Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach
4.2
About
This iconic landmark in Waikiki is one of Hawaii’s most famous beaches, located on the south shore of Oahu. Waikiki Beach is the birthplace of modern surfing culture—look out for the statue of renowned waterman Duke Kahanamoku, who popularized the sport internationally. Once the playground of Hawaiian royals, today the beachfront is lined with resorts and some of Hawaii’s most historic hotels. Surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers flock to this beach all day long. Boat tours in Waikiki are a great way for admiring the coast away from the crowds. Neighboring Kalākaua Avenue has plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options. – Tripadvisor
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Neighbourhood: Waikiki
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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negisun
Saitama, Japan8,537 contributions
Feb 2025 • Couples
Hawaii's iconic beach.
The sunrise from Diamond Head in the morning, the bustling cheers and waves during the day exude elation, and the sunset paints a sad picture of the end of the day.
Depending on the time of day, you can also see Hula's show.
Waikiki Beach has many ways to enjoy. I hope it will always be a beautiful beach!
The sunrise from Diamond Head in the morning, the bustling cheers and waves during the day exude elation, and the sunset paints a sad picture of the end of the day.
Depending on the time of day, you can also see Hula's show.
Waikiki Beach has many ways to enjoy. I hope it will always be a beautiful beach!
Automatically translated
Written February 15, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janvanj7
256 contributions
May 2024 • Family
It's got the be the most famous beaches in the world??
Not as big as you’d think and does get crowded.
Excellent for surfing, sunbathing and people watching. The water is clean and warm.
Even spotted a sea turtle on a couple of different occasions.
Plenty of showers along the shore and some toilet facilities too.
Surfboard hire is very expensive on the beach.
I recommend Star Beachboys around 500 yards from the beach $10 dollars for 2 hours on the beach $30-40. $20 dollars for all day hire. On the beach it's anywhere from $60 - $100
Not as big as you’d think and does get crowded.
Excellent for surfing, sunbathing and people watching. The water is clean and warm.
Even spotted a sea turtle on a couple of different occasions.
Plenty of showers along the shore and some toilet facilities too.
Surfboard hire is very expensive on the beach.
I recommend Star Beachboys around 500 yards from the beach $10 dollars for 2 hours on the beach $30-40. $20 dollars for all day hire. On the beach it's anywhere from $60 - $100
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
artanis65
Washington DC, DC44 contributions
Jan 2025 • Solo
As beaches go, it's OK. It's not as wide as you would think, certainly not compared to the beaches in Southern California or the East Coast of the United States, and when I was there, the beach was very crowded. The water was also cooler than I anticipated. There's a boardwalk that extends along the beach until the resorts take over, there's a decent pier, and there's a partial breakwater that makes the water in one area as smooth as glass and very safe for young children. Further out in the ocean, there's surfers and a few sailboats. Since the area is a tourist magnet, it's expensive to rent umbrellas and chairs and the like. Overall, as long as you can afford it, the vibe is quite good. I liked the fact that there are visitors from everywhere - the continental US, Europe, and from places like Japan and Korea as well. The people watching is fantastic - walk along the Boardwalk toward Diamond Head and you'll see more locals - beautiful girls walking or jogging or heading out with young guys for the day's surfing. I'm not sure what these people do for jobs or to make money, but that's really not the point of Waikiki.
I also enjoyed watching the sun set into the Pacific; it draws a crowd, and it was a nice treat.
I also enjoyed watching the sun set into the Pacific; it draws a crowd, and it was a nice treat.
Written February 4, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jae Kimani
Toronto, Canada49 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
As someone who hails from the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, and has had the privilege of visiting many beautiful islands like Aruba, Curaçao, Grenada, Cuba, and Mexico, I had high hopes for Waikiki Beach during my week-long visit. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed.
In my excitement, I ran towards the water, expecting soft, powdery white sands like those I’ve experienced back home. However, Waikiki Beach was far from that. The beach is littered with sharp, large rocks that make entering the water quite dangerous. It was shocking to see such a renowned destination fail to meet the basic standard of a decent beach.
