Hanauma Bay by bus from Waikiki! The SAFE route to walk from the bus stop for Hanauma Bay without a car

ALOHA!

If you don’t mind taking a couple of bus rides and walking a lot with your snorkeling gear, then it’s possible to get to Hanauma Bay by bus from Waikiki.

A bus transfer will be necessary, and it will be about 1 hour 15 minutes on the bus. The closest bus stops to Hanauma Bay are near Koko Marina Center, and once you get off the bus, it will be a 30-40 minute walk.

If you decide 1 hour 15 minutes on the bus and a 30-40 minute walk is not a big deal, then the best way to get to Hanauma Bay is through Koko Head District Park.

There’s a bus stop right outside the residential neighborhood that leads to the park, and from there you can walk to Hanauma Bay. It’s a quiet and safe walk for the most part.

Once at Koko Head District Park, there’s a little backroad there that you can walk that connects to Hanauma Bay. At that point, you’ll cross the busy Kalanianaole Highway. There is a crosswalk there, so that makes it relatively safe, but take care!

 

So first you’ll take a bus from Waikiki to get to a transfer point. Then bus #1L is the best for Hanauma Bay, as it will get you the closest to Koko Head District Park. This is the same bus stop you’ll get off at for the Koko Head hike.

If you’re looking into bus directions, you might come across a bus and walking route that has you walking along Kalanianaole Highway. But that’s not the safest walk because you have cars zooming past you as you walk along the shoulder. (There’s no sidewalk.) So I recommend that you avoid going that way.

Finally, in case you come across some old information and won’t get confused, know that there used to be a bus that stopped directly in front of the Hanauma Bay entrance. That bus route #22 “beach bus” with a bus stop at Hanauma Bay has been discontinued. In 2026, there is no direct bus to Hanauma Bay from Waikiki. If you want to go direct without a car, the Hanauma Bay shuttle is the best way.

I’ve taken the bus to Hanauma Bay, and below I will show you a bit of what you can expect so you can decide if it’s something you want to do!

 

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Waikiki to Hanauma Bay bus route

Google maps, transfers, bus route, bus schedule

 

The best bus route to get to Hanauma Bay will depend on where you’re starting from and your timing. The best way to figure this out is google maps! Use the public transportation option, and play around with it on your phone. It gives a bunch of details, including transfer details and future bus timings. The google maps app is really all you need to take the bus to Hanauma Bay.

Since going through Koko Head District Park is the best way to get to Hanauma Bay by bus, use that as your destination for figuring out bus directions so you’ll get the bus stop closest to it. Then, adjust the departure time to give you a better idea. (map + directions)

 

👆 To get from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay, you will be on the bus for over an hour, and then you will start walking to Hanauma Bay through Koko Head District Park. (The walking time listed above is to where google maps lists as the park location.) You’ll take bus #1L to get “near” Hanauma Bay. Consult google maps to figure out the best bus route! When you’re actually in Waikiki, you can use your current location for directions. Then, when you’re on the bus, you can follow along with GPS to know when your bus stop is coming up!

 

👆 Your transfer point will depend on your timing, but here’s an example of a bus ride on bus #1L for your second bus ride to Hanauma Bay.

 

👆 Bus #1L to “near” Hanauma Bay comes around every 30 minutes or so. On google maps, you can click on “also at” for the bus schedule of future timings.

 

👆 There are many bus stops in Waikiki, so you’ll be just a short walk away from one.

 

 

Paying the bus fare

HOLO card vs cash

 

As soon as you get on the bus, you will pay the bus fare.

The easiest way to pay for the bus is with a HOLO card. You can get this in Waikiki at any ABC Store.

With a HOLO card, you will never pay more than the cost of a day pass for taking the bus, which is $7.50.

Without a HOLO card, you will pay $3 in cash for every bus ride you take. (Exact change required.) So if you take 2 bus rides to get to Hanauma Bay, and 2 bus rides to get back, then that’s $12 for the bus if you’re paying in cash to get to Hanauma Bay. See current bus fares.

You can tap your HOLO card as soon as you get on the bus. To pay with cash, look for the spot to insert the money. With regards to payment, you don’t need to do anything as you are getting off the bus.

