Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fronting Hilton Hawaiian Village, Kahanamoku Beach is protected by a breakwater wall
at one end and a pier at the other, with a coral reef running between the two. It's a calm
swimming area with a gently sloping, somewhat rocky bottom. The beach is named for
Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968), Waikiki's most famous beachboy, champion surfer and
Olympic gold-medal-winning swimmer.
Fort DeRussy Beach
BEACH
( ) Not overwhelmingly crowded, this overlooked beauty extends along the shore of a
military reservation. Like all beaches in Hawaii, it's public; the only area off-limits to
civvies is the military-owned Hale Koa Hotel. The water is usually calm and good for
swimming, but shallow at low tide. When conditions are right, windsurfers, body-
boarders and board surfers all play here.
There are two beach huts, both open daily, which rent bodyboards, snorkel sets and
beach gear. In addition to lifeguards, restrooms and outdoor showers, you'll find a grassy
lawn with palm trees offering some sparse shade, an alternative to frying on the sand.
The hotel's poolside snack bar is open to the public. There's a pay public parking lot in
front of the Hawaiʻi Army Museum.
Gray's Beach
BEACH
Nestled against the Halekulani luxury resort, Gray's Beach has suffered some of the
Waikiki strip's worst erosion. Because the seawall is so close to the waterline, the sand
fronting the hotel is often totally submerged by surf, but offshore waters are usually shal-
low and calm, offering decent swimming. Public beach access is via a paved walkway.
Kahaloa & Ulukou Beaches
BEACH
Lazily sprawling between the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider resort hotels,
Waikiki's busiest stretch of sand and surf is great for sunbathing, swimming and people-
watching. Most of the beach has a shallow bottom with a gradual slope. The only draw-
back for swimmers is the beach's popularity with beginner surfers and the occasional
catamaran landing hazard.
Queens
and
Canoes
, Waikiki's best-known surf breaks, are just offshore, and some-
times there are scores of surfers lined up on the horizon waiting to catch a wave. Paddle
further offshore to
Populars
(aka 'Pops'), favored by longboarders.
