Walk around Oahu (Diamond Head to Koko Crater)

by kenji SAITO on January 7, 2024

We had just hiked over 14 miles in the mountains last weekend, so why not walk over 14 miles this weekend?

Dillingham Fountain

Dillingham Fountain

Thanks to Jasmin and Lilia for dropping us off at the fountain that only operates from 6pm to 10pm to conserve water.

Kalakaua Avenue

Kalakaua Avenue

Chico trying to get up close and personal with the carp fish that are prized for their varied color patterns and can fetch upwards to $20,000 per fish with the desired characteristics prized by collectors.

Kalakaua Avenue

Kalakaua Avenue

Ferlino playing the free reed wind instrument that was developed in Europe with origins in China. Music to our ears.

Poni Moi Road

Poni Moi Road

Approaching the volcanic tuff cone that is roughly 500,000 years old and was given the name Le’ahi by Hawaiians due to the mountain’s shape that resembles a tuna’s dorsal fin. It also is home to the hardest hike on the island and the ghost of Christmas past.

Diamond Head Road

Diamond Head Road

Double reflections.

Makalei Beach Park

Makalei Beach Park

Chico, a practicing member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, looking to get his second one in the park that used to be private beach homes.

Diamond Head Road

Diamond Head Road

Walking on the eroded walkway fronting the beach.

Diamond Head Road

Diamond Head Road

Ferlino hanging off the railing.

Leahi Beach Park

Leahi Beach Park

Two monkeys hanging in the tree in the park that was once the Dillingham home.

Diamond Head Lighthouse

Diamond Head Lighthouse

Passing by the red beacon that keeps wayward ships from grounding themselves on the coral reefs. The original 40′ lighthouse was built in 1898 and was later replaced by the current 55′ structure in 1917.

Kuilei Cliffs

Kuilei Cliffs

Watching surfers riding the waves off Le’ahi or Diamond Head.

Kuilei Cliffs

Kuilei Cliffs

Chico making friends on the walk.

Kuilei Cliffs

Kuilei Cliffs

Hiding in plane sight, is this obscure bronze plaque that commemorates Amelia Earhart’s solo flight from Hawai’i to California in 1935.

Muriel Flanders Park

Muriel Flanders Park

Sitting in the shadow of Diamond Head, is this small spit of a park named after a local philanthropist.

Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park

Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park

Ferlino stopping at the park that was formerly called Fort Ruger Park. It was renamed in honor of the 19 sailors and soldiers that perished in the operation that was named after a hockey team.

Kahala Avenue

Kahala Avenue

Defying the sit-lie rule.

Kahala Avenue

Kahala Avenue

Somebody else was defying as well.

Kealaolu Avenue

Kealaolu Avenue

Teeing off for the annual Sony Open.

Aloha Island Mart

Aloha Island Mart

It seems on this island that everybody knows each other in the hiking community.

Waialae Avenue

Waialae Avenue

Approaching the intersection where H1 Highway ends and Kalaniana’ole Highway starts.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Some people stump for political views, while others stump for photo opportunities.

Aina Haina McDonald's

Aina Haina McDonald’s

We grabbed some happy meals with identical squishmallows at the first golden arches in Hawaii that opened back in 1968.

Calvary by the Sea

Calvary by the Sea

I heard this Lutheran Church is a popular venue for weddings.

Kawaikui Beach Park

Kawaikui Beach Park

Powered strictly by physical exercise and carbon dioxide. No stripped mopeds were abused or removed in the making of this photograph. So put your camera away mister bystander.

Paiko Drive

Paiko Drive

Mari entering the wildlife sanctuary that is also called Sand Point. The area was named after an early Portugese settler named Pico, whose name eventually became Paiko.

Paiko Drive

Paiko Drive

Looking out towards what British sailors called Diamond Hill in 1825 due to calcite crystals on the nearby beach. It was later changed to Diamond Headland and shortened to what most people call it today.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Pre-recorded message being played for our convenience. Many beach communities are being restricted by people outside of Hawai’i who want the land all to themselves and will go to great lengths and deception to keep it that way, which always results in friction between the locals and the newcomers.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

“Bushwhacking” our way through the small section of forested area.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Following the sandy shoreline.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

We soon ran out of dry sand to walk on and had to go barefoot to traverse the small channel.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

The rest of the group getting their feet wet.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Drying our feet on driftwood with background views of Koko Crater and Koko Head.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Fishing dog.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Some jumped.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Others got carried.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Are we in Hawai’i Kai? The Hawaiian land division of Waimanalo actually ranges from Kuli’ou’ou to Keolu Hills.