 

 

On the bus

Follow google maps, bus stops, views!

 

Once you’re on the bus, sit back and relax!

Follow the bus route on your phone on google maps. This is how you can know if you’re getting close to Hanauma Bay. There will also be announcements and/or a digital sign that indicates the name of the next bus stop. You’ll know the name of your bus stop because it will tell you on google maps.

Once your bus stop is next, you will pull the cord along the side of the window. This indicates to the bus driver to stop at the next bus stop. Once the bus arrives at your bus stop, the doors may not open automatically. If they don’t, touch the door where it says TOUCH HERE when the green light lights up.

 

👆 You can tap “stops” on the google maps app to expand the details and see a list of bus stops before the bus stop near Hanauma Bay.

 

👆 Inside the bus on a ride to Hanauma Bay.

 

👆 When your bus stop is next, you will pull the cord to signal to the bus driver to stop at the next bus stop.

 

 

Walking from the bus stop

Hanauma Bay bus stop
Walking from Koko Head district park to Hanauma Bay

 

So to go to Hanauma Bay the safe way, your bus directions will likely have you getting off at the bus stop called “Lunalilo Home Rd + Anapalau St” or “Lunalilo Home Rd + Opp Anapalau St.”

This is basically at the entrance of the residential neighborhood that leads to Koko Head District Park. And then you pretty much keep walking straight until you can’t anymore. From the bus stop to the Hanauma Bay admissions entry area is around a 30-40 minute walk.

You’ll first walk by homes, then that will turn into the Koko Head District Park. You’ll walk through the Koko Head parking lot (and a bathroom!), and then past the parking lot is a small road that goes up where cars are not allowed. That will turn into a dead end, at which point you will turn right to go to Hanauma Bay. This backroad leads straight to Kalanianaole Highway. There is a gate just before the highway, but that is for cars. You can walk around it.

Once at Kalanianaole Highway, you will see the Hanauma Bay park entrance across the road. Use the crosswalk to cross the road! Then basically, in 5 minutes you are at the spot where you will get in line to show your Hanauma Bay reservation.

 

👆 If you do bus directions to Koko Head District Park, the bus stop at Lunalilo Home Road and Anapalau Street will likely be the bus stop closest to it. Being dropped off at this side meant I needed to cross over the main road to get to the Koko Head neighborhood.

 

👆 Walk from the bus stop with views of Koko Head.

 

👆 From the bus stop you’ll walk through a residential neighborhood to get to Hanauma Bay.

 

👆 You’ll come across the Koko Head parking lot.

 

👆 Continue to walk past the Koko Head parking lot until the dead end where you can’t go any further.

 

👆 You’ll go right to continue walking on a roughly paved trail which on google maps is called Koko Head Park Road. This leads to the main road, the Kalanianaole Highway.

 

👆 There’s a gate at the highway, and you can go around it.

 

👆 Across the road is the Hanauma Bay park entrance! Use the crosswalk to walk across.

 

👆 Welcome to Hanauma Bay! There might be a staff person here who is monitoring to make sure only people with reservations walk through. I was asked to show my reservation.

 

👆 You’ll keep walking and there will be a pedestrian walkway to take the stairs down to the Hanauma Bay parking lot.

 

👆 You’ll stand in line so you can officially enter Hanauma Bay!

 

👆 After an orientation session, you can make the final walk down to the beach to start snorkeling! There is also a free tram you can take, but then you won’t be able to stop and take pictures of the best views of Hanauma Bay!

 

👆 You’ll walk with views as you head down to the beach!

 

👆 And then it’s time to start having fun snorkeling!

 

 

Hanauma Bay to Waikiki bus

For the way back to Waikiki, once again you can head back through Koko Head District Park to catch the bus.

But, instead of heading straight back, you can stop by Koko Marina Center for food! There’s usually the Leonard’s Bakery malasada food truck there for a quick snack. Or, head to Hanapaa Market for a Hawaiian plate lunch or Kona Brewing for waterfront dining!

 

👆 This is a bus stop near Koko Marina Center. Spot the food truck! That’s the red and white striped malasada food truck in the Koko Marina Center parking lot.

 

 

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