Help..snorkeling in Honolulu

[padiho]

Hi...we will be doing a world cruise from the UK in January 2008. We have never been to Hawaii. Can anyone help point us in the right direction for snorkeling from the beach? Would also appreciate it if you can advise approx. how far from the cruise port and what we would expect to pay by taxi. Many thanks

[river_sand_bar2]

There are allot of different options for you... but here are a couple of MY suggestions..

 

of course there is the always popular Hanama Bay... its a wonderful place to have some fun snorkeling.. and should most likely be part of a tour you can book. If you have the time and can rent a car... the best bet would be Sharks Cove on the North Shore. Still one of my favorite places on Oahu to snorkel.

[hcw80]

I haven't lived on Ohau for about 20 years, but I second Hamama Bay. Grab a tour if you can, it will help with transportation and parking. The North Shore is only accessable in the summer months. The winter months, the surf is literally 20 to 30 feet high.

 

Honestly, you can't go wrong with just about anywhere in Hawaii except maybe just off Waikiki. It is very crowded there with tourist and not much of a reef. My advice, if you don't book a tour, rent a car, grab a plate lunch from one of the wagons on the side of the road and find a nice spot. If it looks too rough it is. Bring a boogie board for that.

 

Aloha

Heather

[Middleager]

We were in Hawaii for a cruise in end of Aug./05. We went to Honolulu 2 days prior to the cruise. It helped to adjust to the time difference but I also did my AOW diving certification.

 

Hanuama Bay is ok if you go first thing in the morning and is the first ones in the water. The reef close to shore is all dead (white) with so many people touching (and if it can be stepped on, it got stepped on). We went the first thing in the morning on a weekday, and very soon after it was filled with hundreds of not thoousands of people. The water of course gets murky with a lot of people kicking sand.

 

It is a beautiful beach to relax on, but don't expect good snorkeling there. For snorkeling there are better places to the west or northwest. In the northeast you might get lots of surf as the previous poster pointed out depending on time of year.

[padiho]

Thanks very much for your help...That's given me plenty to think about

[river_sand_bar2]

padiho..... even during the winter, Shark Cove on the North Shore is protected area that isn't subject to the surf. So you should be good to go there. But again, this would require renting a car.... a word of warning though... IF you r rent a JEEP, which is really cool to drive, be very careful. The locals know these are rentals and tourist in them... DO NOT leave anything in the jeep, as it will be gone before you know it.

 

Dont get me wrong, I am NOT saying Hawaiians are bad, they are wonderful people, however, the young ones know what the scoop is and they take advantage of it.

 

Ohhhhhh... nothing better then boogy boarding on Sandy Beach!!! Its the BEST!!! Just watch out for loosing your swimsuit :D and sand in places is shouldn't be.