Three hundred years ago, Waikiki was a marshy plain where Native Hawaiians cultivated taro, fished for manini and moi, and surfed on mile-long cerulean waves. This famous beachfront still provides fish and surf, but its bloomed into an international shopping destination on par with Bond Street, Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive— offering couture for every fashion persuasion, from young hipster stylings to the ultra -kitsch.
In the 1980s, the city invested in a revitalization project led by former Mayor Jeremy Harris. The concept: Make the experience of walking along Kalakaua Avenue feel like being in a beautiful park rather than an urban metropolis. The project was a resounding success. Rows of shops give way to swaying palms and shimmering ponds along a one-mile stretch of pristine white-sand beach.