Maunalua Bay

Maunalua Bay

Looking out into the bay that was once home to a 523 acre fishpond that spanned from Kuli’ou’ou to Portlock. The British called it King George Bay when they landed in 1786, but the name never stuck.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Crossing over the bridge that is at the mouth of the Hawaii Kai Marina that was formerly called Kuapa Pond.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Chico wooing his third one in order to enter the highest heaven as taught by the FLDS. This one just got dead flowers thrown on the side of the road. I guess we know where she stands in the hierarchy of life.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Crossing over the pedestrian bridge as we passed somebody enjoying their solitary lunch.

Leonard's Malasada

Leonard’s Malasada

We stopped at Koko Marina Center for some sugar coated fried Portugese pastry. Thanks to Chico for the tasty treats.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Burning off the recently acquired calories as we walked up the hill.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

The group found a red beaked bird that had flown its wings for the last time. Endemic or invasive?

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay

Group photo at the entrance to the popular marine bay that was once the playground for Hawaiian nobility and is now limited to 720 people daily from the unrestricted highs of 10,000 visitors a day.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Leaving the Toilet Bowl as we approached views of Koko Crater and the rugged coastline.

Lana'i Lookout

Lana’i Lookout

Group photo at the popular scenic point. Is that a whale breaching offshore?

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Where is the sidewalk?

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Going underneath the spandrel arch bridge that was built back in 1931.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Descending down to the rugged coastline that was being battered by high surf.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Never turn your back towards the ocean.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Going through the lava tube that would spit us out back on the highway.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

The girls waiting for us to come back. No venturing off the beaten path for them today.

Japanese Fishing Shrine

Japanese Fishing Shrine

Group photo at the Umi Mamori Jizo shrine carved out of lava rock in 1940 that was dedicated to keeping fishermen safe from the often turbulent waters.

Halona Puka

Halona Puka

We walked out further to explore a hole in the rocks.

Halona Blowhole

Halona Blowhole

Watching the sea spray shooting out of the lava tube. In 2002, Daniel Dick decided to straddle the blowhole, despite warnings from bystanders and signs, the 18 year old was thrown in the air from the geyser and fell head first into the lava tube and drowned as a result.

Halona Cove

Halona Cove

Marco?

Halona Cove

Halona Cove

No Polo from the spit of sand that is also called Cockroach Beach.

Halona Blowhole

Halona Blowhole

We took a group photo at the popular lookout since the geyser show stopped.

Kalaniana'ole Highway

Kalaniana’ole Highway

Approaching the popular bodyboarding spot known to Hawaiians as Wawamalu. The shore breaks attract bodyboarders and bodysurfers but the beach also accounts for the highest incidents of water-related spinal cord injuries on the island, earning it another nickname, “break-neck beach.” This is also President Obama’s favorite beach and the city council tried renaming the beach after him in 2014. Luckily, the move gained no traction with the public.

Sandy Beach

Sandy Beach

Somebody was not getting enough airflow to lift off. Get a motorized one pal.

Kealahou Street

Kealahou Street

Tessa checking out her haul for the day: North Face cap, Korean sunglasses and a Japanese charm.

All pau

All pau

We reached our cars at the cul-de-sac and caught the sunburst behind us.

GPS Tracks

GPS Tracks

Our longest section of the perimeter walk stretched over 14 miles with a fun group. Post hike meal at Mama Pho, the less crowded of the Vietnamese restaurants.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Chico Cantu, Ferlino Carinio, Mari Saito, Tessa Bugay, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

Leave a Comment

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Wahinee01 January 18, 2024 at 2:07 pm

Oh nah, longest perimeter walk lol
So much fun tho, I scored big that day. Found all kind of name brands stuff. Finder’s keeper lol

Reply

kenji SAITO January 20, 2024 at 8:58 pm

Aloha Tessa,
Who says walking doesn’t pay?
Mahalo

Reply

Previous post:

Next post: