The islands of Hawaii are surrounded by open expanses of water, which means that there is an abundance of marine life to discover and wonder at. The only problem is, with all that space, it is impossible to get a full picture of what is out there, and even more difficult to have any meaningful form of interaction with any of the fish and mammals that frequent Hawaii’s waters. There are a number of options open to you, including swimming with turtles by the Kaneohe sandbar, but not everyone loves boats, and the weather isn’t always perfect for seafaring.
Hawaii’s Sea Life Park is a fabulous year-round attraction
Because you don’t even have to get in the water if you don’t want to, that is one of the reasons why Hawaii’s Sea Life Park at Waimanalo, O’ahu is so popular all year round. The other reason is because of the abundance of marine life to see, and the chance to swim not just with dolphins, but with seals, sharks, and rays. Better still, you can get up close and personal with many of the animals at the park without even getting your feet wet!
Sea Life Park is not just an attraction, it also aims to be educational
In the past, one of the main problems with zoos and animal parks was that they were designed for people to simply look at animals and enjoy the excitement of seeing them, though most far from their natural habitat. Sadly, there was little information provided about their habitat or how the animals fared in the wild.
Sea life Park is one of Hawaii’s most popular attractions as it perfectly combines interaction and excitement with education and awareness about ocean conservation and sustainability, but you couldn’t get further away from the school classroom if you tried! Located on the south-eastern shores of O’ahu, the park has ten ‘habitats’ that enable visitors to learn about various animals and observe their behavior without being too intrusive.
Swim with dolphins, swim with seals, swim with sharks, swim with rays
Because of its unique location, Sea Life Park can offer you a rewarding and memorable experience if you want to stay dry, but an even more remarkable day out if you fancy having a swim as well. It is important that visitors don’t feel they are missing out, which is why there is an option to feed the dolphins, but while keeping your feet firmly on dry land or while standing only knee-deep in water on a feeding platform. However, for the more adventurous of you, there are options to swim with dolphins, sea lions, Hawaiian rays, and also sharks, though thankfully not ones with a ‘bad’ reputation!
Enjoy the space to appreciate a captivating environment at Sea Life Park
Unlike many zoos and animal parks, you have to either have a pass or have booked tickets in advance as visitor numbers are strictly limited. This is partly to protect the animals as their welfare is a top priority, but also to allow you, the visitor, the room and space to appreciate everything on offer without having to fight your way through the masses.
Of course, there is also fabulous food available and at the end of every day the award-winning Ka Moana Lu’au, entertainment that should be made obligatory for everyone coming to Hawaii! A trip to Sea Life Park will easily fill three or four hours, but it is also very easy to spend a full day there if you want to make the most of what is on offer.
Sea Life Park and Waikiki Trolley
If you are taking a break from driving during your stay in Hawaii, the good news is that the Sea Life Park is part of the Blue Line of the Waikiki hop-on, hop-off Trolley.
