Honolulu, HI

When my wife and I want to go to an un-crowded beach right next to Waikiki, we head for the shores of Diamond Head. The iconic landmark of Oahu, Diamond Head is the extinct volcano on the east end of Waikiki. There are upscale neighborhoods such as Hawaii Kai that border the land side of Diamond Head, but the side that faces the oceans has some of the best beaches on Oahu’s south shore.

The entire shoreline fronting Diamond Head is ringed with beaches—some narrow and rocky, others wide and sandy, but all of which are accessible. To get there, you need to go up Diamond Head Road. There is a parking lot at the top of the road, but many times it is full—especially when the waves are good and there are lots of surfers out. My wife and I usually take the bus—the #14 from Waikiki lets us off right at the top of Diamond Head Road by the parking lot. From there, we walk down a well-marked path that leads to a steep dirt trail leading down the cliff to the beach. It is steep, but anyone can walk down it if they take it slow. We were carrying one backpack each, and a small cooler with drinks and snacks.

When we get to the bottom of the path and step out onto the beach (past the shower and drinking fountain that are there), we usually walk to the left (east). There is more beach to the right, too, but it tends to be narrower and rockier after the very wide part right away, which is the most crowded part of all the Diamond Head stretch of beaches.

My wife likes to collect pieces of beach glass as we walk along the beach. There is a lot of it here. We also sometimes see people bringing their dogs here, and windsurfers, kites, fishermen and just plain sun worshippers. Eventually we end up farther down the beach where there are few people. Up high on the beach, against the base of the cliff that leads up to Diamond Head Road, there are some trees that provide shade.

We like to go snorkeling here if the surf isn’t too rough. There are some cauliflower corals, humu humu trigger fish, and some larger game fish sought after by the fishermen. The beaches fronting Diamond Head run for several miles, and each little spot has its own characteristics. The best part about it is how few people there are on the beach, even though it is right next to Waikiki.

So head on out to the beaches of Diamond Head and find your own activity…or empty spot in the sand to relax.

Tips & info:
-There are no amenities on this beach except for the water fountain and shower at the base of the main trail from the top of Diamond Head Road, so whatever you want—bring it (and pack it back out with you—there are trash cans next to the showers)
-Wear sunscreen!
- From Waikiki, take the #14 bus
-Wear comfortable walking shoes for the path down to the beach—lots of people wear flip flops, but those are people who wear slippers all the time, so just make sure you wear shoes you can walk up and down steep, unpaved grades in
-Optional: surfboards, boogie boards, snorkel gear, fishing stuff, kite, camera, etc.