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Hiking in Hawaii
My husband and I are looking at the Best of Hawaii trip and plan on going in May, I see there is a lot of free time on this trip. Is it possible to go hiking when we have free time. I'd like to hike up to Diamond Head and also do some hiking when on the Big island of Hawaii. Any suggestions of good hikes would be greatly appreciated.
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There will be plenty of opportunities to go for a nice walk around town or on the beach, but you are unlikely to find people with suggestions for "good" hikes because (a) Tauck clientele are typically a bit older (60+), (b) despite free time, most tours are tiring, and people will want to rest, head to the beach or shop, and (c) private transportation will likely be necessary to get to trailheads, etc. the hotel on Oahu is in Waikiki and the one on the Big island is on the west shore north of Kona and quite a distance (hour and a half) from the volcanoes.
That said, I like to hike or bike during trip free time. OP, if you do find something, please post it here after your trip. This trip is on my radar for some time in the future. I'm all booked up through the end of 2020 :-)
I just booked this trip for May 2022 and bumping this thread in case the OP happens to still be reading or anyone else cares to comment (and thanks MCD, for the info you provided!).
My statement above about being all booked up until the end of 2020 din't quite turn out that way
You can hike up to Diamond Head. Do it in the morning. Take a cab up and if you are up to it walk back (downhiil!) Depending on your fitness it can be a little challenging. If you are coming in a day early, you can hike on the first day of the tour. You will have the morning free. You will meet the Tauck Director sometime in the afternoon and have dinner at night.
This is a great trip. You will enjoy it.
Thanks for the response, TravelGuy. I looked up the Diamondhead Summit Trail and it seems like a good choice. It's 1.6 miles out and back with a 560 ft elevation gain. Having hiked a Colorado 14er last summer, it shouldn't be an issue for me. (Then, a 2.5 mile walk back to the hotel.)
I'll be arriving in the afternoon on day 1, as there are no activities besides dinner at leisure. It appears the only free time for me will be on day 3, after returning from the outrigger, then a free afternoon/evening. The park allows visitor entry until 4 PM and it closes at 6 PM. Sunset in May is 7 PM, You suggest morning, but Is there a reason I shouldn't do it later in the day (besides higher temps)?
On Day 3 the Outrigger ride (don't miss it) lasted from 2 to 4 pm. They only had one outrigger and it takes some time to load/unload the four groups and catch two waves. You could ask to be in the first group then leave for the hike but everyone says to go in the morning.
We hiked diamond head on this tour a few weeks ago. Yes, better in the am as it will be cooler. This trail gets crowded, it is narrow in some parts , eg, hard for two people to pass each other and has plenty of uneven surfaces, just fyi. You'll also have time after Pearl Harbor, early afternoon. We walked to a Petroglyph Park near the Fairmont Orchid- not strenuous, but different and nearby. In Maui, there's a path that runs along the shoreline connecting some of the hotels.
Thanks, mazalea. We are at a different hotel in Maui (Andaz Maui Wailea Resort), but appears to be in the same general area.
BKMD--Congratulations ongoing to Hawai
i. The first trip is often not the last for people; so much to see and do. First to clear up a little confusion, the petroglyph park near the Fairmont Orchid is on the Big Island of Hawaii, not Maui. It is called the Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve. If you are also visiting the Big island, use Google Maps to locate your hotel and the petroglyph preserve; you may be within walking distance. I have visited the preserve several times, usually in the early morning. You often have the place all to yourself.If you get on the first outrigger trip you may have time for Diamond Head, as TravelGuy suggested. In the afternoon it will be hot, somewhat humid, in full sun, and crowded. Take plenty of water, a sun hat, and sunscreen. An alternative, which is literally a walk in the park rather than a hike, is to walk from your hotel to Kapi
olani Park and walk around the park near its perimeter. That would offer some shade, and would be a bit cooler. The book "Wind, Wings, and Waves: A Hawaii Nature Guide" includes a walking tour of the park, highlighting park trees and birds you may see. You won't have enough free time in Hawai`i to merit buying the book, but I can e-mail you a copy of the walking tour if you want.There are some forest trailheads not far from Waikiki. Makiki Valley and Manoa Falls come to mind. Getting to either via taxi would not be difficult, but getting a taxi to come up for your return trip might be a challenge, and they are too far from your hotel to walk back. (I have not visited either since the start of the pandemic, so I'm not sure of current conditions, hours, etc.)
Happy to try to answer any other questions you have. I don't live in Hawai`i but have been there many, many times.
BKMD--The Fairmont Orchid mentioned by mazalea is on the Big Island of Hawaii, not on Maui. The petroglyphs are at the Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve. If your trip include a stay on the Big Island, you could use Google Maps to see whether you are within walking distance of the preserve. There is some shade, but it will be quite warm unless you go very early in the morning.
As far as the Diamond Head hike, the reasons for avoiding the afternoon are heat, humidity, sun, and crowds. If you go in the afternoon, be sure to take plenty of water, a sun hat, and sunscreen. Another option is walking around Kapiolani Park, close enough to your hotel that no taxi is needed. It would be much less dramatic, but cooler and with some shade. The book "Wind, Wings, and Waves: A Hawaii Nature Guide" includes a walking tour of the park, highlighting various park trees and some of the bird species you might see. You won't have enough free time in Hawaii to merit buying the book, but I could e-mail you a copy of the walking tour section.
There are forest trails in the mountains edging downtown Honolulu. Two that are taxi-distance close to Waikiki are Makiki Valley loop and Manoa Falls. But it might be hard to persuade a taxi drive to come up there to get you after your hike. I have not visited either location since the pandemic began, so not sure of any recent closures or restrictions.
Happy to try to answer any other Hawaii questions. I don't live there, but have visited many, many times.
Thanks for posting, Rick. Yes, when I went to google maps, I did find the location of the petroglyphs, and it's about 1/2 mile from the hotel.
Unfortunately, I won't have a free morning on Oahu, so it will be something in the afternoon..
For anyone else following this thread for an upcoming Hawaii trip, despite the "green book" telling you to pre-register your visit with the state for Covid purposes (Safe Travels), that order expires end the end of the day on March 25, 2022.