Diamond Head, Honolulu

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Probably the most famous landmark in Hawaii is Diamond Head, just less then a mile wide. It is located near the southeast end of the Island of Oahu. Early sailors mistakenly thought glistening crystals inside the rocks were diamonds, leading to the name. During Wold War II tunnels were dug in the soft rock for look-out posts to warn of possible invasion. Diamond Head is still military property, but is open for hikes and drives to scenic views. Below I have a picture of one of those tunnels.

When you get to the top it can get a little congested with people, slowing you down. So if it is crowded plan on taking more time to summit.

Hours:
Park gate open 6 am to 6 pm.

Admission:
$1 for walk-ins, $5 for cars (If the lot is full you have to wait till a car go leaves)

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The view from the top is great. The climb is long and hard. We took the bus there and you have to walk about a half mile to even start the actual climb. It took about 45 min. to climb it at a moderate pace. I actually stopped for a break before climbing the steep 100 stairs! Its a tricky climb...100 stairs, a tunnel, a spiral staircase... when you think you almost done, you're not. But the view is great and none of the pics shown here do it any justice. If you have kids, it would be an even harder climb for them. i didn't take mine. I would climb it again.

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We had arrived at Diamond Head at 7:00 am. They open at 6-if you want a headstart before the tour buses arrive-come early. By the time we were walking back down, there were tons of people.
Also bring some bottled water, you will need it.
It cost us $5.00 to enter-the hike is rather unimpressive overall (scenary is not that great) It isn't a bad hike, except for the last set of stairs (shown in photo) They were not fun.
The walk starts out as pavement and then becomes a dirt path that winds around the crater, a set of stairs, more path, the awful steep stairs, set of spiral stairs and you will come to a room, duck under the stone and you will have an awesome view of the Island. Walking up obviously takes more time than going down, so I advise resting and take in the view! Walk down the skinny paved path to the left where you can walk a few more stairs to get the best views.

We loved the view-it was well worth the hike! Just look at the views of the city, the beaches, the lighthouse and the variations of color in the ocean. Awesome!

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Wow. For this slightly, OK very out of shape 47 year old, what a work out. You actually enter in your car the center of Diamond Head. They charge $5 per car, but what a deal. That is the complete cost. The trail is free. In the end it was all worth it as I feel they should have handed out badges of merit once you completed the walk/hike. It is .8 miles up with about a 600 foot vertical foot incline. You start off with a gently sloped path and it is very picturesque. It winds its way around the hills and then you start the steep part and the steps. There are two sets of steps with about 100 steps on each set. There are also two rather smallish tunnels you must navigate. Then you finally reach what you think is the top and then there is one last devilsh little torture for you as you must climb three rungs of a ladder and stoop to get under what once was a gun implacement. Once this is all accomplished, you will see the best view Honolulu has to offer. Advice: Brings lots of water and take your time !!

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Diamond head was hit with a huge meteor rock a long time ago , and that is what caused the huge crator ... or so ive been told.. It was very calming , and very nice to see , and we had a great view of this from our hotel toom as well. unfortunaly there was no parking so we could not hike up into it , but we did drive into the crator and take a few pics .

Diamond Head is a volcano cone visible from Waikiki beach, reminding we tourists that Hawaii is built from volcanoes rising from ocean floor in the middle of Pacific Ocean, very far from the closest land continents.

Did not go up the top of Diamond Head where one can see from the rim into cone, Waikiki Beach and the big blue Pacific Ocean from above.

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Diamond Head, one of the best-known volcanic craters in the world, can be seen from the southeast coast of O'ahu not far from Waikiki. The view from the summit of this 760-foot, extinct crater is well worth the climb. The steep trail to the top is mostly paved and defined by two sets of stairs-one, 99 steps, the other 76 steps. It leads through a 225-foot tunnel and ends with a spectacular view of the island's west side. This is also an excellent spot for whale watching during the winter. Known in Hawaiian as Le'ahi (brow of the ahi-yellowfin tun), Diamond Head was so named when Brttish seamen saw calcite crystals sparkling in the sunshine and thought they'd found diamonds. The volcanic crater, a major O'ahu landmark, has been extinct for 150,000 years. Admission to the park, which is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., is $1. Parking is $5. From Waikiki (Kapiolani Park) to the Diamond Head Entrance is about a 20-30 minute walk.

Diamond Head is the most recognizable landmark in Hawaii. The crater of an extinct volcano, it looms above almost every photo of Waikiki Beach, like the one on my Honolulu intro.

I've seen the hike to the top described as "easy to moderate," but I didn't find that to be accurate. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest, I'd say that this is a 7.

We started up the trail at 7:30 a.m., while it was still cool, but even so, I was sweating and out of breath by the time we reached the top. If I hadn't taken a puff off an asthma inhaler when we first started, I probably wouldn't have made it. I consider myself fit and am accustomed to walking long distances, but there was something about the combination of the heat, the altitude, and the steep climb that almost did me in.

I was glad that I did it, though, as the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. The only problem was that we had to share it with about 50 other people, with everyone jockeying for a good camera angle. I'd advise going very, very early in the morning or very, very late in the afternoon: it's open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The trail is paved for most of the way, and there are two sets of stairs: 76 and 99 steps, respectively.

Guidebooks say to allow an hour for the ascent and 45 minutes for the descent, but it took us only about 30 minutes going up and 20 minutes coming down. Coming down was MUCH easier.

Wear sturdy walking shoes, and bring a flashlight (there is a long, dark tunnel -- the only shade on the whole hike), bottled water, and of course, a camera.

The most famous landmark in Honolulu is Diamond Head. Locals use this landmark as a navigation reference point for the island. This summit of this extinct volcano is 760 ft. high. Hiking to the top is available via the Diamond Head Trail. The hike to the top is steep and arduous, so be proper hiking shoes and equipment is a must.

Diamond Head is perhaps the best known landmark in the city. This old volcanic crater rises above the nearby Waikiki district and is visible from much of the city. It is possible to drive into the crater through a tunnel and then park the car and hike up to the rim. The trail is not too long, but it can be steep in areas. There is a rewarding view of the city and a good portion of Oahu from the top. Notice that the crater itself is very dry while the mountains seem more lush. Weather can be very localized on the islands. The combination of topography, tradewinds, and the ocean can make a short distance very significant in terms of rainfall.