Hawaii (also known as the Aloha State) is atleast 2000 miles away from anywhere and is considered a paradise known for its crystal clear, blue pristine clean beaches and tropical weather. Hawaii consists of 6 islands; Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and the big island of Hawaii. Our trip this time was to the islands of Oahu and Maui.

This is Hanauma Bay (in Oahu), one of the best protected coves with a diverse population of marine life and a large, rich coral reef. The bay floor is actually the crater of an ancient volcano that flooded when the exterior wall collapsed and the ocean rushed in to form what is one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spots in Hawaii.

It is a large sandy beach perfect for sunbathing and swimming. Several hiking trails extend along the coastline and the ridge providing breathtaking scenic lookouts. This is where you don’t really have to snorkel in order to see the marine life. All you have to do is to stand still in the water and the fishes will swim around your feet. Amazing, isn’t it?

The curvature of the bay usually provides protection from large ocean waves and allows swimmers a terrific opportunity to view the marine and reef life in a safer, protected environment.

This is not a beach park for beach sports, rather this bay is a Marine Life Conservation area, so you need to follow some rules. The following are not allowed; pets, alcohol, fishing, feeding the fish, harassing or harming the marine life, stepping, removing or walking on the coral. The black patches you see in the middle of the blue waters are live coral reef.

Hanauma bay is approx. 10 miles south-east from the Waikiki beach in Honolulu. In order to make the most out of it, you need to get there early in the morning. The parking lot gets full by 10 a.m and cars are not allowed in till people start leaving.

Hawaii is famous for its black sand beaches. These black sand beaches were formed when lava flowed and fountained into the sea, shattering on contact with the ocean. Fragments smashed against each other to form the black sand beach. What you see below is not a black sand beach, but contains traces of the black sand.

Maybe Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the black sand beaches in Hawaii may have been, because these type of beaches are formed in days or weeks. (I am not talking about the Hanauma bay). The geography of Hawaii changes rapidly due to the unpredictable volcanic activity and the ravaging ocean. If that happens when you are around, you may want to run as fast as you can. The ocean is known to change the geography of these islands and will write your history too if you are not careful in the waters.

Follow this simple rule when in Hawaii waters. Never turn your back to the ocean. You never know how hard the next wave will hit you. Unless you are out for surfing, avoid the waters when the sea is rough, especially during full moon when the tide is high. The ocean is unpredictable and has been known to wash people away. Avoid walking on the rocky ledges where waves are breaking, they can be very dangerous. Rocks become slippery and are sharp, abrasive lava stone. Lava is very porous and it crumbles easily. Don’t ever go into the wet rocky zone.

First time visitors to Hanauma Bay have to watch a mandatory 15 minute video before entering. This video tells how this place was formed and how it is being protected and preserved and the do’s and dont’s while you are here.

Entrance fee is $5 per person and $1 per car. You have to walk down a steep slope for approx. 10 mins before you hit the sand. If you can’t walk or are tired, there is a tram service that can take you up and down for as many times the whole day for as cheap as $2. Snorkel gear can be rented right on the bay for a very cheap price.

Coconut trees are very common here. You can see them all over the place providing shade and coconuts which the locals and tourists enjoy.

This is the view from our hotel room. 🙂 For your information, We stayed at the Hawaii Prince Hotel in Waikiki and were lucky to get an ocean front room overlooking the blue and green expanse of the pacific ocean. We got to see some very rare and wonderful sights right from our hotel room. Watch out for the later posts and you will see what i mean.