Nighttime Walking Tour of Waikiki, Oahu

A surfer uses every bit of light before finally paddling in to the shoreline of the famous Waikiki Beach on Oahu.

After a wonderful few days on the island of Kauai, Dan and I flew to Oahu to get some answers. Answers like, where would we base our hospitality out of, and where can our ship dock. The plan is to add a couple of days to our Hawaii itinerary and bring Oahu into the mix. We arrive midday at Honolulu airport, but had meetings with harbormasters all day. So it was pretty late when we got all checked in at the Surfjack Swim Club and Hotel here in Waikiki. In typical Dai Mar fashion, I hit the ground for some exploration with my camera. It was just after sunset, which is always a good time for photos.

I walked past what used to be the seedy part of Waikiki. Fifteen years ago, a couple of friends and I lived here all summer on Cleghorn Street, and worked summer jobs. I will say the Cleghorn Street is still looking a little rough, but I can tell its just a matter of time for that area to become gentrified as well. The nice hotels are moving closer and closer. Then I took a turn and headed down towards the famous Waikiki Beach.

I was just in time. The evening sky was beautiful with the afterglow of the sunset. Surfers were still paddling in, trying to use every bit of light they could find. Tons of people were still sitting on the beach, not being rushed back to the hotel rooms by the incoming darkness. They had flown thousands of miles for beach time, and would not be deterred. I walked past the oldest hotel here, the Moana Hotel, built in 1901. And I checked out the International Marketplace, which has changed a lot since I lived here... but still managed to keep some of its old charm.

Finally, my feet took me back to the Surfjack, where I found the best dinner meal in all of Waikiki. A freshly made pizza and a couple of micro brews, for $20. Count me in! Now to get some rest so we can fully dive into all the Oahu possibilities over the next couple of days.

Dancers perform the hula inside the International Marketplace in the heart of Waikiki. When I lived here fifteen years ago, this spot was a maze of tiny shops under a giant banyan tree. Now it is ritzy shops and restaurants...but at least they kept the tree!

This is the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian swimmer, lifeguard, actor, and the 'father of modern surfing.' He played a pivotal role in introducing surfing to the outside world in the early 1900's.

Duke's surfing legacy lives on here in Waikiki. Surfers from around the world flock here, to surf the warm waves where the sport originated.

Dinner can be pretty expensive here in Hawaii, but there are still some deals to be found. This pizza and 2 beers, $20 at the Surfjack Swim Club Hotel.

A different Hula Dance performance, right at Waikiki Beach. This was a free show for anyone who happened to be walking by...which was a lot of people.

I noticed that some of the longest lines were for Maui restaurants, like Maui Brew Co and Paia Fish market. Way to represent, Maui! Pizza with 2 beers here....probably $50.

Busy crosswalk.

Entrance to the International Marketplace.

The Moana Hotel originally opened in 1901! It was the first resort built in Waikiki. People don't know that Waikiki used to be swamps and duck ponds, until they built the Ala Wai Canal to divert the water, filled in the swamps, created a man-made beach, and made one of the most expensive slices of real estate anywhere in the world. This building has stood there through it all.

I really enjoy this photo. The setting sun and nearby spotlight combine to give the picture some really nice, but unusual colors.