Waikiki Travel Guide

Honolulu

Waikiki
Waikiki
Honolulu which includes swimming, landscape views and island views
Waikiki
Honolulu featuring cbd, a city and a coastal town

Located on the south shore of Honolulu, this neighbourhood is known internationally for its great surfing and beautiful beaches.

A magnet for surfers since well before the Beach Boys sang about it in the 1960s, Waikiki also offers many activities for families, a vibrant nightlife and local culture. Waikiki Beach is a great place to start your adventures in Waikiki. It is usually crowded, especially in winter when the surf swells, but it is the one beach that comes to mind for most people when they think of Hawaii.

Rent a board and paddle out to the waves, where you’ll very likely find yourself surrounded by surfing pros. There are many excellent surf schools catering for all experience levels, so book in for a few lessons. For an alternative to surfing, try out any of the other water sports on offer, such as snorkeling, parasailing or scuba diving.

Take a short stroll south to Kuhio Beach. This is a golden stretch of sand sheltered by a coastal wall, and home to Kapahulu Pier. The pier is a great place to visit at sunset.

Queens Surf Beach is at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki and provides a less frantic, grassier area, perfect for picnicking and gazing out to sea. While in the area, visit the Diamond Head State Monument, a calcite crystal crater that’s a Hawaiian landmark. A trail here takes you through a lit 225-foot (69-meter) tunnel to old military bunkers and a huge navigational lighthouse.

Head up Kalakaua Avenue, which runs behind Waikiki Beach, and into the heart of town. Along here, luxury-brand stores mingle with Waikiki’s high-end hotels, including the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider hotel. Street performers bring the strip to life, and cocktail bars stay open until the early hours of the morning.

Families should take a trip Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium, which is home to more than 500 species of aquatic animals and plants. To get even closer to the aquatic environment, book onto a submarine tour, which will take you down to the Pacific bed to see wrecked ships and exotic sea creatures.


Popular places to visit

Things to do


Top hotels in Waikiki

'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach

'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach

5 out of 5
2490 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI
The price is £270 per night from 26 Aug to 27 Aug
£270
26 Aug - 27 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury resort in Honolulu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 5 restaurants and a beach locale. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (3,125 reviews)
"Everyone was very friendly and professional."

Reviewed on 29 Jul 2025

'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

4.5 out of 5
2005 Kalia Rd, Honolulu, HI
The price is £257 per night from 19 Aug to 20 Aug
£257
19 Aug - 20 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury resort in Honolulu. Enjoy 5 outdoor pools, a full-service spa and 9 restaurants. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff ...
8/10 Very Good! (8,362 reviews)
"Breathtaking views, amazing firework display, friendly staff, gorgeous pools and delicious views. Everything I wanted and more."

Reviewed on 29 Jul 2025

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa

Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa

4 out of 5
2424 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI
The price is £248 per night from 17 Aug to 18 Aug
£248
17 Aug - 18 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach resort in Honolulu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 4 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (4,360 reviews)
"The only bad things were with the reantal car staff they are super bad and the attitude is really really bad so bad that it really needs to be taken care of that or fire that staff and get better oneso"

Reviewed on 28 Jul 2025

Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa
Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort

Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort

4 out of 5
2255 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI
The price is £451 per night from 24 Aug to 25 Aug
£451
24 Aug - 25 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach hotel in Honolulu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 2 outdoor pools and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
9/10 Wonderful! (2,317 reviews)
"Pool was fun. Convenient to walk to several shopping places and restaurants."

Reviewed on 27 Jul 2025

Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort
Waikiki Resort Hotel

Waikiki Resort Hotel

3.5 out of 5
2460 Koa Avenue, Honolulu, HI
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is £187 per night from 27 Aug to 28 Aug
£187
27 Aug - 28 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Honolulu. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (2,090 reviews)
"One block away from the beach, very well located,friendly staff,daily room service, clean facilities, the dowside,expensive park ing $47 per day,and due to the location and been in the center of everything a little bit noisy."

Reviewed on 26 Jul 2025

Waikiki Resort Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach

Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach

3.5 out of 5
2330 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu, HI
The price is £177 per night from 24 Aug to 25 Aug
£177
24 Aug - 25 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Honolulu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,022 reviews)
"Staff were friendly and helpful. I like the fact that there's a gym. The restaurant in the hotel was great and also the convenient store, alot of selection to choose from. International Market was just across the street, shops and eateries were close by."

Reviewed on 27 Jul 2025

Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around Waikiki

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Koreatown

Koreatown might not have many top sights, but Ala Moana Center and Waikiki Beach are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Koreatown
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McCully - Moiliili

Though McCully - Moiliili may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Ala Moana Center and Waikiki Beach Walk.

McCully - Moiliili
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Ala Moana

If you're spending some time in Ala Moana, Ala Moana Center and Magic Island are top sights worth seeing.

Ala Moana
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Kaka'ako

While visiting Kaka'ako, you might make a stop by sights like Hawaii Children's Discovery Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Center.

Kaka'ako
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Downtown Honolulu

Unique features of Downtown Honolulu include the shopping and beaches. Make a stop by Honolulu Harbor or King Kamehameha Statue while you're exploring the area.

Downtown Honolulu
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Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis

4.5/5(3 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis, Waikiki Beach and Honolulu Zoo are top sights worth seeing.

Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis


Waikiki Travel Guide

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