Kahanamoku Beach

Crowded but not as much as some beaches. It's a safe place to swim. It's in a protected cover, so there no real waves. The water is also pretty shallow, although it does get over head depth. Drawbacks are that the water is not that clear. It's slightly murky. Also the bottom has a lot of rocks. Not too many big ones, but smaller rocks, not pebbles. It can make walking in and out of the water slightly painful.

Beautiful sunset, also every Friday they have fireworks 🎇 Get there 7:30pm, get a spot and enjoy the show

Great beach for quiet times! The sand isn’t as clean/soft closer to the water - it has a lot of broken shells and pebbles but doesn’t bother me. Beautiful.

Great spot for fireworks show every Friday! Also perfect for that sunset watching pictures!!

My family and I went for the Friday night fireworks. Crazy crowded! Still we had a good time. We walked along the beach and dipped our toes in the water once before a high tide alert sent us scurrying.

Kahanamoku Beach felt like a bit of a hidden gem tucked just enough away from the central Waikiki buzz. The wide sandy beach gave us plenty of space to spread out, and the calm water was ideal for casual swimming and floating without worrying about waves or currents. We noticed quite a few families with kids enjoying the lagoon area, and the nearby Hilton fireworks (if timed right) made for a stunning evening bonus. What makes this beach shine is its versatility—it’s peaceful enough for reading or lounging, but close enough to conveniences like restrooms, snack stands, and shaded spots when the sun gets intense. There’s even paddleboarding and canoe rentals if you’re feeling active. It’s the kind of beach that feels relaxed and effortless, a place where you can spend the whole day or just an hour and still feel recharged.

Bring beach shoes or slippers if you plan to play in the water, too many small and rough rocks. DO NOT DIVE INTO THE WATER DANGEROUS LARGE ROCKS THAT ARE HIDDEN. The beach water is much warmer than the lagoon. Great spot to be have fun and be safe watch for your kids in case they wonder to either side of the water.

IS THIS THE VERY BEST BEACH IN THESE UNITED STATES? Yes, that's the spectacular claim!!!! This AMAZING CONCLUSION needs repeating. The Number One (#1) beach in ALL of the land called the United States in 2024? That is "Dr. Beach's" current riveting claim!!! Recently, he made this remarkable proclamation as his top-of-the-line selection for 2024. So, according to this one expert, Kahanamoku Beach ranks first among ALL BEACHES across the U.S.? Amazing!!! Kahanamoku Beach, together combines with other adjacent beaches, for the fabled collection of coastline Waikiki Beaches. These beachheads have a wide stretch of sandy shoreline, which visitors of all ages can appreciate for their interest(s) to sunbathe, walk along in the fine sand, or emerce oneself in welcoming gentle surf. PROOF. PLEASE NOTE the Christine Hill, Hawaii Contributing Editor's, August 31, 2024 article, "Human-made Hawaii beach named No. 1 in the US." FOR THIS EVIDENCE. Sincerely doubt "Dr. Beach's'" recent 2024 stunning report, proclaiming Kahanamoku Beach as the Number 1 (#1) beach in ALL of the United States? Then, come see and experience this beach scape for yourself. Do YOU concur with Dr. Beach? Well, I do!!! :):):) Regardless, YOU can tell others that you walked along and swam in the Number One (#1) rated beach (according to one expert and an absolutely biased local) in the U.S.!!! :):):)

My favorite beach nook that offer so much accessibility for all... With the tiny parking literally right beside the beach each part weather on the sandy side along the canoes you can easily view the sunrise on the east side which is facing Diamond Head to as far as the west side as you can see along the seawall a glowing sunset at any time of the day. I've come here to use as backdrop for many photo ops as if you're lucky parking is just inches from the beach and it's not overly crowded there are various places you can sit and take in the views and depending on dates you may find some food trucks for the added treats while you're there. This place is the perfect place for me to take in the panoramic view it offers without walking the entire stretch of beach though that's another location I may share another time lol! The shores here are very calm and serene and I just received a floaty on my birthday...hmmm! Aloha!

Lovely patch of beach land that has a little bit of everything for everyone. Some may think of it as part of Waikiki beach but that's made up of multiple beaches and this is north west most part of the long stretch. The namesake here is extra special as Duke Kahanamoku is a famous Hawaiian swimmer that popularized surfing outside of the islands (and a five time Olympic medalist)! Due to the big efforts of the local community, this is one of the cleanest beaches despite being so heavily trafficked by tourists with little regard for nature. Whether it's sunright, sunset, or any time in-between, you can't go wrong spending some time here!

