From golden times Waikīkī was viewed not only as a place of peace and hospitality but of healing. There was great mana (spiritual power) in Waikīkī powerful kahuna la‘au lapa‘au (or physicians) who lived here. Throughout the 19th century, Hawaiʻi’s royalty also came here to convalesce. One of Waikīkī’s places of healing is this stretch of beach fronting the Halekulani Hotel, called Kawehewehe (or the removal). The sick and injured came to bathe in the kai, or waters of the sea. They might have worn a seaweed lei of limu kala and left it in the water as a symbol of asking for forgiveness for past sins, which were believed to be the cause of many illnesses. Native Hawaiians still use the sea to heal their sores and other ailments, but few come to Kawehewehe.

In 1912 a home here was converted to a boarding house known as “Grays-by-the Sea.” Its grounds were later incorporated into the Halekulani. The beach is still known today as Gray’s Beach. The natural sand-filled channel that runs through the reef makes it one of the best swimming areas along this stretch of ocean.