. It's a georgeous beach and the water is generally calm. Not nearly as crowded as H. bay, in fact, many week days you'll have it to yourself.

Please remember, where ever you go that coral is a living organism. Do NOT stand on or touch the coral. It may look like so much rock to you but you will damage/kill this delicate organism AND get a nasty infected scratch. Unfortunatley H.Bay is largely a dead reef because of the overuse and abuse of uninformed tourists.

JIW

How do you snorkelers get used to breathing thru the tube? My breathing rate goes WAY UP when I try to breathe thru the tube. Too much 'deadspace' which is increased CO2. Any suggestions? Are there shorter tubes?

viking

Short tubes without valves really work the best in that respect; just be sure and aim it directly up from your typical swimming position (something between head down or head forward).