Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
marine life. Your kids can snorkel in the safe, shallow (10-ft.) inner bay. Because
Hanauma Bay is a conservation district, you may look at but not touch or take
any marine life here. Feeding the fish is also prohibited.
A $13-million Marine Education Center recently opened with exhibits and a
7-minute video orienting visitors on this Marine Life Sanctuary. The 10,000-
square-foot center includes a training room, gift shop, public restrooms, snack
bar, and staging area for the motorized tram, which for a fee (50¢ for one ride,
or $2 for an all-day pass) will take you down the steep road to the beach. Facil-
ities include parking, restrooms, a pavilion, a grass volleyball court, lifeguards,
barbecues, picnic tables, and food concessions. Alcohol is prohibited in the park;
there is no smoking past the visitor center. Expect to pay $1 per vehicle to park
and a $3-per-person entrance fee. (Children 12 and under are free.) If you're
driving, take Kalanianaole Highway to Koko Head Regional Park. Avoid the
crowds by going early, about 8am, on a weekday morning; once the parking lot's
full, you're out of luck. Alternatively, take TheBus to escape the parking prob-
lem: The Hanauma Bay Shuttle runs from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay every half-
hour from 8:45am to 1pm; you can catch it at the Ala Moana Hotel, the Ilikai
Hotel, or any city bus stop. It returns every hour from noon to 4:30pm.
Hanauma Bay is closed on Tuesday, so the fish can have a day off.
SANDY BEACH
This is a great beach to take the kids to in order to watch the best bodysurfers
on Oahu; it's also one of the most dangerous. It's better to just stand and watch
the daredevils literally risk their necks at this 1,200-foot-long gold-sand beach
that's pounded by wild waves and haunted by a dangerous shore break and
strong backwash. Weak swimmers and children should definitely stay out of the
water here; Sandy Beach's heroic lifeguards make more rescues in a year than
those at any other beach. Visitors, easily fooled by experienced bodysurfers who
make wave-riding look easy, often fall victim to the bone-crunching waves. Life-
guards post flags to alert beachgoers to the day's surf: Green means safe, yellow
caution, and red indicates very dangerous water conditions; always check the
flags before you dive in.
Facilities include restrooms and parking. Go on weekdays to avoid the
crowds, and go on weekends to catch the bodysurfers in action. From Waikiki,
drive east on the H-1, which becomes Kalanianaole Highway; proceed past
Hawaii Kai, up the hill to Hanauma Bay, past the Halona Blow Hole, and along
the coast. The next big, gold, sandy beach you see ahead on the right is Sandy
Beach. TheBus no. 22 will also get you here.
MAKAPUU BEACH PARK
Makapuu Beach, the most famous bodysurfing beach in Hawaii, is a beautiful
1,000-foot-long gold-sand beach cupped in the stark black Koolau cliffs on
Oahu's easternmost point. Even if your kids never venture into the water, it's
worth a visit just to enjoy the great natural beauty of this classic Hawaiian beach.
In summer, the ocean here is as gentle as a Jacuzzi, and swimming and diving
are perfect; come winter, however, Makapuu is hit with expert bodysurfers, who
come for big, pounding waves that are too dangerous for regular swimmers.
Small boards—3 feet or less with no skeg (bottom fin)—are permitted; regular
board surfing is banned by state law.
Facilities include restrooms, lifeguards, barbecue grills, picnic tables, and
parking. To get here, follow Kalanianaole Highway toward Waimanalo, or take
TheBus no. 57 or 58.
