Is International Market Place worth it?

Worth it if…Lives up to the hype · −4Open-air Waikīkī shopping center built around a historic banyan tree, with free hula shows

Worth it, with conditions. 4.4 on 10,000+ Google reviews for an attractive setting, but it is a mall; the original 1956 market people remember is gone.

Hype59How famous and hyped it is

Reality55Evidence-based, votes take over as they come in

The gap−4Lives up to the hypeHow we score

4.4 ★ Google · 10,154 reviews4.2 Tripadvisor · 1,294— hypegap votes · be one of the first

Been to International Market Place? Was it worth it?

One tap. No account. Your vote moves the Reality score.

Is it worth it for you?

Worth itEditorial verdict until 5 first-timers vote

Free and in the middle of Waikīkī; time a walk-through with the 6 p.m. Mon/Wed/Fri hula show.

Why Reality is 55

Lives up to its fame3/54.4 on 10,000+ Google reviews for an attractive setting, but it is a mall; the original 1956 market people remember is gone.

Value for money3/5Free entry and free hula show, but parking is $4 per 30 minutes without validation and most spending is upscale retail.

Can’t get it elsewhere2/5The banyan and hula are nice, but Royal Hawaiian Center next door has similar shops and free cultural programs.

Easy to do5/5In central Waikīkī, open daily 10 a.m.–9 p.m., no booking; most visitors simply walk in.

What people loved

Lush open-air design with water features and the huge banyan tree; pleasant even if you don't shopFree sunset hula show three evenings a weekGrand Lanai upstairs has many dining options, including a Liliha Bakery outpost, plus a food courtA Target makes it practical for groceries, sunscreen and souvenirs

What wore them down

No longer the old stall-based market; some reviewers find it a generic upscale mall"Free" parking hour requires validation; otherwise $4 per 30 minutesReports of dirty restrooms, elevator outages and hard-to-navigate layoutMost shops are national or luxury chains you can find elsewhere

Know before you go

See something out of date? Fix it right here.

Booking: No booking to enter or watch the free hula show; individual restaurants and the paid lūʻau take reservations.

EntryFree to enterSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026

Free hula showO Na Lani Sunset Stories: Mon, Wed and Fri at 6 p.m., starting with a torch lighting on Kalākaua Ave, then Queen's Court stage (Level 1)Source · Checked Oct 16, 2026

Parking$4 per 30 min standard; with $25 minimum purchase validation, 1st hour free then $3/hour for hours 2–3Source · Checked Oct 16, 2026

HoursDaily 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.Source · Checked Oct 16, 2026

HistoryFounded 1956 by Donn Beach; closed and bulldozed 2013; reopened Aug 25, 2016 as a 345,000 sq ft mall; Target is the anchor since Oct 2024Source · Checked Oct 16, 2026

From WaikīkīIn central Waikīkī; most visitors walk from their hotelSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026

Opening hours (Google)

Monday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

In their words

“Come for the atmosphere, the trees, the people watching, and the overall vibe.”

Joyce W · Google review · 5 months ago

“With fire torches, rocking chairs, little ponds and plenty of seating it's the perfect place to wind down.”

Ash · Google review · 4 months ago

“Rarely write reviews, but wanted to warn anyone who travels here that the "free" one hour parking requires validation.”

Matt G · Tripadvisor · Dec 2024

Tips from people who went

No tips yet. Be the first to share one.

One thing people should know

0/400 · no links · posts right away

Questions people ask

Is the International Market Place hula show free?

Yes. The O Na Lani Sunset Stories show is free on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 p.m., starting with a torch lighting on Kalākaua Ave and moving to the Queen's Court stage.

How much is parking at International Market Place?

Standard rate is $4 per 30 minutes. With validation (minimum $25 purchase), the first hour is free and hours two and three are $3 each.

What are International Market Place hours?

The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; individual restaurants may keep different hours.

Is the old International Market Place still there?

No. The original 1956 market closed and was bulldozed in 2013. The current mall opened in August 2016 and kept the large banyan tree.

Better fits, according to people who went

Island Vintage Coffee — photo by N Y (Mango Sun)

Skip itReality 39 +3Island Vintage Coffee★ 4.3Honolulu & Waikīkī · FoodPopular café and shave ice stand nearby if you just want a snack stop.

Worth it if…Reality 54 −20Waikīkī Beach★ 4.6Honolulu & Waikīkī · BeachOne block away; a sunset there beats a mall walk.

Pearl Harbor — photo by Christopher Wilkinson

Worth itReality 90 −2Pearl Harbor★ 4.8Honolulu & Waikīkī · HistoryNPS memorial to the 1941 attack, with museums and a boat to the USS Arizona Memorial

Worth itReality 76 +19Hoʻomaluhia★ 4.7Windward · NatureFree 400-acre city garden in Kāneʻohe with a lake beneath the Koʻolau cliffs

Sources

Verdict by The Hype Gap editors. No one paid for it. Facts checked Oct 16, 2026. How we score · Standards