By Staff Reports
(O‘AHU) – As part of the continuing effort to improve the visitor experience and advance management of the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, an online reservation system will begin public operation starting Monday, April 26, to help facilitate public entry into the nature preserve.
The reservation system is incorporated into the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s (DPR) Parks and Recreation Online System (PROS), which was developed in collaboration with the Honolulu Department of Information Technology (DIT). PROS can be accessed by visiting https://pros.hnl.info using the preferred web browser of Google Chrome.
This online system will allow the public to select an educational viewing show time up to 48 hours ahead of their planned visit to the nature preserve. For instance, beginning Monday the public can begin reserving a time slot for Wednesday. Reservations will remain open until the spaces are filled or until midnight the day before, so reservations for Wednesday will close after 11:59 p.m. the preceding Tuesday. Viewing the educational video is required for each entry into the nature preserve, regardless of previous viewings.
Upon accessing the PROS website, the user can select the Hanauma Bay picture in the center of the page to be directed to the available educational video show times. Once the user selects their time slots, they will be prompted to provide their information, including their email. Reservation time slots are available in 10-minute increments, beginning from 7 a.m. until 1:40 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.
Reservations can be made for up to 10 people at a time, consisting of no more than five children and/or five adults. Currently, reservations are made free of charge with entry and parking fees collected inside the nature preserve. In the future, the system will incorporate a payment portal to collect fees for non-local visitors to the nature preserve who are 13 years or older. Entry into Hanauma Bay remains free for local residents with valid photo identification and children 12 years and younger, though parking rates still apply.
Once the reservation is complete, a reply email will be sent to the bay visitor’s provided email which serves as your reservation confirmation. A printed version or the digital email copy may be used as proof of reservation.
To accommodate members of the public without computer and internet access, walk-in or drive-in access without an online reservation will continue to be allowed. Commercial activity is still not allowed within Hanauma Bay, except for authorized city concessionaires.
We appreciate the patience of the public while this system was being implemented. Further adjustments can and will be made to this system to improve operations, including the above-mentioned inclusion of a payment portal for non-local residents.
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