Aloha friends! Welcome to my blog. I recently visited Oahu Hawaii and my main thing was to do Hawaii hikes. I was so excited for the hikes that I made sure to research which hikes were “a must”. Let me tell you about the number one hike in Oahu Hawaii, Diamond Head Trail hike.
Diamond Head (Le’ahi) Trail
Diamond Head Trail is the most popular hike in Oahu, Hawaii mainly because of the breathtaking panoramic views. The diamond head crater is part of the Hawaiian volcano chain from more than a half-million years ago. The crater is also called “Le’ahi,” which means “brow of the tuna” in Hawaiian.
This hike is rather easy and very child and elderly-friendly. It is about 2 miles round trip and paved with some rocky ground. I suggest wearing the appropriate tennis shoes but you don’t need hiking shoes. Go at your own pace but know on crowded days you will be following other people in front of you. The average person will take about 45 minutes to reach the top, and about 30 minutes to descend back down. Don’t get discouraged if others are going faster than you, simply let them pass. : )
The hike starts out in a paved rocky ground then it goes into trees to reach a tunnel. There are amazing views along the way to stop and take photos. After the tunnel, you arrive at stairs that take you up. You can’t get lost during this hike as the path is pretty easy to follow.
Once you get to the top you have the most amazing panoramic views of Waikiki beach and beautiful city views. Take lots of photos!
Food
At the end of the hike, there is shave ice, acai bowls, pineapple, and other refreshments for purchase.
Tips
- Get there early if you want to avoid crowds while hiking and also to avoid making lines for the parking. Diamond Head trail is open from 6 am to 6 pm.
- Bring cash for the parking. For this hike, you will have to pay $10 cash for parking as well as a $5 entry fee (credit card only).
- If you want to avoid parking at the parking lot there are a couple of free spaces at the bottom of the crater, you just have a bit of a walk to the entrance.
Enjoy your trip! If you want more blogs on Hawaii, check out my blogpost, What to wear in Hawaii.
xoxo
Xio💚
