01
1 hour
Waikiki Beach
Waikīkī Beach
Waikīkī Beach is Honolulu’s best-known urban beach and the seafront focus of Waikīkī.
- Must see
- Nature site
City guide · United States
Honolulu
Honolulu is the urban centre of Oʻahu, with Waikīkī, Downtown and the south shore forming the principal visitor base. Pearl Harbor lies west, while the Windward Coast, Central Oʻahu, the Leeward Coast and the North Shore are separate island regions rather than city neighbourhoods. Keep city days focused on Honolulu and treat farther Oʻahu sites as planned excursions with their own transport time.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Practical information
Practical information
- Language spoken
- English is the principal language; no federal official language
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +1
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- United States dollar (USD)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 911
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A and B · 120 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- Water quality is regulated locally; check the current notice for the destination
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Planning a visit
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Walk, TheBus, Biki, shuttle or car
- January: good time to visit
- February: good time to visit
- March: good time to visit
- April: best time to visit
- May: best time to visit
- June: best time to visit
- July: best time to visit
- August: best time to visit
- September: best time to visit — current month
- October: best time to visit
- November: good time to visit
- December: good time to visit
- Best time
- Good time
- Viable with trade-offs
- Difficult conditions
Sources
- worldweather.wmo.int Checked 2026-08-28
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
17 places match
17 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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02 1 hourDiamond Head State Monument
Diamond Head State Monument is the protected volcanic crater known in Hawaiian as Lēʻahi and Honolulu’s defining summit walk.
- Must see
- Nature site
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03 2 hoursHanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is a protected marine embayment on Oahu's southeastern coast. It was formed within a volcanic cone and is managed by the City and County of Honolulu.
- Must see
- Nature site
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04 1 hourLanikai Beach
Lanikai Beach is a residential Windward Oʻahu beach known for pale sand and views toward the Mokulua islets.
- Must see
- Nature site
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05 1 hourKailua Beach Park
Kailua Beach Park is a major public beach park on the Windward coast of Oahu, operated by the City and County of Honolulu.
- Must see
- Nature site
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06 1 hourHo'omaluhia Botanical Garden
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden is a large botanical garden on the windward side of O'ahu, Hawaii. Established in 1982, the garden spans approximately 400 acres in the Kane'ohe area.
- Must see
- Nature site
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07 1 hourWaimanalo Beach
Waimānalo Beach is a long sandy shoreline on Oahu’s Windward Coast, set beneath the Koʻolau mountain range. Its broad coastal setting feels quieter and less urban than Waikiki, with residential communities inland and open views across the ocean.
- Must see
- Nature site
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08 1 hourSandy Beach
Sandy Beach Park is a public beach park on the south-east shore of Oahu, Hawaii, within the city and county of Honolulu. It is known for its powerful shorebreak and is a notable destination for body-surfing.
- Must see
- Nature site
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09 1 hourMakapuu Beach Park
Makapuʻu Beach Park is a beach on Oʻahu’s Windward Coast, backed by sea cliffs and facing the exposed ocean below Makapuʻu Point.
- Must see
- Nature site
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10 1 hourFoster Botanical Garden
Foster Botanical Garden is a historic botanical garden located in central Honolulu. It is one of the five sites comprising the Honolulu Botanical Gardens system, which is managed by the City and County of Honolulu.
- Must see
- Nature site
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11 1 hourLyon Arboretum
Lyon Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Harold L. Lyon Arboretum is a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa botanical garden in Mānoa Valley on Oʻahu. It combines tropical plant collections, rainforest habitat, conservation work, horticultural study, and public education.
- Must see
- Nature site
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12 1 hourAla Moana Beach Park
Ala Moana Beach Park is a large sheltered urban beach park located opposite the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Must see
- Nature site
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13 1 hourKakaako Waterfront Park
Kakaʻako Waterfront Park is an open coastal park in Honolulu’s Kakaʻako district. Built on reclaimed industrial land, it gives visitors a broad Pacific outlook and a direct connection with the shoreline.
- Must see
- Nature site
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14 1 hourFort DeRussy Beach Park
Fort DeRussy Beach Park is a broad sandy beach on the western edge of Waikīkī in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.
- Must see
- Nature site
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15 1 hourPearl Harbor Visitor Center
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center serves as the National Park Service gateway to Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Must see
- Nature site
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16 1 hourKoko Crater Botanical Garden
Koko Crater Botanical Garden is a dryland botanical garden inside the basin of an extinct volcanic tuff cone in East Honolulu. It belongs to the Honolulu Botanical Gardens system and combines plant conservation with an unusual geological setting.
- Must see
- Nature site
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17 1 hourLiliuokalani Botanical Garden
Lili'uokalani Botanical Garden
Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden is a compact native-plant garden in Honolulu’s Nuʻuanu valley, beside Nuʻuanu Stream and below the Nuʻuanu Pali.
- Must see
- Nature site
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
How the city is laid out
Waikīkī occupies the south shore east of Downtown Honolulu. Downtown contains the civic and historic core, while Ala Moana sits between them and Diamond Head marks the eastern end of the main urban visitor strip. Pearl Harbor is west of the centre. Beyond Honolulu, the island divides into Windward, Central, Leeward and North Shore regions, each requiring deliberate travel rather than an extension of a city walk.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Walk within Waikīkī and compact parts of Downtown, then use TheBus, shuttles, taxis, rideshares or a rental vehicle for longer trips. Biki bike share serves Honolulu and Waikīkī, while island attractions outside the urban core can require substantially more travel time. Public transport reaches many cultural and scenic sites, but check current routes and the return schedule before committing to a distant Oʻahu excursion.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Honolulu?
A fixed stay length is not recorded. Separate Honolulu and Waikīkī sightseeing from excursions to Pearl Harbor, the Windward Coast or the North Shore.
Is Waikīkī the same as Downtown Honolulu?
No. Waikīkī is the main resort district on the south shore, while Downtown contains the civic and historic core farther west.
Can I get around Honolulu without a car?
Yes. Walking, TheBus, Biki, shuttles, taxis and rideshares cover the main urban areas. A car can be useful for dispersed island destinations outside Honolulu.
Is the North Shore part of Honolulu?
No. It is a separate Oʻahu region and requires a planned island journey. Do not treat it as a quick extension of a Waikīkī walking day.
Where does Biki operate?
Biki is Honolulu's bike-share system and serves Honolulu and Waikīkī. Check the current station map before relying on it for a specific route.