New concession aims to improve access to Hanauma Bay

By Nathan Serota
October 30, 2025
City News, DPR News

Contract with Roberts Hawai‘i to package transportation, entry, and educational video, while creating more availability in the public parking lot

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve panoramic view from trail. Image taken by Nate Serota.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi and several City and County of Honolulu departments are thrilled to announce a new concession launching November 2025 aimed at increasing accessibility and improving operations at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (HBAY).

A unique contract with Roberts Hawai‘i will offer a streamlined journey to the nature preserve, with the hopes of creating more space to enjoy this world-class marine conservation district.

Beginning Saturday, November 1, 2025 visitors can reserve their HBAY excursions for December 2025 through new online admission options. These ticketing packages include booking round-trip transportation from several locations in the Ala Moana/Waikīkī area, along with entry into HBAY a month in advance of their trip. Links to reserve in advance are available on the Hanauma Bay and Roberts Hawai‘i websites, including: robertshawaii.com/oahu-tours/hanauma-bay-nature-preserve

“I am thrilled to utilize this new contract and outside-the-box thinking to improve how residents and tourists experience this amazing natural treasure,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “By taking a large amount of tourists out of their rental cars and into these large, electric buses, we hope this will create more space for local families to consider Hanauma Bay as a welcoming destination. That has been a big challenge in the past, with long lines of personal vehicles waiting to drive into the nature preserve, resulting in regular closure of the bay’s parking lot and traffic on Kalaniana‘ole Highway. Now we can offer more ways for everyone to experience the splendor of Hanauma Bay, while reducing the negative impact on our roadways and neighboring environment.”

400 tickets will be available daily through this advanced online opportunity, with adjustments made to the existing pros.hnl.info ticketing system to keep daily HBAY attendance near 1,400 people. The new ticketing packages includes an electric tour bus ride to HBAY during which visitors will be shown the nature preserve’s 10-minute educational video. All entrants are required to view this video, which was previously only available within the nature preserve’s theatre, and could only be booked 48-hours in advance. A portion of the HBAY packages will include tickets to the Honolulu Zoo, another unique City attraction, with the potential for future package add-ons to include snorkel gear rentals, meal options, and retail items at HBAY.

Local residents will continue to enjoy free access to HBAY, without entry payment or reservation. Only a $1 per vehicle parking fee is applicable to locals for a space within the 280-stall personal vehicle parking lot, which was recently renovated in September 2025.

“This effort aligns with Hanauma Bay’s goal of balancing the recreational and cultural needs of the community with the education and preservation mandates of this wahi pana (storied place),” said Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s Director Laura H. Thielen. “This first year of operation is very much a trial period, where we are flexible and can adjust to better serve our island community here and abroad. This idea came from the outstanding participants in our Hanauma Bay Steering Committee, and has progressed thanks to our preserve staff along with partners in the departments of Enterprise Services, Information Technology, and Office of Economic Revitalization. A big mahalo to them for their assistance with making this idea a reality.”

Electric bus operated by Roberts Hawai‘i. Image courtesy Roberts Hawai‘i

“We’re proud to collaborate with the City and County of Honolulu to make Hanauma Bay more accessible while preserving its natural beauty,” said JoAnn Erban, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Roberts Hawaiʻi. “As a locally owned, employee-owned company, we’re deeply committed to caring for our island home. By providing eco-friendly transportation and the convenience of advance booking, we’re helping guests enjoy a seamless, responsible experience at one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved and culturally rich destinations.”

A historically significant location for Native Hawaiians paddlers, and a favorite fishing location for some Hawaiian Royalty, Hanauma Bay was deeded to the City from the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate in 1928. HBAY was designated the state’s first Marine Life Conservation District in 1967, growing in popularity during the 1970’s and 1980’s when visitor attendance peaked at an estimated 10,000 people a day. A management plan implemented in 1990 helped to mitigate this human impact by: reducing visitation, improving facilities, banning the feeding of fish, and educating bay visitors. In 2019, average daily attendance was almost 3,000 people, with nearly 845,000 tourists and residents visiting the nature preserve that year. Today, average daily attendance is roughly half of that amount, with 400,776 total visits to HBAY recorded in 2024.

For more information about the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve please visit its official website at: bit.ly/HanaumaBAY

If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event. Without sufficient advanced notice, it may not be possible to fulfill requests.