Is Diamond Head Hike in Honolulu Worth Doing?

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Hawaii is beautiful, there’s no doubt about that. And no matter which island you choose to visit there are limitless outdoor activities in this tropical island paradise that must be visited at least one time in your life. But like all “must see/do” activities, not all are created equal and you might find you should have skipped some of them. If you are visiting the main island of Oahu, which a lot of people do on their first visit to Hawaii, you will most likely be torn on whether you should do two of the islands “must do” things. The first is the Dole Plantation. The second is Diamond Head hike.

Why is Diamond Head considered a must do activity?

The short answer is that there’s a pretty impressive view on a nice day (and let’s face it, Hawaii has a lot of those). People, tourists especially, will do anything for a nice view. Sometimes to their detriment, but I’m not going to go there today. When we announced to our friends we would be going to Hawaii, they told us we had to do the Diamond Head hike. And I was torn. Because as much as I love a beautiful view and a great photo opportunity, I also don’t immediately think of strenuous hikes as part of my vacation time fun. In the end my want of a good photo won out, and off we went to hike Diamond Head. If you like nice views and beach front bars, you will also likely go through this dilemma, so keep reading to see if this hike is for you.

How easy is it to get to Diamond Head?

Is this one of your typical tourist activities? Get everyone all riled up about seeing this fantastic view, then pop the disclaimer that it involved three buses, a donkey and a compass to get there. This is not that place, you’ll be happy to hear. It is rather close to the main area of Waikiki. That said, there are different ways to get there and depending on how lazy you are (or how bad you really want this) you might want to do some research. Ultimately though, if you’re staying in Waikiki, anywhere in Waikiki, it isn’t far. From the greater Honolulu area you will need more time (and patience) to deal with the inevitable s&*t show that is Waikiki traffic and slow walkers. Advice: plan ahead and budget your time accordingly.

How do I get to Diamond Head?

There’s the tourist on a budget way and the just get me there so I can get back way. Which one do you want to hear first? OK let’s go budget. You can take a bus, the number 23 down Kuhio Avenue where a lot of the hotels and main parts of Waikiki are. Then get off at the Diamond Head stop (ask your bus driver, or follow all the other novice hiker looking types). It’s a short bus ride, no longer than about 20 minutes depending on traffic.

I opted for the second option. We booked an Uber and had a short 10 minute ride for less than $10 in an air conditioned vehicle which was way more enticing for our early start. To get back to Waikiki you can either take the bus or there are taxis waiting in the parking lot at the bottom. Option #3 is to drive if you have a vehicle during your stay, however spots are limited and you might end up parking further away. It gets busy.

How easy is this thing?

This all depends on your fitness level, how many Pina Coladas you’ve had during your Hawaii trip so far and the correlation between your desire for sleep vs Instagrammable photos. My fitness level is fair but by no means average. My Pina Colada intake was at around 75% and my desire for Instagrammable photos outweighed my desire for sleep by 2 to 1. Basically, I committed and figured if it really sucked I’d let everyone else go ahead while I sidled down to the gift convenience store at the bottom and eat my weight in cookies. It didn’t come to that. I made it to the top (spoilers).

How long does the hike take?

Again, this kind of depends on your fitness level. But the average person should allow about 1.5-2 hours for the hike. That’s time to get up to the top, battle the crowds, just about stop sweating while you look at the view, then head back down. You can of course go at your own pace and take as much time as you want, but the path can be narrower in places and it is usually rather busy so you’ll likely move along with the other people on the trail.

Do I have to pay?

If you bring your car then you will have to pay for parking which is $5 at last check. Whereas if you are a walk in hiker then it’s only $1 per person. If you are taking an Uber or similar service, make sure to stop and get out so they don’t end up paying the fee. There’s a turn around spot just before the place where you pay to enter. The hike itself is open for all to visit and you won’t have to pay any more than your $1 if you don’t want to.

What should I bring to Diamond Head hike?

