About this place

Honolulu is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is located on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu. The name Honolulu in Hawaiian means "sheltered bay," reflecting the natural harbor that spurred its growth. The city is a major hub for international business, finance, and military defense in the Pacific region. As of 2025, the population of the urban area of Honolulu is approximately 350,429, while the entire island of Oahu, which is administered as the City and County of Honolulu, has a population of about 1 million people.

History of Honolulu

The first Polynesian settlements in the area date back to the 11th century. Honolulu's modern history began to take shape after King Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian Islands. He moved his court from the Big Island to Waikiki in 1804 and later to what is now downtown Honolulu. The city's natural port made it a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia. In 1845, Kamehameha III officially moved the kingdom's capital from Lahaina, Maui, to Honolulu. The city continued as the capital after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Hawaii's annexation by the U.S. in 1898, and its eventual statehood in 1959. The attack on the nearby naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941 was a pivotal event that drew the United States into World War II.

Waikiki

Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, world-renowned for its famous beach. The name Waikīkī translates to "spouting waters," a reference to the springs and streams that once fed a vast wetland area. In ancient times, the area's fertile lands were used for agriculture, including taro fields and fishponds. For Hawaiian royalty, or aliʻi, Waikiki served as a favored retreat for recreation, including surfing, which was known as the "sport of kings."

The transformation of Waikiki into a global tourist destination began in the early 20th century. The opening of its first major hotel, the Moana Surfrider, in 1901, marked the start of this new era. A significant turning point was the construction of the Ala Wai Canal, completed in 1928, which drained the wetlands and allowed for extensive urban development. Today, the Waikiki shoreline is a highly engineered environment, divided into several distinct beaches. The sand on these beaches has been imported over the decades from other parts of Hawaii and even from as far as California to combat ongoing erosion caused by the extensive coastal development.