Diamond Head, Hawaii Information
Diamond Head, Hawaii lies at the southern edge of Waikiki. An extinct volcanic crater and tuff cone, Diamond Head was the site of a luakini heiau, an ancient ceremonial structure dedicated to the war god and used by the ancient Hawaiians for worship and human sacrifice. Originally called Leahi by native Hawaiians, the feature became known as Diamond Head in 1825 when British sailors mistook some volcanic calcite crystals for diamonds.
Diamond Head is part of the complex of cones, vents, and their associated eruption flows that are collectively known to geologists as the Honolulu Volcanic Series, eruptions from the Koʻolau Volcano that took place long after the volcano formed and had gone dormant. The Honolulu Volcanic Series is a series of volcanic eruption events that created many of Oʻahu's well-known landmarks, including Punchbowl Crater, Hanauma Bay, Koko Head, and Manana Island in addition to Diamond Head.
Known to be the most famous crater in the world, Diamond Head Crater Hawaii is definitely a place to visit when you're in Hawaii. Located on the island of Oahu and just above Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head Crater is host to thousands of visitors who the trek to the peak of the crater to look down on Waikiki and Honolulu, HI. The entire state park encompasses over 475 acres and offers breathtaking views of Waikiki Beach, Honolulu and the coastline. The volcano was formed over 300,000 years go during one single explosion that cemented together forming the crater itself.
Diamond Head is a defining feature of the view known to residents and tourists of Waikīkī alike. The volcanic cinder cone is a United States State Monument. While part of it serves as a platform for antennas used by the U.S. government and is closed to the public, the crater's proximity to Honolulu's resort hotels and beaches makes the rest of it a popular destination.
A 0.75 mile (1.1 km) hike leads to the edge of the crater's rim. Signs at the trailhead say that the hike takes 1.5–2 hours round-trip, and recommends that hikers bring water and flashlights. Although not difficult, the signs also say that the hike is not a casual one: the mostly unpaved trail winds over uneven rock, ascends 74 steps, then through a tunnel and up another steep 99 steps. Next is a small tunnel (hence the flashlight) to a narrow spiral staircase (about 30 steps) inside a coastal artillery observation platform built in 1908. From the summit above the observation platform both Waikīkī and the Pacific Ocean can be seen in detail.
The volcano is a symbol of the worldwide recognition of the Hawaiian Islands; because of this, Diamond Head is widely used for commercial purposes (see Diamond Head (film) and Diamond Head (band)). Many souvenirs from Hawaii and surf shop logos around the world bear the volcano's distinctive silhouette.
Diamond Head, Hawaii lies at the southern edge of Waikiki. An extinct volcanic crater and tuff cone, Diamond Head was the site of a luakini heiau, an ancient ceremonial structure dedicated to the war god and used by the ancient Hawaiians for worship and human sacrifice. Originally called Leahi by native Hawaiians, the feature became known as Diamond Head in 1825 when British sailors mistook some volcanic calcite crystals for diamonds.
Diamond Head is part of the complex of cones, vents, and their associated eruption flows that are collectively known to geologists as the Honolulu Volcanic Series, eruptions from the Koʻolau Volcano that took place long after the volcano formed and had gone dormant. The Honolulu Volcanic Series is a series of volcanic eruption events that created many of Oʻahu's well-known landmarks, including Punchbowl Crater, Hanauma Bay, Koko Head, and Manana Island in addition to Diamond Head.
Known to be the most famous crater in the world, Diamond Head Crater Hawaii is definitely a place to visit when you're in Hawaii. Located on the island of Oahu and just above Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head Crater is host to thousands of visitors who the trek to the peak of the crater to look down on Waikiki and Honolulu, HI. The entire state park encompasses over 475 acres and offers breathtaking views of Waikiki Beach, Honolulu and the coastline. The volcano was formed over 300,000 years go during one single explosion that cemented together forming the crater itself.
Diamond Head is a defining feature of the view known to residents and tourists of Waikīkī alike. The volcanic cinder cone is a United States State Monument. While part of it serves as a platform for antennas used by the U.S. government and is closed to the public, the crater's proximity to Honolulu's resort hotels and beaches makes the rest of it a popular destination.
A 0.75 mile (1.1 km) hike leads to the edge of the crater's rim. Signs at the trailhead say that the hike takes 1.5–2 hours round-trip, and recommends that hikers bring water and flashlights. Although not difficult, the signs also say that the hike is not a casual one: the mostly unpaved trail winds over uneven rock, ascends 74 steps, then through a tunnel and up another steep 99 steps. Next is a small tunnel (hence the flashlight) to a narrow spiral staircase (about 30 steps) inside a coastal artillery observation platform built in 1908. From the summit above the observation platform both Waikīkī and the Pacific Ocean can be seen in detail.
The volcano is a symbol of the worldwide recognition of the Hawaiian Islands; because of this, Diamond Head is widely used for commercial purposes (see Diamond Head (film) and Diamond Head (band)). Many souvenirs from Hawaii and surf shop logos around the world bear the volcano's distinctive silhouette.
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