
On my third visit to Oahu, I was finally able to visit Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a beautiful cove south of Waikiki. I was thwarted on previous visits by not getting an early enough start — the popular park fills up quickly and once it’s full, that’s that, you’re not getting in. I had all the odds in my favor this morning — an early start, the low season, and a tough year for tourism.At 830, I was in the water, chasing the wild humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the best named fish on the planet, though hey, you have to give props to the lauwiliwilinukunukuo’io’i, the long nosed butterfly fish.… continued…
Local people, they give you advice. As do the guidebooks. And you should totally listen. You should not be all, “Meh, whatever. We’ll just deal.” Because then you will have been to Oahu, what, twice, three times, and STILL not seen the wonder that is Hanauma Bay. It is your own damn fault.
Pay attention, now is when you get to learn from our mistakes.
- You really DO have to get up early to go to Hanauma Bay.













