Diamond Head
Behind the beach.
Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA — CC BY 2.0 · incidencematrix — CC BY 2.0 · hh oldman — CC BY 3.0 · davidpinter — CC BY 3.0 · incidencematrix — CC BY 2.0
Waikīkī is a Honolulu neighbourhood on the south shore of Oʻahu, Hawaii, named after its famous beach, about 4 km from downtown Honolulu in a straight line. Its Hawaiian name means «spouting fresh water», after the springs and streams that once fed its wetlands. It was the first capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1795 to 1796, and in the 1800s became a retreat for Hawaiian royalty, who surfed here on early longboards. The first small hotels opened in the 1880s. The golden sand, almost entirely man-made, runs in front of a row of hotels and towers, with the volcanic crater of Diamond Head behind. The district has six beaches side by side and Kapiʻolani Park, and the fairly gentle waves make it a good place to learn to surf. The beach is busy most of the year. Early morning is the quietest time for a swim or a walk, and sunset draws a crowd every evening. Swim where lifeguards are on duty.
Behind the beach.
Gentle waves.
Every evening.
Waikīkī, Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaii, United States
Yes, and free.
Yes.