Waikiki Beach

The 2-mile stretch of white sand commonly referred to as Waikiki Beach runs from Hilton Hawaiian Village in the west to Kapi'olani Park in the east. Along the way, the beach changes names and personalities. In the early morning, the surprisingly quiet beach belongs to walkers and joggers. Strolling down the beach toward Diamond Head at dawn can actually be a meditative experience.

By midmorning it looks like a normal resort beach - body-board, surfboard and catamaran concessionaires and lots of beached bodies. By noon it's challenging to walk along the packed beach without stepping on anyone.As the beachfront developed, landowners haphazardly constructed seawalls and offshore barriers (called groins) to protect their properties, blocking the natural forces of sand accretion, making erosion a serious problem at Waikiki. Most of Waikiki's legendary white sands have been barged in from Papohaku Beach on Moloka'i. Offshore, Waikiki is good for swimming, body-boarding, surfing, sailing and other beach activities most of the year, and there are lifeguards and showers interspersed along the beach. Between May and September, summer swells make the water a little rough for swimming, but great for surfing. The best snorkeling is in the area toward Diamond Head at Sans Souci Beach.