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Hanauma Bay Snorkel Tours and Hawaii Scuba Diving

Hanauma Bay Guided Snorkel Tour

(3 days a week)

Hanauma Bay Dive Tours is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Our most popular tour has been the guided snorkel tour. We oftain permits from the Hawaii State Department of Parks and Recreation to take small groups into Hanauma Bay. On our tour you do not need to wait in a long line to enter the park. Our groups are usually 4 people with one instuctor. Five people is the largest group. Our number one concern is your safety and protection of the coral reef and marine life. We want you to have the best experience possible on your visit to Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay is one of the most beautiful places on earth and we look forward to sharing it with you.

Hanauma Bay Snorkel Tours

Turtle Canyons Snorkel Excursion

(7 days a week)

Enjoy a trip along the Waikiki Coast to Turtle Canyons snorkeling site. This spot is known for the large numbers of sea turtles that float above the reef while the reef fish swim around them and clean their shells. When the turtles come up to breath they can even be seen by spectators relaxing on the boat! After you have gotten your fill of snorkeling climb back onboard and relax in the sun with complimentary snack and beverages. Kick back and watch out for spinner dolphins and humpback whales (whales sighted in winter months December to April) while you cruise back to the harbor. Driving Directions will be included in your confirmation email to the boat at Kewalo Basin, 1125 Ala Moana Blvd, Slip B1, Honolulu, HI 96814.

Hanauma Bay Dive Tours has been taking people snorkeling and scuba diving at

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve since 2003.

Hanauma Bay Dive Tours experienced instructors are experts in snorkel and scuba diving instuction. Hanauma Bay Dive Tours instructors know the best areas in the bay to see the most Hawaii green sea turtles and schools of colorful tropical fish. Every day the ocean conditions are different. Some days the right side of the bay are better and some days the left side is better. Some days Hanauma Bay's outer reef is better and some days the inner reef is better. Hanauma Bay Dive Tours snorkel and scuba instructors will take you to the safest and most beautful interesting areas in Hanauma Bay. No experience is required.

Snorkel vests are used on the snorkel tours and you are always with an instructor in the water in a small group of no more than five people. Hanauma Bay Dive Tours will take up to ten people with two instructors. Turtles are found on most of the tours and photos are taken for our Hanauma Bay Dive Tours Face Book page. You are welcome to bring there own underwater cameras. There are over 350 species of interesting marine life in Hanauma Bay. There has been Manta Rays, Spotted Eagle Rays, Monk Seals, small white tip sharks on our tour, but they are rare. There are many turtles living in Hanauma Bay. Turtles are Federally protected in Hawaii. It is illegal to touch or harass turtles in Hawaii. Maintence in the park is also done on Tuesdays. Hanauma Bay Dive Tours beginner scuba dive groups are very small and a lot of fun. Four people are the most that Hanauma Bay Dive Tours will take at one time on our scuba dives. We hope you can join us on one of our Hanauma Bay Snorkel Tours or Hanauma Bay Scuba Tours.

Scuba diving in Hanauma Bay is a great experience, for anyone ages 12 and up to enjoy the safe and exciting feeling of scuba diving for the first time in Hawaii. The clean and protected waters of this beautiful marine preserve offer a fantastic opportunity to interact with hundreds of Hawaii's colorful tropical fish and hawaii green sea turtles.

Hanauma Bay is about 10 miles east of Waikiki just off the main coastal road (Kalaniana'ole Highway, Route 72).

The address is 7455 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825. Recorded information line: 1-(808)-396-4229. Hanauma Bay parking lot fills up early and you will be turned away if it is full. By getting there early you will avoid long lines at the ticket booth and snorkel concession. You can meet us at Hanauma Bay for our snorkel tours or scuba diving tours if you do not want us to pick you up at your Waikiki hotel. We would meet you at Hanauma Bay at 8:15 a.m. for our morning tour and 1:15 p.m. for our afternoon tour. Reservations are required.

