Located on the sun drenched Island of Oahu, Hawaii, Waikiki Beach is one of the best known beaches in the entire world. The luxurious hotels and beach clubs set right on the beach offer sanctuary to 4.5 million visitors each year. There’s also the famous Kalakaua Avenue, which runs parallel to the beach, offering visitors a unique shopping paradise garnished with an array of fine restaurants and plenty of nightly entertainment.

Although the setting itself is attractive, Waikiki Beach is best known for its gentle waves which are ideal for beginner surfers. Surfing is the vibe, and the key attraction of Waikiki. You can rent surfboards on the beach; even take lessons if you have never surfed before, and generally get into the surfing thing.

Catamaran rides to and from Diamond Head are also popular and offered by several operators at varying departure times. Other activities on your Hawaiian holiday include kayaking, swimming, and outrigger canoeing.

Restaurants – Hawaiian cuisine is a true fusion of multiethnic dishes, and the seafood is not to be missed for anything. There are several restaurants located right on Waikiki Beach, the more famous being Duke’s Canoe Club and the Surf Room. Evenings are always magical here, you will watch the sun set over the beautiful Pacific Ocean and enjoy exquisite fine dinning in truly romantic settings.

Waikiki Beach hotels – The island of Oahu offers visitors approximately 30,000 hotel rooms, mostly located in Waikiki. As you travel along the beach from west to east beginning at Diamond Head, you’ll encounter several first class hotels including the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Sheraton Waikiki, Outrigger Regency Hawai, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and several others.

Popular Oahu attractions – There are many attractions for visitors to Oahu and you might do well to pickup a local brochure from your hotels travel desk. The attractions that consistently draw the most visitors each year are the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, receiving a staggering 1.5 million visitors each year – the Polynesian Cultural Center, with up to 1 million visitors – Honolulu Zoo 750,000 visitors – Sea Life Park 600,000 visitors, and the Bernice P. Bishop Museum hosts 500,000 visitors.

The Hawaiian difference – While there are several other beach holiday options on offer, few manage to capture the pure magic and tranquillity of a holiday at Hawaii’s Waikiki. There’s a sort of character to the place that probably comes from a “hang loose” kind of surf culture. Actually, Hawaii has long been known as a tropical surfing paradise, with Maui, Waikiki and the North Shore being closely associated with the origins of surfing in the fifty’s. The surf themed art deco, the famous Hawaiian shirts, and the miniature parasols on your cocktails are all very much part of the Hawaiian deference.

So, if you’ve been looking for the ideal place for your next beach holiday, you shouldn’t have to look any further than Waikiki. There’s always a deal to be found, and there’s many high street tour operators offering discounts on hotel rooms around the year. Hawaii is also widely promoted as a family friendly holiday destination, and a little shopping around for the right deal can often save families a pretty penny.

Note that the island of Oahu is in the County of Honolulu, and is governed by the mayor of Honolulu. Technically speaking the entire island is Honolulu.

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