Waikīkī aerial photo

Waikīkī ( /waɪkiːˈkiː/; Hawaiian: [vɐiˈkiːˈkiː] or [wɐiˈkiːˈkiː]) is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oʻahu, in Hawaii, United States. Waikīkī Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī.

Waikīkī is home to public places including Kapiʻolani Park, Fort de Russy Military Reservation, Kahanamoku Lagoon, Kūhiō Beach Park, and Ala Wai Harbor.

Etymology[link]

The name Waikīkī means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikīkī from the interior.^[1]

Geography[link]

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Waikīkī beach looking towards Diamond Head

Closer aerial of Waikīkī beach

The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) on the east. Waikīkī Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and cloud-free climate and its surf break.

The Waikīkī 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 Waikīkī is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.

History[link]

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 21°15′49″N 157°49′17″W / 21.26361°N 157.82139°W / 21.26361; -157.82139 is still called "Sans Souci Beach".^[4]

Today, the area is filled with hotels like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī, the Sheraton Waikīkī, 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.

Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues[link]

Waikīkī'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 & Coach) and popular surf clothing brand stores (Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom). Waikīkī's other main thoroughfare, Kuhio Avenue, named after Prince Kuhio, is better known for its restaurants, cafe's and grocers, along with its clubs, nightlife and prostitution.^[5][6]

Beach erosion[link]

Over time, Waikīkī beach has had problems with erosion, leading to the construction of groins and beach replenishment projects. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s sand was imported from Manhattan Beach, California, via ship and barge to Waikīkī.^[7] Importing stopped in the 1970s. Officials are looking for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tide flow.^[8] Subject to permits, a partial restoration is going right now (from March 12th 2012 until April, 2012). The proposed project would import sand from nearby shoals and would widen the 1,700 feet (520 m) long beach by about 37 feet (11 m) between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groin and the Kūhiō Beach crib wall. The project will restore the beach to its 1985 shoreline.^[9]

Economy[link]

Waikīkī Beach facing Diamond Head, 1958

China Airlines operates its Honolulu Branch Office in Waikīkī.^[10] NTT DoCoMo also has limited operations here for the convenience of Japanese tourists.

Government and infrastructure[link]

The Honolulu Police Department operates the Waikīkī Substation.^[11]

The United States Postal Service operates the Waikīkī Post Office at 330 Saratoga Road.^[12]

Education[link]

Hawaii Department of Education operates public schools. The district operates Waikīkī Elementary School.^[13]

The Hawaii State Public Library System operates the Waikīkī Public Library at 400 Kapahulu Avenue.^[14]

Twin/Sister Cities[link]

Bixby, Oklahoma, USA

See also[link]

Hawaii portal

• List of leading shopping streets and districts by city
• Save Our Surf

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Waikiki Beach

Find more about Waikiki on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

• Waikiki links at the Open Directory Project
• Waikiki Duke Statue Webcam

• Waikiki Mobile Beach Directory

Coordinates: 21°16′31″N 157°49′52″W / 21.2752°N 157.8312°W / 21.2752; -157.8312