Read our “Things not to Touch” PDF

Marina Mammal & Sea Turtle Viewing “Code of Conduct”

1. Please observe turtles from a distance and allow them a clear escape route to deeper water.
2. Never entice marine wildlife to approach you.
3. Do NOT attempt to touch, ride or FEED turtles.
4. Remain at least 100 yards from humpback whales, and at least 50 yards from other marine mammals (dolphins, other whale species, and Hawaiian monk seals.)
5. Please keep your distance. Disturbing wildlife interrupts their ability to perform critical functions such as feeding, breeding, nursing, resting or socializing.
6. Do NOT swim with wild spinner dolphins.
7. Please do NOT chase, surround or closely approach marine mammals.
8. Be careful not to surprise marine wildlife. Loud noises and abrupt movements can startle and stress wildlife, which can react unpredictably, harming themselves or you.
9. Dispose of trash properly. Monofilament fishing lines and other plastic items can entangle and kill marine wildlife. Animals can mistake plastic debris for food, which can be deadly.

Tide Pooling Etiquette

• Tide pools are very unique ecosystems that are in constant change depending on the phase of the moon and the sun. Since the tide is in constant flux, the safest time to explore is during a low tide. You can find out when low tide is by visiting Hale Nalu at the Four Seasons Resort.
• Always watch the waves. Water can be very powerful and it won’t take much force to help you fall down. Make sure you are aware of the wave action and only go where you can have firm footings.
• There are thousands of creatures that inhabit the tide pools and most are smaller than a pea. Please be careful when walking through the pools because you never know what you’ll be stepping on.
• Some creatures that live in the tide pools are equipped with poisonous defenses. If you don’t know what a creature is, look at it from above and do not handle it.
• Most of the creatures you will find only breathe under water. If you are going to handle a creature make sure that you are not holding it out of water for a prolonged period of time. It’s a better bet to gently touch them and handle them as little as possible. Observe them in their natural state instead!
• Please do not collect these creatures. They are perfectly adapted to their tide pool environment and may not survive if taken away.
• Moving creatures from tide pool to tide pool can be dangerous to the creature. If they need a lot of wave action, or cannot be dried out for long periods of time, moving them to a different pool can put them in danger. Always put things back where they were found.
• Be careful when putting your fingers in or near the cracks and crevasses made by the rocks. Some creatures won’t hesitate to bite an intruder.

Marine Stewardship at Kaʻūpūlehu

• Hualālai Resort monitors water quality monthly to document, analyze, and address any resort related impacts.
• Hualālai Resort monitors marine life health and abundance quarterly. These fish and invertebrate counts are vital to understand fish population health so that recommendations can be made to fishermen on how to fish sustainably.
• A marine life advisory committee was formed by Hualālai Resort with all the stakeholders of Kaʻūpūlehu and Kukiʻo, to plan and implement short and long-term management of the fishery resources here at the Kaʻūpūlehu shoreline. The essential goal of the Committee is to insure the health of our marine ecosystem through traditional and modern resource management methods, with a focus on sustainable subsistence fishing and gathering practices.
• Hualālai Resort has a staff of marine biologists and environmental professionals designated to care for the natural resources of Hualālai and to educate the general public, residents, and hotel guests on the wildlife and ecology of this Resort and region.