Waikiki Beach, Honolulu | Top 150 Bikini Destinations
HONOLULU, OʻAHU, HAWAIʻI / USA
Where surfing began,
Waikiki Beach.
Two miles of sand on Oʻahu's south shore, with Diamond Head at one end and gentle waves for a first surf lesson.
Plan your beach day ↘TOP 150 BIKINI DESTINATIONS / OʻAHU · SOUTH SHORE
Long, gentle waves,
and Diamond Head at the end of the sand.
Waikiki runs for about two miles along the south shore of Oʻahu, in front of the hotels of Honolulu, from the Hilton Hawaiian Village to the foot of Diamond Head.
Reefs offshore break the swell into long, slow waves, which is why this is where Duke Kahanamoku and the beach boys made surfing famous and why first-timers still learn here. Swim in the morning, take a surf lesson, and stay on the sand for sunset over the Pacific.
ON THE WORLD MAP
On the south shore of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.
Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
01 / GETTING THERE
Start in Honolulu.
Mid-morning on the sand
Kuhio Beach, with its seawall and calm, enclosed water, seen from above.
Photo: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view from Los Angel · CC BY 2.0Get around Waikiki
Waikiki is flat and walkable. Kalākaua Avenue runs behind the beach with the hotels, shops and restaurants, and the beachfront walk follows the sand from the Royal Hawaiian to Kapiʻolani Park. Parking is scarce and most hotels charge for it, so leave the car at the hotel or skip it.
On the beach
City and County of Honolulu lifeguards staff the Waikiki towers every day from 8:00 to 18:30. The water is usually calm on the inside, but the surf breaks on shallow reef further out and boards come in fast, so swim away from the surf lineups. Beach status ↗
02 / BEACH ESSENTIALS
Know before you go.
A full-service city beach, with lifeguards, showers, restrooms, board rentals and beachfront restaurants along its whole length.
01 / HOW TO GET THERE
Walk from your hotel
Most Waikiki hotels are on or a block or two from the sand. If you drive in, the metered lot at Kapiʻolani Park and the Honolulu Zoo fills early on weekends; otherwise use a hotel garage.
TheBus routes and fares ↗02 / BEACH ACCESS
Step-free beachfront walk
A paved walk runs behind much of the beach, with access onto the sand at Kuhio Beach Park and along the hotel frontage. The sand itself is soft and deep in places, so wheelchair users will need help or a beach chair.
03 / THE SAND
Golden and soft
Fine golden sand, much of it replenished over the years. Shallow reef and rock lie close to shore in places, so watch your feet when you wade out.
04 / FOOD & WATER
Kalākaua Avenue
Restaurants, cafés, ABC Stores and food courts line Kalākaua Avenue a minute from the sand, open from early morning until late. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
05 / CHAIRS & UMBRELLAS
Umbrellas, chairs and boards
Beach concessions rent umbrellas, chairs, surfboards and bodyboards, and sell surf lessons and outrigger canoe rides, at stands along the sand. Shade from the palms is limited.
06 / RESTROOMS & SHOWERS
Restrooms, showers and lifeguards
Public restrooms and outdoor showers are at Kuhio Beach Park and at several points along the beach. Lifeguard towers are staffed daily, 8:00–18:30.
03 / THE BEACH
A day at Waikiki Beach.
The whole beach from Diamond Head
Waikiki and the hotels along the shore, seen from the crater summit.
Photo: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view from Los Angel · CC BY 2.001 / SURF
Take a surf lesson
The slow waves off Waikiki are among the best places in the world to stand up for the first time.
02 / SWIM
Swim at Kuhio Beach
The seawall at Kuhio Beach makes a calm, enclosed pool for an easy swim.
03 / PADDLE
Ride an outrigger canoe
Beach boys take groups out to catch a wave in a traditional canoe.
04 / SAIL
Sail at sunset
Catamarans leave from the beach for an evening sail along the shore.
Start early with a hike up Diamond Head (reserve your entry online) or a swim at Kuhio Beach before the beach fills. Book a mid-morning surf lesson, when the wind is light, and spend the rest of the morning in the water. Have lunch on Kalākaua Avenue and spend the afternoon on the sand near the Duke Kahanamoku statue. For sunset, take a catamaran sail from the beach or stay on the sand by the Royal Hawaiian. On a rainy day, visit ʻIolani Palace downtown.
04 / NEARBY BEACHES
Four more beaches within 14 km.
Kaimana Beach is at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki; Ala Moana is to the west, and Hanauma Bay and Kahala are to the east.
Kaimana Beach
A small, quieter beach at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki, also called Sans Souci, next to the Natatorium.
- Best for
- A calm swim away from the crowds
- Facilities
- Lifeguard tower, showers, restaurant next door
- Good to know
- Shallow reef close to shore; wear water shoes if you wade out.
Ala Moana Beach Park
A long beach park with an outer reef, so the water inside is calm and shallow; locals swim laps here.
