Diamond Head State Monument

I got a REALLY good workout out of this hike. Some say this is an easy hike but I think it’s more on the moderate/​hard side. Most of it is uphill 0.8 miles each way and you climb up to 750ft up. There are A LOT of stairs and a tunnel so if you are claustrophobic, take a deep breath.
Overall a really pretty hike with an amazing hike! A must do in Hawaii

What a view from Koko Head to Waikiki Hotels below.
It’s a must for tourist visiting Hawaii.
It is a easy hike but be for warn there has been rescuer every week. They go up half way and can’t come back down. You need to be in condition or walked few times weekly back home.
I walked here daily at 6:00 am before my scheduled work here in the crater at State Civil Defense.
Here are some pointers you can use before this hike:
–Use a good walking shoe and bring a bottle water.
–Hike early in the morning or late afternoon to get out of heat (sunrise is best view from top of Diamond Head)
–There is lots of parking but gets filled before noon and line to get in gets long
–If you need to park outside or some even walk from there hotels in Waikiki be careful walking thru the narrow tunnel with heavy traffic.
–Path is easy in the beginning but get uneven; rest in between to get a view where you are and what you’ve accomplished.
–There is a narrow 99 steps straight up (please be careful here) or use a newer wider stairs to the left with a better view.
–Enjoy the view from the top and take a deep breath of fresh air before descending down and please be careful
–if possible pick up any rubbish you see before leaving and try to keep area cleaner than before you came. (That’s for smokers especially). Hike and Smoke don’t go well together they usually gets rescued.
Well there it is enjoy the view and see you at the top.
If you enjoy a harder hike try Koko Head
Not for everyone!

Omgee!!! Where did I read it ranks 2 on a scale of 1 – 5 for hiking!?! I didn’t realize how out of shape I really was. I mean I do go to the gym regularly but this bad boy beats any gym workout! You working those legs! But it is so worth it! The view is spectacular once you get up there.
There are a few steep stairs you have to climb, one I counted 99! The path is not smooth so sneakers are highly recommended. There are a few rest stops along the way to catch your breath and look down to see how beautiful the path is or look up and see how still far away you are :-/​LOL!
It seems it takes longer going up because your body is working harder then going down. Once you make it to the top, rest assure going down will be much easier and faster!
Well worth the view, the top is the best thing in Waikiki!

«Great things are done when men and mountains meet.»
— William Blake
So, my lazy ass made it to the top of Le’ahi Monument. Hallelujah!
Here, I will share my personal experience to make your hiking trip more enjoyable.
Some humble pro tips:
— You can hike on your own, you really don’t need to be on a tour to hike. Transportation is easy. I used Über from Waikiki and paid about $ 10.00.
— I think there is an entrance fee. I went on a Saturday and I paid nothing.
— Go as early as you can, I began my hike around 7:00 A.M. It got more crowded midday.
— The hike is suitable for most. It takes about an hour if you are in a good shape, and about 30 minutes if you are fit. (1.6 miles.)
— You will be hiking on a dirt & rock pathway (be cautious,) 74 steps to the 1^st lookout area then to a cool and dim, yet cool tunnel. The end of the tunnel led to an intimidating 99 step stairway. Then another shorter tunnel tunnel ends with a spiral staircase. After the” bunker”, you will finally get a chance to catch your breath, and enjoy the spectacular and breathtaking panoramic view of O’ahu Island
Do’s and don’ts to hike Diamond Head:
— Please DON’T wear uncovered flip-​flops. For GOD’s Sake, you are HIKING not walking on the beach.
— Do wear a hat/​sun glasses and sunscreen.
— Don’t need to worry about snakes. There are no snakes in Hawaii. What you saw might be just a stick.
— Don’t bring baby strollers. Seriously DON’T.
— Do refuel (have a good post-​hike meal.)
The view was worth every sweat drop, maybe next time I’ll do a sunset or sunrise hike.
Five Unilocal

Landmark must-​do if you’re on Oahu.
It’s not a hard walk up but there are quite a few stairs that can get your heart rate up.
Now post renovations and paving, there are two ways up. I’ve seen folks bringing strollers up or walking up in slippers and I have done the latter myself.
The view of course is priceless: who doesn’t want to look out onto Waikiki and then out into the beautiful Pacific? Be sure to stop off at the lookout facing the interior of the crater and Kahala.
So grateful to have been coming here my entire life. Although not so happy about the walk-​in $ 1 per person (drive ins are $ 5/​vehicle, so bring cash) charge which I know goes to maintain the trail and public area. So I’ll be going elsewhere for my next few outdoor-​ventures but Diamond Head will always have a special place on my list of hikes/​trails/​walks.

