View source for Waikīkī

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Short description|Neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States}}
{{Other uses|Waikiki (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields that may be available-->
<!--See the Table at Infobs of usage-->
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
|name=Waikīkī
|official_name=Waikīkī
|other_name=
|native_name=
|nickname=
|settlement_type= [[Honolulu|Neighborhood of Honolulu]]
|total_type=
|motto=
<!-- images and maps ---------->
| image_skyline = Waikiki, Honolulu Panorama (16191692896).jpg
|imagesize=300px
|image_caption=Aerial view of Waikiki
|image_map=
|mapsize=
|map_caption=
|coordinates             = {{Coord|21.2752|-157.8312|region:US_type:city|display=title,inline}}
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = [[United States]]
|subdivision_type1      = State
|subdivision_name1      = [[Hawaii]]
|subdivision_type2      = County
|subdivision_name2      = [[Honolulu County]]
|subdivision_type3      = City
|subdivision_name3      = [[Honolulu]]
|subdivision_type4      =
|subdivision_name4      =
<!-- Area --------------------->
|area_magnitude=
|unit_pref=
|area_footnotes=
|area_total_sq_mi= 3.4
|area_land_sq_mi=
|area_water_sq_mi=
|area_water_percent=
<!-- Elevation -------------------------->
|elevation_footnotes=<!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m=
|elevation_ft=
|elevation_max_m=
|elevation_max_ft=
|elevation_min_m=
|elevation_min_ft=
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of=
|population_footnotes=
|population_note=
|population_total=
|population_density_sq_mi=
<!-- General information --------------->
|timezone=
|utc_offset=
|timezone_DST=
|utc_offset_DST=
|latd=
|longd=
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type=[[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code=96815
|area_code=[[Area code 808|808]]
|website=
|footnotes=
}}

'''Waikīkī''' <!--This is the official place name. There is no deliniation between English and Hawaiian, despite popular perception to the contrary. The official place name is listed in the citation below --> ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|w|aɪ|k|ɪ|ˈ|k|iː}};<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref><ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref> {{IPA|haw|wɐjˈkiːkiː, vɐjˈtiːtiː|lang}}) is a [[Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Waikiki Hawaii Travel Guide & Information {{!}} Go Hawaii |url=https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/oahu/regions/honolulu/Waikiki |website=gohawaii.com}}</ref> neighborhood and the eponymous '''Waikīkī beach''' on its south shore, on the island of [[Oahu|O{{okina}}ahu]] in the U.S. state of [[Hawaii]]. (Despite situational use of the spelling "Waikiki", typically in materials aimed at tourists, the spelling "Waikīkī" is official and common.)<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawaiʻi Board on Geographic Names |url=https://planning.hawaii.gov/gis/hbgn/ |website=planning.hawaii.gov |page=67 of Oʻahu |language=en}}</ref>

Waikīkī Beach is one of six beaches in the district, along with [[Queen's Beach]], [[Kuhio Beach Park|Kuhio Beach]], Gray's Beach, Fort DeRussy Beach, and Kahanamoku Beach. The sandy beach is almost entirely man-made.<ref name="manmade">{{cite news | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/saving-waikiki-beach-erosion_n_6835424|title=Waikiki Beach Is Totally Man-Made (And Disappearing). Can Hawaii Save It?|access-date=March 28, 2020|author=Sophie Cocke|work=Huffington Post|date=March 9, 2015
}}</ref>
[[File:City of Waikiki view.jpg|thumb|A view of Waikīkī from the ocean]]

Waikīkī (Hawaii) is home to public places including [[Kapiolani Park|Kapi{{okina}}olani Park]], [[Fort de Russy Military Reservation|Fort DeRussy]], [[Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon|Kahanamoku Lagoon]], [[Kuhio Beach Park|Kūhiō Beach Park]], and [[Ala Wai Harbor]]. Waikīkī was the first [[Capital city|capital]] of the [[Kingdom of Hawaii]] from 1795 to 1796.

==Etymology==
The [[Hawaiian language]] name {{lang|haw|Waikīkī}} means "spouting fresh water", for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikīkī from the interior.<ref>{{Hawaiian Dictionaries |waikiki |HASH835ff9bba55d4820b22304 |dic=hpn |access-date= December 13, 2010 }}</ref>

==History==

After the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Waikīkī was its first capital, 1795–1796.

