Are fiery volcanoes and luscious lava spitting mountains your
thing? Then Diamond Head Crater, located on Oahu off the
Southern-Eastern coast towards the edge of Waikiki Bay is sure
to provide enough excitement for your next Pacific Ocean voyage!
That's because Diamond Head is one place that is not only the
most photographed volcanic caverns in the globe but also a
large, imposing and historically significant site on Waikiki
Beach that has experienced a fair share of explosive activities
ever since it was first discovered in the 1700's by English
seafarers.
Though the geological origins of the Diamond Head Crater are
actually quite modest, in terms of the cinder cone form it
started off as, and its shape given to it by the explosive
eruptions it went through over a million years before, it is a
hot-spot for Hawaiian travelers, often mislead like the original
British seamen who thought it a site for diamonds because of the
crystals of Calcite they'd found gleaming in the sun.
However, the local name for Diamond Head is "Le'ahi"; it means
brow of the Tuna yellow fish the Hawaiians thought its form
resembled. It measures a huge 761-foot - and that's something,
even by big crater standards anywhere - wouldn't you agree?
The site is accessible by a road leading up to the gate of the
monument, which is a short walk away from the breath-taking view
of the coastline and cityscape of Waikiki beyond it. The walk is
a stiff one, therefore challenging for those who are not
physically fit or even for seniors.
Practical suggestions for all visitors to Diamond Head Crater
include carrying drinking water, applying sunscreen lotion (its
really hot up there) and visit the restroom at the base of the
climb, since this is the only public facility available on the
site and also the only place where one can pick up a paid
brochure info for relevant tourist-friendly data.
The Diamond Head Crater hike is a famous one, offered by many
different tour groups in Hawaii but a rather difficult one, and
sometimes, tourists may have to negotiate careful paces,
side-stepping lava.
However, for the major part of the trail leading up to the
Diamond Head Crater, there is adequate support provided by rows
of benches and handrails that run along the length of the approx
1.5 mile round-trip one is required to make; the site is
maintained mostly by the state government. If you are resting
your feet for a bit while on the hike up to the site, you can
glimpse beautiful red-topped Brazilian cardinals that are found
aplenty among the natural foliage surrounding Diamond Head
Crater – if you are lucky.
On reaching the summit, you'll find two tunnels that tourists
need to walk through in order to reach the very top so guides
advise visitors to carry flashlights and wear sensible hiking
shoes.
After a series of step climbing, one gets the panoramic view of
the whole of Oahu and a short walk ahead, one can take in
various historical sights, such as pillboxes besides gun
emplacements from World War I and II.
For more insights into a fun, educational, hot (literally so)
and happening visit to the most-photographed crater, you can
also book a professionally guided tour to Diamond Head, and take
in archaeological, geological and historical knowledge bytes
given by the tour guides besides of course, enjoying the
immense, natural beauty of the turquoise sea below you.
