Waikiki's natural assets—white stretches of sand lapped by warm aquamarine waters and fringed with palm-trees—have allure apart from the many other area attractions. Hours of sun may call for some time in the water, and along the shores here there are enough water sports to keep you occupied.

Fasten your mask, affix your fins and snorkel seized, dive in at Sans Souci Beach for some surface time with the fish. Log some undersea hours with a guided tour or get certified with an instructor if you want to do some deeper diving. Waves along Waikiki's beach are gentle enough for beginning surfers to catch, but for some help keeping your board pointed shoreward take lessons from one of the local surf instructors.

While sharks are few along the coast here you can still see a feeding frenzy from safety of plexi-glass at the Waikiki Aquarium, then wander through Kapiolani Park before hitting civilized Waikiki and enough shopping possibilities to put the final touches on paradise. If perusing shops and boutiques seems more barbaric than fun, leave the stores behind and head to Honolulu Zoo for monkeys and big cats. Optionally, get a lesson in recent Waikiki history at the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii including extensive exhibits on the Pearl Harbor attack.

Waikiki is adjacent to Honolulu, just southeast of the city center.