Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Waikiki Beach


Waikiki beach


Waikiki Beach


Waikiki beach


Waikiki Beach


Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Waikiki is no longer a paradise just for the upper-crust. More than 100 years have passed since Waikiki was the exclusive playground of Hawaiian royalty and their chosen friends. Now, cheap hotels and package tours allow just about anyone to visit. These days, however, the playground is of a different sort. From throbbing nightclubs to quiet parks, from gentlemen long-boarders to the lions at the zoo, Waikiki has something for everyone. One can walk from one end of the island to the other in 20 minutes, but 20 days is not enough to experience all Waikiki has to offer.

It all begins at the yacht harbor where every boat imaginable, from sporty, racing numbers to salty-dog blue cruisers, lines the water. It is here where Hawaiian canoe clubs train and stately yachts strut their stuff. Next door, the Hilton Hawaiian Village stages hula shows to welcome the weekend and blasts fireworks visible from miles away. The beach is wide, the water is safe and any beach toy imaginable is available to rent.

However, not enough visitors find time to visit the other end of Waikiki, where 200 acres of parkland wrap around the base of Diamond Head Crater and there's always a quiet spot in the shade. This is where the locals come to jog in the park, swim at Sans Souci Beach or barbecue dinner with family and friends.

Between these two extremes, the seven-tenths of a square mile that make up Waikiki are packed with hotels, theaters, restaurants and shops and crowded with executives, backpackers, families and hookers, who collectively speak every language under the sun. Late-night revelers cross paths with dawn-patrol surfers, and another day begins on one of the world's most famous strips of sand.