Village Rejuvenation

Lagoon Beautification

The historic Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon has returned to the people of Hawaii. The Hilton Hawaiian Village® Beach Resort & Spa, together with Hilton Grand Vacations Company, closed the lagoon in 2006 for an unprecedented, $15 million restoration project. It re-opened in December 2007.
 

Named after Hawaii’s aquatic legend, it’s a man-made body of water that was part of Henry J. Kaiser’s Hawaiian Village development in the early 1950s (the hotel became a Hilton in 1961). The magnificent, 5-acre jewel re-opened slightly smaller in size, but with a state-of-the-art water circulation system featuring seven saltwater wells 195-250 feet below the surface of the ocean. The wells draw in about 15,000 gallons of water per minute from the ocean, helping to turn over the water about five times a day. The lagoon’s depth has gone from about 12 feet to approximately five feet, and more than 35,000 tons of sand have been used to replenish the beach and bottom of the lagoon. In addition, one of the new aesthetic features of the project includes an island with a two-tier waterfall, a boardwalk with benches and landscaping that create a park-like setting. About 60 coconut trees have been added, along with a number of native Hawaiian plants, as well as a boardwalk, making the area even more inviting and relaxing than ever before.

Guests can rent a variety of beach equipment and toys from the Hilton's Waikiki Beach Activities kiosk at the lagoon.  Everything from beach chairs to rafts, acquacycles and the newest items:  waterbees, can be rented at the lagoon. 
 
A private blessing and official opening ceremony were held on Tuesday, October 16, 2007. In attendance were Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, other politicians, dignitaries, as well as several relatives of Duke Kahanamoku, including his grand-niece, Ms. Jo-Ann Kahanamoku-Sterling from Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii.