All Reviews for Hanauma Bay Snorkeling Tours

I used the shuttle service to Hanauma Bay. The driver was English-speaking and provided a thorough guide, which made me feel at ease. They also lent me a snorkeling set, so I could go hands-free. It was totally fine even if you're not good at English!

ハナウマ湾のシャトルサービスを利用。英語のドライバーだったけど、丁寧に案内してくれて安心。シュノーケリングセットも貸してくれて、手ぶらでOK。英語が苦手でも全然大丈夫でした！

On July 29, there was a tsunami warning, and on July 30, the warning was lifted. However, on the morning of July 30, I received an email about the cancellation of the Hanauma Bay snorkeling shuttle. I imagine the tour company needed to gather information, but the details were unclear.

Since I had registered my mobile number at the time of booking, I received the cancellation email one hour prior, but it came on the morning of the day itself. We discussed as a family that it was understandable given it was the day after the tsunami warning.

After that, I took a chance and exchanged messages with the contact person via SMS, and I found out that there were three spots available for snorkeling at Hanauma Bay the next day, July 31. Becca from Kaimana Tours assisted us. Since all the other tour guests were conversing in English, I felt hesitant to express my gratitude in my limited English. I couldn't confirm if the person who provided the shuttle service that day was Becca. I appreciate Becca's assistance and would be grateful if you could convey my thanks.

7月29日に津波警報があり、7月30日は警報解除になりましたが、7月30日午前のハナウマ湾のシューノーケル送迎の中止のメールが当日朝きました。ツアー会社は情報収集する必要があったと想像していますが、詳細は不明でした。
予約時にスマホ番号登録しているので1時間前ですが当日朝に中止メールが来ました。津波警報の翌日でしたので仕方がないねと家族で話していました。
その後にダメ元で担当者様の連絡先にショートメールでやりとりを行ったところ、翌日の7月31日に空き枠が3名分あるとのことで翌日にハナウマ湾シュノーケリングができました。
Kaimana ToursのBecca様に担当していただきました。他のツアー客が全員、英語で会話していたので、拙い英語に気が引けてお礼を伝えることが出来ませんでした。当日の送迎していただいた方がBecca様かも確認できませんでした。Becca様のご対応に感謝しています。有り難うございましたと伝えていただけたら幸いです。

**Review**

The round-trip transportation to Hanauma Bay and the rental of snorkeling gear made it easy to enjoy snorkeling with minimal luggage! Even in shallow areas where you can stand, there were fish as big as those in Thailand swimming around, allowing beginners to see many fish, which was a lot of fun. The time spent at Hanauma Bay was also sufficient.

The driver spoke English, but he spoke slowly and used simple language, making it easy to understand. He was friendly during the ride, and I felt the warmth and kindness of the people of Hawaii! It was truly a wonderful experience that will remain a lifelong memory.

I also appreciated that I could enter Hanauma Bay without worrying about the reservation scramble that individuals have to deal with.

**Points for Improvement**

The bus was scheduled to gather at 5:40, but it actually arrived at exactly 6:00. Since there were elderly passengers on the same bus, I understand that delays can happen.

However, there were two emergency contact numbers provided in case of delays, but neither of them was reachable. Both just had an automated message saying, "The office opens at 8 AM, so please call back after that." I waited for 20 minutes and was really starting to feel anxious about whether to leave. I would like to see the emergency contacts made more reliable.

The driver was a good person, and because of his kindness and the beauty of Hanauma Bay, I am very satisfied overall, but I deducted one star due to the phone issues.

【感想】
ハナウマ湾への往復の送迎と、シュノーケリングのための道具を貸し出してくれるので、少ない荷物で快適にシュノーケリングが楽しめました！
海の中で足がつくような浅い場所でも、タイくらいの大きさの魚が泳いでおり、初心者でも何匹も魚を見ることが出来て、とても楽しかったです。
ハナウマベイに滞在できる時間も十分でした。

ドライバーさんも英語で話しますが、ゆっくり目に話してくれたり、簡単な英語で伝えてくれるので理解しやすかったです。
往復の車内でもフレンドリーに話してくださり、ハワイの人の温かさや親切さを感じました！
一生の思い出に残る、本当に良い経験が出来ました。