I honestly don’t understand the hype around Waikiki. Why would anyone choose to vacation here when there are so many superior beaches around the world? If you’re someone who prioritizes the beach on your holiday, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere.
Sure, the beach itself is free to access, but renting a lounge chair and umbrella can set you back upwards of $40 USD per day. Over a week, that adds up quickly—and frankly, it’s not worth it.
For those considering Honolulu as a destination, particularly for its beaches, I would recommend reconsidering. There are far better options that offer a much more enjoyable and relaxing experience.
In my excitement, I ran towards the water, expecting soft, powdery white sands like those I’ve experienced back home. However, Waikiki Beach was far from that. The beach is littered with sharp, large rocks that make entering the water quite dangerous. It was shocking to see such a renowned destination fail to meet the basic standard of a decent beach.
I honestly don’t understand the hype around Waikiki. Why would anyone choose to vacation here when there are so many superior beaches around the world? If you’re someone who prioritizes the beach on your holiday, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere.
Sure, the beach itself is free to access, but renting a lounge chair and umbrella can set you back upwards of $40 USD per day. Over a week, that adds up quickly—and frankly, it’s not worth it.
For those considering Honolulu as a destination, particularly for its beaches, I would recommend reconsidering. There are far better options that offer a much more enjoyable and relaxing experience.
Written September 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NLS222
Appleton, WI61 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Waikiki Beach is beautiful, no doubt about it, however, it is sad how built up the area is with hotels and high-end designer stores. The hotel we stayed at was right across the street from the beach, so we did make a few brief visits during our stay. The beach was EXTREMELY crowded on the weekend and it was slightly less crowded on the weekdays.
One evening, we watched the sun set on the beach. It was neat to the watch the sun "sink" into the ocean, but I've seen far more beautiful and colorful sunsets in Wisconsin.
There are TONS of pigeons and other birds that are way too comfortable being around people, so if you are not a fan of birds, you will probably not enjoy your visit.
We noticed quite a few homeless and/or drug-addicted people walking around. One man in particular was screaming obscenities and got a little too close to my daughter, but fortunately kept walking. The smell of marijuana was quite pervasive at times on the beach and especially while walking down Kalakaua Avenue. I thought perhaps marijuana was legal until a Google search proved otherwise.
One evening, we watched the sun set on the beach. It was neat to the watch the sun "sink" into the ocean, but I've seen far more beautiful and colorful sunsets in Wisconsin.
There are TONS of pigeons and other birds that are way too comfortable being around people, so if you are not a fan of birds, you will probably not enjoy your visit.
We noticed quite a few homeless and/or drug-addicted people walking around. One man in particular was screaming obscenities and got a little too close to my daughter, but fortunately kept walking. The smell of marijuana was quite pervasive at times on the beach and especially while walking down Kalakaua Avenue. I thought perhaps marijuana was legal until a Google search proved otherwise.
Written March 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EcoBean
Malaysia415 contributions
Feb 2025 • Couples
Yes, it's a beautiful white sandy beach, with plenty of sunshine, great waves for surfing, possible to snorkel (but not the greatest place), and close to the really upmarket shops and hotels.
Just a few things that dropped my rating of this beach, that I wasn't overwhelmed by: It's really difficult to find a coffee shop on the beach much before midday. The hotels are open but give priority to their guests (obviously), so walk-ins can't sit at the tables overlooking the sea, so apart from that there's nowhere really to have a drink in the morning at least.
If you want to hire sunbeds and parasols the beach vendors are asking US$40 for 2 hours rental. We chose to sit on our towels as we were only going to be there for an hour or so max.
The beach is busy - amongst the swimmers and surfers there were catamarans going in and out on tours with no dedicated channels marked out for them to reach the beach - so pretty dangerous if you're swimming or, god forbid, snorkelling just off the shore line. Thankfully there weren't any jet ski's or motor boats whilst we were there so it's not too noisy.
