Diamond Head Beach Park

A great place to stop and enjoy a scenic overlook is Diamond Head Beach Park. A beautiful and peaceful spot near the Diamond Head Lighthouse, with plenty of street parking available, especially on weekdays. If you’re feeling adventurous, take the steep but safe paved pathway—with a firm railing—down to the beach. Along the way, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of the ocean and lighthouse. A walk east across the rocks gives you great views of the lighthouse from below. While popular with surfers, the beach was not crowded on our Wednesday morning visit. It was fun to watch them from the shore sitting on the warm sand. The water was refreshing, but be aware that the beach is rocky, so water shoes are recommended. There’s also a convenient shower station near the top of the pathway to rinse off after swimming or surfing. Whether you’re relaxing by the shore or admiring the scenery from above, it’s a wonderful place to unwind.

Great beach with great overlook. Have to walk maybe a 1/4 miles down to the beach. Paved path all the way down with handrails. Had to give -1 star just due to some spouts not working and homeless folks and stuff just lying around. They aren't in the way but it does affect a bit of the beauty of the park and overlook. If you can "overlook" that this is a must see visiting Hawaii. Just seeing locals surf in the distance and sailboat going by while with a wind blowing on you is a great feeling. Overall, check it out if you have a means of vehicle. Traveling this way on a bike or walking is tough since you do have to go uphill.

A much better experience than actually hiking Diamond Head. Weekday there was plenty of street parking. Absolutely gorgeous views with sparkling diamond rocks. It was not busy from a tourist perspective, but there was a large homeless population living nearby. Very little shade, but a nice paved pathway to walk from street level down to the beach.

It was beautiful. Great place for just stopping for overlook and see scenery and lighthouse. Or if you have more time and adventurous the paved walking path down to beach area is nice. But it's a steep walk back up so keep that in mind if small kids, out of shape or health issues. Also could be hard to keep kids safe if young bc of the rocks and holes. If stay at main beach area with sand probably ok. Lots of surfers were out.

Views so good you’ll forget your phone battery’s dying. Great spot to feel dramatic about life, snap a photo, and pretend you hike. Diamond Head lookout hits every time.

It’s Beautiful when we made to the top , worthy ! Long hike it’s narrow and stiff, could reserved online, bring a lot waters with you.

It's serene & beautiful. No restrooms at all. No water in shower head. No food / drinks nearby. No lifeguards.It's like a private beach that you can enjoy with coral reefs easily. Our kid got bee sting so better to carry sting spray & first aid kit.

Exhilarating hike taking about an hour but the view is well worth it. Make sure to book a block of time because the trail can be crowded.

A Must for a vacation in Honolulu. This hike was one of the many experiences that made me love Honolulu. You won't regret it--even a great experience for big families with kids.

Basically this beach is the one in Honolulu for those interested in surfing or even geology. Diamond Head Beach Park is located a little more than a mile from the Waikiki tourist crowds, and idiots. It may not be as photogenic as that one, but it still has some good scenery. Hard to get to because the roads are narrow. There's also not much room for parking. A few things to know before going here. It's not as popular as a place for tourists. This is of course located close to the famous Diamond Head crater, but this beach is much more uninteresting. Crazy thing is there's no bathrooms. Imagine a beach with no changing stations or any facilities whatsoever. Actually isn't that big of a park at two acres. The swimming isn't good because there's a coral reef that gets in the way, but it's a better place for snorkeling and surfing according to those who come here. Come to this more remotely located beach to have fun away from crowds. It's a pretty narrow beach so it's not for laying around and hanging. This is located next to the sea cliffs between Beach Road and the Diamond Head Lighthouse.

Parking is very limited and lot of people in the top portion of the park. The beachfront area was not crowded. Surf there if you are an advanced surfer.

This is a huge park it wraps around the end of the coast of Waikiki Beach. It makes a huge circle. This park has plenty of beaches and trees to have a picnic. There are people out walking their dogs. There are bathrooms on opposite ends of the park. There's parking around the outside of the park and in a few areas. There is parking stalls. The park is big enough. If you don't wanna hang around people, you can find a spot.

