As you let your body float you can feel as the fish swim against your body--in fact sometimes it feels almost kind of threatening. No worries though, the only kind that will bite are moray eels, which like to hide in holes in the coral to grab a bite or two from the fish swimming by (don't worry, they don't attack humans that often but they are very spooky looking). Any mainlander who visits, I must caution you: use sunscreen and use it a lot as the sun is very strong and before you know it you've got a sunburn. Also another side note on admission: it has not changed since I have lived there--$3 for tourists.

The bay is the result of the ocean's breaching and incursion into two volcano craters. There are hiking trails with very pretty vistas and the park areas have good picnicing sites.

Avoid walking on the rocky ledges where waves are breaking, they can be very dangerous. The rocks are actually lava. Lava is very porous and crumbles easily.

Hanauma Bay Nature Park closes down all day on Tuesdays; all other days it's open from 6am to 6pm. There is a US$3 entrance fee if you are a non-resident; free entrance if you can show valid local identification. There is a US$1 per car parking fee. You can call +1 (808) 396-4229 for other information about the park twenty-four hours per day, including information on emergency closures.

The Hanauma Bay Education Program teaches all about the bay's natural state. If you are going to be snorkeling or diving you are required to sit through the educational movie, which is actually quite entertaining.

Because you have to walk down to the bay from where you leave your car, it is possible to take a bus down, we walked down but took the bus up, well worth the $1 one-way fee, especially if you're carrying a lot of equipment.

A couple of miles further down Kalaniana`ole Highway, you'll come to a spot where there are invariably a couple of cars pulled over to the side of the highway. There is a great hike up the hill, with phenomenal views, including a light house and I understand if the weather is good you can see some of the other islands.

There is no cost, although I'm not altogether certain that the hike is legal, but it a lot of fun, though a certain level of fitness is required. Since the wind is very strong, I don't suggest wearing skirts.

The bay is the result of the ocean's breaching and incursion into two volcano craters. This beautiful place is ideal if you are a new or experienced SCUBA diver or snorkeler; or just for swimming. There are hiking trails with very pretty vistas and the park areas have good picnicing sites.

It closes down all day on Tuesdays; all other days it's open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There is a US $3.00 entrance fee if you are a non-resident; free entrance - if you can show valid local identification. The park can comfortably accommodate about 2,000 people at any one time. There is a US $1.00 per car parking fee. You can call +1 (808) 396-4229 for other information about the park twenty-four hours per day.

Efforts to conserve the park's resources have resulted in reduced congestion and a cleaner beach. These efforts even earned recognition and three awards from British Airways in 1998, including its "Tourism for Tomorrow" Award.

UPDATE---I went back here in Aug., 2003, and there were several changes. The entrance fee is now $5 per person (still $1 for parking) and you are required to see a informational movie now before they let you down to the beach. Your ticket will have a time on it. We waited about 30 minutes for our time. The movie tells you not to stand on the reef and what to expect to find there. It lasts about 15 minutes. If you plan to go back with in a year, there's a ranger's hut on the beach where you can sign your name and on future trips you can bypass the movie. We also rented a locker for $5 this time.