There are toilets/restrooms and freshwater showers (cold) available to the public so you can freshen up before you head off. There are loads of restaurants and cafes behind the beach on the main road too.
Just a few things that dropped my rating of this beach, that I wasn't overwhelmed by: It's really difficult to find a coffee shop on the beach much before midday. The hotels are open but give priority to their guests (obviously), so walk-ins can't sit at the tables overlooking the sea, so apart from that there's nowhere really to have a drink in the morning at least.
If you want to hire sunbeds and parasols the beach vendors are asking US$40 for 2 hours rental. We chose to sit on our towels as we were only going to be there for an hour or so max.
The beach is busy - amongst the swimmers and surfers there were catamarans going in and out on tours with no dedicated channels marked out for them to reach the beach - so pretty dangerous if you're swimming or, god forbid, snorkelling just off the shore line. Thankfully there weren't any jet ski's or motor boats whilst we were there so it's not too noisy.
There are toilets/restrooms and freshwater showers (cold) available to the public so you can freshen up before you head off. There are loads of restaurants and cafes behind the beach on the main road too.
Written February 10, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Coddy A
New York City, NY879 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
No one can't deny the incredible and busy Waikiki Beach
Yes is busy and a lot people want to enjoy and have th opportunity to take the views of Diamon Head and what is that you may ask well.Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It is known to Hawaiians as Lēʻahi, which is most likely derived from lae plus ʻahi because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin.
Imagine swimming in the warm waters of Waikiki Beach and yes you have one one side the Waikiki building creating a back drop concrete arsis and in the other side the the ocean and diamond head... sound like a dream right ? well it is.
If you are lucky to stay in one of the hotels on the Waikiki Beach consider your self a lucky one because u can walk from your room to grab breakfast then to the beach to reed a book. sip a sweet drink or even tacking a nap.
So save some money and even if you don't stay on a beach resort u can find a cool hotel a couple blocks from Waikiki Beach and make a dream come true because u can catch a rainbow or 2 and find a pottle gold
Yes is busy and a lot people want to enjoy and have th opportunity to take the views of Diamon Head and what is that you may ask well.Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It is known to Hawaiians as Lēʻahi, which is most likely derived from lae plus ʻahi because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin.
Imagine swimming in the warm waters of Waikiki Beach and yes you have one one side the Waikiki building creating a back drop concrete arsis and in the other side the the ocean and diamond head... sound like a dream right ? well it is.
If you are lucky to stay in one of the hotels on the Waikiki Beach consider your self a lucky one because u can walk from your room to grab breakfast then to the beach to reed a book. sip a sweet drink or even tacking a nap.
So save some money and even if you don't stay on a beach resort u can find a cool hotel a couple blocks from Waikiki Beach and make a dream come true because u can catch a rainbow or 2 and find a pottle gold
Written January 9, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marian M
Germany411 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
We have been to Waikiki beach as a starting point for our trip to Hawaii and it is a good choice. You have relatively quiet waters which is good for the kids as well as lots of places to eat or have ice cream. Furthermore there are numerous places to get some surf lessons or just go for a dip. As it is oriented to the south west the sun can be very hot during the afternoon and it is quite crowded. In the early morning it is a lot more quiet.
Written August 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melanie
51 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Fabulous trip, weather was great, Not too hot, people were friendly, Hamburgers were yummy and the Waffles with strawberries at The Cheesecake Factory were amazing, Highly recommned going upto The Skybar, Fabulus Food. Waikiki can be a little pricey but just gotta look around.. We did the 1 hour sail out from Waikiki Beach absolutely amazing.. $50 US each with drinks included.. Loved it.. can't wait to go back.. Uber can get expensive at peak hours so beware if heading back from the Outlet..but amazing trip..
