About the Ala Wai Canal

Information about Ala Wai Canal on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. See also other Oahu Attractions, more about Oahu Island, and our Hawaii Travel Guide.

The Ala Wai Canal is a 1.5 mile man-made waterway located a few blocks inland from Waikiki Beach. There is a walkway on the ocean side of the canal that is lighted at night. No inline skating is allowed on the walkway but it is a popular spot for jogging and evening walks. This picture was taken on Ala Wai Boulevard, near the Diamond Head end of the Ala Wai Canal, not far the spot where ala Wai and Kapahulu Boulevards cross.

History of the Ala Wai Canal
The Ala Wai Canal was constructed by Walter Dillingham and the Hawaiian Dredging Company between 1920 and 1928 as part of a mosquito eradication project. Before the Ala Wai Canal was built, the this part of Honolulu was a fish pond and wetlands area fed by streams from the Nuuanu, Palolo, and Manoa valleys.

Ala Wai Canal Today
Today the Ala Wai canal is a depository for the storm drains of Waikiki, Kapahulu, Manoa, and Moiliili. The canal was used by many of Honolulu's outrigger canoe clubs for training until it was contaminated in March of 2006 when heavy rains overwhelmed the sewers in the area. A new bypass sewage system is under construction that should eliminate this problem in the future.

Attractions Near the Ala Wai Canal
- Marker 3 on the Waikiki Historic Trail
- Ala Wai Golf Course
- Hawaii Convention Center

Resources

- Historic Hawaii Foundation "Ala Wai Canal" Article
- Wikipedia "Ala Wai Canal" Article
- Hawaii News Now "$21M Ala Wai Dredging To Begin" 2019 Article
- Honolulu Magazine "It Came From the Ala Wai" 2017 Article

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Other Attractions on Oahu

Oahu Island Travel Guide

Other Islands of Hawaii

Hawaii for Visitors

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