Hanauma Bay

Oahu is not known for its snorkeling, with one exception - Hanauma Bay. Having been over-fished and over-touristed, the bay is now a protected preserve, and I'm glad for that. If you love snorkeling like I do, this is a must. But, there is a catch. With the increased pressure put on the bay by its popularity with us snorkelers, you must now make reservations. This is a little tricky. You can only make reservations two days in advance, so no advance planning is possible. Then, you have to make reservations online, with timed slots available starting (if I recall correctly) at 7 a.m. Snorkeling is best in the morning, so if you care about that, or want the most time at the bay possible, then try to reserve your spot right when reservations open, or you will be disappointed. There is immense competition for the most desirable time slots. It's expensive to come here, though locals get a hefty discount. I'm pretty sure it was a local who stole my snorkel gear here, making the haole price even more expensive. There are lockers you can rent for valuables (thank God I had my wallet and iPhone in the locker or they would have been gone too), and you can rent snorkel gear, which comes in handy after yours have been stolen. Out in the bay, which is why we come here, there are plenty of fish, and I absolutely loved following them around for hours. Around noon, the water begins to get crowded a bit, and after seeing more haoles than fish for a while, we decided to move on. If you want to hang out though, there is a food vendor here that appears to be decent, and a gift shop where you can buy things like a book with all the fish you can see in the bay. We saw a remarkable variety here, but for future snorkeling trips, the big island of Hawaii and Maui (even Kauai) are better choices.