Everybody who loves beach holidays should go to Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is near the centre of happy go lucky Hawaiian beach life.
Waikiki beach is featured in dozens of movies and TV shows, with Diamond Head to the left and the famous pink palace, the Waikiki Sheraton hotel, to your right. Straight out in front are those longboards (surfboards) taking surfing waves back into Waikiki Beach, as they’ve done for more than a hundred years at the home of surfing at Waikiki Beach.
Waikiki beach is a vibrant, happening beachfront dotted with luxury hotels near Waikiki Beach with other Waikiki Beach hotels going back and back for blocks till you reach the Ala Wai canal.
Photo of Holiday Hotel Accommodation near Waikiki Beach Hawaii
Waikiki beach is warm and tropical all year round, just perfect for whenever you want to take a break from your busy life. This is a special place because of the relaxed beach atmosphere and the spirit of "Aloha", which is the local greeting. Aloha means "with love", and Hawaiians live by this spirit of hospitality. You'll feel it too.
If you want opulence right in the middle of the beach strip, stay at the Moana Surfrider hotel, the grand old lady of Waikiki. Moana Surfrider hotel rooms are gracious and many have balconies looking straight down onto the beach sand and palm trees below.
Photo of Waikiki beach hotel view
High Tea at the Moana Surfrider HAS to be experienced with all types of fruit tea and delicious canapes to enjoy while looking out at beautiful Waikiki beach.
The famous Banyan tree under which Robert Louis Stevenson wrote is near Waikiki Beach Hawaii. He befriended the King's niece Princess Kaiulani in the late 1800s and spent a lot of time on the current Moana Surfrider site. Directly across Kalakaua Avenue and near the Moana Surfrider hotel is the Moana Surfrider's sister hotel, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani hotel.
The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is a great family hotel with reasonable rates, a good pool for adults and children, and Pacific ocean views from the higher floors. Try the hotel’s local entertainment at night while sitting outdoors enjoying the reasonably-priced buffet around the candle-lit pool.
Princess Kaiulani hotel accommodation near Moana Surfrider
The hotel stands on the site of the Hawaiian Royal family’s property where the famous young Princess Kaiulani grew up. On January 17 1893, a group of mainly American businessmen backed by American troops forcefully overthrew the Hawaiian royal family.
Princess Kaiulani travelled the world trying to get support for Hawaii's independence, but met a tragic death. On her return, she was caught while horseback riding in a heavy downpour, and died from pneumonia. Princess Kaiulani's magic but tragic life is commemorated to this day with the many portraits and images of the young princess in the foyer and halls of the Princess Kaiulani Hotel.
So, what to do in Waikiki? Well, to start there’s the world’s best beach. Try Duke’s Bar on the beach from late afternoon as locals and tourists alike gather for a drink as the sun goes down over the Pacific Ocean.
Accommodation near Waikiki
Duke's Bar was named after the man known as the Father of World Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku, who's a Hawaiian legend. He was one of the world's first big wave surfers as well as an Olympic Gold Medallist in swimming over a number of Olympic Games. In 1914 he came to Australia with a surfboard carved from a single log. This was Australia's first introduction to surfing.
You'll find statues and plaques dedicated to the Duke along the sidewalk on Waikiki Beach.
Duke's Beach Bar
Walk left down the beach for the most delicious lean beef hamburgers in the world at Cheeseburger in Paradise, where the burgers are made from black Angus beef. A Hawaiian guitarist will play any song you like, including the famous Jimmy Buffet song that inspired the restaurant’s name.
And of course, you have to see this beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu, especially the famous North Shore beaches of Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. The huge waves that draw the world’s best surfers pump through in December and January, but other times of the year you’re likely to be greeted by still waters and an idle lifeguard in his hut who’ll be happy to take your photo.
The nearby Waimea Bay national park is also a beautiful natural experience on a beautiful laidback island that to this day has a touch of magic in the air.
And you can take seven day cruises from the capital Honolulu near Waikiki beach, on the Pride of America or the Pride of Aloha to the other beautiful islands including Maui and its Kaanapali beach, as well as the pristine shores of Kauai and the big island of Hawaii.
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