Don't get me wrong - this is a beautiful beach with lots of surfers! When I got to the beach after descending the stairs, I turned right. I walked all the way down to the end. I saw a number of nude and partially nude men. I saw one apparently nude man straddling another. I saw probably 7 gay guys there. I am thinking, may be some sort of homosexual gathering area. After witnessing this, I realized that the beach right next to this one (bordering where I saw the naked men) is called Kamasutra Beach Park.

Another beautiful little slice of paradise! Warm, silky sand, refreshing waves, salty sea air, and, of course, the welcoming sun! Go early in the morning to enjoy more private moments with less crowds, and venture to the far right-side of the beach, past a small stretch of lava to enjoy a lovely unofficially clothing-optional area as well (if that's your thing) Truly gorgeous and breathtaking and overall! Be careful walking down the small trail to the beach though, a little steep

Waited in line for more than an hour to get it and we had the date of our reservation wrong. The staff was kind and helpful. It was very hot. Take water. Fun for kids and adults.

It's an easy moderate fast hike in my opinion! A VERY hot hike compared to the other ones I've been to on island. Highly recommend going right when they open in the mornings. I would give it a 5/5 if it wasn't so packed! But that's expected going to the most popular hike on Oahu. Nonetheless really fun, done in under an hour !

Another beautiful beach. Be sure to catch the sun rise. Grab a picnic and spend the day. The waves were not overwhelming when we were there. Nice views.

Gorgeous peaceful beach and park, wonderful place to come and watch the sunset, swim, relax and enjoy living In Hawaii.

I have lived in many places around the world from California, Oregon, Texas (twice), Australia, Hawaii, 3 times BUT, Hawaii is, by far, my favorite !!

Send one later never used before haven't been able to open yet going in two weeks will post whole tripe ratings then

Trail access to the park is heavily restricted until Fall of 2019 to do rock fall mitigation. Eastern entrance to the switch back trail is entirely closed to the public, and western access via Beach Road is partially restricted to local vehicles, but pedestrian traffic is allowed. For more information see the following city and county of Honolulu news release: http://www.honolulu.gov/cms-csd-menu/site-csd-sitearticles/1257-site-csd-news-2019-cat/33911-02-01-19-rockfall,-erosion-mitigation-project-beginning-at-kuilei-cliffs.html Diamond Head Beach Park/Kuilei Cliffs Park (is there any real distinction?) are a combination of a large open beach, an open shower to get the sand off, paved switchback trail down to the beach and a grassy open area above the cliffs. The park has decent summer waves for surfers, lots of open sandy areas, with excellent sunsets and decent sunrises. Lots of people fish from the shore, along with tourists and locals having beach picnics. Water is fairly calm near the shore and the sand is relatively fine, unlike parts of Cromwell's Beach further north. There's a fair amount of cover in the trees, but as always, wear sunscreen when you're at the beach. If you're lucky to be there during a good sunset, the lighthouse makes for spectacular photos. Beware of the homeless though as they've set up tents all over the area. No public bathrooms, but there is a fair amount of designated parking along the road.

So I was pretty much born and raised in the ocean. My dad was an avid shore fisherman and spear fisherman and he always made sure to keep his love for the ocean instilled in us kids. For me that translated into a life of catching waves, fishing and diving. When it comes to surfing, of the three places I'd consider my "home break", Diamond Head was one of them (the other two being Sandys and Aina Haina.) A couple of weeks ago I was in the water at Diamond Head to catch a few waves. I'm a bodyboarder but have generally been out of the water for awhile, just occasionally going in the water every now and then. I still use my old Custom X boards and Redley fins from the 90s and a longboarder noticed the old board. He must've been a bodyboarder too because he knew about the company and bodyboards in general. I mentioned to him that I bought the board in '97 and he giggled a bit and said "that board is older than me". Uhhhh...Lol. That surely made me feel old, hah. Anyway, Diamond Head is a really great area, not just for surfing but also for fishing and just a nice walk along the beach. There usually aren't too many people down near the water so it can be a nice quiet time getting some sun there. One last thing about surfing on that day I talked to the longboarder...later in the water I ended up injuring my leg, unfortunately I got a small tear in one of the tendons in my thigh, just another reminder that getting old is a mofo!

