Walk-In Entry Resuming At Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve In Honolulu

Press release from the City and County of Honolulu:

January 12, 2021

HANAMUA BAY – With more continuous access into the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve providing successful results this past weekend, the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will be further revising the pilot reopening of the bay by allowing walk-in entry again beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 13.

“The ticketing system and increased access to the preserve’s parking lot proved to be the solutions we needed to address the safety issues posed by limiting entry off of Kalaniana‘ole Highway,” said DPR Director-Designate Laura H. Thielen. “We appreciate the patience and flexibility of the public while we make these adjustments to our Hanauma Bay operations during this pilot program period. Providing a safe & enjoyable experience for bay visitors, while keeping the preserve’s conservation and fiscal sustainability objectives in mind, continues to be our ultimate goals.”

Visitors entering the nature preserve on foot will follow the advanced ticketing procedures that provide pre-determined educational video show times.

Upon reaching the preserve entrance off of Kalaniana‘ole Highway, visitors will be directed into the bay’s commercial parking area and provided tickets for a specific time to watch the mandatory educational video. Visitors have the option of remaining in the parking lot and upper area of the preserve while they await their show time, or they may choose to leave the nature preserve after receiving their entry ticket.

Over the weekend, many visitors were seen enjoying the upper areas of the preserve, including picnicking on the upper lawn areas or enjoying the scenic views. This is encouraged.

The option to leave temporarily remains, but visitors must return with their ticket 15 minutes before their designated show time to ensure their entry into the theatre and beach. Those physical tickets must be presented to access the mandatory educational video, so we suggest visitors keep them in a secure location. We encourage visitors to please take travel time and traffic into account, and to honor their designated show times. Not attending your show time has the potential of taking away the opportunity for others to visit Hanauma Bay.

The daily capacity of visitors into the nature preserve remains capped at 720 people.

All face mask, physical distancing, and gathering restrictions remain in effect.

Visit the official Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve website for more information: https://bit.ly/HanaumaBAY

This press release was produced by the City and County of Honolulu. The views expressed are the author's own.