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Snorkeling in Hawaii
The islands of Hawaii - Opens a dialog offer an abundance of natural beauty, matched by only a few other areas in the world. Even more enticing is how accessible the area is to travelers from mainland U.S. and Canada.
While each island's land-based biodiversity is clearly visible for guests to enjoy, the underwater opportunities for exploration are just as stunning. With 1,200 miles of coral reefs, warm temperatures, crystal-clear waters and protected marine areas teeming with sea life, each island is a haven for experienced snorkelers with a mask, snorkel and fins. You can pull over practically anywhere along a stretch of coastline and find something amazing. (I keep my snorkeling gear in the trunk, for just that kind of spontaneous opportunity.) Here’s a look at a few of the islands’ highlights.
Spinner dolphins and other types can be sighted in the waters off of Hawaii Island.
Hawaii Island
Hawaii Island - Opens a dialog has more miles of coastline than any other Hawaiian Island, attracting locals and visitors alike to its gentle, clear blue waters.
On the west side, the Kona Coast - Opens a dialog , Kealakekua Bay and Honaunau Bay are famous for visibility and calm waters, protected from the winds by Maunaloa. You’ll have a chance to see Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and along the protected shoreline of Ka’awaloa, you can snorkel alongside turtles, eels, reef sharks and rays.
Further south, for snorkeling opportunities on the Kohala Coast - Opens a dialog , visit Hapuna Beach, one of the island’s most expansive white sand beaches and chance to spot migrating whales.
The island’s east side has a handful of spots that are great for beginning snorkelers. This includes Hilo’s - Opens a dialog Leleiwi Beach, where protective lava rock walls surround the area, creating a calm spot to explore and see tropical fish and Hawaiian green sea turtles.
Humuhumunukunukuapa a’a is Hawaii's state fish.
Kauai
On Kauai’s south shore - Opens a dialog is the shallow-water lagoon at Poipu Beach, home to monk seals, blue parrotfish, sea cucumbers and Hawaii’s state fish: humuhumunukunukuapuaa. (Forget 10 times—try saying that one time fast!) During the migrating season, you may see humpbacks offshore.
To the island’s north is Makua (“tunnels”) Beach. With caverns, channels and tunnels, strange rock formations and large coral heads, the area is large and varied enough to provide opportunities for snorkelers from beginner to experienced. Marine life can include goat fish, hogfish, filefish, green sea turtles, moray eels, trumpet fish and brightly-colored wrasse.
Also on the North Shore, shoreline snorkeling beaches include the reefs off Kēʻē Beach and Hāʻena Beach Park. ʻAnini Beach offers a lagoon great for beginning snorkelers.
To the east, Lydgate Beach Park is protected by a rock barrier, making its calm waters perfect for youngsters.
Kauai
On Kauai’s south shore - Opens a dialog is the shallow-water lagoon at Poipu Beach, home to monk seals, blue parrotfish, sea cucumbers and Hawaii’s state fish: humuhumunukunukuapuaa. (Forget 10 times—try saying that one time fast!) During the migrating season, you may see humpbacks offshore.
To the island’s north is Makua (“tunnels”) Beach. With caverns, channels and tunnels, strange rock formations and large coral heads, the area is large and varied enough to provide opportunities for snorkelers from beginner to experienced. Marine life can include goat fish, hogfish, filefish, green sea turtles, moray eels, trumpet fish and brightly-colored wrasse.
Also on the North Shore, shoreline snorkeling beaches include the reefs off Kēʻē Beach and Hāʻena Beach Park. ʻAnini Beach offers a lagoon great for beginning snorkelers.
To the east, Lydgate Beach Park is protected by a rock barrier, making its calm waters perfect for youngsters.
Humuhumunukunukuapa a’a is Hawaii's state fish.
Hanamua Bay on Oahu.
