"I paused for a minute to witness the sunrise over Waikiki Beach... For the first time, I knew what I wanted. I wanted to live my life in color." ― Anna Gomez Y'all... The sun glitter. Wow. Sun glitter is a bright, sparkling light formed when sunlight reflects from water waves. It happens everywhere but the sun glitter casted on Waikiki Beach, onto the Pacific Ocean, is unlike others. Sure, I've stood on beaches in California and Florida but something about Hawaii just makes the sun glitter that much better. It's mesmerizing. The gentle waves roll onto shore in a rhythm that somehow makes the world feel slower. Early in the morning, before the crowds arrive, Waikiki feels almost peaceful despite being one of Hawaii's most famous beaches. The water shifts between shades of turquoise, aqua, and deep sapphire depending on where the sunlight hits. Combined with the silhouette of Diamond Head in the distance, it's the kind of view that makes you stop walking just to stare. Life's better with Hawaiian sand between your toes. read more

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We stayed near Waikiki Beach so it was within walking distance. It can be crowded during mid afternoon but there was always still somewhere to find to enjoy the beach. The beach was just so beautiful and the weather was perfect! I enjoyed walking along the beach at all times of the day. There are so many different shops, restaurants, and hotels near by too. read more

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We stayed right on Waikiki Beach so it was a quick and easy walk from our hotel. This is probably the most tourist heavy and popular spot on Oahu, and dare I say even Hawaii--not necessarily for it being the best beach ever but yeah. It's very long, it expands quite far. There's shopping and food along the street, and the beach is just below. I will say it's convenient if this is the part of Oahu you're staying in, but throughout our Island exploration, we found, in our opinion, more beautiful and serene beaches than this one. We only stayed on the actually beach part to swim for around an hour. Do yourself a favor, and either rent a car or at least go to other beaches on the island. But that aside, it's the famous Waikiki Beach, definitely visit!! read more

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I like visiting Waikiki beach whenever I visit Oahu, and I always feel hit and miss here. I am thrilled how beautiful the sunset could be and can't be tired of it at all, and I also feel overwhelmed with tons of people to explore the most famous beach here. read more

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I've looked at pictures for years, but Waikiki Beach is so much more beautiful in person. The views of diamond head are amazing. But not only is the beach scenic, it's lively and the water is a perfect blue. The spots closer to diamond head had bigger waves and most of the surfers were there, and the farther you go away from diamond head, the more picturesque it gets. It does get pretty crowded but that's what makes it fun read more

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The very first place (besides the airport) in Hawaii that we visited 24 years ago, Waikiki Beach continues to show my wife and me why we love the islands so much, We didn't get a chance to visit Waikiki the last time we were in Oahu, so was excited. We came via Lyft from the cruise port. Public access is mandated for all beaches in Hawaii so we went through the Beachcomber hotel to put feet on sand. There were umbrellas and loungers already spread across the beach, for hotel guests. We had planned ahead and brought towels and it was fine: the sun and sand hadn't gotten too hot yet. The beach is typically described as being 2 miles long, with distinct sections having their own name. It has warm, clear water with no floating debris, and soft waves. What I've always found unusual is how a tour company giving large catamaran tours will actually board/offload right in the middle of the beach. I got the opportunity to hear them come in, using constant whistles to warm swimmers and sunbathers to get out of the way. When they are not there, one can't really tell what the area is used for, since there are no barriers or fences to warn. It's a place that as time passes since our last visit, I become less enamored of the memory of the area because of news on crime, crowdedness of tourism, and general behavior of people. But as soon as we sat foot with the outline of Diamond Head in the background, all that is forgotten, and we start thinking about the next time we will be back. Just love this beach (and the area). read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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What a gorgeous day at the beach. Terrific weather and overall conditions. Clean sand and clear water. The Paradise Beach Boys location offered rental lounge chairs and umbrellas that we took advantage of. The water was perfect and the ambiance was chill. Highly recommended read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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This famous beach is a tourist icon that you should visit at least briefly if you are in Honolulu. This is our second visit and it has been interesting each time. The beach is almost a sub-culture in itself and provides beautiful ocean views, great sand stretches, opportunities for people watching, surf viewing and of course second-to-none sunning. I am not particularly a beach person but this place is worth an hour of time just to say you've been there if you are in Honolulu. read more

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This iconic landmark in Waikiki is one of Hawaii's most famous beaches, located on the south shore of Oahu. Waikiki Beach was just absolutely beautiful!! There I saw surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers on the beach all day long. They also have boat tours in Waikiki & there is also plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options. I really loved this beach and will make sure to stay here again when I come to the island of Oahu. read more

