Captain Bruce Kaneohe Bay Sandbar Snorkel, Paddleboard And Turtle Watch Tour

About Kaneohe Sandbar

A local favorite, the Kaneohe sandbar is one of Oahu’s best-kept secrets. Although only accessible at low tide, this three-acre, mile-long white sandy island is considered the largest saltwater sandbar on Earth and is situated in Kaneohe Bay. The sandbar is a thalassophile’s paradise because it is the only inlet in Hawai’i surrounded by a barrier reef. An abundance of coral reefs protects the area from waves, providing an enjoyable and unique experience on the sea.

Cruise the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar for two to three hours on a tour led by Captain Bruce. We’ll take you to sea in a spacious, well-equipped power catamaran from the Heeia Kea Boat Harbor. Granola bars and chips are also provided as snacks during the tour, but you’re welcome to bring your own food and beverages to the sandbar and enjoy! Alcoholic beverages are also allowed, but only in cans. A cooler is available on board.

Aside from swimming with Oahu’s underwater creatures and exploring a barrier reef bursting with marine life, guests on Captain Bruce’s private boat will also have the opportunity to try stand-up paddle boarding through the calm bay waters and enjoy some time in the sun on the white-sanded sandbar, which can only be reached at low tide.

Take advantage of the sandbar’s shallow waters, which make for great photo opportunities against the gorgeous backdrop of the Koolau Mountains. The Koolau is not your ordinary mountain range, but the eroded remnants of a gigantic shield volcano. Numerous cinder cones have been formed along the Koolau over the last hundred thousand years because of several eruptions. Today, you can enjoy its rugged and dramatic appearance from afar.

Get up close and personal with Hawaiian green sea turtles, locally known as honu, by taking a snorkeling tour of the turtle reef. Protected by both state and federal law, these magnificent creatures must always be viewed from a safe distance. Oahu’s Kaneohe Bay sandbar is an excellent snorkeling spot because of the surrounding reefs.

Snorkelers may look forward to pristine waters rich with aquatic life and colorful coral. There are about 40 different kinds of coral to see, such as the likes of rice coral and finger coral, among others. Aside from green sea turtles, guests are likely to encounter urchins, sea cucumbers, rays, damselfish, parrotfish, and other reef fish at the sandbar during a pleasant day out on the warm tropical waters.