- Best for
- Families and lap swimming
- Facilities
- Lifeguards, restrooms, showers, picnic lawns, parking
- Good to know
- The bottom drops off suddenly at the channel; stay inside the swim area.
Hanauma Bay
A protected marine life conservation area in a volcanic crater, with snorkeling over the reef.
- Best for
- Snorkeling
- Facilities
- Lifeguards, restrooms, snorkel rentals; open Wednesday to Sunday
- Good to know
- Book entry online; non-residents pay $25, and parking is $3 in cash.
Kahala Beach
A quiet residential beach behind Diamond Head, with a palm-topped islet off Waiʻalae Beach Park.
- Best for
- A quiet walk on the sand
- Facilities
- Restrooms and parking at Waiʻalae Beach Park; no lifeguards on most of the beach
- Good to know
- Shallow and reefy, more for wading than swimming.
Distances are straight-line from Waikiki Beach. Facilities change by season, so check on the day.
05 / MUST-SEE PLACES
Three ways to see Honolulu.
01 / DIAMOND HEAD
Diamond Head State Monument
A 1.3 km trail climbs the inside of the crater to the summit, with views over Waikiki. Out-of-state visitors must reserve an entry time online before they go.
Diamond Head reservations ↗02 / DOWNTOWN
ʻIolani Palace
The home of Hawaiʻi's last monarchs, King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani, is about 6 km from Waikiki. Book a guided or self-led tour on the palace website.
ʻIolani Palace tours ↗03 / EAST OʻAHU
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Open Wednesday to Sunday, with entry from 6:45 to 13:30. Non-residents pay $25 and must watch a short reef-safety film before going down to the beach.
Hanauma Bay reservations ↗EXPLORE THE AREA
Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.
Find Kuhio Beach and the Duke statue in the middle of the beach, Kapiʻolani Park at the eastern end, and the Diamond Head crater beyond it.
Open the interactive map ↗BEYOND THE BEACH
Above the beach.
Diamond Head, the crater and the old palace.
Inside the crater
The crater floor seen from the summit trail.
Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Diamond Head
The crater rises just east of Waikiki.
Photo: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view from Los Angel · CC BY 2.0
ʻIolani Palace
The royal palace in downtown Honolulu.
Photo: Leo Carmona · CC BY-SA 4.0
East from the summit
The coast toward Koko Head from Diamond Head.
Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.006 / SIX HOTELS
Find your base.
LEMON ROAD
Waikiki Beachside Hostel
$ Budget · Dorm beds from about US$66 a night (checked in November)
A hostel a block from the sand near Kapiʻolani Park, with dorms and private rooms. Suits solo travelers and surfers.
Waikiki Beachside Hostel official site ↗LEWERS STREET
Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club
$ Budget · From about US$132 a night (checked in November)
A retro-styled hotel with a pool scene and the Mahina & Sun's restaurant, about a five-minute walk from the beach.
Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club official site ↗KAIMANA BEACH
Kaimana Beach Hotel
$$ Mid-Range · From about US$179 a night (checked in November)
A small hotel directly on Kaimana Beach at the quiet Diamond Head end of Waikiki, next to Kapiʻolani Park.
Kaimana Beach Hotel official site ↗ALA WAI BOULEVARD
Wayfinder Waikiki
$$ Mid-Range · From about US$188 a night (checked in November)
A remodeled hotel with a pool, on the canal side of Waikiki, about a 10-minute walk from the beach.
Wayfinder Waikiki official site ↗KALĀKAUA AVENUE
Moana Surfrider
$$$ Upscale · From about US$306 a night (checked in November)
Waikiki's first hotel, opened in 1901, right on the beach, with a banyan courtyard and a beachfront veranda.
Moana Surfrider official site ↗KALĀKAUA AVENUE
The Royal Hawaiian
$$$$ Luxury · From about US$842 a night (checked in November)
The pink hotel on the beach, opened in 1927, with gardens, a beachfront pool and the Mai Tai Bar.
The Royal Hawaiian official site ↗
WHEN TO GO
Choose the day you want.
Waikiki is warm all year, with afternoon highs from the upper 20s °C (low 80s °F) in winter to the low 30s °C (upper 80s °F) in late summer, and the sea stays around 24–27 °C (mid-70s to about 80 °F). The trade winds keep it comfortable. Summer is drier and brings south swells for the surfers; winter has more passing showers. Climate normals ↗
07 / FOOD, LANGUAGE & LOCAL LIFE
From sand to table.
Poke
Cubed raw fish dressed with soy and sesame, eaten over rice.
Photo: dronepicr · CC BY 2.0What to order
Try poke over rice, a plate lunch (rice, macaroni salad and a main), loco moco, shave ice and malasadas, the Portuguese-style doughnuts from Leonard's Bakery. Spam musubi from the ABC Stores is the local snack.
