Waikiki Beach

It’s a busy American version of the Gold Coast in Queensland. It also felt like Tokyo with palm trees and beach. Waikiki is tourist mecca for the Japanese. Practically every restaurant on the tourist strip has Japanese menus. There are also massive queues at the larger restaurant. For example, outside this steakhouse place with a giant prawn, outside this Japanese udon place, outside Chillis....coming from a smaller town like Kailua, Waikiki is a bit overwhelming at first...

The world famous Waikiki Beach is...busy. Its crowded with both people and tourist operations, offering both surfing lessons, hires, and canoe rides. Remember that ridiculous Lego looking canoe several posts back? They are everywhere here. For regular paddlers, it is a really weird looking canoe, with a really high bow and starboard, high, unpadded seats, and a weird looking float. It is designed for sightseeing and rides a few giggle waves...

I can't help but comparing this beach to a relatively secluded beachside beauty of Kailua and Lanikai beach. The sand is cleaner back there. Here...I see cigarette butts, paper, and other debris. Unfortunately I'm not a fan. Oh well, there are lots of shops here...can't have everything aye? :)