Our Blue Hawaii Photo Tours sunset tour guide Marie took us to this place for our sunset photos. Diamond Head Beach Park is a 1.5 miles from Honolulu Aquarium, past Kapiolani Park, past Makalei Beach Park, through Leahi Park, and through a posh residential area. The residential area ends, and the ocean appears. The entire area is right under the cliffs and mountain side of Diamond Head. Difficult to find, our tour operator thought she had the place to herself. She thought wrong. Turning down the narrow single lane road, up to a dozen vehicles can park next to the seawall. Only one spot open on this Saturday. Marie shows us that this is one woman driver can parallel park as well as any man. She backs up the van on the downward slope , and parks the 12 passenger van next to the seawall, with no more than two feet to spare on each end of the vehicle. On one side the ocean, and in the background, the mountain side of Diamond Head. Possible to hike the steep trail down from the lookup hundreds of feet above. Somewhere along the coast is a lighthouse. At 530pm, the sun is starting to set, with one of our camera group scrambling along the beach side next to the seawall to get a better shot. Hope high tide doesn't cut him off from the beach entrance at the end of the road! Don't think Marie will go out and rescue him! A few people wading in the shallow surf, with lots of smooth rock appearing under the surface, Couples on the beach wall, feet dangling, some eating fast food from take out boxes, some smoking despite the no smoking signs , boom boxes blaring Hawaiian music, all gawking at approaching sunset to the extreme right. The sun disappears on the horizon, with dark grey clouds approaching on this early February evening. It might be winter, but temperatures in the low 80s, and water temperature around 77 degrees. The seven of us get back in the van, while Marie does a series of motions to get the van turned around 180 in the tiny roundabout at the end of the road. No tour buses here, as they would have to back up the entire 250 feet along the narrow one lane road!

Been in here couple of times already. And as always t'was a great place to stop-by, staring its horizon with turquoise blue ocean will simply melt your heart, add its lovely sunset and your heart will gonna scream inside. LoL. ~ Went in here yesterday somewhere called the Beach Road, looking on the map I presume it's part of the Diamond Head Beach Park. Correct me if someone read this before giving compliment in this post. We had a photo shoot session for baby white car for some new business we are currently working. The scenery is almost to perfect except for this "No Aloha" humans existed in this world. Anyways, I always find this spot a meditative core in a short period of time while feasting my eyes of solemnity. Hopping from rock to another and just feeling free from the bustling place where I live in. ~ Make sure when you visit this part of the DHBP you are aware on those boulders above. Landslide may occur anytime so watch out for the falling rocks! ~ Mahalo & HAPPY JUANDERING fellow yelpers.

A little hike down but not to bad. Been on island for four years & it is nice & exclusive. Tons of surfers. There are little spots where you can get into the water but most of it is rocky. If your lucky you can catch the guy that tans in his thong all the time!!! He bakes out there #noshame

Good place to walk , not far from many hotels but lots of homeless campsites ,not bothersome just take up odd spots in the park or

Beautiful hike along the coast of Oahu. You will see hills to your left and ocean to your right as you start the hike. You can go for a two hour hike or a four hour hike depending on your stamina. Hike has a loop at the end, then you dead head it back to the start. Parking lot has room for about 20 cars at the trailhead.

