Snorkeling is a fun and inexpensive way of enjoying and experiencing Waikiki's ocean wonders. No special skills are required, and no exertion is required to stay afloat. Face down in the water and breathing through a snorkel, your body is naturally buoyant. Even non-swimmers can do it safely using a flotation device.

Things to Remember

Always snorkel with a friend.

Never turn your back on the ocean.

Always observe - surf, current, wave sets, surge on reefs/rocks.

Avoid black sea urchins. If you get stung, tobacco can kill the sting.

Enter and exit from a sandy beach area.

Never swim against a current, swim diagonally across it.

Avoid snorkeling at dusk. The best time to snorkel is in the morning when fish are more active and the waters are clearer. In the afternoon the winds pick up and make for less than desirable conditions to observe marine life.

Do not drink alcohol when you engage in water activities. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance and coordination; affects your swimming and diving skills and reduces your body's ability to stay warm

Don't snorkel in a strong offshore wind.

Duck or dive under breaking waves before they reach you to avoid their bully force. Don't try to jump over them or turn your back to them.

Don't feed the fish.

If you wear glasses, be sure to ask for a mask with "vision correction."

To observe the most marine life snorkel around coral, man made structures or lava rock where the fish find safety and food.

Relax. The closer you are to just floating along the better off you are.

Get the right mask. The most important thing is that the mask fits snug and is comfortable.

Get the proper snorkel. Consider using a dry snorkel. These snorkels funnel the water away from your mouth to the outside of the snorkel.

Find fins that fit comfortably. Not too tight or loose.

Respect the reef. Although the hard corals that form the structure of the reef often look like lifeless, colored rocks, they are actually living creatures. Avoid touching and bumping into coral. A healthy reef is a pretty reef.

Defog. No point going through all the trouble if you can't see anything. Products made for defogging, the gel products seem to work best, but anything from saliva, to crushed leaves from particular plants growing near the shore, also help. A small drop of Johnson's Baby Shampoo, rinsed with ocean water also works well.

Remember to put on sunscreen about 30 minutes before going outside. You don't want a bad sunburn ruining your vacation.

Practice breathing through the snorkel with your head out of the water before venturing into the water.