Honolulu · RedAwning

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve$25 entry, 400 fish species, and the only protected snorkel cove in Honolulu — closed Mondays and Tuesdays

A horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater on Oahu's southeast coast, breached by the Pacific roughly 32,000 years ago, that became Hawaii's first Marine Life Conservation District in 1967. The 101-acre preserve protects more than 400 species of reef fish — including the Hawaiian state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa — across a calm, swim-fin-friendly lagoon walled in by 1,000-foot tuff cliffs.

Hours today6:45 AM – 4:00 PMSunday hours
TicketsFrom $25Non-Resident Admission (13+)
LocationHonolulu, Hawaii100 Hanauma Bay Road
Official sitehonolulu.govPlan your visit

400+Fish species
1967Established
1,400Daily capacity
Mon & TueClosed

Hanauma Bay formed roughly 32,000 years ago when the Pacific breached the southeast wall of an extinct tuff cone left over from the Honolulu Volcanic Series. The bay was a popular but unmanaged snorkel spot for decades — peaking at three million visitors a year in the late 1980s — until the City and County of Honolulu declared it a protected Marine Life Conservation District in 1967 and added daily visitor caps in the 1990s.

The lagoon today shelters more than 400 species of reef fish, an established population of green sea turtles (honu), reef sharks, eagle rays, and the Hawaiian state fish — the rectangular triggerfish locals call humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa. The bay is closed Mondays and Tuesdays for reef recovery, capacity is held to 1,400 visitors per day, and every guest watches a 9-minute conservation video at the Marine Education Center on the rim before walking down to the beach.

Plan to arrive by 6:45 AM. The water is calmest, the sun angle is best for visibility, and you'll have an hour of clear reef before the bay fills. Reservations open at 7:00 AM HST exactly two days ahead and routinely sell out within minutes. The walk down to the beach is a 200-foot vertical drop along a paved path; the optional shuttle ("tram") runs both directions for a small fee.

Marine Education Center
The required 9-minute conservation video plays on a rotating schedule inside the visitor center on the rim. Skip-the-line wristbands aren't a thing — every visitor watches the film, including kamaʻāina. Use the time to watch the green sea turtle webcam below the rim.
Toilet Bowl trail (closed but visible)
The natural rock plunge pool on the bay's east arm — the famous Toilet Bowl — has been closed since 2002 because of fatal accidents, but the rim trail still leads to a viewpoint above it. Helpful for context on why the western lagoon is the only swim zone.
Inner Reef snorkel zone
The shallow lagoon between the beach and the first reef break is the calmest snorkel water on Oahu — chest-deep at high tide, with parrotfish, yellow tang, and the green sea turtle resident population. Fins are required to leave the inner reef; rentals are sold at the dive shop.
Outer Reef channels
Past the inner reef, three sandy channels (Telephone Cable, Slot, and Backdoor) cut through to deeper water and the eagle ray cleaning stations. Rangers post conditions daily; channels are closed when surf hits four feet or rip currents activate.
Green sea turtle (honu) viewing
Resident green sea turtles graze the lagoon most mornings. Federal law requires a 10-foot buffer (no touching, no chasing) — Hawaii adds a $1,000 fine on top. The east end of the inner reef near the rocks is the most reliable sighting spot before 9:00 AM.
Reef-safe sunscreen booth
Chemical sunscreens (oxybenzone, octinoxate) are banned statewide and confiscated at the gate. The conservation booth sells reef-safe mineral options at cost, and free reef-safe samples are available at the entrance for visitors who arrive unprepared.
Tram up the rim
The 200-foot climb back to the parking lot is the hardest part of the day. The optional tram runs continuously from 6:45 AM to 4:00 PM — $1.50 down, $2.50 up, cash or card at the platform. Most visitors walk down and ride up.
Closure schedule
Hanauma Bay is closed Mondays and Tuesdays year-round so the reef can recover from the previous five days. The closure reduces daily fish stress and gives staff time to clean the lagoon. Plan your Oahu itinerary around the open Wed–Sun window — there is no early-entry workaround.

Open hours

Closed Mondays and Tuesdays for reef recovery. Opens 6:45 AM Wednesday through Sunday; last entry 1:30 PM, all visitors out by 4:00 PM.

MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday6:45 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday6:45 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday6:45 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday6:45 AM – 4:00 PM
SundayToday6:45 AM – 4:00 PM

Note · Last admission is 1:30 PM. Reservations open at 7:00 AM HST exactly 2 days in advance and routinely sell out within minutes.

Ticket pricing

Per-person admission. Buy in advance to skip the gate line.

Non-Resident Admission (13+)$25Reservation required, online only
Children 12 & UnderFreeFree; child must be present at check-in
Hawaii Residents (13+)FreeFree with valid Hawaii ID; walk-up only
Active U.S. Military & DependentsFreeFree with valid military ID

Parking is $3 per car (cash or card at the booth) and the lot fills by 8 AM most weekends. All visitors must watch a mandatory 9-minute conservation video before entering. Reef-safe sunscreen only — chemical sunscreens are banned. Snorkel rental is $20 with mask, snorkel, fins.

Reserve Hanauma Bay

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