A slice of paradise awaits you when you step foot at the Diamond Head Beach park. It's an extension of Waikiki Beach, as the shoreline extends itself up towards the Diamond Head lighthouse. It's a place where you would pass if you were not looking for it. The beach park isn't large in size, but it is a small oasis for anyone and everyone who loves a private audience with the ocean and mother nature herself. Most tourists usually hit the Diamond Head lookout to get spectacular views, but not sure if they know about the beach park nearby. On my most recent trip here, I started at Kahala Mall on foot and ended up stopping here for a break. I spent about 1 hour here before continuing on towards Kapiolani Park, which isn't far from the Diamond Head Beach Park. I enjoyed the fact that it seemed semi private here, although there were people coming and going from time to time. I arrived here around 8:00am on a recent Sunday morning in May 2020. The day was getting started and I was on my usual Sunday morning run. During my experience here at Diamond Head Beach Park, I ended up winding down here from my run (so far from Kahala Mall) and took in the beauty that the ocean provides every single day. Its not often that I visit the beach, but it was nice to be here and enjoy the outside - even with the pandemic in full swing. The overall experience here at the Diamond Head beach park was very nice and surreal. There's a couple of benches to sit on and have lunch or dinner here. Even snacks count here too. The main attraction is basically the ocean. Sunrises and sunsets here are always amazing here and is one of the many reasons one can come here to relax and unwind after a long day at the office, or to kick start the weekend. I enjoyed the scene very much. Nobody really to bother you, especially during these uncertain times. Just need to wear a face mask to cover your nose and moth and you'll be fine. The City and County of Honolulu Parks and Recs division keeps up this side of paradise and it's wonderfully maintained. There really is no shelter here to keep you from the elements though. Rain, wind, and the sun helps keep this place beautiful and amazing. Best bet would be to come here with food and enjoy yourself for a nice way to unwind and enjoy nature's beauty while keeping it real without spending money. Recommended if you are in the area to get your beach fix on. Diamond Head Beach Park is located near the entrance to Kapiolani Park and the entrance is on Diamond Head Road. It's physical address is 3300 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, 96815. Like all community beach parks, Diamond Head beach park does not charge an admission fee to get in. However, parking is a real pain here. Your best bet would be to park at Kapiolani Park and walk a couple of blocks to the beach park. You're likely need to pay for parking, but it's the best thing to reach the park. If you are like me, best bet would be to take bus routes 14, 19, or 20. They make a stop next to the Waikiki Aquarium / Kapiolani Park, but you'd probably need to walk it from there. In any event, however you come here, enjoying the waves and the great outdoors during this 2020 pandemic is one of the things that might be the best thing to do. 5.0 stars for the overall experience here. Enjoying the waves and freeing your mind from the world is amazing. Support local! A+

My husband and I took an impromptu beach trip closest to us, but we didn't want to stay at the beaches in waikiki. We stopped by here around sunset time and it wasn't too busy. The waves were pretty strong and seemed like a surfing/fishing beach. The sand leading into the water was pretty rocky. There are a lot of homeless people camped here as well along with their dogs running around the beach

Living on the island of Oahu, there are many beautiful soft sand beaches that surround the island and offer great access to well-known surf spots for locals and visitors, alike. I'm embarrassed to say that as a local-born, I don't swim! At least, I'll go into the water but not any higher than waist-high. Sorry, but, I have to be able to touch ground or keep my connection with the sand. As a landlubber, Diamond Head Beach Park is one of places where I can safely admire the surf from either street level in between the 3 Diamond Head Lookouts or walk down the paved path near the Diamond Head Lighthouse to add more terrain to my walking route. I often find myself sitting on the wall along Diamond Head Road to relax and eat lunch that I've gotten from Ono Seafood, Hawaii Sushi, Rainbow Drive-In or South Shore Grill. During a couple of recent stops, I was thrilled by several hang gliders who used the street level part of the park as a launching and landing area. You could hear some of them hooting and hollering with excitement as they took pictures from their helmet mounted GoPro cameras. One of them even asked me if I wanted to ride tandem with him. He could see my glee and excitement while watching the 5 other hang gliders who were already in air. I kindly declined as I had just finished eating a spicy ahi poke bowl. And, given my clumsiness, I probably would have dropped my phone while trying to take pictures. Alas, it was a kind offer that I've sort of kicked myself for not accepting. Oddly, I actually would have felt safer being up in the air than in the water! Well, maybe next time I'll be more spontaneous. But, in the meantime, I'll still stop by either along or after my walk to enjoy the beauty of our blue Pacific Ocean, cool breezes and listen to the soothing sounds of the waves below. #342

