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Feature Article
Worth more than a sneer Sure, Waikiki Beach is touristy... ...but it's also rich in history and Hawaiian culture
Some travelers in search of the "real" Hawaii wouldn't even consider visiting famous Waikiki Beach — too touristy and lacking in any true Hawaiian culture, they may have heard.On one of the prettiest beaches in the world, layered between the beach chairs and tourists like fossils waiting to be uncovered, are the remnants, myths and legends of native Hawaii and the colonial period. For those who know what they're looking for, Waikiki offers glimpses into ancient spiritual places, Hawaiian royalty and the early tourism days of palatial hotels, Hollywood stars and roguish "beachboys." Add to that today's world-class people watching, a good beach promenade and great shopping, and suddenly Waikiki is a destination worth at least a day or two of any Hawaiian vacation. Located on Oahu Island, four miles southeast of downtown Honolulu, Waikiki Beach is a two-mile strip of golden sand that arcs gracefully out from the base of Diamond Head crater. An off-shore reef breaks large waves into gentle surf, tall coconut palms provide spots of shade, and a string of hotels offer luxury and amenities never dreamed of 100 years ago. For adventurous travelers, the top of Diamond Head crater is the perfect place to start learning more about Waikiki. The trailhead is at the center of the crater and can be reached by a short taxi ride from anywhere on Waikiki. Hikers doing the moderately rugged 45-minute climb should take water, snacks and a flashlight for a walk that includes a darkened tunnel and stairs. From the top, the gleaming buildings of Waikiki and Honolulu look like a giant's charm bracelet newly polished. Bright sun glistens off white sand and emerald seas. Sharp-edged mountains brood under thick foliage. Those who look closely at Waikiki can see some of its evolution. In the island's early days, the beach was empty and the lowlands behind it held mountain run-off, fresh-water springs and duck ponds. In fact, the land was so waterlogged that islanders called it Waikiki—spouting water. Even with such a swampy inland, the beauty of the beach couldn't be denied — Waikiki became the playground for the island's royalty. For centuries, the elite made the beach their royal residence, while peasant farmers worked the soggy inland into fish ponds, taro fields and rice paddies. With the tourist development of the early 1900s, however, something had to be done about the water-logged inland. From the top of Diamond Head, sharp-eyed hikers can see what the solution was — in 1928 the Ala Wai Canal was built three blocks inland from the beach to funnel all the freshwater into the sea, giving the land a chance to finally dry out. Descending from Diamond Head, the first place people usually come across is Kapiolani Park, lying at the foot of the crater. Forming the eastern end of both Waikiki and the beach promenade, Kapiolani has green playing fields bordered by stately banyan trees, red and pink flowering trees, and pines with soft dangling needles. Kapiolani Park was given to the people of Hawaii by King David Kalakaua on Kamehameha Day, July 11, 1877 and was named for his queen. Today, it's home to the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium and the Waikiki Shell, an open air amphitheater. From the park, the beach promenade follows Waikiki's major thoroughfare, Kalakaua Ave., away from Diamond Head and toward the main beach and hotel area. The pretty walkway is lined with palms, benches and plenty of tourists. Even here, Hawaiian history and culture can be found. In fact, the Waikiki Historic Trail has been established to help visitors get a sense of the beach's rich cultural past. The self-guided trail has 21 markers (many shaped like surfboards) that contain evocative descriptions of culturally and historically significant places, events and/or people. Most of these markers are found along the beach promenade, although some are located on other thoroughfares off the beach. For those who want to learn more than what the markers offer, the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association has a daily two-hour "Queen's Tour" along the historic trail (808-737-6442; www.waikikihistorictrail.com). A major stop on the trail — and by far the spiritual heart of Waikiki — is the Duke Kahanamoku statue on the beach promenade. Duke was a world-famous Olympic swimming champion who spent most of his life demonstrating the art of surfing to the world. He also was considered one of the original Waikiki "beach boys" — young Hawaiian men who spent most of their daily lives on Waikiki Beach showing tourists how to swim, surf or paddle an outrigger canoe. Famed for their friendly yet roguish ways, they have now evolved into a professional group that still takes people out surfing and for rides in outrigger canoes. Near Duke's statue, visitors can see the sacred stones of Ulukou, which mark a 14th Century visit by four kahuna (healing priests) from Tahiti. Just past the stones, a string of beachside hotels starts. While Waikiki now seems to have more hotels than palms, only two can claim real historical significance: The Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian. The 1901 Moana Hotel (now the Sheraton Moana Surfrider), is Hawaii's oldest hotel and known as the "First Lady of Waikiki." Although the beach had seen a few small hotels before 1901, the Moana was something entirely different — a palatial four-story hotel with verandas, soaring columns, and high ceilings. Each of the 75 rooms boasted its own bath and phone. In 1918, two wings were added to the sides so that a beachfront courtyard was formed around a banyan tree. In the 1930s the famous radio show, "Hawaii Calls," began broadcasting from this Banyan Courtyard to all over America. While the show lasted "only" 40 years, the tree still stands — now 75 feet tall and with branches 150 feet long. From the moment the Moana opened, it attracted the world's social elite and heralded the start of Waikiki's — and Hawaii's-tourism industry. England's Prince of Wales stayed there and even took surfing and outrigger lessons from Duke Kahanamoku. Other celebrities included Will Rogers and Amelia Earhart. Not far from the Moana is the Royal Hawaiian, also known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific." Sitting on the site of the former royal coconut grove and summer home of Queen Kaahumanu, the Royal Hawaiian opened in 1927 and was an instant success with its Moorish style and startling pink hue. Today the Royal Hawaiian plays host to the yearly landing of the Royal Court of the Aloha Festival in September (Sept. 17, 2004). The landing is representative of a landing made in 1795 by the famous King Kamehameha I, who invaded Oahu in his successful push to combine the eight major islands into one country. He found Waikiki so pretty that he took up residence on the beach and later established his entire court in what later became Honolulu. Many of the festival's 10 days of cultural and historic events take place on Waikiki's main thoroughfare, Kalakaua Avenue. Kalakaua is also home to much of Waikiki's famed shopping — everything from internationally-renowned shops to outdoor stalls. From ancient history to modern shops, Waikiki Beach gives visitors a multi-dimensional experience. But it also teaches a valuable lesson about traveling: When trying to find the essence of a place, it's not where you look, but how you look that counts. Those with open minds and hearts will find the most, no matter where they look. Jeff Miller is editor of EnCompass.
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