Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [109]
Blue Line (Ocean Coast Line) Starts at DFS Galleria Waikiki, runs along Kalakaua Ave to the Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, Diamond Head, Kahala Mall, Koko Marina Center, Hanauma Bay (photo-stop only – no disembarking), Halona and Makapu′u Lookouts and Sea Life Park. Trolleys run hourly from 8:30am to 6:15pm; the entire route takes three hours. An express service to Diamond Head runs four times daily.
Pink Line (Ala Moana Shopping Shuttle) Starts at DFS Galleria Waikiki, runs along Kalakaua Ave, loops around Kuhio Ave to Ala Moana Blvd past the Hilton Hawaiian Village to the Ala Moana Center. Trolleys run every 10 minutes from 9:30am to 9:45pm (to 7:45pm Sunday); the entire route takes one hour.
Yellow Line (Local Shopping and Dining Line) Loops between Ala Moana Center and Ward Centers every 45 minutes from 12:30pm to 7:45pm (to 7pm Sunday); the entire route takes 45 minutes.
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SOUTHEAST COAST
You can pretend to be the star of your own movie on O′ahu’s most glamorous stretch of coastline, starting just outside Waikiki. Cruise past the mansion-filled suburbs of Kahala and Hawai′i Kai along the Kalaniana′ole Hwy (Hwy 72), a serpentine coastal drive that swells and dips like the sea itself as it rounds Koko Head, formed by volcanic activity about 10,000 years ago.
The snorkeling hot spot of Hanauma Bay, hiking trails to the top of Diamond Head and the windy lighthouse at Makapu′u Point, and O′ahu’s most famous bodysurfing beaches are just a short bus ride or drive from Waikiki. Save time for the coast’s more hidden delights such as billionaire Doris Duke’s former mansion – a world-class trove of Islamic art – and a fragrant botanical garden hidden inside a volcanic crater.
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DIAMOND HEAD & KAHALA
A massive backdrop to Waikiki and the wealthy Kahala neighborhood, Diamond Head is O′ahu’s best-known landmark. It’s a tuff cone and crater formed by a violent steam explosion long after most of the island’s other volcanic activity had stopped. Ancient Hawaiians called it Le′ahi and at its summit they built a luakini heiau, a temple dedicated to the war god Ku and used for human sacrifices.
Ever since 1825, when British sailors found calcite crystals sparkling in the sun and mistakenly thought they’d struck it rich, it’s been called Diamond Head. In the early 1900s the US Army began building Fort Ruger at the edge of the crater. They constructed a network of tunnels and topped the rim with cannon emplacements, bunkers and observation posts. Reinforced during WWII, the fort is a silent sentinel whose guns have never been fired.
Sights & Activities
DIAMOND HEAD STATE MONUMENT
This state monument (587-0300; pedestrian/vehicle $1/5; hiking 6am-6pm, last trail entry 4:30pm) is popular mostly for its hiking trail. The trail to the summit was built in 1910 to service the military observation stations along the crater rim. Although it’s a fairly steep 0.8-mile hike to the top, the trail is fully paved and plenty of people of all ages make it. The return trip takes about an hour; definitely bring water. The trail, which passes through several tunnels and up dizzying staircases, is mostly open and hot, so wear plenty of sunscreen too. The windy summit affords fantastic 360-degree views of the southeast coast to Koko Head and west to the Wai′anae Range. A lighthouse, coral reefs and surfers waiting to catch a wave are visible below.
From Waikiki, take TheBus No 22 or 23, which run twice hourly; from the bus stop, it’s a 20-minute walk to the trailhead. By car, take Monsarrat Ave to Diamond Head Rd, then turn right after Kapi‘olani Community College into the parking lot.
SHANGRI LA
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