Waikiki Beach (Kuhio Beach)

Kuhio Beach is the most central stretch of Waikiki Beach, on Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The sand is soft, pale gold and imported and replenished over the decades, and the water is clear, warm and a light turquoise over the sandy bottom. Walls of rock groins form sheltered basins, the best known being the Kuhio Beach wall pools, which keep waves small and make the water shallow and gentle for children and nervous swimmers. Beyond the walls, the open water offers long, rolling, forgiving waves that suit beginner surfers and outrigger canoes. The beach is a few hundred yards long and part of a continuous strip of sand that runs along Waikiki, so exposure is moderate: trade winds are light in the morning and pick up in the afternoon, and the big winter swells that hit the North Shore rarely reach this coast, though summer south swells bring modest surf. The atmosphere is lively and mixed, with families, honeymooners, surf instructors, and street performers, and it is never truly quiet. The famous bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku stands at the edge of the park and is a popular photo stop. Amenities are extensive: lifeguards are on duty daily, public restrooms and outdoor showers are at the Kuhio Beach Park pavilion, shaded benches and lawns sit behind the sand, and surf and paddleboard rentals and lessons are operated from the beach under permits. Restaurants, shops and shave ice stands are within a short walk along Kalakaua Avenue and Kuhio Beach Park. Access is easy because Waikiki is the main resort district of Honolulu; most visitors arrive on foot from hotels, or by TheBus routes 2 and 8 and the Waikiki Trolley. There is no dedicated beach parking, so those driving use hotel or public lots that generally cost roughly $15-40 per day. Free hula and torch-lighting shows are held on the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound on selected evenings, and sunset is a common time to visit.