Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve 100 Hanauma Bay Road, Honolulu, HI 96825

"Must book tickets 2 days before at 7am Hawaiian time. We were able to obtain an 8:20 reservation for a Thursday. Parking was quickly filling up by the time we arrived so I'd recommend either a reservation before 9am or arriving early. After watching the required video and presentation, you can either walk or take a tram down to the bay. The water is unbelievably clear with lots of colorful fish. We ended up renting snorkel gear, and if you're not a strong swimmer, I'd highly recommend renting a life jacket as well. The water is very shallow in some parts and I got scraped up by the coral several times"

"This place was so fun, that we plan to go here when we vacation in Hawaii again. There's a fee to get in. If you need googles, you can rent from there or grab your own. Before going down to the beach, be sure to buy food first or bring your own food. All the staff is so right on"

"Warning!!! Make reservations!! And it is NOT open everyday so please plan ahead! If you fail to get tickets then go there as soon as they open. You’re very much likely to get a walk in ticket because that’s what we did! But anyway! Not sure how, but ended up staying almost 6 hours here. This place is just magic. It’s such a breathtaking view and snorkel rental is available at the beach. Don’t be that irksome couple that we witnessed standing on the reef. Anyway, this is the best place to snorkel as you don’t have to pay these expensive tours hundreds of dollars to do. And it’s for a good cause! The history is lovely and you see plenty of cool fish! Lovely lovely."

"This location is a fantastic spot for snorkeling, basking in the sun, and enjoying the beach. We booked the 8:10 am slot, and upon arrival, we noticed a considerable number of cars already present. It raises concerns about parking availability for those arriving later in the day. The water clarity is impressive, making it easy to spot many fish species. As a beginner in snorkeling, I found the experience thoroughly enjoyable. I also visited North Shark Cove, but this location undoubtedly offers a superior snorkeling experience."

"Come to this bay if you are looking to snorkel and lay on the beach in waters that are calm. The snorkeling is fun for everyone as long as you can swim. On my visit I saw many different types of fish. The further I was away from people the more fish diversity I encountered. Due note that reservations are required and staff checks when you enter the park with a car as well as the line to check-in. However I found out that the conservation program here always allocates 300 tickets for standby. Thus if you don't have a reservation to visit, I would recommend coming super early to catch a standby ticket. Recognize that the conversation program attempts to minimize the human footprint in the bay. You will have to watch a video prior to entry to the bay. This seems a bit over the top since they don't restrict the amount of people in the bay per hour as imagined from the reservation system. Thus the human footprint increases later on the day as those with earlier reservations still have access to the beach."