Kahanamoku Beach

nationalparkswitht

1 year ago

Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!

Aloha➢

My family and I took a cruise around the Hawaiian islands in 2019. We embarked in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Prior to embarkation, we spent a few days on land and explored Oahu. Using Hilton’s Hawaiian Village as our base, we enjoyed visiting many beautiful sites, including Kahanamoku Beach.

Hawaiian law mandates public access to its beaches. It states that any land below the highest wave line is considered state property and open to the public. As a result, resorts and developments must provide free access to beaches fronting their property. Only certain federal lands are exempt from this rule.

Kahanamoku➢

Kahanamoku Beach is at the western edge of Waikiki, in front of Hilton’s Hawaiian Village.

It is named for Hawaii’s legendary surfer, Duke Kahanamoku. His family owned the land before the resort was built.

Duke learned to swim on this beach and went on to become an Olympic Gold Medalist. He was born in 1890 and died in 1968.

While staying in Honolulu, we had a room at the Hawaiian Village. Each morning, still on NYC time, I’d walk the beach and lagoon, catching the sunrise over Diamond Head and watching shore birds before the beach-goers arrived.