It was a lazy Thursday morning and I got a call from my friend asking me if I
wanted to join her for a small hike to Diamond Head? How could I say no to that?
I had nothing better to do and plus, Diamond Head hike is one of the most scenic
hike in Hawaii Islands. So I started packing some essentials and was ready to move
in no time
Diamond Head is one of the most recognized volcanic craters. Visitors travel
thousands of miles to have one glimpse of this beauty and it never disappoints. It
stands 760 feet over sea level and its more than 3500 feet wide. It is a lasting
remnant of a volcanic explosion that occurred about half a million years ago.
From the summit, you have some of the most panoramic views of Oahu.
We reached the national park by 11am and parked our vehicles there. The trail up
to the summit is around 1.5KM and ideally takes one and a half hour to reach the
top.
There are no facilities like water point during the hike so it’s wise to carry at
least two liters of water and some ready to eat food. I carry fruits and energy
bars. It was a bright and a sunny day like most days here! First half of the trail
winds up through the crater. It is an unmatched feeling to walk on an extinct
volcano very well aware of the fact that it would have been raging once upon a
time.
The trail switches constantly with one side on the mountain and sometimes
on iron staircases. Half an hour into the trek we come across a look out point and
we took a quick break and refueled ourselves.
The trail winds up steeply hereon. The trail goes through series of staircases and
tunnels. It is a very exiting trail to hike on! We made our way through a 225 feet
tunnel and came the last bit of the hike before the summit, a 99 steps staircase.
With one step at a time, we made it to the summit and we looked around at the
view of Oahu. It was breathtaking! We walked around taking a 360 degree view.
Slow breeze was blowing by and we relaxed for a bit. We could hear the waves
crashing below on the shore and it was so serene.
These are the moments when you feel lucky to be living in a place like this! Follow
on for more adventure. Cheers!