One of my favorite things to do at the beach is snorkeling, and the most famous place to go on Oahu would be Hanauma Bay, which is located on the east side. When entering Hanauma Bay, everyone is required to watch an informational video about the bay and way to preserve it. Although at times it seems like a waste of time, it actually really helps to protect the wildlife. Once the video is over, you take a short hike down a hill to get to the beach. You can either rent a snorkel, goggle, and fins, or bring your own. Once you have all of your gear on, you’re ready to get in the water!
One unique quality of Hanauma Bay is that the fishes are not usually scared of you. They are used to the millions of tourists swimming in the water year round. With that in mind, once you stick your head underwater, you can see all sorts of fishes. The bay is a pretty big area, so when I visit I usually only explore one side of it at a time. My favorite thing to see is these giant parrot fishes. They are about the size of a 13” MacBook or bigger. They are so pretty and come in various colors. Also, it's really cool when a school of fishes swim right by you, and sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll even run into a sea turtle!
Besides the snorkeling, around the beach there are grassy patches so it is a nice place to picnic and just enjoy the Hawaii weather. Like most beaches, showering facilities are provided along with areas to change.
Although this area is a little far from where most tourists reside on their visit, there are many tour buses and shuttles that come out to this side of the island. Just around the corner from Hanauma Bay are a few local favorite spots such as Sandy Beach, Makapu’u Beach, Makapu’u Lighthouse, Makapu’u tide pools, and Alan Davis. I will further elaborate on these spots in the next few posts.
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