If you go on one of our tours, you will not have to wait in line. Our instructors have permits issued by the State and we are allowed to go in the bay when the parking lot is full. We are authorized to take small groups snorkeling, and scuba diving on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Tours are not allowed on weekends and

Hawaii State Holidays. Hanauma Bay is closed on Tuesdays for environmental conservation. Our group ratio is no more than 5 people to one instructor. Our snorkel and scuba instructors will take you safely to the best reefs in Hanauma Bay. Our tour is great for those who are new to snorkeling, and for those who simply wish to fully experience all the wonders of Hanauma Bay with an expert guide. Our staff are experts on the history and area as well as the fish and coral you will be encountering. We usually see turtles on our tours.

Here what people say about us!

Recently National Geographics has teamed up with ABC's Good Morning America television show listing the Top Ten Trips with a Splash. Whitewater rafting in North Carolina was listed as the first choice. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, the ancient volcanic cinder cone was listed as the second most popular water activitiy.

Semicircular Hanauma Bay, located on Oahu's windward coast, is a spectacular tropical paradise that sports a half-mile of perfect white-sand beach backed by exotic palm trees. Once a favorite fishing spot for Hawaiian royality, this extinct volcanic crater is frequented by spotted eagle rays, turtles and more than 450 species of tropical fish including the Hawaii state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a and is now a federally-protected wildlife preserve.

Hanauma Bay Dive Tours offers a variety of exciting experiences within this pristine bay, including PADI's Discover Scuba for first time beginner divers age 12 and above and snorkeling tours. Hanauma Bay Dive Tours also offers a swim with dolphins activity and snorkeling at some of the best reefs on the leeward coast of Oahu.

Hanauma named best U.S. beach

Hanauma Bay was named the best beach in the United States in the 14th annual rankings of Americam beaches from Stephen Leatherman, the Florida environmental scientist known as "Dr. Beach".

In addition to the spectacular snorkeling and smooth, white coral sand at the "phenomenal" beach, set in a volcanic cone, Dr. Beach praised Hanauma Bay's environmental management. Smoking is now banned, access is monitored to prevent overcrowding--a problem given its proximity to Waikiki--and visitors have to watch a 9-minute-long educational video at the Hanauma Bay Marine Education Center before entering the beach.

Approximately 650 U.S. beaches and shore areas are ranked each year, with previous winners excluded from the survey. Beaches are rated on 50 criteria that includes water temperature, water and sand quality, beach management, litter control and available facilities.

Best American Beaches - 2004 rankings

1. Hanauma Bay, Oahu

2. Fort De Soto Park, Fla.

3. Ocracoke Island, N.C.

4. Caladesi Island State Park, Fla.

5. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.

6. Hanalei Bay, Kaua'i

7. Crescent Beach, Siesta Key, Fla.

8. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.

9. Cape Florida State Park, Fla.

10. Coronado Beach, Calif.

Hanauma Bay Hawaii Snorkel Tours Hanauma Bay Marine Education Center

Hanauma Bay was designated by a Marine Life Conservation District in 1967 and a City and County Park in 1978. Hanauma Bay is also the romantic location of Elvis Presley's beach boy days in the film Blue Hawaii. John Wayne and Lee Marvin's film Donovan's Reef was also filmed at Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay is a great place to snorkel or scuba dive in Hawaii.

Hanauma Bay Snorkel Tour Package

Snorkeling is one of the favorite activities visitors do while in Hawaii and Hanauma Bay is a destination everyone wants to go to. Our guided snorkel tour includes high quality sanitized dry snorkel equipment, safety snorkeling vests, beach mats, snacks, lock box and roundtrip transportation from all Waikiki hotels in our new air conditioned vans. Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay is safe and appropriate for all ages and experience levels.
Hanauma Bay Snorkel Tour: Adults and Children: $90.00. Hotel pick up times: 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Return time 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. This tour consists of small groups. One instructor for five students maximum.