In the 1800s, the area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty, who enjoyed surfing there on early forms of [[longboard (surfing)|longboard]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hawaiihotel.org/top-resorts-in-hawaii.html |title=Longboards used by royalty |publisher=Hawaii-post.com |access-date=September 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205060621/http://www.hawaiihotel.org/top-resorts-in-hawaii.html |archive-date=December 5, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> 

A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American [[George Lycurgus]] leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the "Sans Souci" (French for "without worries" or “carefree”) creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year [[Robert Louis Stevenson]] stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination for mainland tourists.<ref name="greek">{{cite journal |title=The Queen's "Greek Artillery Fire": Greek Royalists in the Hawaiian Revolution and Counterrevolution |first=Helen G. |last=Chapin |journal=Hawaiian Journal of History |year=1981 |volume=15|hdl = 10524/422}}</ref> The area at coordinates {{coord|21|15|49|N|157|49|17|W| type:landmark_region:US-HI| display=inline}} is still called "Sans Souci Beach".<ref name="sansouci">{{cite web|url=http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/programs/beach/sanssouci.htm|title=Sans Souci Beach Park|date=August 15, 2012|publisher=[[Honolulu County, Hawaii|City and County of Honolulu]]|location=Honolulu, HI, USA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729190014/http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/programs/beach/sanssouci.htm|archive-date=2012-07-29|url-status=dead|access-date=October 1, 2012}}</ref>

=== 20th century ===
In the early 1900s, Waikīkī was home to many [[wetland]]s, which were claimed to harbor disease-carrying mosquitoes. To get rid of the mosquitoes, developers created the [[Ala Wai Canal|Ala Wai canal]]. The canal, originally known as the Waikīkī Drainage Canal, was created by a Hawaiian dredging company run by Walter F. Dillingham. The project took about seven years, 1921–1928.<ref name=":0" />

[[Duke Kahanamoku]] became a well-known [[Surfing|surfer]] in Waikīkī. Throughout his life and after competing in the Olympics, many people around the world wanted to learn to surf. Duke's influence made Waikīkī beach a surfing hotspot.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Duke Kahanamoku: Cultural Icon|last=Wright|first=Katie|publisher=Center for Pacific Island Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa|year=2005|hdl = 10125/21214}}</ref> "Dukes", a club in Waikīkī named for Kahanamoku, helped [[Don Ho]] produce music and hosted the longest-running show in Waikīkī.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tim.hawaii.edu/about-values-vision-mission-accreditation/celebrate-a-legacy-in-tourism/2007-honorees-celebrate-legacy-honorees/don-ho/|title=Don Ho|work=TIM|access-date=2018-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025101223/https://tim.hawaii.edu/about-values-vision-mission-accreditation/celebrate-a-legacy-in-tourism/2007-honorees-celebrate-legacy-honorees/don-ho/|archive-date=2018-10-25|url-status=live|language=en-US}}</ref>

The first high-rise hotels on Waikīkī were built in 1955, including the [[Waikiki Biltmore Hotel|Waikiki Biltmore]] and [[Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel]]. Development boomed due to demand, and the area became filled with large resort hotels, such as the [[Hilton Hawaiian Village]], [[Halekulani hotel|Halekulani]], the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Marriott Waikiki, [[Waikiki Hotel|Sheraton Waikiki]]. These complemented historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century such as the [[Moana Hotel|Moana Surfrider Hotel]] and the [[Royal Hawaiian Hotel]].

