Had the area been left untouched, Waikiki would today be swampland without beautiful beaches, just as it was hundreds of years ago. In 1794 when King Kamehameha’s armies landed in Waikiki, on their way to conquering Oahu, things changed. His victory resulted in Waikiki becoming one of the new Kingdom’s primary royal retreats, not only for Kamehameha, but also his successors on the throne. The beautiful beaches and waters of Waikiki became a preferred hideaway for every ruler up to the last Queen, Liliuokalani.

Today, Waikiki – covering just 3.4 square miles of land – is the most popular tourist destination in the State of Hawaii, packed with hotels, condos, restaurants, shops and much more. Its beach – Waikiki Beach – is one of the most well-known and spectacular beaches in the world, stretching for ~1.5 miles along Oahu’s south shore (check out this awesome historical analysis from the University of Hawaii). Actually, the stretch of Waikiki’s beach is considered 9 distinct beaches – each  with their own name and character. Here is a video showing all 9 beaches:

Safe & Happy travels to all

follow me on Twitter @waikikiDeb

FaceBook find me at "Waikiki Beach Honolulu HI Island of Oahu"