Hanauma Bay
 

My husband and I will be in Oahu in May and June. He is an unsure swimmer so I thought this would be a good place for him to snorkel because he loves tropical fish. Has anyone taken the bus to there? Also, are they open on Memorial Day or should I stay clear for there on that day? With the park being closed on Tues we're running in to a problem, we will be in Oahu Sat afternoon-afternoon of Thurs. Help!!!
Thanks!!

You can get there bon (public) The Bus. But for $12-15 you can arranget a shuttle to pick up/drop off from your hotel and it includes the snorkeling gear and a short lesson at the start. These offers are all over once you're in Waikiki.

Here is the Hanauma Bay website. They are open Memorial Day.

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/f...ay/welcome.htm

It gives a lot of info about the park, including what bus to take.

In her response, Suze mentioned using a shuttle (tour) to get there. If you use coupons from 'This Week Oahu' or 'Oahu Gold' you can find coupons for around $12. 'Oahu Gold' has a coupon for $8.99 (regular $17) or $12.99 (Deluxe Tour which includes a BBQ steak lunch, better equipment and an underwater camera). It is through Hawaiian Eco-Adventures
(808)479-2557 or (808) 737-1200. The tours do not include the $5 admission charge to the park.

Oahu Gold also has coupons for $8.95 (808)306-6613. No name of company on the coupon. Another coupon for $9.00 (808)753-5593 or 808-277-2393.
Another coupon for $8.95 Seabird Tours 808-220-3968.

You can get Oahu Gold or This Week Oahu for free at the airport baggage area or any of about 50 newstands in Waikiki. You can also use their websites:
www.spotlighthawaii.com (Oahu Gold)
www.thisweek.com (This Week Oahu)

But, it costs $4 roundtrip by city bus + $5 admission + about $4 to rent equipment. So you are almost the same cost as a tour if you take the bus.

You can also purchase a 4-day bus pass for visitors for $20. You can get these at any of about 40 ABC stores in Waikiki.

If you are going to use city buses for much of your travel on Oahu, you

Get there early in the day.

starrsville,
how can you get there early if you take the bus? All the info I found on the buses say that they don't leave Waikiki until at least 8:00am. Any suggestions?
Thanks dusty for all the info!!!

Get there as early as possible.

We didn't. The parking lot was already full when we got there (we had a rental car). We just drove on and did a loop of the island that day instead.

I just called the city bus Co. The first city bus leaves Waikiki for Hanauma Bay at 8:15 every day including holidays. So that is a good reason why you should call a couple of the tour companies at the phone # I listed earlier.

I'm afraid that getting there early in the morning is out of the question for me. I'm on vacation and don't plan on getting up to catch an 8:15 bus.

How about late afternoons? Maybe we can catch it on the way back from the North Shore. They close at 7pm -- maybe hit it about 4pm?? ((b))

Good place for unsure swimmer...very shallow in parts. In fact, you can stand in water up to your knees and look at the fish.

I would recommend renting a car and getting there early. We did and the ranger told us to just go in. We didn't have to pay or watch that required video. Hardly anyone was there and there were actually sea turtles. Later on all the people scared them off. We saw the most incredible neon colored fish and further out coral munching fish. All very shallow and easy to snorkel in.

Budman, I'm willing to do a small wager of just how early you get up on your first few mornings of vacation!

I say 1st morning it will be 4:30 a.m.
2nd morning 5 am
3rd morning and all others 6 am

icee, :D yer too funny!

iceeu2, I'll only be able to tell you about the first morning, but "I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt" when it comes to getting "underway" in the morning. ((a)) ((b))

What company does anyone recommend? I looked for Hawaiian Eco Adventures on the web and couldn't find it. Help!!!
Thanks!

Did you try any of the phone numbers I posted earlier? They are the cheapest places because of the coupons.

But, here are some websites. Any time i've ever gone to Hanauma Bay i've driven, so I don't know anything about any of these.

www.hawaiiactivities.com

http://www.hanaumabay-hawaii.com/snorkel.htm

http://www.oahu-snorkeling-tours.com...nauma_bay.html

http://www.oahudivecenter.com/hanauma.htm

There are activity/adventure/tour desks in almost all major hotels in Waikiki and many others in front of other hotels shops etc.

Thanks Dusty!! I looked at those links and they helped. I think I've decided to just rent a car and go on our own. We have new snorkel equipment to use and it'll be easier in the long run. How early can we get there?

It opens at 6:00am.
If you get there by 6:30 you can probably avoid the $5 admission charge. I think the ticket office opens at 7am.

Keep your snorkel equipment in the car if you have the car the entire time.

Chun's Reef (sea turtles) and Shark's Cove on the North Shore are excellent for snorkeling inn the summer. The waves are calm on the North Shore in the summer.

This is a good map for North Shore beaches.
http://www.frommers.com/images/desti...northshore.jpg

Chun's Reef is not on this map, but it is located half way between Haleiwa Beach Park #3 and Waimea Beach #4.

Thanks for all your help Dusty and all others! I can't wait to go!

PS: We are staying at the Outrigger Waikiki. Can someone tell me how to get to Hanauma Bay from there? I would just mapquest it but I didn't figure the bay at an exact address.
Thanks!!

Look on Mapquest. Take the H1, East. It goes directly there. Once you get close, I'm sure there will be signs. ((b))

Yup, get on the H1 going east. The freeway will turn into Kalanianaole Hwy. and you will drive for several miles - past the very nice areas of Kahala, Wailupe, Portlock, etc.

Follow the highway through Hawaii Kai and you're getting close when you pass Hawaii Kai Drive, Keahole Street and the marina on the left. The entrance to the bay is on your left and there is a sign.

sorry, typo. The entrance to the bay is on your RIGHT.

A thought about going late in the afternoon, you will be able to park, but chances are that the afternoon wind will have kicked up and you won't be able to see zip! This happened on our last trip, but we had been there twice already in the early A.M., so no problemo.