==== Changes in the shoreline ====
Waikīkī developed erosion problems starting in the late 1800s, as hotels and homes were built too close to the natural shoreline, while seawalls and other structures blocked the natural ebb and flow of sand along the beach.{{r|:3}}

In the 1920s and 1930s, sand was imported from [[Manhattan Beach, California]], via ship and barge.<ref name="Manhattan_Beach_sand">{{cite web |last=Beckerson |first=Bonnie |year=2001 |title=City of Manhattan Beach History |url=http://manhattanbeachhistorical.org/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516045819/http://manhattanbeachhistorical.org/history |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |access-date=April 26, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Before 1950, Waikīkī beaches were continuous. Then [[seawall]]s and groins began to appear. These helped build sand at one beach, but typically appropriated sand from others.  They became separated into sections, some with sandy beach and others without. By 1950, more than 80 structures, including seawalls, [[Groyne|groins]], piers, and storm drains, occupied the Waikīkī shoreline.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/saving-waikiki-beach-erosion_n_6835424.html|title=Waikiki Beach Is Totally Man-Made (And Disappearing). Can Hawaii Save It?|last=Cave|first=James|date=2015-03-09|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-08-09|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008003127/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/saving-waikiki-beach-erosion_n_6835424.html|archive-date=October 8, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following World War II, Waikīkī beach restoration efforts have occurred every few years. Sand was imported to this artificial beach from the 1920s to the 1970s, once by boat and barge from Southern California. {{convert|1,730|ft}} of shoreline was replenished at a cost of $2.4&nbsp;million following chronic erosion of more than a foot a year.<ref name="HM 2009-02-20">{{Cite magazine|last=Bailey|first=Chris|date=February 20, 2009|title=Where's the beach? Seeking the origins of Waikīkī sand.|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/wheres-the-beach-seeking-the-origins-of-waikiki-sand/|access-date=June 21, 2021|magazine=Hawaii Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

Importing stopped in the 1970s. In March 1971, the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Corps of Engineers]] Pacific Ocean Division, created a Draft Environmental Statement for the Kuhio Beach Sector of Waikīkī, which aimed to improve the overall quality and size of the fading and narrowing shoreline.<ref name=":1" />

=== 21st century ===
[[File:Waikiki Beach, Honolulu.JPG|thumb|right|Waikīkī Beach, in 2011, looking towards [[Diamond Head, Hawaii|Diamond Head]]]]
From October 29 through November 4, 2000, the first [[2000 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships|FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships]] were held in the waters off Waikīkī Beach.<ref>[http://www.fina.org/project/docs/histoFina/HistoFINA_X.pdf HistoFINA, volume 10] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908071926/http://www.fina.org/project/docs/histoFina/HistoFINA_X.pdf |date=2015-09-08 }}; published by FINA; published=2009-07-01, retrieved=2012-03-03 (FINA's self-history, 2009 edition; volume 10 deals with Open Water Swimming).</ref>

A partial restoration was completed in the spring of 2012. The project imported sand from nearby [[shoal]]s and widened the {{convert|1700|ft|m|sigfig=2|adj=mid|-long}} beach by about {{convert|37|ft|m}} between the [[Royal Hawaiian Hotel]] concrete groin and the Kūhiō Beach crib wall. The project temporarily restored the beach to its 1985 shoreline.<ref name="nourish">{{cite web|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20100630_Beach_to_be_rebuilt_with_recovered_sand.html|title=Beach to be rebuilt with recovered sand - Hawaii News|last=Kubota|first=Gary T.|date=June 30, 2010|publisher=Staradvertiser.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921053757/http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20100630_Beach_to_be_rebuilt_with_recovered_sand.html|archive-date=September 21, 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=September 3, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/saving-waikiki-beach-erosion_n_6835424.html|title=Waikiki Beach Is Totally Man-Made (And Disappearing). Can Hawaii Save It?|last=Cocke|first=Sophie|date=9 March 2015|work=Huffington Post|access-date=26 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008003127/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/saving-waikiki-beach-erosion_n_6835424.html|archive-date=October 8, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Two aging sandbag groin structures were also removed that year.<ref name="habel">{{cite journal|last1=Habel|first1=Shellie|last2=Fletcher|first2=Charles H.|last3=Barbee|first3=Matthew|last4=Anderson|first4=Tiffany R.|date=11 June 2016|title=The influence of seasonal patterns on a beach nourishment project in a complex reef environment|url=http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/coasts/publications/Habel_Waikiki_replen_Coastal_eng_2016.pdf|journal=Coastal Engineering|volume=116|pages=67–76|doi=10.1016/j.coastaleng.2016.06.006|access-date=2019-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161102010913/http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/coasts/publications/Habel_Waikiki_replen_Coastal_eng_2016.pdf|archive-date=November 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, [[coastal erosion|beach erosion]] worsened with high-energy [[king tide]]s and elevated sea levels. Honolulu's mayor stated: "I'm not a scientist, but I'll get a jackhammer in there and remove all the concrete that's there creating this backwash and sucking out more sand, plus it's just downright dangerous."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/severe-erosion-sparks-safety-concerns-unusual-prevention-measures-along-waikiki-beach/|title=Severe erosion sparks safety concerns, unusual prevention measures along Waikīkī beach|last=Inefuku|first=Terri|date=2017-08-22|work=[[KHON-TV]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702221618/https://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/severe-erosion-sparks-safety-concerns-unusual-prevention-measures-along-waikiki-beach/|archive-date=2019-07-02|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Waikiki view from Diamond Head.JPG|thumb|right|Waikīkī beach as seen from Diamond Head]]