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Waikiki. All I need to say? While this may not be the best beach even, it is one of the must go to beaches. So much history here. The weekday crowd is light and a great time to get sand everywhere. I was here on the sand to see the sun climb up to kiss the beach. I was also there to see it set. Watching it set behind those playing in the surf is a view that is very memorable. Lots of restaurants nearby with some over looking the beach and surf. Hop on Hop off busses stop near by. Lots of shopping nearby. Great night life nearby. Kids will love it, too. read more

It was a pretty busy day with a lot of people however we chose to rent an umbrella with two beach chairs at $18 and hour. Since we weren't staying too long. They did have a daily rental fee if wanted to stay all day. The staffs were friendly and attentive. They took us to out spot right away. We were right in the front near the beach. The area and view was perfect. The beach water was not cold but has a nice warmth to it. However the water was rough. Not calmed at all. I probably went in the water 3 times and stayed under the umbrella afterwards. read more

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This beach is absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to go back. Despite the crowds, there's so much to love about it. The blue waters, palm trees, warm weather, and being surrounded by tons of hotels and restaurants. If you go on a Friday night, you can catch the Waikiki Friday Night Fireworks show. It starts at 7:45pm. read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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The most centrally located beach downtown. Very busy and crowded. There's a row of stone breakers preventing the waves from hitting the beach - those make the water nearshore super calm, very friendly for kids and beginners to swim in. read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Most popular and easiest beach to go in Oahu. It is not the most clean and beautiful but because this beach is right in the front of Waikiki, you can just walk there and enjoy almost everything. The beach is totally city vibe so if you can't stand being crowded you might have to come super early or late night, but you won't see anything or if you rent a car you can go to another beach that more private. Overall, I like it. so lively and festive. read more

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Gorgeous sunset views. Water and beach are pretty crowded. Not a quiet place for relaxation and contemplation. But if you want to splash in the water, take a surfing or stand-up paddle board lesson, and don't mind a crowd, this spot fits the bill. Lots of activities available. read more

All beaches in Hawaii are for public use. Waikiki is very popular since many hotels line the beach. If you want a little peace and quiet, setup camp near the Waikiki Wall in front of the Marriott. If you want to go where the action is then setup in front of Royal Hawaiian or Moana Surfrider. This is a decent beach. I prefer Kaneohe and North Shore but it's all subjective. Just depends what vibe you're looking for. Best of luck and aloha! read more

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Got a lot that can be said about this popular tourist attraction. It for sure is the main place to visit in Hawaii but it's got lots to enjoy besides the beach and partying. Waikiki Beach is a pretty broad thing to make a review for but I'm trying. Of course the location is the best thing about it. There's good weather along with beautiful sites both new and old, along with bars, restaurants, and a crap ton of fun options. Basic stuff to know before going. It's located on the south shore of Honolulu. The beach itself is the main part. A lot of people just like to lay around. The sand is clean and white. Many others are pretty active. The other popular activities include surfing and swimming. A lot of history as far as surfing around here. Duke Kahanamoku was a legend and popularized it. There's a lot of surfer themed bars and restaurants. Many are right next to the ocean. Pretty much ride a wave up to these. A lot of other attractions are close. Diamond Head is located south of the beach and is a good place to get views. As for the north areas, there's plenty to see here. Honolulu's Chinatown has plenty of places to eat and shop. Go farther up north to get to Pearl Harbor. There's also plenty to explore elsewhere on Oahu if you have more time. Helps to know how to get around before going. It's got a bus that goes between here and the airport, as well as other locations around Honolulu so it's better than walking a lot. The winter months are better for surfers because of bigger waves, and it's not quite as warm but there's usually good weather. read more

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Clean and beautiful beach. However, very crowded when we went on a Thursday afternoon. It's close to the city, but maybe too close, if you know that I mean. Recommended if you're already in the area. read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

I didn't expect Waikiki Beach to be so beautiful. I'm so glad we spent our last day here relaxing by the ocean. We rented beach chairs and an umbrella--which I highly recommend, since it gets very sunny and hot. read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

We visited the side closer to the Hilton hotel, by the lagoon. The sand in the water is rocky, but it's still a great beach to visit. We also stoped by for the Friday night firework show (starts at 7:45 pm). It gets crowded, so I recommend getting there by 7:30 to get a good seat. It's only about 4 minutes long, but it's something new to do in Waikiki. read more

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The Waikiki Beach area is fun to just stroll around, lay about, or swim/surf. Filled with palm trees and lots of various activities, there are parks where you can also picnic and lounge. There are also a lot of restaurants and shopping along the walk, which are all easily accessible. Definitely a lot of people frequent here, so you'll see crowds on a daily basis. The views are great, and the breeze from the ocean is nice - try to make it out there during the sunrise/sunset! +lounging and picnic area +watersports galore +lots of beachgoers read more

