Diamond Head Summit Walk in Honolulu, Hawaii

• Short, steep loop walk to the top of Diamond Head crater in Honolulu
• 1.6 mile (2.6 km) round trip with about 560 ft of elevation gain
• US$5 entry per person, reservation required in advance for everyone
• Toilets, water and parking at the start, plus a visitor information centre
• About 25 minutes by local bus from Waikiki, or drive and park at the crater

Quick facts

Getting there

We did this as a day out from the Royal Princess, which was docked in Honolulu for a couple of days. We bought a local bus card at a store before getting on, you cannot pay with cash or a card on board, the card is the only way on. It is cheap and simple once you have one. The ride out to the park entrance from Waikiki takes about 25 minutes.

From the bus stop you walk in through a short tunnel and along a road before you reach the visitor information centre. Entry is US$5 per person and you need a reservation in advance, we booked ours before we left the ship. There is plenty of parking if you are driving yourself, and toilets and water taps right there at the start. It was a hot day when we went, so we filled up our water bottles before heading up.

The walk

The Diamond Head Summit Walk follows a well formed path most of the way, with some genuinely steep sections and a fair few stairs toward the top. It is a good workout rather than a stroll, the track is not flat and you do feel it in the legs. There were lots of other people doing the same walk the day we went, it is a popular one and the path can feel busy in places.

Near the top the track becomes a small loop, with a couple of different lookout points to stop at before you head back down the same way you came up.

What you’ll see

The views from the lookouts at the top are the whole reason for doing this walk. Waikiki spreads out below, the Pacific stretches to the horizon, and the water was so clear even from that height that you could pick out the different shades of blue over the reef. Every lookout gives a slightly different angle on the coastline and the crater itself.

Who it’s for

This suits anyone reasonably fit who wants a decent workout with a big payoff at the top. It is not a walk for anyone after a flat, easy stroll, the stairs and steep sections rule that out. Families with older kids manage it fine, we saw plenty doing it the same day as us, but it is not a pram or wheelchair track.

When to go

Go early if you can. It gets hot fast once the sun is up, there is not much shade on the climb, and the path gets busier later in the day. Take water even though there is some at the start, you will want more by the time you are back down.

Important stuff

You need a reservation in advance to enter the park, this applies to everyone, not just drivers. Entry costs US$5 per person. There is parking on site if you are driving, and a bus service from Waikiki if you are not. Toilets and water are available at the start near the visitor centre. Check the current park rules for dogs before you bring one along. The path includes a tunnel, a stretch of road and genuinely steep, stair heavy sections, wear proper shoes.

My honest take

We had two days in Honolulu off the Royal Princess and this was one of the highlights. The bus card system catches a few people out, so sort that before you need it. The climb itself is steeper than photos make it look, but it is short enough that the effort is over quickly, and the views from the lookouts at the top made every step of it worth it. The water below really is that clear, it was one of those views that looks almost fake until you are standing there looking at it yourself.

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