Central Waikiki Beach

Lonely Planet review

Between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, Central Waikiki Beach is the area's busiest section of sand and surf is great for sunbathing, swimming and people watching. Most of the beach has a shallow bottom with a gradual slope. The only drawback for swimmers is the beach's popularity with swimmers, beginner surfers and the occasional catamaran, so be careful.

Queen's and Canoes, Waikiki's best-known surf breaks, are offshore. On the Diamond Head side of the police station, there are four boulders, known as the Wizard Stones of Kapaemahu, which are said to contain the secrets and healing powers of four sorcerers: Kapaemahu, Kinohi, Kapuni and Kahaloa, who visited from Tahiti in ancient times, and before returning transferred their powers to these stones. Just east of the stones is a bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968), Hawaii's most decorated athlete, standing with one of his long-boards. Considered the 'father of modern surfing,' Duke, who lived in Waikiki, gave surfing demonstrations around the world, from Sydney, Australia, to Rockaway Beach, New York. Many local surfers took issue with the placement of the statue, Duke standing with his back to the sea, a position they say he never would have assumed in real life. So, the city moved the statue as close to the sidewalk as possible, thus moving it further from the water.