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Every time I walk along the beach in Waikiki, I see something new. Despite being a tourist area, this iconic beach has much to offer. Yesterday, I was walking home and heard music. There was a free hula show by the Kilohana Hula show on the beach on Wednesday morning. The group was fabulous, engaging and lovely. The lead dancer described the meaning of each move and the history of the dances. At one point, she invited everyone to learn a basic hula! I was in and sure enough she had everyone in the audience on their feet, swaying to the sounds of the ukulele in front of turquoise waters. This was just a magical experience. The show is offered Monday - Wednesday at 9:30 am at the Pa Hula in front of the beautiful Banyan Tree. You can't miss it, you'll hear the music. What a beautiful event. read more

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Busy yes but no one can't deny the iconic Waikiki Beach. A lot people want to enjoy and have the 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 read more

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The warm & awesome waters, the sunsets were amazing. Fun, relaxing & easy to get to from our condo. Wish we had more time... read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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My husband and I spent a day just hanging out at Waikiki Beach for my birthday and it was amazing. The vibe was good, it wasn't very crowded, and the weather was fantastic!! It's a place to go to just have fun, enjoy the sun, and people watch. We live in the area but never have a chance to go down to Waikiki just to enjoy the views and the atmosphere. For a simple bus ride, we felt for a moment at least that we were on vacation!!! read more

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Waikiki Beach is usually pretty busy. It's great for surfing and is well known for its white sand and blue water. It's also conveniently located hotels, restaurants, shops and tour guides. If you prefer a quieter beach, I recommend going checking out the North Shore. read more

Waikiki Beach is located in the one of the busiest areas of Waikiki, and most of the places you stay there will just be some blocks away from accessing the beach, albeit, the beach sides is towards the further side of this metropolitan area, away from all the ports and such, so you will want to stay closer to that side if you want the full access to the beach, and also a fantastic view from just blocks away without needing to be on a highrise. This public beach is split up into 3 sections: shallow end with full barrier, shallow end with partial barrier, and the open deep end where most people will be surfing at and also where the surfing classes along with the deeper dive tours usually go out to is in this area. Since it is a public beach, do note that it gets extremely crowded, and if you want to make sure to get a good spot, you'll need to head out there maybe around 7am~ish to avoid the crowds. Typically will start ramping up quite a bit with people around 9am and beyond. The beach will typically have live performances as well, as there's a live performance area towards the middle of the beach in between the open ended side and the partial barrier area. It just depends on who you are here with that will determine which side you're on. The full barrier side which is the further left facing the ocean will be primarily for families with smaller children, as there is a full barrier wall in the way of any incoming tides or anything else that may be dangerous for younger children playing in the water. It's deep enough for younger kids to be able to practice swimming here, or other things, but for most adults, you can just stand in the water all the way around this area. The partial barrier side has an opening in the middle where if you want to go further out you can, and if you sit in this area, there are tides coming in as well which will add to the fun for older kids, or adults that may want to swim out from the barrier instead of just in the open. It's a good combination of a spot for those who want to relax more (and can see the view better because there isn't a full wall there). The open deep end area is where the primary traffic is going to be, as that's just the open ocean in front, no barrier walls or anything to block it off. There's going to be your surfers on this side, some of the tours that go out a bit for the deep dive snorkeling will be out there as well, and also the para sailing are in that area too primarily. This side will always get the most traffic as you really can't get a better view of the ocean than here. But do keep in mind again, this is going to be the most crowded spot of them all due to all these additional things that can be done. And the one thing that really works for Waikiki beach is how easy it is to access all the stores here, since it's literally off one of the busiest streets in Waikiki, and you could even shop and view the beach for parts of this stretch of the street. If you need to go pick up something for the store while on the beach, you can do that pretty easy since there's plenty of ABCs just staring right at you. Want to grab a quick bite? Easy access to many restaurants in this area as well. Waikiki beach is great for those who want a full beach experience. As a public beach, it's also very much right around civilization compared to some of the other big beaches, so easy access to a lot of things. But since it is a public beach, the crowds will always work against you here, especially during some of the peak hours, so just make sure if you want to visit the beach and find a good spot on the sand then you need to get yourself there earlier rather than later. read more

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Baby blue waters brings millions of people to bathe and experience one of the most famous beaches in the world. Surprised to see how fast large catamarans cruise into shore amongst all the ignorant swimmers The large manmade rock barriers is the imminent tell tale sign of the disappearing land due to rising ocean levels. Enjoy when you can :0 read more

