Waikiki

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For other uses, see Waikiki (disambiguation).
Waikiki
Neighborhood of Honolulu
WaikikiAerial.jpg
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

Waikīkī (/waɪkiːˈkiː/; Hawaiian: [vɐjˈtiːˈtiː, wɐjˈtiːˈtiː]) is a beachfront neighborhood of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oʻahu, in Hawaii, United States. Waikiki is best known for Waikīkī Beach, the white sand beach shoreline fronting the neighborhood.

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

Etymology

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]

History

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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. is still called "Sans Souci Beach".[4]

Today, the area is filled with large resort hotels, such as the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī and Hyatt Place Waikiki, 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.

Geography

Waikīkī beach looking towards Diamond Head
Waikīkī 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 (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.[5][6][7]

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.[8][9]

Main thoroughfares

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, cafes and grocers, along with its clubs, nightlife and prostitution.[10][11]

Beach erosion

Waikiki Beach erosion in 2011
The restored Beach in June 2012

Over time, Waikīkī 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 Waikīkī.[12] Importing stopped in the 1970s. Officials are looking for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tide 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 Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). long beach by about 37 feet (11 m) between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groin and the Kūhiō Beach crib wall. The project restored the beach to its 1985 shoreline.[14]

Economy

China Airlines operates its Honolulu Branch Office in Waikīkī.[15] NTT DoCoMo also has limited operations here for the convenience of Japanese tourists. Hawaiian Airlines is based in Honolulu.[16]

Government and infrastructure

District 6 of the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) encompasses Waikiki.[17] The Waikīkī HPD Substation is located at 2425 Kalakaua Avenue next to Kuhio Beach Park.[18]

The United States Postal Service operates the Waikīkī Post Office at 330 Saratoga Road.[19]

Education

Hawaii Department of Education operates public schools. Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is located in Waikīkī proper, while Waikīkī Elementary School is located nearby, at the makai (southern) edge of the Kapahulu neighborhood.[20]

The Hawaii State Public Library System operates the Waikīkī Public Library at 400 Kapahulu Avenue.[21]

Twin/sister cities

Australia Freshwater, New South Wales, Australia

United States Oklahoma Bixby, Oklahoma, United States

Gallery

  • Surfboards in Waikiki

  • Duke Kahanamoku Memorial in Waikiki.JPG

    Duke Kahanamoku Memorial in Waikiki

  • Waikīkī Beach facing Diamond Head, 1958

  • Waikiki Beach view

  • Ala Moana Beach Park is just north of Waikiki

  • Hillside view of the Waikiki resorts

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ "Branch Offices North America." China Airlines. Retrieved on January 21, 2009.
  16. ↑ "[1]
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ "Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ "School Information." Waikiki Elementary School. Retrieved on May 22, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Waikiki Public Library". Hawaii State Public Library System. Retrieved on May 22, 2009.

External links

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