Diamond Head Hike...

During our stay in Honolulu, I was determined to go do the Diamond Head hike. I had heard the reviews and seen photos of the amazing views so knew I needed to get myself up there. Having read the reviews, we set out a little after 7 and were there and hiking before 8 - it gets hot fast, and was already really busy, with several people already coming down from the summit.

Getting to the base of the hike was a walk in itself. We bussed it from Waikiki to the Kapiolani Community College. From there, it was about a 5 minute walk along the road to the driveway entry for the state monument. You walk about 10 minutes up a hill and stop in a small lookout car park and see this:

View of the sunrise by Waialae.

After stopping here for photos and water (the sun is hot, remember), you walk through a tunnel into the crater where you pay your admission ($1 per pedestrian, $5 per car load). You then walk across the car park and up to the base of the hike. The beginning of the hill is up a paved road so is pretty easy, and there are toilets and a vending machine before you get started.

The tunnel you may just be able to see in the hillside leads cars and pedestrians into the car park from the main road. 

 The paved pathway quickly turns into an unpaved, rocky, dirt path, and you walk and walk and walk and you drip with sweat and you walk some more, around twists and turns, ensuring you keep right to let people coming down get past, stopping at one or two lookouts on the way up. Just when you think you're nearly there you have to walk through a really dark tunnel. You then think you're surely there, and then you hit a steep set of steps. After you haul yourself up these, you turn another bend and there is an even steeper set of stairs greeting you. To the left is apparently an easier option but it's apparently longer, so you clap a few times to motivate yourself and, after a giant swig of water, you haul ass up to the top of these steps. Then you turn the corner and you have a spiral staircase and then you duck under a ledge and you finally get to the top when you don't see the view. You wipe the sweat pouring off you, air out your sopping wet t-shirt, and collapse against a railing to finish your water. Then, and only then, you see this view:

 After a few minutes, you decide it's time to head back down. On your way down you are met by several parties of Japanese tourist of all ages walking up the mountain, many in sandals or thongs. Then, around a bend, coming towards you is a group of big burly men, RUNNING up the hill.

When you get to the bottom you see how far you walked. You take a photo which doesn't do it justice.

The summit is the tiny white speck you can see at the top of the first peak there - that is the platform you can stand on.

 The Diamond Head hike isn't easy. It's not super hard, but although I'm fitter than I was a year ago, I'm not the fittest out there. It's worth it for the great views at the top, but you definitely need to get there around 7 so it's not too hot - possibly earlier in the Summer. It's about 35-45 minutes to the top so allow 2-2.5 hours for a round trip from Waikiki. Bring plenty of water - I took a 600ml bottle as I was carting along all my photography equipment but I could have easily had a litre. It's a nice way to start a day and something completely different from everything else on offer in Waikiki/Honolulu. Just a tip - once you've done this in the morning, don't go spend the afternoon trawling the Ala Moana Center for 5 hours. Instead of shopping your heart out, go sit on the beach instead and relax!