Diamond Head Beach Park

Diamond Head Beach Park is a City and County of Honolulu beach park on the coast below the crater, makai (seaward) of Diamond Head Road, together with Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park and the Diamond Head Road lookouts above it. They are city parks, not part of Diamond Head State Monument, and need no reservation. The city closes Diamond Head Beach Park from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and the Kuilei Cliffs lookouts from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

City Beaches, Not the State Monument

The state monument covers the crater and its slopes; the hike starts inside the crater, entered from the inland side off Diamond Head Road. The shoreline below the seaward side of Diamond Head belongs to the city's Department of Parks and Recreation, which describes the cliff side of Diamond Head, makai of Diamond Head Road, as under its jurisdiction. Three city parks sit along it:

• Diamond Head Beach Park.
• Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park, including the Diamond Head Road lookouts at the top of the cliffs.
• Lēʻahi Beach Park.

None needs the state's Diamond Head reservation.

Hours

From the city's park closure list:

• Diamond Head Beach Park: closed 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Kuilei Cliffs (Diamond Head Road lookouts): closed 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Lēʻahi Beach Park: closed 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Getting Down to the Water

In 2019 the city described two beach access points on the cliff side of Diamond Head: one near the bottom of Beach Road, and a switchback foot path down the Kuilei Cliffs, with a shower at the top of the path. The city ran a rockfall and erosion project on both that year, with mesh fencing and anchors on the cliff. Paths can close for work or erosion; follow posted signs.

Restrooms

The city's daily restroom-cleaning list includes Diamond Head, Kuilei Cliffs and Lēʻahi beach parks. Check on site; this guide has not confirmed where each restroom is.

Swimming and Safety

This guide has not found a city page on lifeguards or ocean conditions at these beaches, so it does not describe them. Check ocean conditions and posted warnings before going in, and never turn your back on the surf.

Pairing It With the Hike

The beach parks and the lighthouse are on the seaward side of the crater, while the monument entrance is on the inland (Kaimukī) side, so most people visit them separately by car or on foot along Diamond Head Road. If you hike in the morning, the lookouts make a good second stop; see the lighthouse and getting there from Waikīkī.