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Beach was the closest to our hotel, and a lovely spot to watch the sunset! We came here 2/4 nights of our trip, and both times, the beach was relatively calm, and with few visitors (though the high winds, and occasional rain might have had something to do with that). If you're looking for a cute Instagram-y photo, featuring the beach and Diamondhead, this is definitely the place to be. But keep in mind that the public bathrooms around the area close relatively early!

Nestled between the IliKai hotel and the Hawaiian Hilton Resort is this wonderful little parking lot that connects you to a small beach with access to the water. On the other side of it is the Hilton Lagoon. It's a great place just to sit on the beach and have a picnic or Nick or go into the water and the safe area which is the lagoon or go pedal boarding snorkeling or search or surfing or body boarding on the other side of the jetty jetty. The regulars love to go there and it's really a great place because the views are spectacular you looked at 1 way and you're looking at Diamond Head as the last bit of land that you can see and you look the opposite direction and you're just looking up at the Harbor and the yachts that are parked out there and all the ships that are going by it's a wonderful place. Locals hang out there day-and-night and it's always very pleasant and cordial.The people I've run into there have been very polite and welcoming. There are food trucks that drive down there there's 2 of them at least that I know of and both of them sell amazing food out of them and you have to catch them because they aren't there every day so you have to check and see who's gonna be there. The area seems definitely safe during the day time and fairly safe during the evening from what I've seen cause I've been down there with my wife and we were not concerned about the anyone that was down there at all. We see a lot of families down there as well. Kids like going into the lagoon and the parents don't have to worry about riptides riptide and bad fish. For location I would give this 5 stars just from the view.. Even the hotels that fill the other side of the vision that you would have if you looked away from the ocean they're all designed in a way that they work well with the landscape around them. It's actually very impressive. I completely recommend that you should go to these locations and enjoy.

was staying at the hilton village and the beach is situated perfectly. you can rent chairs and umbrellas water is warm, theres a jetty so no big waves, it does get deep but you can stand on the jetty and rock sandbar. turtles and fishes for snorklers

Stayed at our timeshare in Hilton Hawaiian Village five times in the last 8 years, and this is the closest beach. Duke Kahanamoku is the most western section of Waikiki Beach, and the widest section of Waikiki Beach. We've never rented a car in Waikiki, but if you're coming by car, drive to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor to find free public parking lot behind the Illikai Hotel and Duke Kahanamoku lagoon. There is also a $1 public parking lot closer to the breakwater running from Ala Wai Boat Harbor. We've walked so many times along the boardwalk separating the Village from the beach. The mile long boardwalk runs from the Ala Wai Boat Harbor around the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, past Hilton Hawaiian Village Rainbow Tower, past the wharf for the Atlantis Submarine tourist attraction, past Fort Derussy Museum to the far edge of Fort Derussy beach park, ending at Steak Shack, one of my favorite watering holes. Come here at sunset and you can see postcard pictures of the sun setting behind the palm trees on the shore break running from the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. I didn't post any sunset pictures, as posted them with my Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon Yelp review. Usually they close off the beach late Friday afternoons. However, the weekly Friday night fireworks were not running due to the pandemic when we were here in May 2021. Came here once to swim, and my toes were in pain from the sharp fragments of shellfish on the beach. Water shoes a must when venturing out into the water. You can spot the tourists, laying on the beach with their standard hotel towels, with Diamond Peak in the background. When we were here in May, they were moving sand in construction dump trucks back and forth in the narrow area of Waikiki Beach near the Honolulu Zoo, 1.6 miles down the coast to the east. Don't want to get run over by a dump truck while laying down in the sand? Come here instead. Not much to see when snorkeling, compared to the next door Duke Kahanamoku lagoon. But don't have to worry about getting run over by the balloon tire Aqua Bikes roaming the lagoon!

Kahanamoku/Fort Derussy are Great Beaches! I had a partial view of the beach from my hotel balcony at Hale Koa. I walked down to watch the beautiful sunset every morning. For Mother's Day I experienced church on the beach for the first time.

Fantastic--what's not to love: warm ocean, hot sand, beach chairs and umbrellas for rental at $20 per hour, with a few snacks With a few shacks of food to picnic. They have bathrooms conveniently located and faucets to rinse your feet. It's a bit rocky but point me a beach without rocks. It's smaller than other branches around, but that's a good thing inasmuch as it doesn't often get as crowded.

