Intro
Snorkeling in O’ahu Hawaii is everyone’s dream adventure while on their dream vacation. When you think of snorkeling, you think of swimming in crystal clear waters, and that feeling of floating around in a completely different world.
O’ahu Hawaii offers many fantastic places to snorkel.
Aside from the two places we snorkeled at, O’ahu has endless opportunities to snorkel. Let’s “Dive” in! Check out the map at the end of this post for easy navigation to these snorkel spots.
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1. Snorkeling at Kuilima Cove
Kuilima Cove is an “okay” place to snorkel, especially if you beat the crowds and get there early. This cove is located on the North Shore of O’ahu and in the back yard of Turtle Bay Resort. Most of the people that come to this bay are from the resort.
You may want to bring your own chairs because the chairs that are on that beach belong to the resort. Learn from our mistake and bring your own chairs, they kicked us off of the ones that were already there.
Other than the snorkeling, this place makes an awesome backdrop for a photoshoot. You can walk out on the rocks all the way to the end, and it’s like you are standing in the middle of the ocean.
Like I said Kuilima cove is an “okay” place to snorkel. There were only a few fish, but most that I came across were skittish. The water wasn’t your typical, crystal clear, that you get in Hawaii.
This bay is widely known for its turtles, and I was pretty much guaranteed to see one. Guess what, I never saw a turtle while I was there.
Other than parking for free, and beating the crowds this place was a big disappointment for me. If you are a newbie to snorkeling, Kuilima Cove may be okay to check out. It’s fairly easy to swim around in, especially if you stay more towards the right side of the bay.
2. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay is where it’s at!! (yes, it IS in fact open now! It was closed due to Covid, but has reopened!)
This bay has the best snorkeling of O’ahu Hawaii and is located on the southeastern coast of the island. You WILL want to spend an entire day at this beautiful location.
It does tend to get crowded, and they only let in a certain amount of people at a time.
You will want to arrive early so you can grab a parking spot. Parking was only $1 when we went, and there is an entrance fee of $12 per person. You can rent their snorkel gear for $17.95, or bring your own (check out their official website here).
We brought our own cheap gear that we bought from Walmart, and it held up just fine. The gear they rented out looked like a rip-off, and we kept hearing people complain about them leaking. You are better off just bringing your own.
Before you enter they will have you take a moment to watch a video on the history of the bay. They explain to you the best areas to swim, and basic safety precautions. other than that you are pretty much free to swim to your heart’s content.
Hanauma bay had the clearest water I’ve ever seen. There were so many fish, we really couldn’t find a bad place to swim. I was able to follow the school of fish, in the pictures above, for about five minutes.
It was like swimming in a huge fish tank, and the fish didn’t even care that we were there. Due to so many visitors every year, the wildlife gets used to having people around.
There are many other places to snorkel in O’ahu, but Hanauma bay has them all beat.
Other Places to Snorkel in O’ahu Hawaii
Click on any of the titles and it will take you to the location on google maps or scroll to the end to view the map I created for you.
On the North Shore
3. Shark’s Cove
4. Waimea Bay
5. Three Tables
On the Leeward Side
6. Hanauma Bay
7. Kahala Beach
9. Ko Olina
Snorkeling Companies in O’ahu Hawaii
Here are just a few companies you can rent snorkel gear from. Click on the link and it’ll take you to their store.
- Snorkel Bobs located in Honolulu
- Kailua Beach Adventures located in Kailua (I think they are only selling right now due to Covid)
- Bonzai Divers Hawaii located in Hauula (they also do scuba diving lessons)
Take your next adventures from the coast to the mountains and check out these awesome hiking places in O’ahu!
Let me know in the comments how your snorkeling adventures went!
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