Kona/Honolulu snorkeling

[terkatz56]

Planning for next year's cruise in March/April. I have never been to Hawaii and am wondering, what snorkeling opportunities are available in Kona and an afternoon snorkel in Honolulu? I have checked with some of the tours/excursions and they seem pretty steep for the few hours you have. Maybe this is the way it is there?

 

Any suggestions of independent areas to go? Would prefer to not be so far from the cruise port.

Thanks for any help. :)

[omeinv]

Oahu will be a little more difficult than Kona, as you're basically right in the city. At Kona, there are a ton of shops that rent gear, and you can take a shuttle up to Kahaluu Beach Park. It's great snorkeling, and the whole day is going to be about $20.00.

 

Harris

[mtiffany24]

You can take the city bus from Honolulu to Hanauma Bay. Try to get there early.

[terkatz56]

Thanks!

 

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[arwright73@gmail.com]

EXACTLY WHAT MTIFFANY24 said...I was just there in Nov...Hanauma Bay is breathtaking!!! We also went snorkeling in Maui...in my opinion, Hanauma Bay on Oahu was better!!

[frog in paradise]

We've snorkeled on five different Hawaiian Islands and two in the Caribbean and the best snorkeling we've experienced so far is at Captain Cook's Monument on the Big Island (Kona). It's realistically only accessed by boat...we booked the Fair Winds II and were exceptionally pleased. It departs out of Kona and takes only a half hour or so to reach Capt Cooks....it's a four hour or so cruise and they feed you lunch. Take the morning cruise for optimum conditions.

I havn't been to Kahaluu yet but have read great stuff about it as well as a spot called Two Steps which is about five miles or so down the road from Kahaluu.

On Oahu, if you decide to Snorkel Hanauma Bay be aware the lines to get in are excessively long and once you get in you are required to view an instructional video....and there is a significant wait to get in to view the video. I don't recall exactly, but I think it took roughly two hours from the time we arrived before we could go down to the bay to snorkel. It also becomes quite crowded. Hate to be wet blanket but wanted you to know before you go.....

[Podie]

Hanauma Bay is now closed one day a week so check that before you go. Also, if it's low tide, it's impossible to snorkel over the coral so wait one or two hours after low tide. You are now required to watch a video before entering, and the lines are very long after 9 am.

[terkatz56]

Thanks all, good advice and warnings!:D

[slckac77]

I second Capt. Cook's monument. I was there in January and the snorkeling was great! It and Bonaire are my favorite snorkeling spots so far!

[Middleager]

Hanauma Bay is very pretty. But unless you get there very early in the day, it will get crowded, from the line up, and on the beach. With a lot of people, they kick up a lot of sand. A lot of beginner snorkelers also stand on the corals, so a lot of the corals closer to beach are damaged/dead.

 

There are lots of other things to do in Oahu other than snorkeling.

 

For Kona, if you don't want to go far, you can snorkel right near the Marriott King Kamehameha hotel. After you exit the tender, the hotel is on the left side. By the hotel there is a small beach. From the beach you can swim a little way out and turn right. There are both divers and snorkelers that go there, and it's also quite decent. After that, you can also tour the hotel and see a lot display/cultural/history.

[BillOh]

You can take the city bus from Honolulu to Hanauma Bay. Try to get there early.

 

I thought I was going to have to google the same since its been since 1988, but I had my first wonderful experience snorkeling here.

[AlbertaCruisers]

Oahu will be a little more difficult than Kona, as you're basically right in the city. At Kona, there are a ton of shops that rent gear, and you can take a shuttle up to Kahaluu Beach Park. It's great snorkeling, and the whole day is going to be about $20.00.

 

Harris

 

 

Agreed, I was in Kona in March and enjoyed Kahaluu. Easy snorkeling and tons of different types of fish, eels etc. not the best beach, but great snorkeling.

 

We were at captain cooks monument a few years ago and it was great, but you really have to take a tour there.

 

 

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Edited August 27, 2016 by AlbertaCruisers