Waikīkī
Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon
Five acres of still saltwater behind the Hilton, cut off from the surf entirely.
Why go
No waves, no current and a sandy bottom, at the quiet west end of Waikiki.
The catch
Treat the lagoon as a maybe and the beach as certain. Every guidebook says the lagoon is open to all, but Hilton's own page describes the activities and never states who may use it, and the city does not list it either - so nobody authoritative has said yes. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, on the ocean side, is unambiguously public. Parking is the other catch: this is hotel parking at hotel prices, and you are better off walking, taking the bus or paying for a car park further back. The water is pumped in and does not move much, so it is bath-warm and not clear.
- How long
- 2 hours
- With children
- Yes
- Effort
- Easy
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Difficult
Before you go
- Lifeguard: None in the lagoon. The Waikiki Duke's tower covers the ocean beach, daily 8am-6:30pm
Getting there
Driving times on real roads, from the same data the trip planner routes on — not straight-line distance.
| From Waikīkī | 6 min | 1.6 miles |
|---|---|---|
| From HNL airport | 36 min | 15.8 miles |
| From Ala Moana | 4 min | 1.3 miles |
| From Downtown Honolulu | 8 min | 2.8 miles |
Add traffic. These are free-flowing times, and the H1 through town at eight in the morning is not free-flowing.
Hours, fees and access rules have not been checked against a primary source for this entry yet. Confirm before you build a day around it.
See it on the map Build a trip around it
What else is close
Nearest by road, which is not the same as nearest on a map — and not the same as sharing a region either.
- US Army Museum of Hawaii3 min awayA coastal artillery battery on Waikiki beach, now a museum, with the concrete left as it was.
- Ala Moana Beach Park4 min awayA long, calm beach where locals actually go.
- Ala Moana Center4 min awayThe largest open-air shopping centre in the world, between Waikiki and downtown.
- Magic Island Lagoon4 min awayA walled saltwater lagoon at the Waikiki end of Ala Moana park, flat as a bath.
- Waikiki Beach5 min awayThe famous city beach. Calm water, soft sand, and hotels right behind you.
- Hawaii Children's Discovery Center6 min awayA hands-on museum for younger children at Kakaako waterfront.