Waikiki

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"Waikiki Beach" redirects here. For other uses, see Waikiki (disambiguation).
Waikiki
Neighborhood of Honolulu
Aerial view of Waikiki
Aerial view of Waikiki
Country United States
State Hawaii
County Honolulu County
City Honolulu
Area
Total 3.4 sq mi (9 km2)
ZIP Code 96815
Area code(s) 808
Waikiki (/wa?ki?'ki?/; Hawaiian: [v?j'ti?'ti?, w?j'ti?'ti?]) (also known as Waikiki
Beach) is a beachfront neighborhood of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island
of O?ahu, in Hawaii, United States. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, but
it is just one of six beaches in the district, the others being Queen's Beach,
Kuhio Beach, Gray's Beach, Fort DeRussy Beach and Kahanamoku Beach.

Waikiki is home to public places including Kapi?olani Park, Fort DeRussy,

Kahanamoku Lagoon, Kuhio Beach Park, and Ala Wai Harbor.

Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
3 Geography
3.1 Main thoroughfares
4 Beach problems
4.1 Erosion
4.2 Water quality
5 Economy
6 Government and infrastructure
7 Education
8 Twin towns sister cities
9 Gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 External links
Etymology[edit]
The name Waikiki means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs
and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikiki from the interior.[1]

History[edit]
The area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s who enjoyed surfing there
on early forms of longboards.[2]

A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American George Lycurgus
leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the "Sans Souci" (French for
"without worries") creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year Robert
Louis Stevenson stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination
for tourists from the mainland.[3] The area at coordinates 2115'49?N 15749'17?W
is still called "Sans Souci Beach".[4]

Today, the area is filled with large resort hotels, such as the Hilton Hawaiian
Village, Halekulani, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Marriott Waikiki, Sheraton Waikiki,
and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana
Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel). The beach hosts many events a year,
including surf competitions, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe
races.

Geography[edit]

Waikiki beach looking towards Diamond Head

Waikiki beach as seen from Diamond Head

The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former
wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head (Le?ahi) on the east. Waikiki
Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and
cloud-free climate and its surf break.[5][6][7]

The Waikiki skyline is now dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort
hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers.
For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are
numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some
force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikiki is known for its long
rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.[8]
[9]

Main thoroughfares[edit]
Waikiki's main thoroughfare is Kalakaua Avenue, named after King Kalakaua, which
houses most of the high-end hotels (Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton, Hyatt, Moana
Surfrider Hotel), most of the luxury designer brand stores (Apple Store, Chanel,
Louis Vuitton, Prada, Burberry, Dior, Tiffany & Co., Fendi, Cartier, Gucci, and
Coach) and popular surf clothing brand stores (Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom).
Waikiki's other main thoroughfare, Kuhio Avenue, named after Prince Kuhio, is
better known for its restaurants, cafes and grocers, along with its clubs,
nightlife and prostitution.[10][11]

Beach problems[edit]
Erosion[edit]

Waikiki Beach erosion in 2011

The restored Beach in June 2012

Over time, Waikiki beach has had problems with erosion, leading to the construction
of groynes and beach replenishment projects. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s
sand was imported from Manhattan Beach, California, via ship and barge to Waikiki.
[12] Importing stopped in the 1970s. Officials are looking for ways to sustain the
existing sand by eliminating loss due to tidal flow.[13] Subject to permits, a
partial restoration was completed in the spring of 2012. The proposed project
imported sand from nearby shoals and widened the 1,700-foot (520 m) long beach by
about 37 feet (11 m) between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groyne and the Kuhio
Beach crib wall. The project restored the beach to its 1985 shoreline.[14]

Water quality[edit]
Waikiki Beach has had contamination problems with sewage spills.[15][16][17][18]