The beach hosts many events, including [[Surfing|surf competitions]], outdoor [[performance]]s, [[Hula|hula dancing]], and [[outrigger canoe]] races. The many amenities, shops, and hotels enable Waikīkī to generate approximately 42 percent of Hawaiʻi's visitor revenue.<ref name="Honolulu Magazine 2018">{{cite web | title=Our Waikiki: King Tides, Beach Erosion and Water Pollution—Can Waikiki Be Saved? | website=Honolulu Magazine | date=2018-02-12 | first=CATHERINE TOTH | last=FOX | url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2018/Our-Waikiki-King-Tides-Beach-Erosion-and-Water-Pollution-Can-Waikiki-Be-Saved/ | access-date=2018-04-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411111415/http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2018/Our-Waikiki-King-Tides-Beach-Erosion-and-Water-Pollution-Can-Waikiki-Be-Saved/ | archive-date=April 11, 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref>

== Geography ==
The neighborhood extends from the [[Ala Wai Canal]] (a channel dug to drain wetlands) on the west and north, to [[Diamond Head, Hawaii|Diamond Head]] (''Lē{{okina}}ahi,'' tuna brow) on the east. Waikīkī Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head [[tuff cone]], its usually warm and cloud-free climate, and its [[surf break]].<ref name="Waikiki Historic Trail Map">{{cite web |url= http://www.waikikihistorictrail.com/waikikimap.html |title= Waikiki Historic Trail - Map |publisher= Hawaii Tourism Authority |access-date= October 1, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131212001932/http://waikikihistorictrail.com/waikikimap.html |archive-date= December 12, 2013 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="Ho‘okuleana">{{cite web |url=https://totakeresponsibility.blogspot.com/2012/05/waikiki-before-ala-wai.html |title=Ho'okuleana: Waikīkī – Before the Ala Wai |first=Peter T |last=Young |date=May 11, 2012 |access-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106213616/http://totakeresponsibility.blogspot.com/2012/05/waikiki-before-ala-wai.html |archive-date=January 6, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ejiri">{{cite thesis|title=The Development of Waikiki, 1900–1949: The Formative Period of an American Resort Paradise |first=Masakazu |last=Ejiri |publisher=[[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa]] |location=Honolulu |chapter=1: Introduction |page=1 |year=1996 |hdl = 10125/9303}}</ref> The Waikīkī skyline is filled with high-rises and resort hotels. 

=== Beaches ===

==== Waikīkī Beach ====
Before 1950, the beach in the Waikīkī neighborhood was continuous and known as Waikīkī Beach.  Seawalls and other developments have since separated the coast into eight distinct beaches.<ref name=":3" /> Since 1951, nearly {{convert|80,000|m3|sp=us|order=flip}} of sand have been added to restore the beach in the region,{{fact|date=July 2023}} but it is believed{{by whom?|date=July 2023}} that little of the added sand remains. As of 2020 the family of beaches in the region are still referred to as "Waikīkī Beach", but most venues and addresses will use the name of a specific subsidiary beach.

