Hanauma Bay is on the edge of Hawaii Kai.
Hawaii Kai is a residential community in Honolulu county near the easternmost tip of Oahu. At the center of Hawaii Kai is Koko Marina, and Maunalua Bay borders the town to the south. Hawaii Kai is about 12 miles east of downtown Honolulu, a straight shot across Interstate H1 and the Kalanianaole Highway.
Scuba Diving
Hawaii Kai's Maunalua Bay is a popular scuba diving spot, with several reefs to explore and a collection of scuba shops and dive instructors in the area. Among the reefs that draw scuba divers to the Hawaii Kai area is Tire Reef Drift and China Wall Drift. The wreckage of a World War II-era Corsair airplane in Maunalua Bay is another popular dive spot. The area features sea caves and ledges that are home to a variety of marine animals, including reef sharks, eels, green sea turtles, eagle rays and Galapagos sharks.
Snorkeling
Hawaii's most-visited snorkeling spot is the picturesque Hanauma Bay, located just off Kalanianaole Highway on the edge of Hawaii Kai. The bay, which is a designated marine life conservation area, is home to large reefs and protected from big waves and fierce winds, attracting a large collection of marine animals. Snorkeling gear is available for rent, and expect to pay a small parking fee and a per-person entry fee, which was $5 as of 2010. Hanauma Bay is home to a variety of tropical fish, as well as eels and green sea turtles.
Koko Crater
Koko Crater is less than three miles east of the marina in Hawaii Kai. The cinder cone is the remnants of Oahu's last active volcano, and the lookout point along Kalanianaole Highway provides views of the crater and the surrounding ocean. Inside the crater is a botanical garden, as well as starting points for several hiking trails that will take you around the crater and to the summit.
Shopping and Dining
Hawaii Kai features two large outdoor shopping centers with a collection of stores and restaurants. Koko Marina Center borders the marina and offers 18 restaurants and a handful of specialty stores, gift shops, salons and five watersports stores with personal watercraft rentals, day cruises and scuba diving trips. Hawaii Kai Towne Center has fewer stores but is bigger overall, with Costco Wholesale located at one end of the center and specialty shops and a mixture of fine dining and casual restaurants at the other.
Tags: Kalanianaole Highway, edge Hawaii, eels green, eels green turtles, green turtles