個人でハナウマ湾に入る時に申し込まなければいけない、ハナウマ湾入場の予約争奪戦を気にせずに確実に入場出来るという点も、安心でした。

【改善して頂きたい点】

バスの集合時刻は5:40集合となっていましたが、実際にバスが到着したのは6:00ちょうどでした。
同じバスのお客さんに高齢の方もいらっしゃったので、到着時間が遅れた事自体は仕方ないと思っています。

ただし、バスの到着が遅れた際に連絡する緊急連絡先のような電話番号が２個案内されていましたが、どちらも繋がりませんでした。
どちらも自動音声で、「事務所のオープンは8時だから、それ以降に電話して下さい」と言う英語の音声が流れるだけでした。
20分待って、本当にもう帰ろうかと思うくらい不安でした。緊急連絡先はしっかり繋がるようにして頂きたいです。

ドライバーさんは良い人でしたので、ドライバーさんの人の良さとハナウマベイの素晴らしさで、総合評価としてはとても満足ですが、電話が繋がらなかったことで星を-1させて頂きました。

I was anxious about the ticket scramble, so I used this service. I received reminder emails multiple times until the day of the event, and they picked me up at the hotel at 5:30 AM. The ride was shared and everything was in English, with no other Japanese passengers. However, they provided a printed sheet in Japanese that included the prohibited items and the pickup time, so there were no issues. It gets quite cold in Hanauma Bay until the sun rises. I think especially Japanese people might find it chilly. Considering the water and air temperature, I believe it's better to go around noon. There was plenty of time, and it was more relaxed compared to the plan with a Japanese instructor. I participated in both, but I think it depends on your purpose. I was able to relax so much that I took a nap for about 30 minutes. We returned to the hotel around 1 PM. If I plan to go to Hanauma Bay again, I will definitely use this service. It was fun.

チケット争奪戦に不安があったので、こちらを利用しました。当日まで何度もリマインドメールがあり、当日早朝5:30ホテルまで迎えに来てくれました。乗合いで全て英語、同乗者も日本人は居ませんでした。ですが日本語のプリントも渡してくれて、禁止事項や迎えの時間場合が書かれていて問題無しでした。ハナウマ湾は太陽が昇るまで結構寒いです。特に日本人は寒いと思います。水温や気温を考えたら昼頃からが良いと思います。時間にはゆとりもあり、日本人インストラクター付きプランよりゆっくり出来ます。どちらも参加しましたが、目的別だと思います。あまりにゆっくり出来て30分程昼寝してました。帰りは13時頃ホテルです。次回ハナウマ湾予定があれば、またお願いします。楽しかった。

I was an English driver, and it was helpful that they tried to communicate using tools like Google Translate. Since we had five hours, we could snorkel for quite a long time. My husband didn't apply sunscreen because he thought it would wash off anyway, and he ended up with a terrible sunburn the next day, so I recommend taking proper precautions. (There is an announcement to use reef-safe sunscreen.)

英語ドライバーでしたが、
Google翻訳などを使って伝えようとしてくれて助かりました。
5時間あるのでかなり長時間シュノーケリングができます。
夫が日焼け止めはどうせながれるからとぬらなかったら、翌日酷く日焼けして大変だったので、しっかり対策することをおすすめします。(リーフセーフの日焼け止めにするようにアナウンスがあります)

I made a reservation for Wednesday after the park's closure, but I was really disappointed by the lack of fish. However, since both the ocean and the beach are beautiful, I think it’s worth going if you focus on enjoying the beautiful sea.

休園日後の水曜日に予約したのですが…凄く魚が少なくて残念でした。
ただ海もビーチも綺麗なので『綺麗な海を楽しむ』をメインにすると行く価値があるかと思います。

Hanauma Bay was very beautiful. I participated from the morning, and at that early hour, the tide hadn't come in yet, so the corals were very close, and I could see the fish without snorkeling. I went just before Golden Week, but the water temperature was low and it was cold. There weren't many colorful fish, but I was very satisfied.

ハナウマ湾とても綺麗でした
午前から参加したのですが、朝イチの時間はまだ潮が満ちておらず、珊瑚が近すぎてシュノーケルなくても魚が目視できる感じでした
GW直前にいったのですが、水温が低く、寒かったです
カラフルなお魚はあまりいませんでしたが、大満足でした

Stunning location, not too many people, but of a process to get into the park but once there it was lovely. We didn’t get to see turtles but there was a lot of other fish to see.

Hanauma Bay is still a beautiful place to visit! The reef is home to such a beautiful variety of colorful fish, sea urchins, & coral. A must see for anyone visiting Oahu!