This is definitely one of the best hikes.
Pros:
1. Huge parking lot
2. Huge park area with tables, benches, and places to eat /​relax.
3. Tons of birds everywhere and they get REALLY close to you.
This hike is also one of the easiest.
Family /​children friendly.
The beginning of the path is cement paved, then as you ascend, it becomes rocky/​dirt trail. Then as you get closer to the top, you have to walk through a dark tunnel but at least its lit with lights, then walk up a flight of stairs until you reach the top. The top has an amazing view of the crater and the ocean.
Short, easy and rewarding.
P. S. I saw a lot of people wearing sandals but I would still recommend wearing shoes/​sneakers only and bring water/​snacks because its best to be comfortable, especially if you don’t hike often.

This was probably the most exhausting hike that I’ve ever been on in my whole life, considering I don’t do it very often, as everyone knows.
The hike was steep and the weather was hot. I wish someone had told me I would need sunscreen and a hat/​cap at 10 AM because when I got back home, I was dying from dehydration and major sunburn. I had the worse headache ever because I was so exhausted.
Asides from me feeling tired and like I was dying afterwards, I would have to say that the hike was well worth every ounce of effort. At the top of the hike was a beautiful view of Honolulu. It was breathtaking!
Would I ever do it again? Maybe…
My son has already mentioned that he wants to go back and hike every spot just to see if he can do it in less time the second time around. I’m going to have to see if someone else wants to take him.

Add this is your must do list! The view from the top makes the whole experience worthwhile.
The hike itself is completely on a paved trail. The first leg is a uphill incline on a paved side walk, and then there’s a bunch of stairs followed by a winding uphill path that’s rocky and unpaved. Once you make it past this then you can either head up a set of steep stairs or take the winding path to the left to get to the top. The path to the left is much easier.

Word of caution: parking is a b$%#. If you’re planning to drive, make sure to come early to find a spot. Otherwise, you’ll have to go back home and take a taxi… because that’s what we had to do.
We arrived around…9am on Christmas day, and the parking lot was full. Since we didn’t want to waste the day, we drove back to the hotel and hailed a cab over to Diamond Head.
The hike wasn’t too bad, but that could be for several reasons:
— the weather was amazing (sunny with a breeze),
— I’m in shape (lol), or
— it was simply easy
There were kids and old grandparents hiking up this monument so if they can do it, so can you. However, make sure to wear tennis shoes or else that will be the biggest regret of your life. The terrain is NOT even, and you can easily slip and/​or twist your ankle. Since there are several hundreds of hikers behind you, you don’t want that to happen. Once you get to the top, you’ll also need to get back down so remember that.
The view at the top was beautiful and definitely worth going up to see once you start the hike. Don’t pansy out and quit halfway. This place ain’t for quitters.
The duration of the entire hike (including coming back down) is about 1.5 hours. Make sure to use the restroom before the hike and carry a bottle of water and a camera because there are no resting stops along the way.
One of the top attractions of Oahu — I recommend paying a visit — only $ 1/​per person or $ 5/​per car.

We took three hikes during our stay in Oahu and this was by far our least favorite. Hiking-​wise this one is moderate difficulty with some rocky uneven ground, a tight tunnel and quite a few stairs up at the top.
We were visiting during the Christmas week so everywhere we went was super busy but this had to be the worst. When we arrive around 11 it was a 30 minute traffic jam just to get into the area then another 30 minutes waiting in line for a parking space to open up in the small lot.
The trail was extremely crowded with big Japanese tour groups but the worst part was the stairs at the top where a huge 30 minute line formed on the final set of stairs in an airless tunnel. The views were ok but not worth the ordeal.
Bottom line-​if you are only doing one hike and you don’t want big crowds choose something else.
We much preferred the makapuu light house trail for fantastic views.

