Outdoors East Honolulu, Oahu
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
An outdoor spot in East Honolulu, Oahu, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 3 hours. Best time to go: Early morning.
Why go
Protected volcanic bay with reef snorkeling and green sea turtles.
It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Oahu, alongside 4 places to eat, 2 outdoor spots and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Diamond Head State Monument, 7.1 mi away as the crow flies.
- Type
- Outdoors · Nature
- Neighborhood
- East Honolulu
- Price
- $$
- Time needed
- 3 hr
- Best time
- Early morning
Nearby
Our closest curated picks, including 4 beyond Oahu. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.
- 1Diamond Head State Monument
Steep 1.6-mile round-trip trail up a volcanic crater rim with views over Waikiki.
Activity · 7.1 mi straight-line - 2Diamond Head State Monument
Volcanic crater above Waikiki with a steep 0.8-mile trail to old military bunkers on the rim.
Outdoors · Waikiki · 7.3 mi straight-line - 3Leonard's Bakery
Kapahulu bakery open since 1952 that made the Portuguese malasada a Honolulu staple.
Food · Waikiki · 7.8 mi straight-line - 4Leonard's Bakery
Honolulu institution since 1952 frying hot, sugar-rolled Portuguese malasadas.
Food · 7.8 mi straight-line - 5Rainbow Drive-In
Plate-lunch drive-in near Kapiolani Park open since 1961, serving loco moco and mixed plates.
Food · Waikiki · 7.8 mi straight-line - 6Lanikai Pillbox Trail
Short, steep climb up Kaiwa Ridge to old concrete bunkers with views over Lanikai and the islets.
Outdoors · Kailua & Lanikai · 8.5 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is a stop on our Hawaii Paradise route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More outdoor spots in Oahu
2 more curated outdoor spots in Oahu. See the full Oahu guide.
When to go
Average daily highs in Oahu run from 74°F in February to 81°F in September; March is usually the wettest month. For Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve itself, we suggest: Early morning.
Modelled monthly averages for Oahu from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Oahu weather by month.
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Address
- Hanauma Bay, Honolulu, HI 96825, USA
- Coordinates
- 21.26904, -157.69379
- Destination
- Oahu, Hawaii
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve: quick answers
How much time do you need at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve?
Plan on about 3 hours at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve?
Our pick: Early morning. Insider tip: Online reservations required; closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Where is Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve?
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is at Hanauma Bay, Honolulu, HI 96825, USA, in East Honolulu. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.
Which TripsCircle routes include Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve?
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve appears on Hawaii Paradise, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Oahu.
Plan Oahu
- Oahu travel guide 10 places
- Best time to visit Oahu weather by month
- Oahu to Maui 116 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Oahu
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.