Two Step (Hōnaunau Bay)

Two Step snorkeling, at Hōnaunau Bay just outside Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, was ranked second for best snorkeling on the island in HAWAIʻI Magazine's 2025 readers' picks. There is no beach: you enter the water by stepping down two natural lava steps — one guide puts the first drop at about 10 feet of water and the second at about 25 feet (others describe shallower entry), so expect an immediate deep-water entry. Booties are recommended. Marine life includes green sea turtles, tropical fish, eels, and coral.

There are no lifeguards, and entry is rated moderate. Morning is calmest; summer south swells and west swells make entry hazardous, so skip it if waves are washing across the ledge, surge is pushing hard, or the water looks cloudy. The area is primarily a boat ramp managed by the county, so stay clear of boat traffic.

Park rules: no snorkeling, swimming, or sunbathing at Keoneʻele Cove inside the national park; the road to the snorkeling area is one-way; the park's small lot often fills by midday, so snorkelers are asked to park outside the park gate. Two Step itself is free to access (the national park charges its own entrance fee), and the park asks visitors to avoid several chemical sunscreens, including oxybenzone and octinoxate.