Manele Hulopoe Marine Sanctuary on Lanai

Information about the Manele-Hulopoe Marine Conservation District, also known as Manele-Hulopoe Marine Sanctuary, on the island of Lanai in Hawaii. The sanctuary was named after the two adjacent bays on the shoreline of the protected marine area.

SIZE: 309 acres
ESTABLISHED: 1976

FROM LANAI MAGAZINE:
Take Highway 440 south from Lanai City approximately 13 miles. Follow the signs to the Hulopo'e Beach Park. Hulopoe Bay is a protected marine preserve, so visitors are asked to take only pictures and leave only bubbles. Also, no ship is allowed to anchor in this bay. Turtles and spinner dolphins are frequently observed here.Crystal clear waters invite snorkelers to observe the brilliant reef marine life below. On the bay’s east side is a lava terrace that has several large tidal pools, all of which are home to an abundance of marine life.

Subzone "A" extends extends from the highwater mark seaward to a line from Kaluako‘i Point to Flat Rock, then to Pu‘u Pehe Rock.

Subzone "B" extends from the highwater mark seaward to a line from Puu Pehe Rock to Kalaeokahano Point.

Facilities
There are restrooms and showers at both Manele Bay and at Hulopoe Bay.

About the Area
Manele Bay and Hulopoe Bay are separated by a volcanic cone that has eroded on the seaward side to form Puu Pehe Cove. A sea stack known as Puu Pehe Rock is located just offshore of the cove's left point. The ruins of the ancient fishing village of Manele extend from the area just inland of Manele Small Boat Harbor to Hulopo‘e Beach Park.

Manele and Hulopo‘e are adjacent bays on the southern coast of Lanai. Take Hwy 441 eight miles from Lanai City to the coast. Parking is available at either bay. If arriving by boat to Manele Harbor, Hulopo‘e Bay is about a 10 to 15 minute walk.

Safety Warnings
All areas can have dangerous swells and currents during southern (Kona) storms. Accessing Puu Pehe Cove by land is dangerous. The cliffs are steep, and the loosely packed lava results in unstable footing.

About Manele Bay
Within Manele Bay corals are most abundant along the sides of the bay near the cliffs, where the bottom slopes off quickly to about 40 feet. The middle of the bay is a sand channel. Just outside the western edge of the bay near Pu‘u Pehe rock is “First Cathedrals”, a popular SCUBA destination.

About Hulopoe Bay
Hulopo‘e Bay has large tidepools at its left point. A shallow reef is just offshore, providing excellent snorkeling opportunities.

About Puu Pehe Cove
The cove has clear water and considerable marine life. Coral growth is interspersed with sand patches, and most coral is found away from the narrow beach in about 10 to 15 feet of water.

Permitted Activities

To fish for, take, or possess any finfish or ‘a‘ama crab by pole-and-line from the shoreline only.

To possess the following gear: pole-and-line, one knife, one hand net with frame no more than 3 feet in diameter (excluding handle), any legal fishing gear while on a vessel transiting to or from Manele Boat Harbor within the harbor channel or the harbor, but that fishing gear may not be in the water.

With a permit, to engage in activities otherwise prohibited by law for scientific, for propagation, or other purposes.

Prohibited Activities

To fish for, take, or injure any marine life (including eggs), except as indicated in “Permitted activities” above.

To take or alter any sand, coral, or other geological feature or specimen.

To operate, anchor, or moor any vessel within Subzone A. (Manually-propelled Hawaiian outrigger canoes may be operated, but not anchored or moored, in the Subzone.)

To operate, anchor, or moor a vessel in such a way as to damage marine life or geological features anywhere in the MLCD.

Resources

Hawaii Aquatic Resources "Lanai-Manele-Hulopoe" Article

Facebook "Manele Hulopoe Marine Life District" Page

District Boundries and Administrative Rules (PDF)

More Information

Manele-Hulopoe Marine Sanctuary was established in 1976 and it is 309 acres in size. The sanctaury includes two adjacent bays: Hulopoe Bay and Manele Bay. The two bays are separated by a volcanic cone, which has eroded enough to form two coves, one of which is Puu Pehe Cove. A tiny island call Puu Pehe Rock is located just off the cove. The ruins of an ancient fishing village of Manele are located between the Manele Small Boat Harbor and Hulopoe Heach Park.

Manele Bay (Subzone B)
In Manele bay, there are coral beds along the sides of the bay near the cliffs. The bottom slopes off quickly here to 40 feet deep. There is a sand channel in the middle of the bay. On the western edge of Manele Bay, near Puu Pehe rock is a popular scuba diving destination called "First Cathedrals". Manele Bay has a small boat harbor, so boat traffic is often seen in that bay.

Hulopoe Bay (Subzone A)
There are large tidepools on the left side of Hulopoe Bay, and there is a shallow reef offshore, making this a good spot for snorkeling.

Puu Pehe Cove
This cove between the two bays has clear water and a lot of sealife. The bottom has coral heads and sandy areas. Most of the coral is in 10 to 15 feet of water. Note that in order to access Puu Pehe Cove you need to climb steep cliffs with loosely packed lava that does not always give you a firm footing.

The Manele-Hulopoe Marine Life Conservation District is divided into two subzones:

Subzone A
- Kaluakoi Point
- Holopoe Bay
- Flat Rock

Subzone B
- Puu Pehe Rock
-< a href="/lanai-island/attractions/manele-bay.htm"> Manele Bay
- Kalaeokahano Point

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