From Waikīkī Beach the sunset in the sea is visible from mid-September to late March. Half of the beach is marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, with numerous rocks on the bottom. The waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, [[tandem surfing]], and beginners.<ref>{{cite web |title=Queens - Surfing in Oahu, United States of America - WannaSurf, surf spots atlas, surfing photos, maps, GPS location |url=http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_America/USA/Hawaii/Oahu/queens/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416142700/http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_America/USA/Hawaii/Oahu/queens/ |archive-date=April 16, 2015 |access-date=April 26, 2015 |work=wannasurf.com |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Canoes - Surfing in Oahu, United States of America - WannaSurf, surf spots atlas, surfing photos, maps, GPS location |url=http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_America/USA/Hawaii/Oahu/canoes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618223317/http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_America/USA/Hawaii/Oahu/canoes/ |archive-date=June 18, 2015 |access-date=April 26, 2015 |work=wannasurf.com}}</ref> 

==== Subsidiary beaches ====
[[File:Waikiki Beach in June of 1963.jpg|thumb|Waikīkī Beach in June 1963]]Largely as a result of shoreline development, Waikīkī has eight beaches. They are Ft. DeRussy Beach, Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Halekulani Beach, Royal Hawaiian Beach, Kūhiō Beach, Kapi{{okina}}olani Beach, Queens Beach, and Kaimana Beach. 

=== Thoroughfares ===
Waikīkī's main thoroughfare is [[Kalākaua Avenue]], named after [[King Kalakaua|King Kalākaua]], which houses most of the high-end hotels ([[Royal Hawaiian Hotel|Royal Hawaiian]], [[Sheraton Hotels and Resorts|Sheraton]], [[Hyatt]], [[Marriott Hotels & Resorts|Marriott]], [[Moana Hotel|Moana Surfrider Hotel]]), most of the luxury designer brand stores ([[Apple Inc.|Apple Store]], [[Chanel]], [[Louis Vuitton]], [[Prada]], [[Burberry]], [[Dior]], [[Tiffany & Co.]], [[Fendi]], [[Harry Winston, Inc.|Harry Winston]], [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Saint Laurent]], [[Gucci]], and [[Hermès]]), department store ([[Macy's]]), and popular surf clothing brand stores ([[Quiksilver]], [[Billabong]], [[Volcom]]). Waikīkī's other main thoroughfare, Kūhiō Avenue, named after [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole|Prince Kūhiō]], is better known for its restaurants, cafes and grocers, along with its clubs, nightlife and [[prostitution]].<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Gonser |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Jan/26/ln/ln14a.html |title=City to beautify Kuhio Avenue |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |date=January 26, 2004 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009095138/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Jan/26/ln/ln14a.html |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Allison |last=Schaefers |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Aug/31/ln/ln05a.html |title=Prostitution shifts from Waikiki |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |date=August 31, 2003 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009095231/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Aug/31/ln/ln05a.html |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Public art ==
In 1990, the {{Convert|9|ft|m|0|adj=on}} bronze statue of [[Duke Kahanamoku]] by Gordon Fisher was installed at Waikīkī Beach, accompanied by a bronze replica of his surfboard, honorary spears, and commemorative bronze plaques. It serves as a culture and tourist locale with thousands of annual visitors and numerous cultural events.<ref name="ST">{{cite web |title=The statue of Duke Kahanamoku |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-statue-of-duke-kahanamoku |publisher=Surfer Today |access-date=11 September 2020}}</ref> Seven years later, Billy Fields created The Stones of Life (in Hawaiian: ''Nā Pōhaku Ola O Kapaemahu A Me Kapuni''), a sculpture incorporating [[Kapaemahu|ancient basaltic stones]], was installed nearby and is considered a local [[monument]].<ref name="MOCA">{{cite web |title=The Stones of Life - Na Pohaku Ola Kapaemahu A Kapuni |url=https://hiculturearts.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/CC92EB08-F87D-4509-9340-645028327549 |publisher=Mayors Office of Culture and Art |access-date=11 September 2020}}</ref> A bronze sculpture in Kapi{{okina}}olani Park of [[Mahatma Gandhi]] by Stephen Lowe entitled "A Fistful of Salt" was a gift in 1990 from the [[Gandhi Memorial International Foundation]] and the Jhamandas Watumull Fund.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wu |first=Nina |date=2024-07-20 |title=Mahatma Gandhi sculpture restored in Waikiki |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2024/07/19/breaking-news/mahatma-gandhi-sculpture-restored-in-waikiki/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |language=en}}</ref>