Oahu
Shark’s Cove (misnamed, as sharks aren’t common here), a rocky bay with clear, shallow waters, is one of the top snorkeling and shore-diving spots in the world. Located on Oahu’s - Opens a dialog North Shore, the small rocky bay’s bottom is made up of large, smooth boulders and coral heads forming small caves and ledges for abundant marine life, while the walls of the surrounding cliffs provide calmer water attracting schooling surface fish. On the south side of Sharks Cove are the Pupukea tide pools; a great place for children and adults to wade and explore.
Sans Souci, near Waikiki - Opens a dialog , and the Kō Olina lagoons on the island's Leeward Coast are perfect place for kids just starting out. You can also hop on a snorkel tour or boat charter and let guides help you discover what lies beneath the waters offshore.
Molokini Crater is off the coast of Maui.
Maui
Just 3 miles off the Maui's - Opens a dialog southwestern coast is Molokini Crater, a small, crescent moon-shaped island, where crystal-clear waters support an extraordinary diversity of marine life (more than 250 species of tropical fish!). Named a State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, Molokini is accessible only by boat tour, but well worth the short trip, as a dip beneath the waves reveals a whole new world.
Maui
Just 3 miles off the Maui's - Opens a dialog southwestern coast is Molokini Crater, a small, crescent moon-shaped island, where crystal-clear waters support an extraordinary diversity of marine life (more than 250 species of tropical fish!). Named a State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, Molokini is accessible only by boat tour, but well worth the short trip, as a dip beneath the waves reveals a whole new world.
Molokini Crater is off the coast of Maui.
Sign Up for Costco.com Emails
If you are interested in great deals Costco Travel has to offer, click here - Opens a dialog to sign up to receive emails. This will ensure that Travel and Costco.com values are sent directly to your inbox.
Once You Are Ready to Travel Again, Costco Travel Can Help
We invite you to take some time to browse around and dream of your Hawaii vacation - Opens a dialog , whether you’re booking for next month or toward the end of next year.
The islands of Hawaii - Opens a dialog offer an abundance of natural beauty, matched by only a few other areas in the world. Even more enticing is how accessible the area is to travelers from mainland U.S. and Canada.
While each island's land-based biodiversity is clearly visible for guests to enjoy, the underwater opportunities for exploration are just as stunning. With 1,200 miles of coral reefs, warm temperatures, crystal-clear waters and protected marine areas teeming with sea life, each island is a haven for experienced snorkelers with a mask, snorkel and fins. You can pull over practically anywhere along a stretch of coastline and find something amazing. (I keep my snorkeling gear in the trunk, for just that kind of spontaneous opportunity.) Here’s a look at a few of the islands’ highlights.
Spinner dolphins and other types can be sighted in the waters off of Hawaii Island.
Hawaii Island
Hawaii Island - Opens a dialog has more miles of coastline than any other Hawaiian Island, attracting locals and visitors alike to its gentle, clear blue waters.
On the west side, the Kona Coast - Opens a dialog , Kealakekua Bay and Honaunau Bay are famous for visibility and calm waters, protected from the winds by Maunaloa. You’ll have a chance to see Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and along the protected shoreline of Ka’awaloa, you can snorkel alongside turtles, eels, reef sharks and rays.
Further south, for snorkeling opportunities on the Kohala Coast - Opens a dialog , visit Hapuna Beach, one of the island’s most expansive white sand beaches and chance to spot migrating whales.
The island’s east side has a handful of spots that are great for beginning snorkelers. This includes Hilo’s - Opens a dialog Leleiwi Beach, where protective lava rock walls surround the area, creating a calm spot to explore and see tropical fish and Hawaiian green sea turtles.
Humuhumunukunukuapa a’a is Hawaii's state fish.
Kauai
On Kauai’s south shore - Opens a dialog is the shallow-water lagoon at Poipu Beach, home to monk seals, blue parrotfish, sea cucumbers and Hawaii’s state fish: humuhumunukunukuapuaa. (Forget 10 times—try saying that one time fast!) During the migrating season, you may see humpbacks offshore.