Kahanamoku Beach is at the western edge of Waikiki, in front of Hilton's Hawaiian Village. It is named for Hawaii's legendary surfer, Duke Kahanamoku. All beaches are public under Hawaiian Law and there is access to this one at the end of Kalia Road if you can't go through the resort. We didn't swim here, just took in the sunrises and sunsets while staying at the Hilton. Quite beautiful at those times and peaceful in the early mornings, there are quieter beaches outside of Honolulu to spend a beach day.

When we visited the last time, with our son, who was a toddler, at the time, it was a crowded stretch of beach (but I suppose by Waikiki standards, it wasn't as busy, if that makes any sense; also the location of the SUNRISE show (Australia's version of our, USA's, "Today" show- Carly-Rae Jepsen was the guest- hubby looked it up and found it on Youtube, yes we were there, we weren't in the frame or anything, but we were there when she performed). There were some cloud cover as the sun kept hiding from us (it was a nice break from the bright sun). The water has some little fish but they don't bother you. So, yes, there were some birds stalking. Some paddle boarders were there. Mostly, people were on the sand. Some people got into the water, but it's calm and protected. It's a nice place to chill. I'd say it is less loud than other parts of Waikiki Beach. Enjoy the scenery. Light colored sand. See the little waves. Reflect on natural Hawaii's beauty. Just take it all in. The scenery is the best part about being in Hawaii- it is a tropical paradise. We are not world travelers, but we are well-versed in Oahu. It was a nice family day. Our son was playing with the sand and the water. (Funny story, on our first trip to Hawaii as a family, the boy didn't know what to make of the beach sand.) There were some food eateries nearby. I don't remember what they were exactly, something fast, I think. I don't remember any bathroom or shower facilities nearby either. Years ago, we passed it, on foot, (we always do lots of walking in Waikiki), not knowing it was public, so when we asked someone there, she said it was private. So, next time, we visit, of course, we are going to be hanging out here again. It's a nice break from the more saturated, crowded parts of Waikiki Beach.

The 2 miles (3.2km) long Waikiki Beach has several sections. The western end is known as Kahanamoku Beach. This is the widest stretch of Waikiki Beach settling in front of Hilton's Hawaiian Village. In 2012, this was named the #2 beach in America according to the annual list of "Dr. Beach". ~ Definitely this is one of the cleanest beach despite the nestling hub among tourists. Big thanks to the effort of Hawaiian people & it's government. Regardless the rocky situation underwater you couldn't deny the fact that this is one stunning beach esp. during golden hours. It's not a surprise if there are several wedding photography and events took place to witness memorable experience in their lives. Public parking across the street is available for $1 per hour. Several food trucks are available around the area with reasonable price associated on it. Plenty of souvenir stores and diner is also available which I find it a bit pricey. Renting is available for beach chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, paddle boats & other recreational beach stuff. ~ Remember, all beaches are public under Hawaiian Law so better hit every beach you'll see along your road trip while you have your time spending in here. ~ Mahalo & HAPPY JUANDERING fellow yelpers! #juanderbandit.world

It's just a big beautiful green park. You can see and hear the ocean from this park. No frills or seating besides the grass. In the morning a few people do yoga or end their runs here and stretch. Our friends did their gender reveal party here so it is kinda special for our group.

Out of the 5 days we've been here, & the 6 beaches we've visited, this beach was my favorite. If you come before 9am you can get a free parking. The sand is clean, flat, and there's a ton of space so you won't be on top of each other. There's renting available for beach chairs, umbrellas, paddle boats, kayaks, and other recreational beach stuff. There's also classes available. The water is very nice. It is a bit rocky as you go in, but it gets better as you go a bit further. I didn't run into any jellyfish as there are signs of possible sightings. I love that it's right near the hotel and plenty of stores such as Starbucks, DQ, and other food restaurants. I love this beach so much, that I will be coming back the 3 days before my flight back home!!