I woke up at 4:30 AM to join the Hanauma Bay tour. I was picked up at the Ilikai Hotel, and the night broke as we headed towards Hanauma Bay. I lined up as soon as the gates opened at 6:45 AM and got my entry ticket for 7:20 AM. I paid $25 in cash, watched an environmental video, and arrived at the beach around 8:00 AM. I put on the rented wetsuit and entered the sea. I encountered a large school of fish and lost track of time until my pickup at 11:00 AM! It was deeply moving to visit Hanauma Bay for the first time in five years since my visit before the pandemic!

４時半起きでハナウマ湾ツアーに参加。
イリカイホテルでピックアップしてもらい、ハナウマ湾に向かう途中で夜が明ける。
6:45の開門と同時に列に並び、7:20の入場チケットをゲット。1人25ドルを現金で払い、環境ビデオを見て、8:00頃ハナウマ湾のビーチに到着。
レンタルしたウェットスーツを着て海に入る。魚の大群にも遭遇、11時の迎えまで、時間を忘れて楽しみました！
コロナ前の訪問以来、５年ぶりにハナウマ湾を訪れることができて感慨深かったです！

I received a short message the day before the activity, and the pickup location was easy to understand. They arrived on time, which was reassuring. The driver was very polite, and the entry process was smooth. The kids really enjoyed snorkeling in the beautiful sea, and the three hours went by in no time.

アクティビティ前日にショートメールが届いて、迎えのピックアップ場所分かりやすく、時間通りに来てくれて、安心しました。ドライバーさんもとても丁寧で、入場までもスムーズでした。素晴らしい海でシュノーケルを子供たちもとても楽しめて、あっという間の３時間でした。

To enter Hanauma Bay as soon as it opened, the morning pickup was a bit earlier. I was lucky to catch the sunrise at a nearby coastline while adjusting my schedule before entering!

This was my third visit to Hanauma Bay. The weather was perfect, but the ocean at 7 AM was still quite cold as the water temperature hadn't warmed up yet. Still, the view was absolutely stunning! I was very satisfied to see so many fish.

ハナウマの開園と同時に入場する為、朝のピックアップは少し早めでした。
入場前に時間調整で近くの海岸線で日の出も見れてラッキー！

ハナウマ湾に来るのは3回目
お天気は最高でしたが、やはり朝7時の海は、みだ水温が上がらず冷たかったです(^^;
それでも、やはり絶景！魚達も沢山見れて大満足でした。

I was anxious about everything being in English, but the return time and meeting place were clear, so I was able to enjoy myself with peace of mind. I was lucky to see seals swimming in the bay as well.

オール英語で不安でしたが、帰りの時間と集合場所が明確で安心して楽しめました。アザラシも湾内に泳いできてラッキーでした。

I found that the water wasn't as clear as I had hoped. The sandy beach wasn't as beautiful as I expected either. I want to visit the sandbar I went to two years ago again!

泳いでみて思ったほど透明度は良くなかった。砂浜も思ったほど綺麗ではなかった。一昨年行ったサンドバーにもう一度行ってみたいです！

I was relieved that they arrived on time for the early morning pickup. Although the conversation was only in English, I somehow understood the nuances and was able to spend my time without anxiety. Hanauma Bay was beautiful as always after such a long time.

早朝のお迎えだったけど時間通りに来ていただき安心しました。
英語のみの会話だったけとなんとなくニュアンスは伝わり不安なく過ごせました。
久しぶりのハナウマベイはやっぱり綺麗でした。

Hanauma Bay has become reservation-only after COVID, and while it's great to have guaranteed entry, I think the early morning schedule and the rental/transportation prices are high. Is there a way to make it cheaper if you only need transportation without the rental? (Entry is possible if you wait in line, so it might be possible to go by Uber, but it could be difficult to enter on the day without a guide from a service.)

ハナウマ湾がコロナ後予約制になり、個人での予約が難しい中、確実に入れるのはありがたいが、朝が早くレンタル/送迎の値段としては高いと思う。レンタル不要で送迎のみでもっと安くならないか？（入場は並べば良いので、自分でウーバーで行く事も可能かもだが、業者同行がないと当日入場は難しいかも？）

I heard that the ocean is more beautiful than Waikiki Beach, so I decided to join. It was tough to wake up early and participate, but Hanauma Bay was more stunning than I imagined. I also think there are more fish to see compared to Waikiki Beach. I wasn't confident in my swimming skills, but I enjoyed the wide area where I could stand in shallow water.