To the island’s north is Makua (“tunnels”) Beach. With caverns, channels and tunnels, strange rock formations and large coral heads, the area is large and varied enough to provide opportunities for snorkelers from beginner to experienced. Marine life can include goat fish, hogfish, filefish, green sea turtles, moray eels, trumpet fish and brightly-colored wrasse.
Also on the North Shore, shoreline snorkeling beaches include the reefs off Kēʻē Beach and Hāʻena Beach Park. ʻAnini Beach offers a lagoon great for beginning snorkelers.
To the east, Lydgate Beach Park is protected by a rock barrier, making its calm waters perfect for youngsters.
Kauai
On Kauai’s south shore - Opens a dialog is the shallow-water lagoon at Poipu Beach, home to monk seals, blue parrotfish, sea cucumbers and Hawaii’s state fish: humuhumunukunukuapuaa. (Forget 10 times—try saying that one time fast!) During the migrating season, you may see humpbacks offshore.
To the island’s north is Makua (“tunnels”) Beach. With caverns, channels and tunnels, strange rock formations and large coral heads, the area is large and varied enough to provide opportunities for snorkelers from beginner to experienced. Marine life can include goat fish, hogfish, filefish, green sea turtles, moray eels, trumpet fish and brightly-colored wrasse.
Also on the North Shore, shoreline snorkeling beaches include the reefs off Kēʻē Beach and Hāʻena Beach Park. ʻAnini Beach offers a lagoon great for beginning snorkelers.
To the east, Lydgate Beach Park is protected by a rock barrier, making its calm waters perfect for youngsters.
Humuhumunukunukuapa a’a is Hawaii's state fish.
Hanamua Bay on Oahu.
Oahu
Shark’s Cove (misnamed, as sharks aren’t common here), a rocky bay with clear, shallow waters, is one of the top snorkeling and shore-diving spots in the world. Located on Oahu’s - Opens a dialog North Shore, the small rocky bay’s bottom is made up of large, smooth boulders and coral heads forming small caves and ledges for abundant marine life, while the walls of the surrounding cliffs provide calmer water attracting schooling surface fish. On the south side of Sharks Cove are the Pupukea tide pools; a great place for children and adults to wade and explore.
Sans Souci, near Waikiki - Opens a dialog , and the Kō Olina lagoons on the island's Leeward Coast are perfect place for kids just starting out. You can also hop on a snorkel tour or boat charter and let guides help you discover what lies beneath the waters offshore.
Molokini Crater is off the coast of Maui.
Maui
Just 3 miles off the Maui's - Opens a dialog southwestern coast is Molokini Crater, a small, crescent moon-shaped island, where crystal-clear waters support an extraordinary diversity of marine life (more than 250 species of tropical fish!). Named a State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, Molokini is accessible only by boat tour, but well worth the short trip, as a dip beneath the waves reveals a whole new world.
Maui
Just 3 miles off the Maui's - Opens a dialog southwestern coast is Molokini Crater, a small, crescent moon-shaped island, where crystal-clear waters support an extraordinary diversity of marine life (more than 250 species of tropical fish!). Named a State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District, Molokini is accessible only by boat tour, but well worth the short trip, as a dip beneath the waves reveals a whole new world.
Molokini Crater is off the coast of Maui.
Sign Up for Costco.com Emails
If you are interested in great deals Costco Travel has to offer, click here - Opens a dialog to sign up to receive emails. This will ensure that Travel and Costco.com values are sent directly to your inbox.
Once You Are Ready to Travel Again, Costco Travel Can Help
We invite you to take some time to browse around and dream of your Hawaii vacation - Opens a dialog , whether you’re booking for next month or toward the end of next year.
About the Author: The above piece was written by T. Foster Jones, a guest travel blogger, and Costco enthusiast.