This is on Oahu/Waikiki’s «must do» list, so of course it is packed and filled with tourists of all ages from all around the world. Come prepared for it to be busy, and be sure to bring $ 1 for each walking person CASH or else you’ll be disappointed when you hike all the way to the parking lot from your hotel without cash (not that I would know). Also be mindful that when you find a kind person to give you their day pass, you’ll be reluctantly admitted since they basically know you’re cheating the system (again, not that I have any experience in this, but just in case you didn’t realize you needed cash).
Once you’re past the tollbooth, the path way up to the crater is right in front of you. The pathway is paved, stairs or rocks all the way up. It is a hike. It is not «easy», but it is definitely do able. There were 5 year olds and 85 year olds doing it. There were runners and people moving slower than cold molasses. The view at the top is worth it! Those stairs though. they go on for a hot minute.
There’s no way to cheat this hike, so if you are walking/​hiking isn’t your jam, unfortunately this view might be out of your reach :(

Hiking Diamond Head was on our list from the time I booked our tickets.
The hike is fairly easy. I saw a few people going up in flip flops. Now I wouldn’t recommend that but it’s good to know you could get comfortably by with tennis shoes. There are restrooms and vending for water at the beginning. The trail is paved all the way up. There are hand rails and steps to assist you along the way. There are several stopping points to stop and take in the beautiful view.
Once at the top you’ll feel on top of the world! Gorgeous setting and views. Besides… It’s not everyday you hike out of a crater.

TL;DR — Nice views, but very touristy if you go around 10am.
Being a tourist and all, I really wanted to visit Diamond Head however, this turned out to be my least favorite hike of them all. It’s a super easy hike, but very congested. I would have liked to have gone earlier, but the bf and I enjoy sleeping more than we do waking up at the crack of dawn. It does cost $ 1 per person to enter the park.
We were on a bit of a time crunch so most of the hike was just trying to get up to the main lookout. We were able to get past some slower hikers sometimes, but the narrow walkways made that difficult at times. When we got to the top there were a TON of people everywhere. It’s hard to appreciate the view when selfie sticks are in your face.
Overall, I’m glad we did it, but I wouldn’t do it again! There are other hikes in Oahu that offer nice views as well and are more challenging.

For an admission price of only $ 1 it was worth it. I’d read other Unilocal reviews and kept reading about how easy it is so I wasn’t expecting much of a work out. However, halfway up I was huffing and puffing and sweating profusely. The other members in my group were completely poker faced like they were taking a leisurely stroll through the mall.
When we finally arrived at the tippy tippy top and I looked around at the view it was lovely although it didn’t completely blow my mind away like i was anticipating.
If you are like me and not an athletic person, or if you are a smoker, you may want to think twice about this hike or at least plan to take a bunch of rest stops. The other 75% of the world’s population will probably enjoy this very much.

Quick Facts—
1. Cost: $ 1 per person without a vehicle. $ 5 per vehicle.
2. Parking: After the tunnel is the Diamond Head entrance/​parking lot. It will cost you $ 5 per vehicle to enter. You can park at the look-​out right before the tunnel (there’s about 7 – 8 lots available), but of course park with caution. There’s street parking available at the bottom of the hill.
3. Hours: 6AM — 6PM. Last entrace is 4:30PM, so don’t be alarmed if you’re turned away when you arrive at 5PM. If the staff is feeling generous, they may let you in if you arrived before 4:45PM-ish. But the gate closes at 6PM, so get your butt down the mountain before you get locked in!
4. Difficulty: On a scale of 1 — Olomana, probably 3? It’s super quick, took me and my mom (age 66) about 25 minutes to get to the top and ~15 minutes to get down. There’s no shade /​no trees on the way to the top, so try to go on a windy/​cloudy day. The hike itself does have a bit of a heavy incline with quite a few stairs so if you speed walk/​run, you can most definitely get a good workout!
5. Details: The hike starts with a relatively flat paved trail, then progresses into gravel/​loose dirt, then turns into an uphill rocks/​uneven terrain for the majority of the hike. You’ll hit a dark tunnel (tall people, watch your heads!), and at the end of the tunnel, you’ll see a huge/​steep flight of stairs to your immediate right, or another route to your left. If you’re up for a challenge, climb the steep stairs to the top. If you’re not, make that left and you’ll see stairs that has been divided up so it’s not such a huge incline. The view up top is absolutely amazing! Totally worth that $ 2 entrance fee. ;)
Bonus: I got here a on a weekday around 4:30PM and it was a lonely hike up to the top. And when I say lonely, I mean, peaceful. I think everyone has the 6AM hiking hour idea– so 6AM miiiiiight be more crowded than you think. If you like the peace, go later!

