AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Best waterfall hikes in oahu7/29/2023 ![]() After you are able to breathe again, you’ll really appreciate them!Īnd then it’s all downhill, right? Exiting the Fire Control Station with views through the old bunker (mind your head!) Taking a break (note to self: Perhaps doing the Diamond Head hike in the midday sun wasn’t the best idea!) views across to Koko Head from Diamond Head ![]() ![]() But of course, you have to push though it for the spectacular views. By the time you get to the spiral staircase through the old fire control station (another 52 steps), you may be wanting to give up. The last section is probably the hardest part, consisting of very narrow and steep metal stairs, a 225 ft tunnel, then more steps (only 99!). After the first set of stairs and then coming through the tunnel, I had to take a rest! With the heat and the relatively fast climb, I was feeling really tired. This is really going to work your legs! My advice would be to wear trainers or hiking boots and have plenty of water. But it is a deceivingly difficult climb, with a big elevation gain over a short distance. They must be fitter than me!įrom the trailhead to the summit is 0.8 miles one way. I’ve seen some people doing the walk up from Waikiki to the start of the trail head instead of driving. Always be prepared for a wait of some sort for parking. So I think it depends on the season and the day. We still only had to wait 5 minutes to get a parking spot. Although the last time we did this hike in January 2019, we decided on a lie in, so didn’t get to the car park until around midday. The quieter parts of the day for parking are probably early morning and later in the afternoon. The car park & hiking trail are open from 6am – 6pm, with the last entrance for the trail at 4:30pm. ![]() British sailors later named it Diamond Head because they mistakenly thought minerals on the beach were diamonds (they were calcite). If you’re staying in the area and only have the time or inclination to do one hike, this would be one of the best ones, for the unparalleled views from the summit alone.įun fact: I assumed that Diamond Head was so called because it resembled a diamond shape (the whole crater looks like a crown to me), but the Hawaiian name, Lē ʻahi, is apparently formed from two words which mean the shape of the dorsal fin of a tuna! (Lae + ahi). You can read all about the military history of the crater itself and the original trail on the official State Park website here. Diamond Head stands resplendent over the ocean at the highest point. The immense circular crater comprises over 475 acres, including the inner and outer slopes. This is probably the most popular hike in Hawaii, and is considered a “must do” when visiting Oahu. Starting point: Car park Diamond Head State Monument (around 10 minute drive from where we stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott) Stunning views of Honolulu from the summit If you get tired of sipping cocktails by the pool, and find yourself yearning for adventure (and need to burn off some of the calories from the Cheesecake Factory!) there are some fantastic hiking trails around the island. Besides the bright lights and fantastic restaurants of downtown Honolulu, there is a lot more to the beautiful island of Oahu! Aloha! In my previous post Summer in Hawaii Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Oahu, I wrote about where we stay, and favourite places to dine out in Waikiki and surrounding areas.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |