Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach
4
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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  • Stan K
    Torremolinos, Spain8 contributions
    Good and Bad
    The beach is long but not very deep in places. The sand is nice. The water from the Pink Hotel towards Diamond Head is terrible. Full of rocks and lots of traffic from surfers and sail boat tours. From the Pink Hotel towards the West is great. The water has soft sand and you can walk out for at least 100 yards. But be prepared for congestion. Make sure you bring your own towels, chairs and most importantly an umbrella. The prices for rentals vary from $20 - $100 an HOUR.
    Visited November 2022
    Written 4 December 2022
  • Megan E
    36 contributions
    Crowded beach, others on the island are nicer
    We stayed at Waikiki Beach at the Hilton. While there are lots of shops and restaurants around there are also tons of people and lots of traffic. Our family prefers beautiful nature and we felt that there are many other better beaches on the island. We would not return and stay at Waikiki. We would choose another less populated Hawaiin island. We are big fans of the Bahamas and places in Mexico.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 13 December 2022
  • DannyWasserman
    Virginia Beach, Virginia4,241 contributions
    Beautiful beaches of Oahu !
    This is a spectacular area of Oahu where the white sandy beaches hit the beautiful blue oceans of Hawaii. We layed out on the beach and got some good rays and watched the surfers, hang gliders, boaters, etc having a great time. This is a beautiful beach and needs to be visited.
    Visited November 2022
    Written 13 December 2022
  • Michele B
    Cochrane, Canada18 contributions
    Overrated and busy
    We went to Waikiki Beach just to say we did but honestly wouldn't go out of our way again. It's extremely busy, parking is awful and expensive, the beach itself is packed. Shopping isn't anything special that you can't go elsewhere.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 30 December 2022
  • Wilkeson Smart
    Bonney Lake, Washington70 contributions
    A zoo but nice
    It was absolutely nuts for most of the days that we were there with mass amounts of people many with no sense of space. We hung out in front of the Outrigger and Moana hotels which seemed to have a high concentration of people in front of them. Sunsets were gorgeous! Perfect place for families with younger children as the currents were not too strong (you still need to watch them though). Arrive early if you want to rent chairs and water toys - they go fast!
    Visited December 2022
    Written 2 January 2023
  • HipHopper
    14 contributions
    So relaxing
    Rented umbrella and chairs for reasonable $30-40 depending on whether we stayed 4-6 hours. Lots of room on the beach and waves were gentle for a weak swimmer like me. Sun is very hot so an umbrella is a good idea.
    Visited November 2022
    Written 5 January 2023
  • TT3
    Huntsville, Alabama14 contributions
    Busy but beautiful
    Waikiki is beautiful and convenient to access and enjoy. Know that it's very busy, but arriving at non peak hours or walking down past the immediate access of the hotels will help. Calm waters when we were there and great for swimming for the most part.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 7 January 2023
  • EJsMommy31
    8 contributions
    Warm Waikiki Beach
    Reviewing the section of the beach closest to Embassy Suites. What can I say? The water was clear and perfect temperature to swim with some fish, which you will encounter here :) Very touristy, but still you can catch beautiful sunrises coming up over Diamond Head and sunsets. My favorite thing here was the sunrises on a cloudy day, breathtaking lavender hues! Second favorite thing was being able to walk right in and swim because the water was so nice and warm! Third was watching the ocean from my room mid day-the vibrant color of the water and seeing the sail boats, surfers, and paddle boarders way out in the distance was so calming.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 9 January 2023
  • Emily Pearl
    2 contributions
    Overcrowded with Tourists
    The city of Honolulu makes sure tourists are safe and the beaches are clean, with a heavy HPD presence. However, this is the most advertised beach in Hawaii and, as such, it is extremely overcrowded. Find literally any other beach in Oahu to go to.
    Visited January 2023
    Written 12 January 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

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Edwin F
Calgary, Canada1,740 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We visited Waikiki beach every day we were in Hawaii. Always busy, morning noon and night. Our hotel provided towels, chairs, umbrellas etc. Great for swimming and people watching!
Written 18 November 2023
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.

Canucksontheloose
Victoria, Canada744 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
If you like crowds, this is a great beach. You can rent chairs and beach stuff nearby or from the hotels; the beach is relatively clean and the water is warm. But if you like quieter beaches, go to Ala Moana Beach or Magic Beach at the top end of Waikiki Beach. Same nice sand, more grassy areas and trees but farther from the madding crowd.
Written 16 November 2023
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.

Richard H
Fort Worth, TX198 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We enjoyed morning walks on the beach. It was a perfect way to start the day before it got warm and busy with people. The walkway along the beach is also a perfect way to get up to places, such as restaurants and such, more central and northern. Even if you’re not a water person, don’t come to Oahu and not explore Waikiki Beach.
Written 3 November 2023
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.

Charles L
Effingham, IL17 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
The Outrigger Hotel was one of the best we've ever stayed at. Our whole family loved it. The views were spectacular. We witnessed couples renewing their wedding vows on the beach. Restaurants and gift shops were nearby. We love the Hard Rock Cafe which was one block away. Out son's family took surfing lessons behind the hotel. We could see Diamondhead in the distance which we all climbed later.
Written 1 November 2023
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.

Ryan H
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Solo
Stinky dirty homeless Mecca. Over cost rip off low quality garbage state. Always has been always will be. Dirty ocean and the sand is imported with flees and other invasive species sand. Disgusting dirty water. Slum
Written 29 October 2023
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.

Arnold B
Watsonville, CA3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
It’s the place to be, to play in the water and watch the sunsets 🌅 My (adult) daughter and I enjoyed the surf, sky and sun all day long. We also met interesting people from all over the 🌎 globe!
Written 23 October 2023
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.

Colmich
Warners Bay, Australia402 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Beautiful clear water, no rubbish, turtles swimming close by. Loads of people but that's to be expected. Get there early to claim a good spot.
Written 3 October 2023
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.

Gary W
Richmond, Australia885 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Iconic beach in Honolulu. Plenty of beach area available. Water is warm and clean. There are several sections of the beach - open, walled and surf, some of which have life guards. The currents are powerful so the walled area was appreciated. There are shower areas to get rid of the sand. Lots of grassy areas at the back and lounge chairs can be hired. Plenty of bars, eateries and souvenir shops nearby.
Written 2 October 2023
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.

mwbudd
Alameda, CA288 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Since we were steps away from this fantastic beach we made it a habit to take a morning swim. One must bring NO valuables to the beach unless someone is sitting with them at all times. The beach is smooth and sandy amd since there is an offshore reef the shore break is gentle. The water is quite comfortable and it is like bathing. Can't pass it up.
Written 2 October 2023
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.

Carol H
San Jose6 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Beautiful beach! Enclosed area great for little kids. Sandy bottom. Lots of walkable restaurants. Everything close.
Written 10 September 2023
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.

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Waikiki Beach (Honolulu) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Waikiki Beach

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