Shark's Cove (Pupukea) is by far our favorite snorkeling experience to date!!
Located in the North Shore, Shark's Cove offers the perfect spot to explore the bright blue waters, and swim with tons of sea life. The walls from the surrounding cliffs, provide calmer waters making it ideal for snorkeling, and ideal for schooling surface fish to visit.
Planing Your Visit
Plan to visit during the week if possible to avoid some of the crowds. There is a small parking lot located at Shark’s Cove, street parking, and some parking across the street. Shark’s Cove is a popular snorkel spot, and the parking lot fills up quickly, so plan to arrive early.
Be sure to bring snorkel gear, or even scuba diving gear if you own some. If not, several vendors are happy to rent out gear in the area and even provide scuba diving lessons. If you do not plan to wear fins, be sure to bring water shoes to protect your feet from the sharp rocks when entering/exiting the water. Shark's Cove provides various depth waters for younger children, beginner snorkelers, and more experienced snorkelers.
Check the surf forecast before visiting, as the North Shore is known for its large waves and strong currents. Shark’s Cove is typically calm for snorkeling throughout the summer months, but it is always a good idea to double-check before getting in the water.
Pack towels and a change of clothes; after snorkeling, plan to enjoy food from some food truck options across the street. If you have an entire day to explore, we highly recommend traveling further up the North Shore and exploring Haleiwa Town.
Download the gypsy guide app and enjoy listening to the history of Oahu as you drive.
Our Snorkeling Adventure
We visited Shark's Cove on a weekday afternoon, and the cove was empty, which made for an even more enjoyable snorkeling adventure! The water was crystal clear during our visit, and there was an abundance of friendly fish that tagged along as we explored various coral sites.
The kids are getting more comfortable in the water, and it is so fun to watch them explore the underwater world! Our 9-year-old daughter is officially much better at diving into deeper waters than I am, and our 6-year-old son is not too far behind.....how cool are they?!!
After spending a few hours in the water, we stopped at one of our favorite burger spots in the North Shore, Seven Brothers, and headed home.
Shark's Cove is an excellent place to plan a family day around your snorkeling adventure.
For more North Shore recommendations, check out our post "Top Food Picks In The North Shore, Hawaii."
You may also be interested in our posts, "Best Snorkel Gear For Kids", and "What To Pack When Snorkeling With Kids". (coming soon!)
Quick video of our snorkeling experience below:
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