Goodbye to our loved ones. Goodbye to 2012. This is the last resting place for my father-in-law and his parents. He had three wishes before he died 1) full military honors, 2) to have his ashes scattered with his parent's ashes and 3) ashes scattered at Diamond Head. Option three was out as we read up on local laws which stated scattering of ashes on state or federal land was illegal in Hawaii but the ocean was OK, so the ocean it was, as it was for my friend's dad two years prior. The beach parking lot is up on Diamond Head Road, so it is a little walk down/up. We got there later so we had to park on the dirt and walk down to the beach carrying our surf boards, the ashes (quite heavy, surprisingly), towels, sand toys for the kid, lawn chairs, etc. Unlike a lot of other beaches, this beach is pretty rugged, which means no toilets and no life guards, tons of Kiawe (mean thorny trees and branches), strong currents and razor sharp rocks and coral. There is a small shower area to rinse off. Shade is very scarce so if you end up pitching your blanket under the Kiawe trees, be warned that you should not attempt to lay on the blanket due to thorns coming through the fabric and piercing your butt, put your lawn chairs on them instead. Because it was courtesy to scatter ashes far from surfers and other recreational water users, we had to paddle out very far, about a half-mile and past the reef line. The husband and I paddled on our boards and my cousin and her son swam out. The swim out was easy due to the currents. We gave our boards to my cousin and her son and we opted to swim back...which was a good thing, because we got caught in a rip current that took us 40 min to get back to shore and we are experienced swimmers that know the area. I would not recommend this beach for inexperienced swimmers, as deceiving as the water appears; flat, calm and glassy (in the winter) with a strong rip. There are a lot of razor sharp coral as well; we saw a surfer with a bleeding cut on his back. A few lucky people will encounter Monk Seals on the beach when they come to shore as evidenced by the park sign with Monk Seal sighting phone number. Despite the thorns, sharp razor coral and rip currents this is a very beautiful and sacred place. My father used to bring me here as a child for crabbing in the full moonlight. It was only fitting that we laid my father-in-law to rest here today with his mother and father. Goodbye to the Major, his mother and his father. Rest in peace. Goodbye to 2012.

Good spot for those who love the ocean. Surfers, Longboarders, SUP'ers, Windsurfers, and Bodyboarders all share the waves here. Its a pretty far paddle out, but once you get into the line up, its all good. Wear lots of sunscreen, there aren't many spots with shade there....ALOHA!!!

This beach park is great for surfing and body boarding, I like coming to walk up and down the beach for exercise. During the week day I'm sometimes the only person on the beach. Note: because it's down aways, it's a bit of a hike up in case you are out of shape. Also, sometimes Cel is out of range, so you may want to let anyone who may want to be in touch know ahead of time. Also, If you are staying in Waikiki, Diamond Head side, this is a walkable distance if you want to get away from a crowded waikiki beach.

I'm surprised there aren't more tourists up here and there aren't more reviews. One of the most picturesque sights in the world, if you ask me! Drive up Kalakaua onto Diamond Head Rd. and as you come up around the big curve, you'll see a parking and viewing point. You gotta stop there on a sunny day -- heck, stop there on a rainy day even! The views are spectacular, plus you get to admire the better-than-average surfers brave the reefs below for that perfect swell. On this particular day, there was a kayak race from Molokai going by, so more reason to hang out longer! We always stop by for our photo op. Its becoming a tradition.

