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Kalakaua, the main street in Waikiki, is lined with luxury boutiques.
Photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Japan
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Waikiki at a glance
Waikiki is the most popular destination on Oahu, with its luxury shopping boutiques, restaurants, and most of Oahu's hotels.
The main street is Kalakaua, which runs next to the beach.
Most of the high-end hotels are either right on Kalakaua in the middle of the beach,
or between Kalakaua and the beach at the northwest end. The northwestern hotels are actually on the beach; the
hotels in the middle are immediately across the street from Waikiki Beach.
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The man-made canal (Ala Wai) runs parallel to Kalakua, about 2 city blocks to the northeast; between Ala Wai and
Kalakaua you'll find a number of lesser-priced hotels; still within an easy walk of the beach,
you're generally trading off the view and proximity to the beach for the price.
At the northwest end of the beach, we recommend the famous
Royal Hawaiian hotel
(also known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific"),
the Sheraton Waikiki,
the historic Sheraton Moana Surfrider,
the Outrigger Waikiki
and Outrigger Reef,
and the Halekulani.
At the center of Waikiki Beach, we recommend the
Hyatt Regency and
the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani.
Further south of Waikiki beach, beyond Kapiolani Park, are two luxury hotels we recommend as well:
the W Honolulu and
the Kahala.
Below is a classic view of Waikiki Beach from one of the hotels at the northwest end of the beach. In the background is the
Diamond Head crater; Kalakaua Avenue runs between the beach and the row of tall hotel buildings in the middle of the picture.
The gentle waves just off the beach make Waikiki Beach a perfect place for beginning surfers to learn to catch a wave...in fact,
world champion surfer Hans Hedemann runs a surf school here. In the foreground, you can see a catamaran beached in front of one
of the hotels. These catamarans offer afternoon and sunset cruises, and the view of Waikiki and Honolulu from the water in the early evening
is spectacular.
View of Waikiki and Diamond Head. Photo courtesy Joe Solem
Before the building of the Ala Wai Canal, Waikiki was the location of a private estate for Hawaii's royal family,
and contained many fish ponds and taro and banana farms.
At the far southeastern end of Waikiki Beach, past all of the hotels, you'll find Kapi'olani Park: over 500 acres of
greenspace donated by King David Kalakaua and named after his wife, Queen Kapi'olani. Diamond Head, Honolulu Zoo,
and the outdoor concert theater Waikiki Shell are contained within the park.
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Ala Wai canal forms the northeastern boundary of Waikiki.
Photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Japan
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