Waikiki is definitely a lot quieter during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic crisis. With that said, I ventured over here with a face mask to do my daily exercise and it just happened to be here. I am rarely on this side of Waikiki before and I didn't know that there was a specific part of Waikiki beach that was sectioned off and named after the late great surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. Now I do. This section of prime beach real estate is quieter than the main drag along Kalakaua Avenue. It's basically off to the side and has its own majestic feel to it. The view of Diamond Head was amazing, almost iconic you'd see in photos and magazines. The wind swept beach provides a gentle reminder that it was cool to have this in your own backyard - in a matter of speaking. Island living does have its benefits for sure. During my experience here at the Duke Kahanamoku Beach Park, I saw very little people here, especially nobody wanted to be caught sunbathing during an emergency declaration. I saw some in the water, while others were walking along the beach casually. I myself just like to people watch while walking along the sidewalks and not encroaching the beach. Just wanted to do my part for social distancing while enjoying the sun, the ocean, and the majestic sounds of the waves crashing along the beach. Mother Nature is awesome at that. A day at the beach, especially here at this oasis at the Duke Kahanamoku beach park is a hidden gem that's connected to Waikiki, but separated. It's quite impressive really and I enjoyed my time here. I will need to come back sometime when the scene is more vibrant with activity. I know that the beach is pristine without humans, but it just seemed eerie at the time when nobody was here. It was like a dream where you're there and nobody else is and it's during the daytime hours. The overall experience here at the Duke Kahanamoku Beach park was quite lovely, serene, and a nice change of pace from the beaches I previously frequented. The scenery at night is also gorgeous, with the hotels and street lights illuminating the Waikiki strip on a nightly basis. I spent about 2 hours here during my latest visit to Duke Kahanamoku beach park before heading westbound to Liliha area. The beach park is located at 193 Paoa Place on the western edge of Waikiki and is connected to the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel and the Halekoa hotel too. Like all public beaches, the Duke Kahanamoku beach park is free for the public to use. No admission required. For the most part though, the sun and surf makes a great time at the beach. Sometimes, its nice to have an open space that's not cluttered with people trying to enjoy themselves too. Take in the natural raw beauty that is the beach and the ocean when you can enjoy it here at the Duke Kahanamoku Beach park, on the edge of Waikiki. The tourists will come back and make it popular again, but for once, come here when the beach is unfiltered and empty and you'll see what I mean. It's really perfect when you can enjoy it without the clutter and the quietness is a welcome site. I know I did when I was here on a nice Sunday afternoon in April 2020. It was unfortunate that I couldn't sit on the sand and enjoy the waves crashing on the beach, but it was soothing and enjoyable though, even though I had to lean against a strong tree for shade and stability. If you are here on the island and want to chill, consider coming here to watch the waves tell you a story. Stay a while. It's always a good tale these days. 5.0 stars for the overall experience! Support local! A+

The beach was very clean, lots of rocks in water, and there was lot of police patrolling the area. There is public parking across the street. The parking fee is $1 per hour. Plan to arrive early because the parking becomes very limited after lunch hour. There are also.food trucks by the beach, and the prices are very reasonable. Some of them have limit of $10 to use a credit card. The beach is public and there is no charge. You may take snack, and your own drinks.

America's Best beach of 2014 by Dr Beach!! Prettiest little area on the opposite end of all the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. This beach is right next to Hilton Hawaiian Village and it is stunning. White sand- corals, small wall (to jump off) , paddle board or take many wedding pictures. You want it, you got it. You can rent umbrellas and chairs for a whole day from Hilton or just lay on your mat/towel all day. There's plenty of shades if you choose or no shades at all. The best part? Stunning view of Diamond Head and downtown Waikiki from your mat as you sunbathe. There's plenty bars/coffee/ restrooms/ shops few steps from here inside that Hilton Hawaiian village. There's also a lagoon next to you if you want to float,paddle board without the waves. Or just come here like the locals do with all the food and families in tow. You can spend an entire day on this beach without noticing it. You can nap all day, swim, float all day. Or catch some waves! You won't have to fight with anyone for that view! Definitely the best beach in this area. And come Fridays, this is where you will want to be to see all those fireworks. Right on this beach :) And it helps that this was just named America's Best Beach of 2014 by Dr Beach aka Dr. Stephen Leatherman. Not that you need a reason to visit but that is a pretty good one :)

Since this was right outside our resorts backyard, I enjoyed this beach during our stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Comparatively to other beaches, the sand wasn't as soft and inviting. But it's great for sun most of the day. Plus the sunset view is amazing. There is a sidewalk along the beach separating the hotels from the sandy point. It's great for running or walking. I definitely took advantage of that. Not one of the better beaches in Hawaii but for sun it will work!

