"really enjoyed the o ahu snorkeling beaches and other attractions such as dole plantation and polynesian cultural center" - a Travelocity user

"for hotel customers - not crowded, very comfortable. Room was clean" - a Travelocity user

"backyard area which is with banyan trees and just a beautiful feel of a tropical garden" - a Virtualtourist user

"...a comprehensive collection of marine life from the central Pacific (children love those cuttlefish, the great jellyfish exhibit and the monk seal habitat habitat)..." - a Zagat user

"Snorkel Heaven can be found just about 20 minutes east of Waikiki along the 72 or Kalanianaole hwy in a place they call HANAUMA BAY. To those friends in Houston drive I-10 west 1500miles to Santa Monica, hit the gas and jump Luke Duke style the 2500miles to soft land in Diamond head crater then follow above directions. HANAUMA BAY is beautiful beyond the descriptive powers of a mere mortal especially me, please see pictures. There are 10 different types of blue and at least that many shades of green. Have fun making up names for the blue hues, like royal blue, midnight blue, high beam indicator light blue, just lost 10 dollars in the sand blue, did that kid just pee on the coral blue? O.K. the last blue didn't really happen....? HANAUMA BAY opens at 6am everyday except Tuesday when it's closed so the fish can talk about us behind our backs, "Did you see what she was wearing, that suit is so fall of '04, I can't believe she wore that to see us. I mean I'm a Rainbow Parrotfish. I look good everday, but it takes work." The parking lot cost $1 per car, and tends to fill up by 9-10am, however people don't stay all day as excruciatingly painfull beauty can be quite tiring, and people are leaving park/parking spots as early as 8am. I went three days in a row, 6:30am, 8:30am, 7:00am. Admission is $5 per adult, kids under 4 free. If you arrive before 7am, both parking and admission is free. Easier to do than you think as after long flight your body is still 37 hours ahead or something (not good with math). On your first visit, you are required to watch a 9minute "Don't touch Anything" video about marine conservation, before they let you walk down the hill to the bay. Once there, you have a 2000 ft long Cresentic Beach with lifeguard shacks, information booth (put your name on a list there so on future trips you won't need to watch the video again), Snorkel Gear rental hut, and multiple bathrooms, plus a cheap tram to take you up and down the big hill. This is a great beach whether you snorkel or not. You have to snorkel though, pick any spot and dive in. There is a spot near bottom of hill called the keyhole (sandy patch surrounded 320 degrees by reef ( a great spot for the beginner). There is another area called the channel (long sandy stretch-cleared for telecom-cables) that allows you to easily swim out to the outlying reef, which is less visited and better quality. Fish I spotted include, butterfly fish, coronet fish, convict tangs, yellow tangs, multiple larger surgeon fish, moray eels, trigger fish, parrot fish, goat fish, jacks/trevallys, and many others. The water gets cloudier and visibilty diminishes as the day goes on due to all the people and sun tan oils etc. I guess. By 11am visibility was much poorer, just go down to the far end of the bay where there are much fewer people, but with a rockier entry, lots of serious Uber-Snorkelers with wetsuits and matching gloves and fins. The personnel at HANAUMA BAY are wonderful, very helpful. This is a fun activity for the whole family, my 3 yr old daughter and I made sand castles while mommy snorkeled till she could barely breathe she was so tired. I put my daughter on a special boogie board with a plastic window cut into it, and she saw lots of fish and sea urchins. Don't miss this place. p.s. For serious snorkelers also go to Sharks Cove on North Shore, from marine wildlife perspective it is quite superior to HANAUMA BAY, a Ferrari to a corvette, but the vette is a good car too." - a Tripadvisor user

"What I liked was the water was already warm. Watch out for corral as you first step in the ocean and the sandbar. The beaches were secluded but got crowded quickly on weekends but your in a cove so you cannot walk far. Fair sunsets and activites. Overall it is a nice expierence but if your like me from the east coast looking for long walks on the beach, you will not get it." - a Yahoo user