I took this photo of Hanauma Bay during my most recent visit this summer. The pandemic has made traveling to Hawaii pretty difficult. Until recently, out of state vaccinations were insufficient to get past the Hawaii Safe Travels program, which meant any traveler from the rest of the United States had to get a COVID test result within 72 hours of departure. This also meant that you had to pray to get your results back within that window, which depended on how slammed the testing lab was.
Thankfully I was able to see the islands again earlier this year and even made it to Hanauma Bay via the new reservation system. The Park is now closed twice a week and has strict limits on who can visit. It’s a struggle to get in since slots fill up in 5 minutes after they open at 7:00 AM local time. However, the Park has had trouble with overcrowding in the past, to the detriment of the sea life. The current system isn’t perfect but it did make for an overall more pleasant experience for the lucky folks who got in, and I’m sure the fish are happier also.
Hanauma Bay came a long way since I remember it as a kid, back when the reefs were pitch black (because they were dead) and visitors were feeding the fish with old breadcrumbs (which didn’t do wonders for their nutrition.) These days the Park is strict on how people behave in the waters to protect the marine life, which includes the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Please don’t touch monk seals.
There are of course other beaches in Oahu that are worth visiting, but Hanauma Bay still remains special to me.
