What to expect when visiting
July 21, 2019
The number one hike in Oahu that is on every visitor’s list is Diamond Head. With its proximity to Waikiki, it is a short and easy journey from downtown to the extinct volcano. Climbing Diamond Head was one of the priorities on my “must do in Oahu” list and I am glad that I did it because the views from the top were breathtakingly rewarding.
Getting There
Being so close to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, it is very easy for tourists to visit by taking the public bus. The bus drops you off at the base of the volcano and you must walk about one mile to the entrance and crater of the park. The Waikiki Hop on Hop off Trolley also brought visitors to Diamond Head. The perk with this transportation option is that it drops you off and picks you up right from the crater. This shaves off 2 miles round trip compared to the bus option.
However, I was very fortunate to be able to drive myself to Diamond Head. I originally tried parking in the crater, however at 9:30 AM, the parking lot was already full! So back down the mountain I went and parked at the base in a church parking lot.
Cost
If you are lucky enough to snatch parking in the crater of Diamond Head, parking is $5.00 per vehicle. The parking lot only holds about 50 vehicles, so if you are adamant about parking there, I recommend going right when they open (6 AM)!
However, if you are one of the majority who walk into the park, the admission fee is only $1.00 per person.
Amenities
Once inside the park and crater, there is a visitors center, gift shop, picnic tables, restrooms, and a Dole food truck. There are also vending machines for drinks located by the restrooms. If you brought a water bottle, they have a fill-up station outside the restrooms.
I cannot stress how important it is to stay hydrated while climbing Diamond Head! So make sure to stock up and drink up beforehand, bring lots of water with you, and fill up again after the hike! There is nowhere to get water once you start the hike.
What to Bring
- water bottle
- sunglasses
- hat
- sunscreen
- entrance fee
- good pair of sneakers
- camera/phone
When to go
The earlier in the day the better. The earlier in the day the better. I repeat, the earlier in the day better! Go as early as you can in the day to do the hike! The park opens at 6 AM, so I recommend to arrive as close to opening as possible, especially if you are trying to secure parking. I thought 9:30 was early enough, but boy was I wrong! The reason it is best to go early in the morning is because of the heat. It was exceptionally hot during the hike with very little wind and almost nonexistent shade.
The Hike
Starting from the bus stop or base of the volcano, walk along the sidewalk following along the road to the entrance. When you are almost to the top, you will reach Kahala Lookout which provides a beautiful view of Koko Head and Hanauma Mountain.
Next, you will pass through the tunnel into the crater. Both cars and pedestrians use this narrow tunnel. Pedestrians walk along the left-hand side with only intermittent poles dividing you from the traffic. Pedestrian traffic is also two ways, so you may have to stop and wait for others to pass before you can proceed. There are areas where only one person can pass by safely. The cars have very limited space to drive and is almost impossible when a trolley or bus is driving through.
Once through the tunnel, you will arrive at Diamond Head entrance and pay your entrance fee.
The hike from the crater up to the edge of Diamond Head was not exceptionally difficult, but the heat made it ten times harder. Heading past the restrooms, the hike begins as a nice, slightly inclined, stroll through the fields and trees on a concrete path.
The path then turns into gravel and large, smoothed down rocks. Sturdy shoes are important for this as they can be uneven and slippery. This is also the time when the path becomes steeper and switchbacks up to the pillbox lookout begin (Pillboxes are small military outposts built into the ground. They are found all over Hawaii on top of mountains). The higher you rise, the nicer the views become and you can start to appreciate the size and shape of Diamond Head Crater.
The Stairway to Heaven, from Hell
Towards the top, you will pass through a dark passageway and when you exit will arrive at the hard part….the never-ending stairs. There are 99 stairs to be exact. Oh and then another 76 later on. No biggie right? Usually not, but after hiking uphill for 30 minutes in the heat, it is the last thing I wanted to do!
Tip: If it is not too crowded, I recommend going left when you reach the stairs and go around the corner. There are more stairs there that are technically the “down” stairs, but they are less steep and have fewer steps.
At the top of the 99 steps, you will enter another dark, narrow passageway. This passageway is the official entrance to the Fire Control Station pillbox and was heaven on earth! I stood in the passageway for about 5 minutes because I was out of the sun and cooled down by the wind tunnel effect. I wasn’t the only one who stopped and cooled down!
Once ready to move on, comes the 76 step spiral staircase. You climb three stories to the lookout.
When you step off the stairs you are in a small room with small openings to lookout. It was a bit tricky to climb out of the pillbox and onto the lookout ledge. It is a short opening and you have to duck down or crawl out.
But once you do, you are rewarded with a spectacular view! The beautiful blue waters greet you for as far as the eye can see. To your right, you can catch a glimpse of downtown Honolulu and Waikiki.
I recommend following the path to the left and then climb up some more stairs (I know! More?! Seriously?!) to the top lookout of the pillbox. From here you can catch 360-degree views of the ocean, crater, Honolulu and Koko Head. Breathtaking!
How Long?
The climb up to Diamond Head lookout took me about 30-35 minutes to climb and about 1 hour round trip. I was also passing many hikers, so I would budget one hour up and one hour down. The hike was not difficult, but I underestimated the power of the sun. I took one and a half water bottles with me up to Diamond Head and I ran out of water when I reached the top. The heat affected me and I rewarded myself and my body with ice-cold water and a pineapple juice from the Dole Food Truck after the hike!