Local habits
Lunch runs from about 11:00 and dinner from 17:00; popular places fill by 18:30, so book ahead for dinner. A tip of 18–20 percent is expected at sit-down restaurants.
A LITTLE HAWAIIAN
Useful on the beach and in town.
- Aloha
- Hello, goodbye, love
- Mahalo
- Thank you
- E komo mai
- Welcome
- A hui hou
- Until we meet again
SIX RESTAURANTS
Where to eat.
KAPAHULU AVENUE
Leonard's Bakery
$ Budget · Prices not published online; see the menu on arrival (checked in November)
The bakery that made malasadas famous in Honolulu, open since 1952. Open daily 5:30–19:00.
Leonard's Bakery official site ↗KUHIO AVENUE
Marugame Udon
$ Budget · Prices not published online; see the menu on arrival (checked in November)
Fresh udon made in front of you and tempura, a quick, cheap meal; expect a line at dinner. Open daily 10:00–23:00.
Marugame Udon official site ↗QUEEN'S BEACH
Barefoot Beach Cafe
$$ Mid-Range · Prices not published online; see the menu on arrival (checked in November)
A beach café at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki for breakfast, plate lunches and sunset with live music.
Barefoot Beach Cafe official site ↗OUTRIGGER WAIKIKI
Duke's Waikiki
$$ Mid-Range · Dinner entrées about US$27–83 (checked in November)
Fish, steaks and the hula pie on the beach, named for Duke Kahanamoku. Lunch 11:15–15:00, dinner 16:30–22:00.
Duke's Waikiki official site ↗SURFJACK HOTEL
Mahina & Sun's
$$$ Upscale · Big plates about US$28–44 (checked in November)
Island produce and local fish by the Surfjack pool; order the family-style whole fish.
Mahina & Sun's official site ↗HALEKULANI
La Mer
$$$$ Luxury · Eight-course tasting menu US$340 (checked in November)
French cooking with ocean views at the Halekulani. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 17:30–20:30; there is a dress code.
La Mer official site ↗08 / WAIKIKI AFTER DARK
Three bars.
Mai Tai Bar
The beachfront bar at the Royal Hawaiian, with live music from 18:00 to 22:00. Mai Tai Bar ↗
House Without a Key
Sunset drinks under the kiawe tree, with Hawaiian music from 17:30 to 20:30 and hula from 18:30. House Without a Key ↗
Duke's Barefoot Bar
The beachside bar at Duke's, with live music and the sunset crowd. Duke's Waikiki ↗
Spend the evening along Kalākaua Avenue; the bars, restaurants and hotels are all within a 15-minute walk. Waikiki is busy and well lit until late.
09 / WAIKIKI EVENT CALENDAR & MONEY
Plan around the celebrations.
Honolulu Marathon
One of the biggest marathons in the US, with no time limit, starts downtown at 5:00 on mid-December and finishes at Kapiʻolani Park.
Honolulu Marathon official site ↗Duke's OceanFest
A week of surfing, paddling and swimming contests at Kuhio Beach every August in honor of Duke Kahanamoku; the festival opened in mid-August.
Duke's OceanFest ↗Currency / US dollar
Hawaiʻi uses the US dollar (USD, $). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and ATMs are on every block of Kalākaua Avenue. Tip 18–20 percent in restaurants and a few dollars a day for hotel housekeeping.
US Currency Education Program ↗10 / WHAT TO WEAR
A swimsuit for Waikiki.
WAIKIKI SUNBURST
Swim.
Walk.
Stay out.
On the sand
Wear the Waikiki Sunburst bikini with a linen shirt for Kalākaua Avenue and a hat for the open sand.
On Diamond Head
Wear trail shoes or sneakers, carry water and go early: the trail is steep, with stairs and a tunnel near the top, and there is little shade.
In town
A sundress or a light shirt is enough after dark; bring a thin layer for air-conditioned restaurants.
11 / BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Good to know.
Which airport should I use?
Honolulu (HNL), about 15 km west of Waikiki, roughly 25 minutes by car without traffic.
Is it good for swimming?
Yes. The water is usually calm inside the reef, especially at Kuhio Beach behind the seawall. Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower (8:00–18:30) and away from the surf lineups.
Can I learn to surf here?
Yes. Waikiki is one of the best places in the world to learn; book a lesson with one of the beach concessions on the sand.
Do I need a reservation for Diamond Head?
Yes, out-of-state visitors must reserve an entry time online. Hanauma Bay also needs an advance reservation and is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Do I need a car?
Not in Waikiki: the beach, restaurants and bars are all walkable, and TheBus covers Honolulu. Rent a car for a day to see the North Shore or the east coast.
FOG & FOUNDRY / SWIM
Yellow and magenta,
like a Waikiki sunset.
A bandeau bikini in our own yellow and magenta sunburst print, made for long days on the south shore.
Explore the Waikiki Sunburst bikini ↗
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