At Kūhiō Beach and Queens Beach, three public artworks were installed in the early 2000s. The bronze statue of [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole|Prince Jonah Kuhio]] by Sean Browne<ref name="sa">{{cite news |title=City crew restores Prince Kuhio statue after vandalism |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/11/03/breaking-news/city-crew-restores-prince-kuhio-statue-after-vandalism/ |access-date=11 September 2020 |publisher=The Star Advertiser |date=3 November 2017}}</ref> and the children's story sculpture [https://www.publicartinpublicplaces.info/makua-and-kila-2001-by-holly-young ''Makua and Kila''] by Holly Young were installed in 2001.  Robert Pashby's ''Surfer on a Wave'' was installed at Queens Beach in 2003.<ref name="ST2">{{cite web |title=The most famous surfer statues in the world |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-most-famous-surfer-statues-in-the-world |publisher=Surfer Today |access-date=11 September 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Waikiki Sunset.png|thumb|Waikīkī at sunset]]

==Beach issues ==
===Erosion===
[[File:Waikiki 2 Oahu Hawaii Photo D Ramey Logan.JPG|thumb|left|Waikiki Beach erosion in 2011]]
[[File:Waikiki Beach - Waikiki Strand.jpg|thumb|The restored Beach in June 2012]]
Waikīkī beach has had repeated problems with erosion, leading to the construction of [[groyne|groin]]s and [[beach nourishment|beach replenishment]] projects.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dowd |first=Eddie |date=2024-04-02 |title=Disappearing Waikiki beach prompts sand replenishment project — and calls for better fix |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/04/02/sand-replenishment-project-planned-waikiki-beaches-erosion-concerns-grow/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=Hawaii News Now |language=en}}</ref> Imported sand came from California, local beaches such as Pāpōhaku Beach on Moloka‘i, and a sandbar from Oʻahu's Northern side near [[Kahuku, Hawaii|Kahuku]].<ref name=":2" /> Officials look for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tidal flow.<ref name="Waikiki Beach erosion">{{cite web |work=[[CNN]] |title=Where's Waikiki's sand? |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/05/waikiki.sand.ap/index.html |date=July 5, 2003 |publisher=[[Turner Broadcasting System]] |location=Atlanta, GA, USA |access-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080707002846/http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/05/waikiki.sand.ap/index.html |archive-date=July 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Erosion claims about {{Convert|1|ft|m|1|spell=in}} of beach per year.<ref name=":3" /> Local sources are sought for sand to replenish the beach.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huff |first=Daryl |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Land board blocks effort to move sand from ancient West Oahu beach to Waikiki |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/10/23/land-board-blocks-effort-move-sand-ancient-west-oahu-beach-waikiki/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Hawaii News Now |language=en}}</ref>

===Water quality===
Waikīkī Beach had repeated contamination problems due to sewage spills in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/25/us/hawaii-waikiki-beach-closed-sewage/index.html|title=Hawaii's Waikiki beaches shut after sewage spill|first=Jason|last=Hanna|work=CNN|date=August 25, 2015 |access-date=2017-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401060801/http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/25/us/hawaii-waikiki-beach-closed-sewage/index.html|archive-date=April 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Sara|last=Jerome|url=https://www.wateronline.com/doc/investigation-of-waikiki-beach-sewage-spill-closes-0001|title=Investigation Of Waikiki Beach Sewage Spill Closes|website=www.wateronline.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055510/https://www.wateronline.com/doc/investigation-of-waikiki-beach-sewage-spill-closes-0001|archive-date=April 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1235178/massive_discharge_of_untreated_sewage_into_the_ala_wai_canal/|title=Massive Discharge of Untreated Sewage into the Ala Wai Canal (Oahu, Hawaii): A Threat to Waikiki's Waters?|last1=Savage|first1=Sam|date=2008-01-30|work=Redorbit|access-date=2017-03-31|last2=Venzon|first2=Nel C Jr|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055547/http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1235178/massive_discharge_of_untreated_sewage_into_the_ala_wai_canal/|archive-date=April 1, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Homelessness===
Many homeless people settle around the beach because of the public shower and sanitary facilities available there.
The [[Honolulu Police Department]] has increased patrolling in and around Waikīkī Beach with assistance from other city agencies and local businesses to prevent homeless people from making camp in this area.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaefers |first=Allison |date=2019-03-29 |title=Homelessness is No. 1 public safety issue in Waikiki, Honolulu police chief says |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/03/29/hawaii-news/homelessness-dominates-public-safety-concerns-at-waikiki-conference/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Hawaii Department of Education|Hawaii state Department of Education]] operates conventional public schools throughout Hawaii. Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is located in Waikīkī proper, while Waikīkī Elementary School is located nearby, at the ''makai'' (seaward) edge of the Kapahulu neighborhood.<ref>"[http://www.k12.hi.us/~waikiki/schoolinfo.htm School Information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005230926/http://www.k12.hi.us/~waikiki/schoolinfo.htm |date=October 5, 2006 }}." ''Waikiki Elementary School''. Retrieved on May 22, 2009.</ref>