*No need to wait in line on our guided Snorkel Tour. All snorkel equipment and Waikiki transportationis included. This tour includes instruction in the water by a scuba instructor and a tour to the best snorkeling spots in Hanauma Bay. Note $25.00 entrance fee is not included. Snorkel Tours are offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tours are not available on Hawaii State Holidays. Hanauma Bay Guided Snorkel Tour

Hanauma Bay is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Guided Tours are only offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. If you would like to go on Saturday or Sunday or if our guided tour is sold out we recomend Kaimana Tours. They offer round-trip transportation from Waikiki (about 30 minutes each way), professional-grade, sanitized equipment (silicon-tempered mask, J-type snorkel, and endurance vinyl acetate fins), and expert instruction. Mask defogger is also available upon request.

Hanauma Bay Shuttle and Equipment Rental

Dolphin and Snorkel Adventure

The Three Hour Dolphin Excursion is not at Hanauma Bay Hawaii. This dolphin excursion tour is on a boat that leaves the Waianae Boat Harbor at 7:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.. The drive to the Waianae Boat Harbor is a little over an hour from Waikiki in the opposite direction of Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay is on the south shore of Oahu and Waianae, Ko Olina and Makaha are on the West shore of Oahu. Transportation is included from all Waikiki Hotels. You can also drive and meet us at the boat harbor. There are usually no dolphins in Hanauma Bay. This is why we go to the west side of the island on our Dolphin Tour.

Spinner dolphins are the most common cetacean found around the Hawaiian Islands. They average 6 feet (2 m) in length and 175 pounds (80 kg). Pod size ranges between 10-100 individuals. Spinners travel far offshore at night to their feeding grounds and return close to shore each morning to rest. Rest behavior is characterized by swimming in tight groups, surfacing synchronously to breathe and gliding along the sandy bottom in a "carpet" formation. Aerial activity, such as spins, head and tail slappings, increases as they "awaken" during the late morning hours and through the afternoon.

Hawaii Dolphin Tour Description

We begin as Nai’a I departs from Waianae Boat Harbor and travels along the scenic west coast in search of spinner dolphins. Take some of the most incredible photographs of your vacation as the spinners come to visit you and perform their superb aerial stunts. Few people have the opportunity to see these spectacular displays. Passively observing Spinner Dolphins while in the water is one of our goals. We follow guidelines that are dictated by Federal Law protecting these animals. We will make sure you observe these animals under an eco friendly leadership giving you a safe open ocean safari you will remember. We will also snorkel at sites with Hawaiian Sea Turtles and tropical fish. Occasionally, we encounter Bottlenose and Spotted dolphins too. During the winter months, we may even get to see a Humpback Whale or two or several. Excursions are led by seasoned island naturalists with years of experience on the Waianae Coast.

Transportation is not available now due to COVID. You may meet us at the Waiane Boat Harbor if you prefer to drive on your own. The cost is the same if you prefer to drive to our shop and meet us. The Dolphin Snorkel Tour is not at Hanauma Bay Hawaii. It is a 75 minute drive to our shop from Waikiki.

Only 15 guests per tour! Plenty of room to relax.
View multiple species of wild dolphins year round and humpback whales in the winter.
Take incredible photographs of marine life.
Swim with tropical fish, and sea turtles.
Please feel free to pack your own food and beverages.
Snorkel gear is provided, but bringing your own is encouraged. You may also purchase a brand new set to take home with you.

7:00 a.m. Boat Departure:

6:30 am check in at the Waianae Boat Harbor, next to Spinners Cafe.
10:00 am return to dock at the same location.

10:30 a.m. Boat Departure:

10:00 am check in at the Waianae Boat Harbor, next to Spinners Cafe.
1:30 pm return to dock at the same location.

Adults (13+ years old)

$180

Kama'aina/Military (13+ years old)

$152

Children (4-12 years old, children under 4 not permitted)

$135

As of October 28, 2021 it is illegal to swim with wild dolphins.

Dolphins are protected by U.S. Federal law under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, Amended in 1994. Under the act, it is illegal to harass, hunt, capture, collect, or kill any marine mammal. Swimmers and boaters should make every effort to avoid disturbing them in their natural environment.