Waikiki Island
Welcome to Waikiki Island in Hawaii, named after the spring that feeds the waterfall that is the centerpiece of the island. There are three major beaches: Rockpoint in the bustling downtown, Hikina in a charming village in the east, and the secluded beach of Uli Bay, where you can ride horses along the shore or stay at the exclusive Waikiki Resort. Downtown is the main tourism district inspired by Honolulu. The beach here has hot air balloon tours and a small boardwalk with ferris wheel, which both offer stunning views of the island. Tourism, fishing, and timber are the main industries, with Waikiki Technical’s very own tourism school. Like the rest of the state, Waikiki is popular with Japanese tourists, and there are several Japanese restaurants and a temple throughout the island. The crown jewel is Waikiki National Park, which takes up about ⅓ of the island, and has the Waikiki National Observatory at the peak as well as a botanical garden. Waikiki takes pride in its natural beauty, and many of the street names come from local wildlife, including fish and trees in the fishing and timber areas. Public transit relies heavily on buses and ferries, with a cable car to take people from Uli Bay to the Observatory. A robust biking and pedestrian network also crosses the island, and policies such as Sustainable and Dolphin-safe Fishing are in place to make the island greener.
