Waikiki Beach
Waikīkī
Honolulu's resort hub, with 3 km of white sand facing Diamond Head. Surfing lessons, sunsets, shopping on Kalākaua Avenue and hula shows all happen here.
Waikīkī is a beach resort on the south shore of Honolulu, stretching about 3 km from Ala Moana to the foot of Diamond Head. In the 19th century it was a holiday retreat for the Hawaiian royal family. In the early 20th century, with the completion of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (the 'Pink Palace') and the Moana Surfrider, it became a world-class resort. The beaches run from west to east in sections. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, has a reef lagoon that suits children, and free fireworks go off on Friday evenings at 7:45 p.m. Fort DeRussy Beach is quieter. The central Royal Hawaiian/Waikīkī Beach is the busiest stretch, where most surf schools and outrigger canoe departures are concentrated. Surf lessons cost about $60–100 for two hours, and the Canoes and Queens breaks suit beginners. Kūhiō Beach, sheltered by a breakwater, forms a calm pool, and free hula and torch performances take place at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. At the eastern end near Diamond Head, Kaimana Beach is favoured by locals, and monk seals occasionally come ashore here. Kalākaua Avenue runs alongside the beach and is the main strip for shopping and dining, including the Royal Hawaiian Center, the International Market Place and a DFS duty-free shop. The statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing, is a popular photo spot. For evening entertainment, watch the sunset and hula at House Without a Key (at the Halekulani hotel) or from Duke's terrace. You can also attend a luau dinner show (around $150–250 in the Waikīkī area, or at the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore), or take a sunset sailing trip (about $50–100). The beaches are free to access. Getting there: a taxi or Uber from the airport takes 20–30 minutes. Within Waikīkī you can walk, and TheBus Routes 2, 13, 20 and 42 connect to the city. Parts of the beach sand have been replenished artificially, so wear reef shoes on the rocky sections. Summer weekends and holidays are extremely crowded, parking is scarce and expensive, and at night there are occasionally homeless people around the Kūhiō Beach area.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- International Market Place
- Ala Moana Center
- Diamond Head State Monument
- Honolulu Museum of Art
- Kakaʻako Murals (POW! WOW! Hawaii)
- National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl)
- King Kamehameha Statue
- ʻIolani Palace