Probably not my favorite beach in Oahu. The best were in the North Shore... but it's still beautiful. JUST... very crowded. I mean, what do you expect... it's surrounded by a billion hotels!! My tip: If you're a runner or down for a nice morning stroll... walk along the lagoon and through Duke Kahanamoku Beach right at sunset. The beach is quiet and close to empty... and the view is simply amazing. You can see Diamond Head too!

Beautiful beach to walk through and check out. Highly recommend seeing it. We walked the whole beach area and this one was super nice.

For a video review of this location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X-RjdEZ-k&t=385s Kahanamoku Beach is found by the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort on the far West end. We noticed they offer surf lessons here and there is a lagoon that allows for safe swimming for kids as well. I have never experienced ocean water this warm. We come from Maine so you can understand why this is a huge joy for us. Kahanamoku Beach is named after the legendary Hawaiian hero Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968) who was an Olympic swimming champion and later became a movie star as well as the Sheriff of Honolulu. Definitely a relaxing beach to visit.

Busy beach , fully tourisfied , if that's your cup of tea ... but of course one has to visit da beach .

Stopped by this beach a few times while staying at the Ilikai. I never stepped foot into the lagoon, but it's pretty to look at. The beach curves into a quarter-circle so you can see the people on the other end sunbathing and playing in the water. Perfect place to swim a bit or get your tan on (or sunburn in my case). I noticed TONS of families. This beach is definitely kid-friendly. If that's not what you're into, avoid this spot. There are areas where you can go surfing, paddle-surfing or just lay around on a pool toy. There is also a pier where you can hop on a catamaran and go for a ride around Waikiki. Closer to the rock wall at the end there are a lot of rocks in the water so watch your feet! The sand around the lagoon is also a bit sharp. Access this beach through one of the hotels (Hilton, Halekoa, etc.) or through the parking lot right between the lagoon and marina.

Extremely touristy beach, but nice all the same. Great snorkeling on the ocean side. Saw a turtle and tons of fish. Great for people watching.

This beach is located right next to the Hilton Lagoon and the Hawaiian Hilton Village. It curves into a quarter-circle taking you towards Atlantis Cruises and Submarines. Good place to swim, walk for families. Always a pretty sight to check out. Not being one who likes to be in the sun nowadays, it is however a good place to photograph.

This wide stretch of beach is in front of Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hale Koa, etc. and is adjacent to the harbor. There is a lagoon at the end where you'll find lots of activity, with on-site rentals of paddle boats, aqua cycles, and more. This is also where the Atlantis Submarine dock is, but you can't take a stroll all the way down the pier as the gates are locked when they're not in port. There is a lot of space on the shore (length and width-wise), but the sand isn't soft like Kailua. Same for in the water. It's pretty rocky and rough, so you should bring water shoes if possible. Lots of people here but less congested than the main areas of Waikiki Beach. You will find families on the beach at night playing with glow-in-the-dark slingshot helicopter toys (people sell them on the boardwalk). Not as wonderful as Kailua but still a great beach.

Just further north of Waikiki Beach, it's much quieter, beach chair rentals, surf board rentals are much cheaper! There is a little food/drink shack where everything is cheaper than Waikiki beach!

Early August. Beach was okay. It was windy so my family complained of a "sand storm" but it wasn't that intense; but intense enough that they complained--so we moved near the beach area, southwest of the Hale Koa Hotel (for military personnel only). Kahanamoku Beach was a a bit too rocky for our taste. We compared it to the beaches and bays we visited in Maui, so it may not have been a fair comparison. At this beach, there were a lot of people between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

This was my baby's favorite beach out of the ones we attended. The beach is clean and the waves aren't too crazy. We loved it! It does get busier during times you'd guess, but when we went in the early morning, it felt like just the two of us and a couple other people sometimes. The beach is located right in front of Hilton Hawaiian Village and if you walk to the side, Fort Derussy and Duke's Lagoon are right next door if you want a different vibe.

Drinks whole you look at the waves rolling in. How can you go wrong. Plus I suspect that human resources is filled with guys who have good eyes because, every waitress it hostess I've seen is 8 or above. If you like people watching while drinking a mixed drink on there patio, this is the place to go.

Nice beach off the Hilton Hawaiian Village with a private lagoon to help beginners with paddle surfing.

absolutely amazing! nothing like cali beaches. my vacation was everything.