Can You See Turtles at Hanauma Bay?
Can you see sea turtles at Hanauma Bay? Where on the reef, the real odds, reservations two days ahead, the $25 fee, closed days, rules and guided snorkels.
Sometimes, and mostly on the outer reef. Hawaii’s aquatic-resources division calls turtles fairly common on Hanauma Bay’s outer reef, but the City and County of Honolulu, which runs the preserve, reports in its own monitoring that turtle numbers in the bay are low, that few turtles are found on the shallow inner reef where most people snorkel, and that sightings have fallen over the past decades. So go to Hanauma Bay for the reef and its fish, and treat a turtle as a bonus. If the turtle is the point of the day, a boat to Turtle Canyon off Waikiki is the surer bet. Hanauma Bay is open Wednesday to Sunday; visitors pay $25 plus an online fee and book a time two days ahead (checked November 2026).
Where Hanauma Bay is
Hanauma Bay lies on the south-east shore, east of Waikiki past Diamond Head and the Kahala coast. It became Hawaii’s first Marine Life Conservation District in 1967, and the City and County of Honolulu runs it as a nature preserve.
Getting in
| What the city sets | |
|---|---|
| Open | Wednesday to Sunday; entry from 6:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Everyone leaves by 4 p.m., and the beach is cleared at 3:30 p.m. Closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day |
| Entry | $25 for visitors, plus a 2.35% online service fee. Free for Hawaii residents with ID, children 12 and under, and active-duty US military and their dependents, with military ID |
| Parking | $3 for visitors, cash only, paid on site |
| Reservations | Online, from 7 a.m. Hawaii time two days ahead: Monday at 7 a.m. for Wednesday |
| Walk-ins | A limited number of walk-in tickets, first come, first served, from 6:45 a.m. when the parking gate opens |
| The video | Everyone watches the education video in the theatre on every visit |
| Inside | The gift shop, food and snorkel rental take cards only, no cash |
From the City and County of Honolulu’s Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve pages (checked November 2026). The city says the schedule can change at any time, so check before you go.
The city’s pages point visitors who want admission with transport to Roberts Hawaii, which sells it further ahead: its entry ticket with a shuttle from Waikiki costs from $65 a person (checked November 2026); bring your own snorkel gear or rent it inside.
Where to look for turtles
Look beyond the shallows by the sand. Hawaii’s aquatic-resources division describes turtles as fairly common on the outer reef, beyond the shallow inner reef flat where the city finds few of them. The outer reef is also where the water gets rougher. Hawaii’s aquatic-resources division warns of strong currents in the channel near the bay mouth and of the rough water at the spots called Witches’ Brew and Toilet Bowl, so ask the lifeguards before you swim out, and only go when the sea is calm.
The rules in the bay
Inside the Marine Life Conservation District it is illegal to take or injure any marine life, to take or alter sand or coral, to put food or anything else in the water to attract fish, and to use any watercraft. For turtles the usual Hawaii guidance applies on top: watch from at least 10 feet away and never touch, chase or feed one. Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate since January 2021. The Oahu sea turtle rules set out the law.
Snorkeling here safely
The city puts it plainly: snorkeling is one of the most dangerous things visitors do here every year, and the bay has sharp coral reefs close to the shore. Hawaii’s health department counted 32 ocean drownings at Hanauma Bay from 2009 to 2018, 28 of them visitors. The city’s advice is to swim in the lifeguarded areas, never alone, to ask a lifeguard about the conditions first, and, if a current takes you, to swim diagonally across it, not against it.
Guided snorkels and shuttles
| Trip | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket with a shuttle (Roberts Hawaii) | Admission and the round trip from Waikiki; no gear | From $65 |
| Shuttle with snorkel gear (Kaimana Tours) | An early ride from Waikiki and back, mask, snorkel and fins; the $25 entry fee is paid on the day | From $56 |
| Guided snorkel with pickup (Go Hanauma) | Pickup from Waikiki or Kahala, entry arranged, about an hour in the water with a guide, a flotation vest and photos; entry fee extra; all sales final | From $115 |
| Guided snorkel, five guests (Pure Aloha Adventures) | A guaranteed entrance time and parking, an hour in the water with a certified instructor; swimmers only; the $25 fee paid to the operator after booking; all sales final | From $104 |
Listing prices: GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026.
Hanauma Bay Entry Ticket with a Shuttle from Waikiki
Roberts Hawaii's admission ticket with a shuttle from Waikiki, booked further ahead than the city's two-day window.
Check dates →Hanauma Bay Guided Snorkel with Waikiki Pickup
Go Hanauma's guided snorkel with pickup, entry arranged and about an hour in the water with a guide.
See the guided snorkel →Turtle Canyon Guided Snorkel with a Turtle Guarantee
Living Ocean Tours' Turtle Canyon boat from Kewalo Basin, guides in the water and a free return if no turtle is seen.
See the Turtle Canyon boat →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
More Trips with Open Dates
More Oahu Snorkel Trips with Open Dates
Turtle snorkels, boat trips and island days with live availability. Times and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Hanauma Bay without the Booking Scramble
Roberts Hawaii's admission ticket with a round-trip shuttle from Waikiki, bookable ahead of the city's two-day window.
See dates