As with all hikes, comfort is key. Be prepared for the weather as Hawaii can be hot even earlier in the day. Keep hydrated. And don’t bring everything but the kitchen sink. This is Diamond Head, a fairly average level hike, not Everest. Here are a few of my essentials:

• A re-usable water bottle with enough water to last your hike
• Comfortable shoes – ideally closed toed
• A small snack like a granola bar or some fruit (you don’t need a full picnic)
• Sunglasses as it can be rather bright, especially at the top
• Sunblock – there are some areas that you will not be able to escape the sun
• A hat to protect your head and face from the sun
• Some cash in case you want to buy a drink at the kiosk and for the entrance fee

You don’t need to even bring a backpack if you don’t want. I would find a pair of pants with pockets or just bring the minimum you might need. You won’t be there long and after hiking this thing you’ll want to return to your hotel right after to take a cool shower anyway.

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

The facts about Diamond Head

Opening hours: 6am to 6pm. Early is better. The last entrance is 4:30 and the park closes at 6pm.

Trail length: 1.8 miles roundtrip

Time needed: 1.5 to 2 hours

Type of trail: Out and back, same path used to come down. Mix of dirt path and steps. No climbing, but a narrow staircase at the top

Restrooms: In the parking lot at the trail head. No bathrooms along the trail or at the top

The Diamond Head trail

Before you set out on the trail, make sure you have everything you need including a healthy supply of water. As you leave the parking lot, you’ll walk along a wooden built path lined with trees and grass towards the main part of the trail. I can’t stress this enough but the earlier you can visit the better. It gets very busy. We were there at 8am and it was already busy. We were there in June which isn’t even the popular time of year due to the heat. There was a steady stream of people going up and coming down the trail. If you want a trail with no people and very quiet this is not the one for you.

The path itself was easy going with a lot of switchbacks. A slow and steady incline at first, gradually getting steeper. The ground was more or less smooth, just watch out for some uneven rock areas. There were people of all ages on the trail, and barring any health problems you’ll probably do just fine. The thing that gets you the most is the heat. Another reason not to go later in the day.

Diamond Head is a volcano and you are walking up part of the crater. The path was built in 1908 as part of a coastal defense system of Honolulu where enemy ships could be spotted from the observation area at the top. Due to the nature of its construction you’ll find towards the top you start having to walk through tunnels and go up stairs to get to the peak and the lookout areas. While you could wear flip flops for this hike I would recommend against it and stick to running shoes due to the stairs and dark tunnels.

The view at the top of Diamond Head

All that walking and heat will pay off when you get to the top and see the amazing views. Although if it’s busy you might have to wait for a photo. Look down on the beach and Waikiki below. It’s beautiful. At the top is a one way loop which takes you along a trail to another lookout where you get spectacular ocean views before heading back to the main trail to head down. Because of the number of people you won’t want to, or won’t really be able to spend too long at the top. But catch your breath, snap some photos and don’t forget to take in the views yourself.

Is the Diamond Head Trail worth it?

If you’re a hard core hiker I would say no. If you like a quiet trail with very few people, I would also say no. I’m not saying everyone won’t enjoy the view at the top, but some might not find the battle to get there through the throngs of people worth it. But should you be wanting for a fun activity to kill an hour or two, and make you feel like you earned those extra vacation drinks, then this is the hike for you. If you’d rather get out of the city I’d check out Kualoa Ranch where Jurassic Park was filmed, and as well as movie tours also offer a range of outdoor activities.

The trail was busy enough that I spent most of my time with my head down moving along behind people trying to check where I was putting my feet. I couldn’t have really gone faster had I wanted to. So for someone like me who is a rather novice hiker it worked out just fine. But even I was willing people to just move quicker when we started getting towards the top. Overall I’m glad I did the hike, but I also don’t think I would do it again. The view of Honolulu was incredible though, and that’s the main reason you go to Hawaii right?

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you done the Diamond Head hike? What did you think?