One of the best hikes in Hawaii. You can start anywhere between Kapiolani Park and Triangular Park at the corner of Diamond Head Road and Kahala Ave around Diamond Crater. Or you can just hike Diamond Crater and stroll down Monserrat Ave or Waikiki and visit all the eateries and shops and end up in Kapiolani Park. Beautiful views, scenery and history. The best time to visit is early in the morning before sunset or late afternoon before sunset and then head down to Waikiki for breakfast or dinner.

No Filter, one of my favorite beach in Honolulu. A big tourist attraction. Highly recommend by local to go here. The water is warm. Beach is calm at some area, some can be fairly rough. Next time I will go during sunrise and enjoy the slow pace life of Hawaii

We decided to enjoy our poke we just bought at Ono's at Diamond Head Beach Park. Awesome decision. Enjoying poke on the beautiful, calm, quiet beach (not crowded at all, only one other group besides ours!) hella beats cramming in a table in front of Ono's.

This amazing beach provided THE best place to watch the 2010 Autumn Equinox. Why? This beach on the the south edge of the island gave me the opportunity to view the sun and the moon on one horizon! Even around 6:29pm (This was the exact sunset time on the equinox) I was able to find a parking spot in a hurry (The sun was setting and the moon had already risen!). There is an average paved downhill path to the beach from the parking. Fresh water rinses available at each end of the path. Sand was ehhhh. On the gravely side for me. Lots of stuff in the sand, but seemed quiet enough! Would definitely check this beach out if I were trying to avoid Waikiki at all costs. Lots of surfers were coming and going. Lots of joggers as well. And of course, a crazy gal running around taking tons of pictures of a seemingly average evening. This amazing phenomenon happens once every 20 years and I hope to back at this same spot at that time.

As for the lookout, it's scenic, tranquil, and calm, except for the crashing waves you see at shore (love that sound!). Ideal for picture taking. The first time we came over to check it out, was summer of 2007. The next time, we took some nice pictures here (we asked a stranger to snap it for us); it was sunny, bright, and clear. It was a little windy, though (bring a sweater). Recently, on our last trip to the island (2/12), we had some time to kill, before our next destination, so we went here again, but got to spend more time here. Enjoy the view, take it all in, the beauty of this vista point. Ample parking lot, small shower area to rinse off, a trash can, a warning sign (no lifeguards here), and steep decline (don't wear heels here, just a word of advice). If you get here in the morning, there is considerably less people here. This also ensures a parking spot. Also, watch for lots of runners in the area. As for the beach, there is a wide stretch of of soft, clean, white sand with a couple of lava rock areas. I discovered lots of beach glass here. There were a few people here (as well as one fisherman and a couple surfers) the morning we visited, but way less than the popular Waikiki Beach. It was nice to spend that time here (I love beaches). I beach-combed while my husband took lots of pictures (some shots taken on "vibrant" mode made for nice pictures). Sadly, there were a couple memorials, as well. Remnants of a bonfire was also on the beach, but there was no trash (until we walked back up the ramp). I can't comment on the condition of the water, because we didn't swim here.

Tourists tend to go to Waikiki because of the tourist hotel proximity, but it is infested with a number of people swimming. If you want to surf some great waves, head to Diamond head. Park around the road. There is plenty of parking depending on when you arrive to the beach. Do not bring any valuables but any beach that you surf, you should never bring anything but your car key in your pocket or however you store it. To enter the beach, a number of paths can be found to walk down to the beach. Then, just chill and search for the channel to swim out to catch some legit waves. Look out for reefs. The waves come in sets. Just be patient. And if you decide to surf at sunset, you will be able to see a beautiful sunset with the lighthouse in the background.

This is by no doubt, a wonderful place to look at the ocean from the lookout or from the down below on the sand. Whether it is morning, mid-day, afternoon, or evening (or even at night), you are guaranteed a spectacular view. For me, I happened to go right around an hour and a half prior to sunset and it was wonderful. This is a great place for taking photos. You can also see the Diamond Head Lighthouse and the Diamond Head Crater.