The [[Hawaii State Public Library System]] operates the Waikīkī Public Library.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091130012158/http://www.librarieshawaii.org/locations/oahu/waikiki.htm |archive-date=November 30, 2009 |title=Waikiki Public Library |url=http://www.librarieshawaii.org/locations/oahu/waikiki.htm |date=May 22, 2009 |publisher=[[Hawaii State Public Library System]] |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
Waikīkī is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Freshwater, New South Wales]], Australia
* {{flagicon|Oklahoma}} {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bixby, Oklahoma]], United States
* {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Rotorua]], New Zealand

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Surfboards in Waikiki.JPG|Surfboards in Waikīkī
File:Waikiki Diamond Head CC.jpg|Waikiki Beach facing [[Diamond Head, Hawaii|Diamond Head]], 1958
File:Waikiki Beach View.JPG|Waikīkī Beach view
File:Aerial view of Waikiki Beach and Honolulu, Hawaii, Highsmith.jpg|Aerial view of Waikīkī Beach and Honolulu
File:Rainbow Tower Waikiki (16178632002).jpg|Aerial view of [[Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon]]
File:Prince Kuhio statue in Waikiki.jpg|Statue of [[Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole|Prince Kūhiō]] in Waikīkī
File:Zebra Shark at Waikiki Aquarium.jpg|A [[zebra shark]] swimming at [[Waikiki Aquarium]]
File:Waikiki Beach (51872593291).jpg|A view of the sunset
File:Waikiki As Seen From Departing Aircraft.jpg|View from aircraft departing Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Hawaii}}
*[[List of leading shopping streets and districts by city]]
*[[Save Our Surf]]
*[[Waikiki Trolley]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Gaye|first1=Chan|title=Waikiki : A History of Forgetting and Remembering|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=Q1Gt6_ypd9wC}}|date=30 September 2006|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|access-date=26 April 2018}}</ref>
<ref name=":1">{{cite book|last1=United States Army Corps of Engineers|title=Waikiki Beach erosion control improvements, Kuhio sector : environmental impact statement|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=4t00AQAAMAAJ[}}|date=25 March 1971|access-date=26 April 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=":2">{{cite magazine|first1=Catherine Toth|last1=Fox|title=Our Waikīkī: King Tides, Beach Erosion and Water Pollution—Can Waikīkī Be Saved?|url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2018/Our-Waikiki-King-Tides-Beach-Erosion-and-Water-Pollution-Can-Waikiki-Be-Saved/|magazine=Honolulu Magazine|access-date=26 April 2018|date=2 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411111415/http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/March-2018/Our-Waikiki-King-Tides-Beach-Erosion-and-Water-Pollution-Can-Waikiki-Be-Saved/|archive-date=April 11, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Waikiki}}
<!--     {{No more links}}

       Please be cautious adding more external links.

Wikipedia is not a collection of links and should not be used for advertising.

     Excessive or inappropriate links will be removed.

 See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details.

If there are already suitable links, propose additions or replacements on
the article's talk page, or submit your link to the relevant category at 
the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) and link there  using {{Dmoz}}.

-->
{{Sister project links|Waikiki|voy=Honolulu/Waikiki}}
* [https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/oahu/regions/honolulu/Waikiki Waikiki - Hawaii Tourism Authority]

{{Honolulu}}
{{Hawaiiansurf}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waikiki}}
[[Category:Waikiki| ]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Honolulu]]