ワイキキビーチよりも海が綺麗との話を聞き参加しました。早朝に起床し参加するのは大変でしたが、ハナウマ湾は想像以上に絶景でした。また、見ることのできる魚の数もワイキキビーチより多いと思います。私は泳ぎに自信がありませんでしたが、足のつく浅いところの範囲も広く楽しめました。

You can see a lot of fish at waist-deep water, making it enjoyable for snorkeling beginners. Although it was a bit cold to stay in the water in March due to the clouds, once you get in, it’s not a problem.

腰の高さの水深で沢山の魚を見ることができ、スノーケリング初心者で十分楽しめます。海に入り続けるには３月の曇りは少し寒いですが、入ってしまえば問題なしでした。

It was my first time snorkelling, and the experience was fantastic! The equipment was clean, well-maintained, and easy to use. If you're not comfortable swimming in the ocean like me, I highly recommend renting a life vest for extra confidence.

From the start, everything was well-organized. The shuttle bus driver was friendly and informative, sharing insights about Oahu’s geography, and pointing out tourist attractions and great restaurants along the way. He even handed out pictures of ocean creatures we might spot, which made the ride even more exciting!

Overall, a great experience, I’d definitely recommend it!

I had given up on making a reservation through the official booking site, but then I found this tour and signed up. Since I didn't have a rental car, it was really helpful that they provided transportation to the hotel. The rental equipment was properly arranged, and the driver was a fun person, which was great.

公式予約サイトで予約が取れなかったので諦めていたところ、こちらのツアーを見つけて申し込みました。
レンタカーしていなかったので、ホテルに送迎してもらえて本当に助かりました。
レンタル道具もキチンとあり、ドライバーさんも楽しい方で良かったです。

The pick-up and drop-off to the hotel were handled by a reliable driver, which gave me peace of mind. The goggles, snorkel, and float wetsuit I borrowed were also easy to use. I am very satisfied.

お迎えも返りのホテルまでの送りも、あんしんしまかせられる良いドライバーでした。
お借りしゴーグル、シュノーケル、フロートウエットスーツも、使いやすかったです。
大満足です。

Since it was early in the morning, the pickup time was 5:45 AM. We arrived at a nearby cape before dawn and waited for a while, reaching the entrance just after 7 AM. After entering at 8 AM with standard equipment (snorkel, fins) along with optional life jackets, umbrellas, and chairs, there was a presentation, and we finally made it to the beach by 8:30 AM, ready to swim. Overall, the time spent carrying our belongings was long and tiring. We did see some fish in the sea, but the scenery wasn't as impressive as we had hoped. I also thought the entrance fee of $25 per person was high.

朝一だったのでピックアップの時間は5時45分、夜明け前に近くの岬に到着してしばらく待機し、入口についたのが7時過ぎ。入口から標準装備（シュノーケル、フィン）の他にオプションの救命具、パラソル、椅子をもって8時に入場開始が始まり、説明の上映もあって、8時半にやっと浜辺に着き泳げる体制になりました。とにかく荷物を運んでいる時間も長くくたびれました。海は魚も見れましたが、期待しているほどの景観ではなかったです。また入場料も25ドル/人は高いと思いました。

The pick-up and equipment rental were completely problem-free. The driver assisted us while translating into Japanese using an app.
Thank you, Fernando!
The water clarity was quite high and beautiful, so it was worth seeing.

送迎と装備レンタルは全く問題なしです。ドライバーがアプリで日本語翻訳しながら対応してくださいます。
Fernandoありがとう！
水の透明度はかなり高く美しかったので見る価値ありです。

It was amazing!
The clarity of the water, the variety and size of the fish were truly impressive!
I even got to meet a honu and swim with it!

My English is at a basic education level, and that's fine.
The guide speaks slowly to make it easy to understand.
While driving, they introduce recommended shops.
We stopped at a parking area for a location explanation, then had time for a briefing on how to use the snorkel, swimming precautions, and ordering additional rental items.
We rented a boogie board, but other parties rented life jackets.

