Waikiki Beach Overview

Waikiki Beach is the most popular and visited beach in Hawaii. It is AbOUT two miles long and situated on the south shore of the island of Oahu. It extends from the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor in the east all the way to Diamond Head in the west, one of the island’s most famous landmarks.

The name Waikiki means spouting water in Hawaiian. In ancient times, Waikiki was an area of wetlands and marshes that separated it from the island’s interior. Until 1922, when the Ala Wai Canal was built to dry out the area, there had been many rice and taro fields and fish ponds. Beginning at the end of the 19th century, small family-owned cottages were built here. In 1901, the first hotel, the Moana Surfrider, opened its doors. It was followed by the well-known Royal Hawaiian Hotel, also known as the “Pink Palace,” which opened in 1927. For many years, the Moana and the Royal Hawaiian were the two main hotels on Waikiki Beach serving wealthy tourists.

In the following years, Waikiki grew as a popular tourist destination and more and more hotels were being built. Today, Waikiki is the center of the tourist industry in Hawaii. On any given day, it attracts about 72,000 visitors from all over the world. That’s as much as 44 percent of all tourists present in the entire state of Hawaii. There are many high-rise hotels, shops, restaurants, beach bars and night clubs to entertain the visitors.

On the eastern side of Waikiki Beach, near Diamond Head, is a large protruding cement pier named “The Slippery Wall.” It is a popular spot among surfers and bodyboarders because the waves break right in front of it. The wall was built to help protect against sand erosion. In front of it, the water is very calm and there is no reef, which makes it an ideal playground for children and novice swimmers. Toward the east of it is Kapiolani Park, which has a large grassy area, plenty of trees, walkways and picnic areas. Toward the west is the popular Duke Kahanamoku Statue, one of the most photographed statues on Oahu.

Duke is perhaps the most remembered and respected Hawaiian surfer. In 1905, he and his surfing comrades started a surfing club called Hui Nalu (Club of Waves) that was to influence many. These “Beach Boys of Waikiki” helped the sport reach unbelievable popularity, in Hawaii and across the globe. Duke is credited with bringing surfing to the continental United States and possibly even to Australia. At the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, one can take surfing lessons or rent surfboards or bodyboards. On this part of Waikiki Beach, the surf is the most popular and one can see many surfers out in the ocean.

The waves on Waikiki Beach are quite reliable and surfing is possible year-round. They are also not as challenging as on the island’s North Shore in the winter months. The highest waves on Waikiki Beach tend to occur in the summer months with wave heights of about six to eight feet.

Up to the Duke Statue, the beach is open to the shore front. To the west of it, there are some hotels sitting right on the beach, such as the Royal Hawaiian and the Sheraton Waikiki.

In this area of Waikiki Beach, there are several catamaran tours available that take people on a ride along the coastline. This beach area is also quite narrow. It gets wider again right after the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel, where it is known as Fort DeRussy Beach. The water here is usually very calm and good for swimming. A little further to the west from here is the Hilton Hawaiian Village, another large hotel complex and the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, where Waikiki Beach ends.

Visitors will find many things to do on Waikiki Beach. Besides the various water activities that one can do, there are daily hula shows and other musical entertainment, cultural events and parades taking place. Since 2001, there is a weekly movie festival called “Sunset on the Beach.” Here one can view free movies on a 30-foot screen. The event takes place near Kapiolani Park, just off Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s major street.