There are few more famous beaches in the world. Waikiki Beach is synonymous with carefree holidays in beautiful tropical weather, surfing and sipping drinks in local bars. It stretches about 2km along the south side of Honolulu and is lined with the most expensive hotels.

Waikiki Beach is undoubtedly one of the best and most famous urban beaches in the world, with great swimming, exemplary cleanliness, a wide range of activities and access to hotels and other services in downtown Honolulu.

The Waikiki Beach designation is applied to the entire set of beaches from Kapiolani Beach through Kuhio Beach and the original Waikiki, followed by a short strip of beachless beach where hotels approach right up to the sea and can be bypassed by a boardwalk at Fort DeRussy Beach and ending at Kahanamoku Beach.

Swimming in Waikiki - entrance fee

Although the entire beach is lined with luxury hotels, they are not allowed to charge for "their" stretches of beach, so all of Waikiki is free to access.

As one of Hawaii's few beaches, it boasts complete tourist facilities and a wide range of sports and water activities.

Waikiki Beach is covered with fine white sand, groomed in an exemplary manner every morning. A large part of the beach is lined with palm trees creating shade and photogenic panoramas.

The water in the sea is also clear, especially in winter when the waves are at their lowest on the south coast. These intensify during the summer, which is good for beginner surfing or bodysurfing lessons, but the waves are never particularly dangerous in Waikiki.

The bottom drops off quite steeply, but for non-swimmers there is a section called Kuhio Beach Park at the southern end of Waikiki, which is separated from the open sea by a concrete wall, creating a shallow, wave-free sea.

Sun loungers and umbrellas

Sunbed and umbrella rentals are available all along the beach, mostly free for hotel guests, with prices for "overlanders" around 55 usd for a set of two sunbeds and an umbrella per day.

Bars, restaurants and shops

Waikiki Beach is practically in the centre of Honolulu, so restaurants, fast-food joints and bars are available all along the beach, just walk 50 metres inland and you can shop eat as you please.

Right on the beach is the largest concentration of bars and restaurants in the area called Fort DeRussy Beach between downtown and the Sheraton Hotel. Prices here are in line with the location and among the highest in the US.

Showers and toilets

Free public freshwater showers and toilets can be found scattered along the beach, most often in the several parks that surround the beach.

Lockers/lockers

Unfortunately, there are no lockers or storage for personal belongings in Waikiki.

Accommodation in Waikiki

Would you like to stay right on one of the most famous beaches in the world? Waikiki Beach is lined with dozens of hotels that overlook the beach, the ocean, and downtown Honolulu with a backdrop of lush green mountains. Expect prices to match the location: the cheapest hotels start at 183 eur per night in a 2-bed room.

Cheapest hotels (around 180 usd per night) - Royal Grove Waikiki, Pacific Monarch, Waikiki Resort Hotel
The Golden Mean (around 250 usd per night) - Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel, Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, Park Shore Waikiki
Best hotels (from 350 usd per night) - Sheraton Waikiki, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa

How to get there

The easiest way to get to Waikiki is by bus. There are many bus lines that run around the beach to get around Honolulu and the island of Oahu:

Downtown Honolulu - E, 2, 13, 20, 42
Diamond Head and Honolulu Zoo - 2, 8, 22, 23
Ala Moana Center - E, 8, 20, 23, 42
Honolulu Airport - 20
Pearl Harbor - 20
Hanauma Bay - 22
Sea Life Park - 22, 23
Ewa Beach - E, 42

We don't recommend driving to Waikiki, especially due to the very limited parking options. Street parking is expensive (at least 2 usd per hour) and spaces tend to be scarce anyway. The nearest major free parking lot is at Ala Moana Beach Park about 1 km from the start of Waikiki Beach.