There is so much that I love about this beach. The fact that it does not get too crowded most of the time. The fact that the sun beams down on you (unless there are a lot of clouds) always since there are not a lot of trees. And the fact that there isnt a crazy shore break so one can peacefully wade in the water if they please. This is my go-to beach when I want alone time and this is my go-to beach with a couple of friends! I mean, Oahu is blessed with a billion gorgeous beaches. But since I live in Kaimuki, this beach is pretty convenient. The hike up/down might be the worst part of it all, but it provides a wonderful view so I guess its bittersweet ;)

Diamond Head Beach is a nice place to look at the ocean, fat seals, and naked gay boys. That's about it. It's definitely a surf spot because I see a bunch of people walking up and down the ramp with surf boards, but I won't pretend to know if the waves are good here. I know that swimming is limited because there's a lot of reef around the beach. The first time I came here, I was in pirate mode and on a treasure hunt (literally). I was given two minutes to find an X on the beach, so I started running. As I ran, I noticed a half naked Filipino man walking behind me. I think the poor guy thought I was running away from him because later on he approached me and my friend and explained that a lot of gay guys come here to sun bathe and every once in a while, their penis will hang out and want to get a tan, too. It's absolutely harmless, but if you're deathly afraid of penises, you might want to reconsider going to this beach or at least the far end of it. The second time that I came here, my friend and I spotted a monk seal. These guys are easy to find, but please remember to keep your space and don't bother them with your human ape'ness. They're just there to chill like everyone else. Great photo op, though! The entrance to this beach is a little hidden from the roadway. If you're coming from Kapahulu, it will be past the light house. Look for a ramp to descend down to the spot. Hardly anyone comes here, so this is a great place to relax, grab some sun rays, and take in a good read.

Very clean pissoir at 7:43AM highly recommend After running and walking around diamond head a clean toilet is a fine find. The park is great too. Only sad thing is coach Ian and High Town fitness (Cross Fit HTF) don't train here no more. Those were the days. g

My first review of 2011 is at this beautiful beach on the south shore of Oahu!!! It is such a peaceful place! I ventured out here on a 3 1/2 mile walk from my home passing the crowded beach of Waikiki to the remoteness and peacefulness that is Diamond Head State Beach. The waves are calm, the sand is thick and powdery. You won't find too many tourist here. You will find mostly locals that partake in surfing and sail boarding. This is the perfect place to just relax. It is also a great place to watch the sunset! Although the walk is long, it is very nice. You walk from busy Waikiki and pass the Aquarium and Kapiolani Park turning down Diamond Head Drive. Just pass the lighthouse you will see a small lot where people can park their cars. Walk down the trail and there you will have the beautiful beach. The beach is also good for running. You can run from one end to the other. I believe it is about a good half mile.

I'm reviewing this beach from a tourist's point of view. We went here hoping to have a nice walk on the beach and were also hoping to have a swim. However, this isn't the best beach for either of those--although it looked really popular with surfers. The beach is removed from the road down a steep hill. There are a lot of warning signs about strong currents and undertow, so this is clearly not a place for swimming. We saw a lot of surfers going to hit the waves, which were a lot higher than the beach in Waikiki. The beach had a lot of seaweed on it, and the sand wasn't as soft or clean as at some of the other beaches on the island. So if you want to surf, this looked like a great place for it (we saw about 20 surfers in the water from where we were), but for walking or swimming, there are nicer beaches around. It was definitely not worth the half hour walk from Honolulu!

Yelp 31 Challenge: 8/31 Whenever I'm feeling a little sad or melancholy I cheer myself up by remembering that I live in the MOST FAN_FREAKING_TASTIC place on Earth! Then I grab a suit and a towel and hit the beach!!! Never had I stopped to enjoy a day soaking up the sun at Diamond Head Beach Park so when the roomies were feeling like going for a jog, we worked out a brilliant plan! I would drop them off at the end of the Ala Wai and then they would make the run up to Diamond Head Beach Park and cool off in the water. Perfect plan!! The beach is so tranquil and the waters were plenty fun for boogie boarding and surfing. There were tons of Kite Surfers and Windsurfers out too but the beach remained a tranquil refuge for me to fill myself with nice ocean air, taking in the sounds of the waves playing on the sand...ahhhhh! Heard that this used to be a "clothing optional" beach back in the day...didint see much of that but I did feel free enough to untie and let the sun fix those pesky tan lines :)

Great little stretch of beach just far enough from the resorts that it's not crowded at all. Popular spot for surfers to watch and a decent spot to watch the sunset.

