Diamond Head is the iconic natural landmark situated at the end of Waikiki beach on the island of Oahu. It was previously a military lookout but is now a popular State Park for tourists and active locals to enjoy. Park entry tickets are inexpensive at just $1 per person and its an easy Uber ride away from any Waikiki Beach hotel.

En route, a gradual uphill road ending with a tunnel takes you through the side of the Diamond Head and right to the park entrance. Many people think Diamond head is a mountain with a peak but, in fact, it’s a geological tuff cone with a rim of peaks from settled ash making it shaped more like a doughnut or bowl. Once you enter the inside of the doughnut tuff cone via the tunnel you will find the inside area is flat, making for an easy start to your hiking adventure to the summit!

The inner area is beautiful with lush grass, brushy trees and a bunch of mongoose critters tunneling around. The hiking path is wide and paved all the way through this area, leading you up to the base of the outer rim. Once you reach the base you begin to climb the carved-out switchback trails in the side of the rim. Most of this smooth, carved path is lined with hand railings for safety, which is lucky because even I got distracted by the unique rock colors and textures we were passing by. After all, it is compacted ash that has been weathered down over the last few hundred years! These switchbacks go on for a good half hour and narrow at times creating a traffic jam from people who don’t climb as fast or are encumbered by children. The view during the climb is less exciting because all you can see is the inside of Diamond Head, it is the top of the outer rim that provides the grand, distant views.

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Once the switchback trail ends you are pretty close to the top but, to make the last leg of the journey you need to scale a narrow staircase with 80 steps. The top of the staircase leads you into a low ceilinged lookout den that is burrowed into the outer side of the tuff cone, an old military lookout facing the ocean to the west. From the lookout den you climb out onto the outer rim of Diamond Head and continue to climb up to the tower that was built just so tourists could get the topmost view.

At this top view you see all of Waikiki Beach lined with the tall resort buildings competing for a bit of the white sand beach and an ocean view, the rest of the city of Honolulu sprawled out behind it, the West half of the Pacific Ocean and an overview of Diamond Head itself. As if the view at the top wasn’t enough, you also get a stamp on your park map that says “you made it to the top!”

Once we made it to the top we stood in the welcome breeze taking pictures and drinking in the views. There were plenty of lookout points and people were patiently waiting for their turn for their iconic picture spot while observing the views and appreciating the perfect location for a military fortress. Once you have drank in all you can, you do have to go back down the same way you came up which is easier but still quite slippery!