Diamond Hiking Tours?

Old May 12th, 2009, 10:34 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Diamond Hiking Tours?

Thoughts about paying for transportation to and guided tour up to the DH crater? We won't have a rental car - so would taking the bus to DH put us at the same place to start the hike as these tour companies? Trying to decide if the $$ is worth it to take the guided tour.
rksh is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 11:02 AM
  #2  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Topic should read Diamond HEAD hiking tours - such as Oahu Nature Tours, etc. Sorry!
rksh is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 11:56 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,896
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't know about guided tours. We (7 of us) went to ride The Bus to the entrance ($2 pp, $1 over 65 with Medicare card), and a limo stopped and offered to take us and bring us back for the price of the bus fare.

It's better to go early before it gets too hot. The hike is not long, but it's fairly steep in places and with some steps to climb. My husband and I were 70 and followed somewhat behind out kids. A young woman passed us and then came back to congratulate us on doing the hike. I jokingly told DH it is bad enough to get older without having young sprouts congratulate you on it!
carolyn is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 12:11 PM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Funny, Carolyn! So where you were dropped off by the limo is where everyone starts the hike? Would this be where the bus drops off too? I was wondering if the tours place you further up, making the climb shorter.
rksh is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 12:16 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We just did the Diamond Head hike last week. It's short (about 1/2 hoour-45 min. walk), and fairly steep as carolyn said, and offers a nice view, but otherwise, there is just nothing special about it (other than having said you've done it). There is no way I would pay someone to take me there -- there's nothing there that you need a guide for. It's just a zig-zag walk up to the top, and look out at the view. FWIW, there are a lot of steps to climb. I'm in decent shape and still had to stop and catch my breath from time to time. We didn't go very early (although we knew we should have) -- I think it was late morning. There were plenty of people there even then.
sf7307 is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 12:38 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh, we saw people walking up from the bottom (where I guess the public bus lets you off), but also saw a stop for I think a tram much closer to the parking lot, where the hike actually starts. It's a lot more work to walk up from the very bottom! You could just take a taxi (again, no guide needed!)
sf7307 is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 02:07 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks so much!!
rksh is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 03:18 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
rksh, if you're fairly fit, I highly recommend kayaking. We took the 4-hour "adventure" kayaking tour with Kailua Sailboards and it was awesome. The water is turquoise, you can see straight to the bottom, and warm, the beaches in the area are gorgeous (soft sand), really fun. Of course, the weather that day was sensational. We are a couple in our late 50s. The others in our group were mostly females in their late 20s and 30s (and one 20-something male who literally let his girlfriend do all the work).

http://www.kailuasailboards.com/kayaking.html
sf7307 is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 07:03 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do yourself a huge favor & rent a car on Oahu at least for one day.

You can see the island much, much better with a car.

By the time you pay for shuttles, cabs, buses & tours you can do on your own, you won't save any $$ by not renting a car.
dusty56438 is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 07:15 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
agree - no guide necessary, and rent a car on Oahu.
okoshi2002 is offline  
Old May 12th, 2009, 08:39 PM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the great advice everyone!
rksh is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
judilie
Mexico & Central America
1
Aug 17th, 2018 03:01 PM
Therese914
United States
6
Aug 19th, 2015 05:13 PM
panecott
United States
24
Sep 2nd, 2010 11:27 AM
travel99
Caribbean Islands
9
May 21st, 2007 07:02 AM
kopp
United States
4
Jun 29th, 2005 02:45 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -