Waikiki Travel Guide

Browse 28 travel reviews, 50 travel blogs and 1,928 travel photos from real travelers to Waikiki.
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Waikiki Overview

If you don’t know Hawaii well, it might surprise you to learn that Waikiki – one of the best-known names of the entire island group – is nothing but a startling beach and an impressively lively district of the capital, Honolulu. In truth, Waikiki couldn’t be much more touristified. The beautiful beach is now the heart of a host of resort style destinations, pricey hotels and general tourist tat. Hardly the idolized image of a desert island that Hawaii inspires in some then, but it has plenty of redeeming features.

Waikiki Beach is actually a series of half a dozen beachread morees, which between them are utterly inundated with surfers taking their first waves, the perfect spot for beginners. A few of the beaches are also ideal for snorkeling, with offshore reefs and even manmade lagoons providing the entertainment. If you have a bit of money to blow, the underwater submarine tours are great, too, while those with a little less cash lying around might prefer the late night on-beach movie screenings or tucking into an incredible Luau, a Hawaiian feast that features anything from spit roasted pig to sizeable salmon.

Head inland and you’ll get a slightly more authentic taste of Hawaii. Exploring the mammoth Diamond Head Crater is an essential local experience, offering a truly stunning view of the island. The slightly disturbing sight of the sunken ships of Pearl Harbor is not too far away, while a cleverly set up Historic Trail gives an insight into the happier side of Hawaiian history.

Of course, many come to Hawaii to party, and you’ll find no shortage of chances to do that, either. The clubs here have a laid back take on life, with relaxed dress codes and a focus on doing things late rather than early. There’s little point in rocking up much before midnight. Search hard enough, and you’ll find pool parties and a heavy penchant for rum form the heart of the scene.

It might not be tropical paradise in the traditional sense, then, but the developed nature of Waikiki makes it an incredible exciting place to be.

People Traveling to Waikiki

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Waikiki Locals

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  1. Waikiki Gateway Hotel
  2. Maile Sky Court
  3. Ohana Waikiki Malia
  4. Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk
  5. Aqua Island Colony

When you're in Waikiki, you can of course do your shopping at the likes of Prada, Louis Vitton, Tiffany's, etc. However, if you're like me,…

Waikiki Beach
6 reviews

The most famous beach in the world, which means that it's also incredibly busy. And it's not very wide, but that is made up for by it's leng…

The International Marketplace is a collection of kiosks, stores and restaurants targeted at the tourist. It is smack dab in the middle of t…

You have to make a trip to Duke's at least once while you are in Waikiki. Most of the people I know that have visited absolutely love it. …

Cheesecake Factory
3 reviews

On the main strip at Waikiki is a great place to grab a bit to eat. With a name like The Cheesecake Factory, you would expect there to be a …

If you happen to find yourself in the heart of Waikiki looking for a fairly relaxed place to lunch, friendly waitstaff and some reasonably p…

If you are looking for a great cheeseburger, then look no further. Cheeseburger in Paradise is excellent. We go here a couple of times a mon…

Box Jellyfish
1 review

The waters surrounding the islands are usually pretty safe to swim in and do the various water activities. Shark sitings are very rare and t…

I decided not to put this in the eats section because I don't necessarily want to recommend fast food while you are visiting Hawaii. However…

When i was planning my trip to Hawaii I came across this site that was really helpful in helping me understand what various tours, attractio…

The Polynesian Beach Club Hostel is located in the heart of Waikiki, HI. It’s one of three hostels on Lemon Road which is only one block …

I stayed here for a full week on a recent vacation. It is a 3-story building located two short blocks from the beach in the heart of Waikiki…

May 18, 2008 – May 27, 2008
Ahhhhh...   I feel so happy to be returning to one of my favourite places on Earth.   We left Sydney at…
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Jan 24, 2010 – Feb 15, 2010
Roselle's husband, Dan (TravBuddy = DanCr), sent me a text message informing me that her flight from Vancouver to Honolulu…
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This blog was featured on Saturday February 27th, 2010
Dec 31, 2008 – Dec 31, 2012
I compiled a quick list of hotels that you may want to consider when visiting Oahu. I put this list together in preparation fo…
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This blog was featured on Wednesday July 8th, 2009

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