We came at 1:20, from entrance to top took us 22 minutes with minimal stop.
There were sections that were quite painful mainly if you don’t do cardio everyday and it’s 91 degrees out with tons of stairs to climb.
Tips: don’t wear flip flops, if you must have open toe shoes, I highly recommend getting yourself a pair of tevas. Bring water, a selfie stick ($ 4.99 at Ross) and if you have a spray bottle fill with water to spray yourself along the way (we didn’t have one and I was day dreaming of one during my climb) that would be super helpful on a hot day like today (91 degrees).
We also parked right outside of the tunnel and walk through to the entrance.
Parking is $ 6 after the tunnel if your prefer to park closer by 2 – 4 minutes walk.
Entrance fee is a $ 1.00
Oahu pass no longer works here.
For more details and suggestions about where to go in Hawaii. Check out my blog

If you’re unsure if you should do this while visiting in Oahu … Do it! The hike has phenomenal views of Waikiki skyline and the Oahu shoreline! We walked from the Moana Surfrider (about 2 miles) then walked up diamond head (30 minutes), then back to the hotels. The full trip took about 3 hours. Wear sneakers, bring a hotel washcloth and also bring water (no water once you start the climb and also no bathrooms). Bring cash, $ 1.00 per person.
On the way back to Waikiki if walking, stop by the Banán food truck– was the perfect snack after a long hike without all the calories!

Dad gum tourists… I should know, I was one. Taking Da Bus to Diamond Head, I walked up the hill, through the tunnel, and up to the shack to purchase my ticket. The hike was totes easy, as long as you’re not using a walker or wheelchair. It gets hella crowded, and can be pretty annoying for those wanting to make good time to the summit, and also for those who are impatient.
But once you’re at the top, you’ll have to navigate around the crowds to catch some of the prettiest views of the island. There’s even a pill box at the top you can crawl into, just watch your head.
This is a must do if you’ve never done it before. But if you’ve been there and done that, then might I suggest the Koko Head hike.

I don’t go hiking often, but even a beginner like myself can appreciate a hike up the Diamond Head crater. It’s a relatively simple hike with not too many obstacles or tough areas to get through. Just up a short area of pavement and then onto a rocky trail, which leads up several flights of stairs is all you need to get to the top. However, the trail is pretty narrow and leaves little room for hikers to get through. You may find yourself having to make room for other hikers on more crowded days.
The hike should take less than an hour, round trip, though once you reach the top, you may want to stay a while to soak in the Waikiki skyline and bird’s eye view of Hawaii-​kai. You’ll find a couple of look outs where you can get some nice pictures all around the island. It’s best to come early in the morning as it can get pretty hot and humid once noon comes around. My family and I actually made it out here around noon and while there were plenty of parking spots, we soon found out why the hard way.
Overall an easy hike that’s perfect for all ages and isn’t so time consuming that it’ll take away from your day if you’re a tourist. After all, the view from the top is a sight that all visitors to Oahu should come see at least once.

An easy and short hike with great views. If you visit Oahu, this is a must.
Parking: When we arrived early in the morning (just an hour after they opened) the parking lot was already full. We drove back down the hill and parked at the park at the bottom of the hill. Lock your cars.
Pack: Water and sunscreen.

Hermoso verlo de lejos desde Waikiki o las otras playas de la zona de Hawaii. Y desde Honolulu por todos lados. Diamond Head es un volcán inactivo que el crater está armado como parque nacional, trail de hiking y se puede subir a la vista.
El tema es así, la vista es TREMENDA (ya ven mis fotos). Pero para subir es como una hora de algo que no está tan bueno. O sea, es muy largo el camino, y alto y erosionado digamos para lo feo que es. Para resumir, el camino es feo y largo y jodido. PERO LA VISTA ES TREMENDA. Al llegar arriba de todo. Es una hora para subir y media hora para bajar para 10 minutos max de vista arriba.
Eso si, te podes meter en bunkers de la segunda guerra mundial si bajás la cabeza y no te importa el olor.
Lindo plan para una tarde. Desde la zona Waikiki caminando será 2.5 horas ida y vuelta total.