There are many Hiking trails and Hikes in Hawaii. Whether you're a super athlete or a non-athletic beach relaxer, Hawaii offers hikes for everyone. Quite easy hiking trails, through State Parks, where you can see Waterfalls or even hikes, where it is possible to camp, can be done on the Hawaiian islands. Today, I would like to share the most beautiful hiking tours on Oahu with you.
Lanikai Pillboxes (Kaiwa Ridge)
Address: Kaelepulu Drive, Kailua, HI 96734 USA
- The ascent takes about 2 hours with both pillboxes
- Difficulty level: Medium
- Be sure to bring sunscreen and a cap. There is no shade there!
The start of the Pillbox Hike
You will reach Kaelepulu Driveby car and you should see the Mid Pacific Country Golf Club sehen. Hier bitte nicht parken, da es hier sein kann, dass euer Auto abgeschleppt wird. Die Golfer sehen es hier nicht gerne, wenn die Touristen hier ihr Auto abstellen, um sich zu sonnen oder zu wandern 🙂 Ihr könnt an der Straße in den anliegenden Wohngegenden parken, einfach an die Seite stellen. Bitte Einfahrten freilassen! Hier parkt man übrigens am besten auch, wenn man zum Lanikai Beach. There are such great houses to admire here, take a look around.
A colourful sign saying Pillbox Hike shows you that you are at the right place. The climb is short but very steep from the beginning. After about 10 minutes, you arrive at a beautiful viewpoint already, where you can take great photos of the Mokulua Islands. It continues uphill steeply and sometimes you have to hold on to a bush or a stone. After 30 minutes, you reach the first pillbox. The pillboxes are still from the second world war. They were used to seeing incoming ships or shooting at them directly from above. You can also climb inside the pillboxes for more great photo shots and ideas.
The view at Lanikai Beach with the Moke Islands and on the other side fields, meadows and mountains are simply priceless. A beautiful 360-degree view, wow! You can already see the second pillbox from here and reach it in another 15 minutes.
On the way down it is a bit slippery sometimes because it is so steep. It is best to walk sideways and hold on to a tuft here and there 🙂 It is necessarily to cool down at the Lanikai "the beach" afterwards.
Diamond Head Trail
Address: Diamond Head Road at 18th Ave, Honolulu, Oahu HI 96815
- The ascent takes about 1-1.5 hours
- Difficulty level: Medium
- leave early because of the sun. Many tourists hike here, it can be crowded.
Waikiki Beach from above
You start your hike from the parking lot of the Diamond Head State Monumentwhere a 5 Dollar Park Fee bezahlen müsst. Der Weg geht über den Parkplatz zum richtigen Offroad Wanderweg. Nach ca. fünfzehn Minuten erreicht ihr den ersten Aussichtspunkt, an dem ihr nochmal kurz pausieren könnt.
You have a great view of the east side of Oahu from here. If you continue and you will reach the first stairs, 74 in total before it gets dark. A tunnel that dates back to World War II leads you to the next 99 steps. When you reach the top, it's only a short walk up a spiral staircase to the top of the volcano crater rim. Finally, you are at the top 🙂 You have a beautiful view over the volcano from here. Waikiki Beach with its skyscrapers, forests, mountains and beaches. You can also see the lighthouse.
Koko Head Crater Trail
Address: 7802 Koko Head Park Rd, Honolulu HI 96825
- The ascent takes about 1-2 hours
- Difficulty: Medium - has it all 🙂
- wobbly bridge must be crossed
Koko Head is located opposite Hanauma Bay, a paradise for colorful fish and a top spot for snorkelers aus aller Welt, an der Südküste Oahus. 1048 Stufen bringen euch hoch zum Gipfel des Kraters. Es sind jedoch keine Treppenstufen, die ihr steigen müsst, sondern alte Bahngleise über die ihr lauft. Der Koko Head Trail wurde vor 60 Jahren gebaut, um Lebensmittel und Waffen mit Munition zum military bunker at the top. After 500 steps, approximately, at the halfway point, you will arrive at a bridge that you will have to cross. The view down from the bridge is quite a thrill! 🙂
For the steps of the old railroad sleepers, you must try to find a rhythm while walking because they do not all have the same distance. This is a bit exhausting. But once you reach the top, you'll be rewarded with an incredible view of almost all of Oahu. See Hanauma Bay from above, Sandy Beach with its high waves, Diamond Head and Waikiki.
Which hikes have you already done in Hawaii? Which one is your favourite? Let me know and I'll report about it in my blog.
