Water Safety in Hawaii

In Hawaii, pick a beach with lifeguards, ask them about conditions, and respect even small waves. The Hawaii Department of Health has found that visitors are at the greatest risk in the ocean, and that snorkeling is the activity most often linked to visitor drownings.

Residents face real risk too. Hawaii's drowning rate is the second highest on CDC's state map.

Hawaii drowning and boating numbers

3.34 per 100,000

• Drowning: CDC puts Hawaii's average annual drowning death rate for 2018-2021 at 3.34 per 100,000 people (opens in a new tab). CDC's rate counts Hawaii residents, so it does not include visitors who drown here.
• Ocean drowning: in 2019 the Department of Health reported that ocean drowning is the fourth leading cause of injury related death in Hawai'i, and by far the leading cause for visitors (opens in a new tab). Visitors made up 55 percent of ocean drowning victims and suffered 81 percent of ocean-related spinal cord injuries.
• Boating: The U.S. Coast Guard counted 11 reportable recreational boating incidents in Hawaii in 2024, with 1 death and 3 injuries (opens in a new tab). Deaths by year: 1 in 2020, 5 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 3 in 2023 and 1 in 2024.

The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that the drowning burden falls disproportionately on Black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and rural children (opens in a new tab). See our Hawaii data page and drowning disparities.

Ocean safety for visitors

Hawaii has 1,052 miles of official shoreline (opens in a new tab) by NOAA's count, and the ocean conditions can change from one beach to the next.

The Department of Health built its Hawaii Ocean Safety site to encourage residents and visitors to swim at beaches with lifeguards to prevent drownings or serious injury (opens in a new tab). As one co-chair of the state's drowning prevention committee said at the launch: people who visit Hawai'i may not realize that even small waves at our beaches can be strong enough to cause serious injury and even death (opens in a new tab).

Before you go in:

• Choose a lifeguarded beach. The state keeps a list of lifeguarded beaches (opens in a new tab). Its site says going to one can save your life in the event of an emergency (opens in a new tab).
• Know your limits. The state's site asks every beachgoer to know your health limits and fitness level (opens in a new tab). Snorkeling is the activity most often linked to visitor drownings, so don't snorkel alone. See water safety for older adults.
• Watch the shore break. The Department of Health says knowing what beaches to avoid and how to react when a wave is breaking on shore (opens in a new tab) matters. Read shore break and big waves.
• If caught in a rip current, don't fight it. Learn the steps in rip currents.

Hawaii boating rules

Hawaii's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation says that since November 10, 2014, anyone operating a recreational motorized vessel with an engine over 10 horsepower (opens in a new tab) must have a NASBLA- and state-approved boating safety course certificate, unless an exemption applies. Operators under 16 must be directly supervised by a certified adult 21 or older. Federal law requires children under 13 to wear a life jacket on a moving boat (opens in a new tab).

This is a summary, not legal advice. Check DOBOR before you go.

Official Hawaii resources

• Hawaii Ocean Safety (Department of Health) (opens in a new tab)
• List of lifeguarded beaches (opens in a new tab)
• DOBOR recreational boating safety FAQ (opens in a new tab)

What you can do today

• Look up the lifeguarded beaches near where you're staying before your first swim.
• Snorkel at a lifeguarded beach, with a buddy.
• Keep children close at the shoreline, where waves can knock them down.
• If you'll drive a boat over 10 horsepower, get your Hawaii course certificate.
• Plan the rest of your trip with our vacation water safety guide.