Best snorkeling spots in Hawaii for beginners
Ten calm, shallow Hawaii snorkel spots with easy sandy entries and lifeguards, plus beginner-friendly tours and the gear and habits that keep first-timers safe.
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Hawaii is a wonderful place to learn to snorkel: the water is warm, the fish are colorful and turtles are common. It is also open ocean, and every year visitors get into trouble at spots that are beautiful but not beginner-friendly. These ten beaches are the opposite: calm, shallow and easy to get in and out of.
What makes a spot beginner-friendly
- Sandy entry. You can walk in instead of climbing over lava.
- Protection. A reef, breakwater or headland stops waves reaching the snorkel area.
- Shallow water you can stand in (on sand, never on coral) if you need a break.
- A lifeguard or at least other people around.
- Easy parking and facilities, so you are not rushing.
Map of beginner spots
Maui
Kapalua Bay
West Maui
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–25 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round, best in summer
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish, turtles
How to get there
Public beach access off Lower Honoapiilani Road. Small lot; arrive before 9 am.
20.999° N, 156.667° WDirections
Napili Bay
West Maui
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Calm mornings
- Facilities
- Showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Turtles on the rocky edges
How to get there
Two public accesses off Lower Honoapiilani Road; very limited parking.
20.995° N, 156.668° WDirections
Ulua Beach
Wailea, South Maui
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round, mornings
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish along the point
How to get there
Off Wailea Alanui Drive. Free public lot.
20.691° N, 156.442° WDirections
Big Island
Kahaluu Beach Park
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy and rocky
- Depth
- 2–10 ft
- Visibility
- Good when calm
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Lifeguard, restrooms, rentals
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Turtles, yellow tang
How to get there
On Alii Drive, 15 minutes south of Kailua-Kona.
19.580° N, 155.967° WDirections
Beach 69 (Waialea Bay)
Kohala, Big Island
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–25 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Turtles, coral heads
How to get there
Off Puako Beach Drive. Snorkel the south end.
19.951° N, 155.864° WDirections
Oahu
Hanauma Bay
East Oahu
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 3–15 ft inside the reef
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Visitor center, lifeguards, rentals
- Fees and permits
- Reservation and fee
- What you'll see
- Lots of reef fish, turtles
How to get there
Reservations required, two days ahead. See our Hanauma Bay guide.
21.269° N, 157.694° WDirections
Kuilima Cove
North Shore, Oahu
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 2–10 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Restrooms, rentals
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Turtles, reef fish
How to get there
Public parking next to Turtle Bay Resort.
21.707° N, 157.999° WDirections
Ko Olina lagoons
West Oahu
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 2–12 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish along the walls
How to get there
Small public lots at each lagoon in the Ko Olina resort.
21.336° N, 158.123° WDirections
Kauai
Poipu Beach Park
South Shore, Kauai
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 2–15 ft
- Visibility
- Good
- Best months
- Year-round
- Facilities
- Lifeguard, restrooms
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish, turtles, monk seals on the sand
How to get there
Off Hoone Road in Poipu. Free parking.
21.873° N, 159.457° WDirections
Anini Beach
North Shore, Kauai
- Level
- 1 of 5
- Entry
- Shore, sandy
- Depth
- 2–10 ft
- Visibility
- Good when calm
- Best months
- Year-round, calm days
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers
- Fees and permits
- Free
- What you'll see
- Reef fish, octopus
How to get there
Down Anini Road between Kilauea and Princeville. Stay inside the reef.
22.224° N, 159.461° WDirections
Beginner-friendly tours
A guided trip is a great first step: crews hand out flotation, explain the gear and keep an eye on you.
| Tour | Leaves from | Time | Group | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turtle Canyon guided snorkelViator: first-timers | Waikiki, Oahu | About 2 h | Guides in the water | $75–85 | Check availability |
| Molokini and Turtle TownViator: calm crater, flotation provided | Kihei, Maui | About 3 h | Small boat | $194 | Check availability |
Your first snorkel, step by step
- Practice in a pool or in knee-deep water: breathe through the snorkel with your face in the water until it feels normal.
- Go early, before 9 am, when the water is calm and the beach is quiet.
- Wear a vest or use a noodle. Flotation lets you relax and float instead of treading water.
- Enter backwards if you are wearing fins, or put fins on once you are waist-deep.
- Stay close to shore and keep the beach in sight. Look up every minute or two.
- Get out if you feel tired, cold or anxious. That is not a failure; it is how snorkelers stay safe.
Our full how to snorkel guide covers clearing your mask, breathing and fogging.
Gear for beginners
- A mask that seals: press it to your face without the strap and breathe in through your nose. If it stays on, it fits.
- A dry snorkel keeps splashes out. See best dry snorkels.
- Short fins are easier to use than long ones.
- A snorkel vest is the best safety purchase for new snorkelers. See best snorkel vests.
- Kids: see best kids snorkel sets.
We do not recommend full face snorkel masks for beginners. Read why in are full face snorkel masks safe.
Questions people ask
What is the easiest place to snorkel in Hawaii?
Can I snorkel in Hawaii if I can't swim well?
What age can kids start snorkeling?
Should beginners use a full face mask?
Keep reading
HawaiiBest places to snorkel in Hawaii: 20 spots by island
BasicsHow to snorkel: a step-by-step guide for beginners
GearBest snorkel vests for adults and non-swimmers
GearBest kids snorkel sets by age
HawaiiHanauma Bay snorkeling: reservations, tips and is it worth it?
BasicsDo you need to know how to swim to snorkel?