最高でした
透明度、魚の種類、大きさ本当に見応えがあります！
ホヌとも出会えて一緒に泳ぐことができました！！

英語は義務教育レベルで問題ないです。
ガイドさんがわかりやすいようにゆっくり話してくれます。
運転中はおすすめのお店の紹介。
一旦パーキングに止めてロケーションの説明の後シュノーケルの使い方遊泳時の注意、追加のレンタル品のオーダーの時間がありました。
うちはブギーボードレンタルしましたが、他のパーティはライフジャケットをみんなレンタルしてました。

Originally, it was scheduled for January 30, but I received a call from Veltra the day before, asking me to change the date due to a warning being issued for the next day. So, I participated on February 1.
When I come to Hawaii, Hanauma Bay is an absolute must-visit and one of my favorite places. Although it was an early morning, I was able to enjoy it while there were fewer people. I encountered many fish and was very satisfied. The weather was great, and the view of Hanauma Bay from near the entrance was amazing!
Of course, I want to go again.

当初は1/30の予定でしたが、前日にベルトラさんから電話を頂き、明日は警報が出ているので日程を変更してくださいとのこと。そして2/1に参加させて頂きました。
ハワイに来たらハナウマ湾は絶対外せない大好きな場所。朝が早いけど人が少ないうちから楽しめました。たくさんの魚にも逢えて大満足でした。天候も良く、入場口付近から見たハナウマ湾は最高です！
勿論、また行きたいです。

It was great to be able to enter smoothly right after it opened! Since it was December, there were times when the sun was hidden by clouds and it was a bit chilly right after coming out of the water, but I was able to enjoy seeing plenty of fish. The amount of time spent at Hanauma Bay was just right.

オープンしてすぐのタイミングでスムーズに入ることができとても良かったです！
12月ということで、太陽が雲に隠れているタイミングや海から出た直後は少し肌寒かったのですが、魚もいっぱい見ることが満喫できました。ハナウマ湾の滞在時間もちょうど良かったです。

I was able to snorkel safely. Since I went first thing in the morning, it was easy to secure a good spot. The security was thorough, allowing me to enjoy snorkeling without any worries.

シュノーケルを安全にできました。
朝1番で行ったので、場所取りもスムーズでした。
セキュリティも万全で、心置きなくシュノーケルを楽しめました。

Since I joined the 7:20 tour, there were still few people at the beach, and I was able to find a good spot. The seawater in November is cold, and on this day, the wind was strong and it even rained at times, making it feel even colder. I was glad to see a lot of fish.

Although it's not due to this tour, it's unfortunate that Hanauma Bay has become reservation-only, which means you can't decide to go based on the weather on the day of your visit. By the way, it was sunny during my stay except for the day of the tour.

7:20の回で入れたので、まだビーチに人が少なくていい場所が取れました。
11月の海水は冷たく、この日は風が強くて途中雨も降っていたので尚更寒く感じました。
魚はたくさん見れたので良かったです。

このツアーのせいではないのですが、ハナウマ湾自体が予約制になったことで当日の天気で行くことを判断できなくなってしまったのが残念です。
ちなみに参加日以外の滞在期間は晴れていました。

Hanauma Bay itself was a small beach, but I felt the importance of coexistence with nature as there were seals, and the fish didn't swim away. It was a wonderful experience. Additionally, I was able to communicate with people from various countries and generations, which made for enjoyable memories.

ハナウマベイ自体はこじんまりとしたビーチでしたが、　あざらしがいたり、魚は逃げないし、自然との共存、大切さを感じられました。
素晴らしい体験でした。
また、現地喉方対応で様々な国の方、世代の方達とコミュニケーションが取れて楽しい思い出となりました。

This tour is conducted in English, but even if your English isn't very good, they kindly assist you using translation software. When purchasing tickets or entering, the driver had informed us in advance that we should buy tickets together with the foreign guests who joined us as part of the same group, which made things really easy. Above all, it's a great value! Compared to Japanese-speaking shuttle tours, it's truly reasonable. There was plenty of time to enjoy, so we were able to relax on the beach until it was time for pickup!

こちらのツアーは、英語での案内になりますが、
英語がそんなにできなくても、翻訳ソフトなどを使って、親切に教えてくれます。実際にチケットを購入したり、入場する際も、相乗りしてきた外国人の方に同一グループとして一緒に購入してあげて欲しいと、あらかじめドライバーさんから申し伝わっているので、本当に楽でした。何よりも、コスパがいい！日本語対応の送迎ツアーと比べて本当にリーズナブル。滞在時間もたっぷりあるので、お迎えまでビーチでゆっくりできました！