Aside from visiting many great hotels in Hawaii, I was able to get out and enjoy many of the sites throughout Oahu. \u00a0One of my favorite places in Oahu was Turtle Beach. \u00a0Turtle Beach should not be confused with Turtle Bay, the hotel-resort located further north on the North Shore. \u00a0Turtle Beach is a very small beach on Highway 83 (Kamehaneha Hwy) just a couple of miles passed the towns of Waialua and Haleiwa. \u00a0If you’re driving along the highway you can’t miss it (watch for several cars parked on either side of the road).<\/p>\n
Turtle Beach should not be confused with Turtle Bay, the hotel-resort located further north on the North Shore.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Turtle Beach is not a great beach for swimming or surfing, but as the name implies, there are plenty of turtles here. \u00a0When we arrived, we saw several turtles swimming in the waves, and they would occassionally pop their heads up for air. \u00a0This was pretty cool.<\/p>\n
Further down the beach on the northern most part is where several turtles (I am told 28 regulars) come up to the beach to bask in the sun. \u00a0When I was there, there were no fewer than 6 green sea turtles on the beach. \u00a0These turtles were, to my surprise, absolutely massive. \u00a0Probably 36″ in length or longer, and weighing a couple hundred pounds.<\/p>\n
The sea turtles are a protected species and I understand that humans are not allowed to come within 6″ of them. \u00a0There is actually an organization of volunteers who put a rope around the turtles to ensure tourists don’t get to close. \u00a0Some say this ruins the experience but I think this is a good thing. \u00a0But what you are allowed to do is snorkel with them while maintaining that 6″ distance. \u00a0I jumped in the water and what a site to see. \u00a0At one point, a turtle passed right under me, only inches from my face.<\/p>\n
If you are staying at Turtle Bay or, as most people, in the Waikiki area, Turtle Beach is well worth a visit. \u00a0From our hotel at the Waikiki Banyan, the drive to Turtle Beach was exactly 1 hour. \u00a0On the way home, it took a little longer but we got stuck in typical Honolulu traffic.<\/p>\n
Enjoy these photos of the turtles and the area.<\/p>\n\n\t\t