HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii residents will soon be able to visit Hanauma Bay without reservations during normal hours of operation.
This change takes place on July 1. Kama‘āina will need to show valid photo identification.
“We were pleased to see the recent attendance numbers for Hanauma Bay showing an uptick in kama‘āina visiting the preserve,” said Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation Director Laura H. Thielen.
Entry is between 6:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The nature preserve is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
“Since the launch of the online reservation system in April 2021 we have tried different methods of attracting locals back to Hanauma Bay, including testing out this no-reservation idea in summer 2021. While the idea was popular, we still needed additional staffing to accommodate the increase in visitors not using the online system. Now that we have these folks hired, we hope this policy can remain permanent,” Thielen said.
There are limits on the number of parking stalls and that remains unchanged. All visitors are required to watch an educational and safety video before descending to the beach.
