Photograph by Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0. All photo credits
A city nature preserve and snorkeling bay in east Honolulu. Entry is Wednesday through Sunday. Non-residents pay an entry fee. Every visitor watches the education film on each visit.
- Access
- Reservation or ticket
- Cost
- Mixed resident / visitor cost
- Difficulty
- No agency rating copied
- Effort
- Gentle
- Audience tags
- Visitors, Families, Adults
Effort follows the agency difficulty when one was published: easy is gentle, moderate and easy-to-moderate are steady, and moderate-to-difficult or an agency description of a strenuous climb is strenuous. It is a sorting aid, not a safety rating.
Access and permission
Open Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Admission-only reservations open two days ahead. Residents with a Hawaiʻi ID do not need a reservation. About a quarter of entry is held for walk-ins. Non-resident guests of a resident still follow the non-resident rules.
City fee table checked Nov. 7, 2026: Hawaiʻi residents free; non-residents $25 plus a 2.35% online service fee; active U.S. military and family free; children 12 and under free. Parking is cash only: $1 resident, $3 non-resident and military. A reservation does not hold a parking stall.
Conditions, separate from permission
The city lists ocean-safety lifeguards, showers, and a required education film. Lifeguards do not make the water calm. This page does not describe bay conditions and does not call snorkeling safe. Check the city page and the film the day you go.
Figures copied from the source
- Non-resident entry: $25 plus 2.35% if paid online
- Open days: Wednesday–Sunday
What to bring
- Cash for parking. The FAQ says the booth is cash only.
- Reef-conscious sunscreen. The linked mineral sunscreen is one verified Amazon listing, not a product sold or required by the city.
- The city lists snorkel rentals on site from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., card only. A retail mask was not verified for this guide, so none is linked.
Logistics
- Entry 6:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Beach cleared at 3:30 p.m. Leave by 4:00 p.m. The city says the schedule can change.
- Phone on the page: (808) 768-6861.
- City bus service into the preserve has been discontinued. A bus stop is on Kalanianaʻole Highway via Route 22.
- Online entry payment: Visa, Mastercard, or JCB. Non-refundable unless the city closes the preserve.
- Map pin: OpenStreetMap geocode of Hanauma Bay.
Related gear
These are exact Amazon listings checked on 2026-11-07. They are optional. As an Amazon Associate, purchases through these links can earn a commission. The tag is toa03-20. Stock and formulas change. Affiliate disclosure.
- Thinksport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+, 3 fl oz
For exposed walks and shoreline time. The Amazon listing checked on Nov 7, 2026 is titled Thinksport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Zinc Oxide, 3 fl oz. That listing text says the formula uses zinc oxide (it states 24.25%) and lists oxybenzone among ingredients it does not contain. It did not explicitly say octinoxate in the text reviewed. Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §342D-21 makes it unlawful to sell or distribute sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate in the state without a prescription. Read the current tube before you buy. Listing text changes.
Sources and verification
Checked 2026-11-07. If a source disagrees with this page, use the source.