Reminisce about Waikiki’s sentimental history and imagine its peaceful, quaint rural eras sans cars, highrises, and crowds in this collection of images. From the days when Waikiki was just a sprawling marshland sprouting farmlands, coconut groves, and duck ponds to the early 1900s when dramatic change came to Waikiki and roads and businesses began to replace the rural landscape the city has undergone a fascinating transformation. Still a place for relaxation and recreation, a mile-long stretch of coconut dreams and rolling waves, Waikiki remains one of the most famous travel destinations in the world. Despite its changed landscape, its charm still lingers. Beyond the glamorized dream of a Polynesian paradise, its sunsets are unmatched elsewhere, while Diamond Hed-Hawaii’s icon-endures timelessly in the background.

Photographer: Douglas Peebles