Address: 47-86 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Kaneohe Bay is located on the East side (windward) on the Island of Oahu. The Kaneohe sandbar is a natural formation and a collection of exposed islets surrounding coral reefs. The Kaneohe Sandbar is one of the unique, best-kept secrets, and exciting places to visit in Oahu. The sandbar is only exposed during low tides in Kaneohe Bay. The Kaneohe Bay is the largest bay of the main 8 Hawaiian Islands. The bay is protected by reefs from the waves of the open ocean. From the shoreline, the beautiful sandbar is about a mile away and only accessible by boat or kayak.
We drove for about 35 minutes (16 miles) from our Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel to Kaneohe Bay via HI- 63 North. We arrived at the He’eia kea Boat Harbor at around 9 am and parked in front of our boat. We paid and reserved a tour under Captain Bruce Kaneohe SandbarTour company. There is also a public restroom available onsite and a small Cafe, that serves snacks, ice cream, and sandwiches. We were early enough to find a parking space in front as parking is limited. We checked in with the staff members and decided to take pictures while we were waiting for the others. We were given safety instructions and basic information by the friendly, fun, and knowledgeable Captain Crystal and her staff members. We were also instructed that we had to remove our shoes, slippers or aqua socks before boarding the boat. There were some snacks, drinks, fruits and water games, and snorkeling gears for guests to use.
The boat ride from the harbor to the sandbar only took us 10 minutes. We were all in awe as we approach the Kaneohe Sandbar with its clear deep teal blue color and white sand. The boat anchored at around 9:50 am and we were informed that it was free time and our departure will be at 12:15 pm. We all jumped into the pristine clear blue water and proceeded to the other boat that stored all the free use of kayaks, (SUP) stand-up paddle boards, floaties, tubes, and many more. We choose to use the tubes and stand-up paddle board and took pictures with the background of the mountains. The bay water was warm, clear, and shallow (knee deep). After an hour, we were all called and were asked who wants to participate in snorkeling on the reef to see some fish and turtles. We decided to not do snorkeling since we already had experience with snorkeling. The best part of the tour was when it started to rain just for a few minutes followed by the sunshine. It was an amazing, memorable, experience for me and my family to enjoy the tropical rain in the middle of Kaneohe Bay.
All the guests were busy either kayaking, snorkeling, having lunch, playing beach volleyball, taking pictures, or just simply enjoying the beautiful, picturesque panoramic views of the Koolau Mountains and nearby islets.
Overall it was a great, memorable, and one-of-a-kind experience for me and my family. It is our first time visiting a sandbar and was a good treat or surprise for my daughter’s 13th birthday celebration. We even saw a few turtles (honu in Hawaiian) swimming through the clear blue turquoise water in the bay.
Tips: Ensure that you pack lots of bottled water to stay hydrated, and wear aqua socks or just barefoot since the sand is fine. You can bring your own snacks or food but the tour company provided us with some snacks, drinks, and water gears for us to use. Be at the dock or harbor earlier since parking is limited. There is also a small cafe with outdoor tables that sells sandwiches, snacks, and ice cream in the Harbor area. There were plastic cubbies available to use underneath each seat. The common tour hours that are being offered are either 9:30 a.m. and 1 pm.
Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Kaneohe Sandbar after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.
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