Written May 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jurora
Peterborough, Canada600 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We were at a hotel in Waikiki, for 2 weeks, so we got to see several areas of this lengthy, lovely beach. We walked along Kalakaua Ave. several days, along the wide sidewalk, and ended-up, going in and out of several beaches and areas. The furthest east we got to was Kapiolani Park Beach, and furthest west we got was the beach in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort, Kahanamoku Beach (with seeing these beaches in between, Queen's, Kuhio, and Ft. DeRussy). Many had park areas where one could sit in the shade or get a bit of sun. One evening, after dinner, we headed along to Kuhio Beach, and noticed a crowd, and when we got to a certain spot on the beach, we realized all of those people/kids were waiting for sunset, which was happening in about 10 minutes....beautiful, and seeing all the people silhouetted by the oncoming darkness, was cool! Several food locations in the Kuhio Beach area, the main area. Also at the eastern end of Kuhio Beach, there is a breakwater area, which makes it a safe, bay-type place, for families or adults, to swim in calm waters, where no waves would bother anyone. Several palm trees along these beaches, and an old Banyon Tree at Kuhio area!!
Written March 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where else in Oahu can you go that there is a calm lagoon type beach? We need a reasonably priced accommodation option close to the beach. Thanks.
Written September 24, 2022
The Ala Moana beach is the best beach for people who wants a calm like lagoon beach. The water is like a lagoon, no waves, no surfers. It is attached to a park and not to far from the Ala Moana Mall.
Written January 2, 2023
We want to come to Waikiki in November and maybe stay at the Sheraton, but I'm curious where the sun sets that time of year? Should we face Diamond Head or is it still better to face out direct oceanfront?
Written May 31, 2022
Hawaii is near the equator, so the position of the sun remains essentially the same year round.
Written June 1, 2022
I am visiting in July and would like to know where I can get Dole Whip in Waikiki Beach, especially flavours other than pineapple :D
Written April 29, 2022
Shoreline Hotel Waikiki! , Lobby of queen kapiolani.hotel. Nest door to the US Army Museum at Fort DeRussy Park is a tall skinny condo ,There is a concession stand there that sells Dole Whip also google Dole whip in waikiki. Aloha !
Written April 29, 2022
We are staying in the Waikiki area at an AirBnB, about 0.5 mile walk from the beach. Should we bring our own chairs or are their places on the beach we could rent? Also, we’ll have a rental car - what are some recommendations on things (places, beaches, restaurants, ext) for a family of four to explore? Our kiddos 4 & 6 years old. TIA!
Written March 14, 2020
There are 2 chairs & umbrella for rent for 78 USD from 8 am until 5 pm. We brought on own towels. Hope that helps😃🇨🇦
Written March 15, 2020
I was wondering how is the weather in Waikiki so far. Has it been sunny or cloudy? I will be leaving in two days for one week vacation down there in Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii and I was just wondering how the weather has been if it has been sunny or cloudy. I was hoping for sunny weather so I can get a tan. My first vacation ever so I really want to relax and enjoy it. Please let me know thank you.
Written March 4, 2020
The weather was nice when we were there in late January. You can look up weather predictions 10 days in advance online. That is what I did to know what to pack. Enjoy!
Written March 7, 2020
I planned on going to Honolulu Waikiki Hawaii from march 6 to march 12. I have been keeping an eye on the weather over there and noticed it says it will be cloudy no sun so far for march 6 and 7. And high of 79. Will it still be hot as nd be and beautiful to go swimming at the beach. Plus can you still get a tan and sunburn.
Written February 24, 2020
yes to both! the uv index is high as your closer to the equator and the saltwater drying on your skin also speeds up the burn or tanning process!
Written February 26, 2020
Do you have to pay an extra resort fee staying in the Waikiki beach area
Written November 29, 2019
yes, it's $37 a day, no exceptions!! just another tax they add on
Written February 26, 2020
Can you rent beach chairs and umbrellas?
Written October 27, 2019
If you are able to bring your own great if not definitely plenty of opportunities to hire anything!
Enjoy and do not forget to apply sunblock :)
Chely x~
Written January 8, 2020
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