Diamond head is a pretty great surf spot in town. You got the inside break for people learning. You have cliffs for the longboards and lighthouse for the shortboards and everything in between. The few times of the year when the wind isn't howling it can get very good. North shore good. It isn't very good for swimming because of all the rocks and reef all the way up to the beach. There are the occasional divers and fishermen. I don't think I've ever seen anyone catch anything though. There is a local monk seal that likes to take a nap on the beach every now and then. Pretty cool sight to see. There is a lot of parking along both sides of the street. There are showers but no bathrooms and it can be a bit of a hike to get down to the water.

Diamond Head Beach is a type of park that defies swimming. It has a long shelf of reef and rocks that is wonderful to be in for about 10 minutes. Then one realizes that the water is shallow. You can see reef fish go by. There are surfers in the distance. There are issues concerning parking and the walk down to the beach. It is a surfer's beach not so much a swimmer's place. There are showers. There are lookout points if you just want to watch the surfers go in and out.

The Hike is great, totally worth the views. Get there early to avoid the heat and the masses!

This place is awesome! It almost reminds me of Southern California a little bit because the beach is right next to a high cliff, but the water is so warm and so nice for a swim. It's a little rocky, but there are some amazing places to get in and go for a swim. Overall an awesome beach near town!

Great quiet beach on the back of diamond head. There were very few people on the beach. It is Monday morning though, so not too surprising. We passed some people doing yoga and a lot of surfers coming in and out. It was fun to watch the windsurfers, the sup's and the surfers who were out. It looked like great surf. There were a few sandy spots to play in, but the ground was mostly coral. Good showers at the bottom of the beach access.

Absolutely beautiful view of Honolulu and the island from all directions and worth the walk up. The last few steps are tough if you are not physically fit though -- a 75 stair step up followed by a 100 stair walk, (all short baby steps), and "circle stairs" up for the final steps. Make sure to bring a camera up here, it's spectacular!

I'm giving this beach park 5 stars as a place to go watch the sunrise in Oahu. We did see plenty of surfers and wake boarders in the water, so it seems like it would be great for that, as well as swimming. If you're staying in Waikiki, this beach is about two miles down the road and while not quite off the beaten path (there's a popular running path above it), it is much more secluded than Waikiki. We had the perfect spot for watching the sunrise and it was a nice walk from our hotel at 6am. The walk there was easy and relaxing and lots of good scenery to take in along the way. The beach park is down a little hill from the main road, so you will definitely get some peace and quiet on the beach. Besides the top of Diamond Head, I can't imagine a better place to watch the sun rise on Oahu.

We love this beautiful park! No crowds, just a handful of people sharing the space. If you want serenity, set up your picnic blanket.

I really like Diamond Head Beach. Although it is on the opposite end of where I live, I like this location because its normally not too crowded (unless there is a nice swell then parking can suck). I have surfed here multiple times. I'm not that good of a surfer and its super nice since there is a beginner area all the way up to really good surfer area. Let's just say I was all gung ho a long time ago, went on a pretty big day, and a reef sticking out of the water was very close to my noggin after getting into the washing machine of a wave. Since that day, I now stick to the beginner amateur side as I want my head and face to stay in tact. Anyways, there is long stretch of beach to chill. Even if you go on the weekend its not that busy. I take issue with Waikiki and Ala Moana beaches as it is always ridiculously busy on the weekends so if you are on this end check Diamond Head out instead. Junk thing is there is no bathrooms but they do have showers. Super nice beach to relax.