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Waikiki Beach has always been on my vacation bucket list. It's Hawaii . It's sunny. Palm trees galore, sunset . A beautiful beachfront, the beach was clean and the water was clear. Beautiful place for a swim , If you plan on being out there for the day there are chair and umbrella rentals around . I have been to much better and more beautiful beaches on the mainland and around the world. Waikiki might be one of the most famous beaches in the world, but being famous and being among the best are not the same thing but still love the warm water, better than the beaches in California the water is cold . We were in a hotel just few steps away, so we came to the beach only for our morning, and after that we explored the island in our rented car. read more

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Pretty view on this beach and a must see for being so famous. It was a very small beach however and does not span that long which was shocking to me when I visited. Sand is not the most fine and not many places to sit. read more

Waikiki Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Loved it. I was born and raised in Hawaii and it has been 25 years since I've been back. I was fortunate and grateful to stay in the Waikīkī area. The rainbows, sunsets, beach, Hawaiian spirit, good food, walkability and the Duke were the highlights of my short stay in Waikīkī. In early to mid May, there were lots of people, but it wasn't overly crowded. I'm definitely looking forward to returning and won't wait another 25 years to do read more

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There may be more people in Waikiki, but it didn't feel like it. We really enjoyed visiting Waikiki Beach. Aside from it being beautiful, there are many real nice hotels, restaurants to eat at, and shops. It's a great place to swim, surf, or just soak up the sun. We would definitely go back. We stayed once at the Ilikai Resort. And this last time we stayed at the Modern Honolulu. You can also catch a luau at many places, including one of the hotels. read more

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Complete beauty! Great location with tons of food & shops in the area . All walking distance. Touristy area . Very busy and active location. read more

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It's touristy and super busy but it has everything. Lots of hotels, restaurants, stores right across the street. It a place that you have to visit to check it out if your in Oahu but you should definitely check out other beaches as well. read more

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Oh my gosh what incredible memories as a child and growing up and now being a Mom. It's been a while coming back home, but it feels like I never left. Still as breathtakingly beautiful as I remember. The crystal blue water and sky, the clouds the wind blowing through the palm trees. Hearing the waves crash, the hotels surrounding you! It's so absolutely peaceful and I will always love coming to this beach. It was even more special being able to share my home with beautiful baby girl, I'm so happy she was able to experience Hawaii and see where her Mom and my siblings were born! It meant so much to me, I know so many of you come here and feel the same. The warm water is so refreshing on your feet and body! What an incredible memory to come home again, I can't wait to come back and bring baby girl again! I absolutely love this beach forever and always. Thank you for keeping it as beautiful as it was when I left as a young girl. Have a beautiful day :) Paradise is here - Aloha read more

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The middle of Waikiki Beach.. Busy as usual but plenty to do. Riding bikes, surf lessons, kayaking, suntanning, etc.. read more

Waikiki Beach - Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue area - Beaches Near Me

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A beach... at Waikiki... need I say more? That alone is enough to earn it 5 stars. The place is beautiful, the views are amazing, the water is clear and warm, the sand is nice and soft. Stripping everything else away, you'll be hard pressed to find many other beaches that can rival it. The bad thing about it? Everyone knows it so don't be surprised if it's jammed packed of tourists and locals alike. Also in a way it's lost its Hawaiian spirit and culture. It's just extremely touristy. If you can beat the crowds or manage to somehow come on a day that's not full, you'll find yourself in paradise. read more

Amazing beach!! And it wasn't that crowded on any of the days we visited. Easily accessible from the Hilton Vacation resort area. They have a few areas available to rent beach umbrellas, chairs, paddle and boogie boards, etc. The chairs and umbrella with run about $25 per hour if you opted to do this. Water is clear and waves were not that rough. Great snorkeling and my daughter saw some fish out in the deeper water. Beautiful view for the sunset also. Loved coming here during our vacation! read more

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We had just arrived at the beach and were sitting for maybe five minutes when a worker came up and told me we had to leave because we had not paid for the chairs. I immediately apologized and asked where I could go to pay, but he was incredibly rude in his response. My husband went to the booth to pay, and the worker there said, "We're talking," as if our request to pay was interrupting their personal conversation. Completely unprofessional. The beach itself is beautiful, but the staff's attitude was unacceptable. In a busy tourist area, you would expect workers to at least be courteous to the people visiting. Unfortunately, the way we were treated left a bad impression. read more

Our adventures in Oahu continued with the main beach here: Waikiki Beach. Like almost every other spot we had in our itinerary, it was walking distance. The day was humid, around 75 degrees, and a busy beach with high activity made the vibes fun The waves are the warmest I've been in, and I'll say Waikiki Beach enter my top 3 beaches in my list of favorites. Water is warmer than Cali waters, and you can go in at any given time. This is potentially the best area to visit in Hawaii read more

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