Hi,

Is it possible to hike up Diamond Head? Do you have any information about it? How can I get there? I could use a break from the beach. Thank you, Danielle

Hi Danielle,

Ah Diamond Head, the one of the first things you see (and that the pilot points out) when you’re getting ready to land, and one of the last things you look for when you leave.

Diamond Head is a great hike to do because it’s close and it gives you a view both of Waikiki and all the way down Hawaii Kai, which is bordered by Koko Head. It’s pretty easy and quick to get to (I’ll let Dale tell you how to get there), yet far enough away to give you a definite feeling that you are NOT in Honolulu. There are two parking areas, the closer one is more expensive (obviously), but the farther one is pretty well traveled (and free), so you should feel safe leaving your car there.

OK, onto the hike. The hike is 1.6 miles round trip and climbs 560 feet from the crater floor, as you’ll learn from the pamphlet you can grab when you pay your entrance fare. The walking terrain varies from a trail that’s about 4 feet wide to stairs. You’ll immediately feel like you’re somewhere else because it’s quite a dry, arid location. It’s a popular trail since it’s so close to downtown and Waikiki, but a courteous ‘excuse me’ will usually get you past anyone whose speed is a little too slow for you. The views are amazing and have numerous lookouts.

And then you hit the stairs.

The first 74 stairs are probably the hardest because they’re the steepest, and what was sort of nice and liesurely hike now becomes a workout. Following that ascent, you reach a 225 foot long tunnel to help you cool off.

And then you hit more stairs. I’ll let you do the counting this time.

From there, you enter another tunnel which puts you onto a set of spiral stairs, and you exit the crater through a kind of small slit, so watch your head. The breeze is definitely welcome after the vigorous stair climbing. From here, there is much to explore (observation and fire control stations for example), and the summit awaits atop the 761 foot crater.

Because it’s close and it’s a hike, it might seem like Diamond Head would be a nice place to do something like go on a picnic, but after climbing it, there are so many other fellow hikers that space is limited, so many other hikers on their cell phones (”HEY GUESS WHERE I AM???) that privacy is also minimal, and weather-speaking, it is generally hot and windy.

However, this IS a good hike to do, and I highly recommend it. It’s cheap (if you park in the free area then to walk the crater is only $2 per person), the views are excellent, it’s close to Honolulu and Waikiki (when we got down, there was a limosine offering $5 rides back to Waikiki), and later, when you’re back at your hotel sipping a lilikoi mohito on the veranda, you get a feeling of pride and satisfaction when you look up at the top of the crater and think to yourself “I climbed to the top of that today.”

Thanks for your question, Danielle. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Dale’s additional information:

Wow. Sarah answered that quite excellently. Now for my part:

To get to Diamond Head from Waikiki, get on Kalakaua Avenue (which is one-way). Kalakaua Avenue becomes Monsarrat Avenue right after the Honolulu Zoo. Follow Monsarrat Avenue. You’ll notice that Monsarrat follows the base of Diamond Head. The entrance to Diamond Head is clearly marked on the right.

You can park at the small parking lot before the tunnel (which is aptly called Diamond Head Lookout) for free, or you can take your car inside the crater and pay $5.00 per vehicle. If you do decide to park outside, expect to pay a dollar once you get in.