Koko head how long

Why I recommend this hotel: It has its own private lagoon. While lots of people love the beach it is perfect for families. Kids can kayak, swim and snorkel with no worries. There are no currents, waves or sea creatures to worry about. Sheraton Waikiki Luxury : A luxury resort with the most amazing infinity pool on the island, which overlooks the beach.

The bar and nightclub at the Sheraton is a great place to relax after a long day of island adventures. Why I recommend this hotel: The Sheraton is always exceptional no matter the location but imagine you are leaning over the edge of an infinity pool, the ocean is below you and you turn to your left and watch Diamond Head crater in the distance.

Later on, in the evening Rumfire is a great bar venue, which is actually part of the Sheraton. It is open to the public and is one of the best high-end venues on Oahu. It has a small dance floor but is mostly standing and seating areas for drinks, chats and good times.

Luckily, there is an accommodation option on the edge of Waikiki that is excellent value. If you are like me, I never swim in the hotel pool anyway. Waikiki Beachside Hostel Budget Choice : A budget alternative, which is still in an amazing location.

Walking distance to Waikiki beach and a central location to base yourself for a week of adventures. Why I recommend this hostel: Unfortunately Waikiki and Honolulu, in general, are not cheap. This location really is great. You are near a lot of attractions and can take public transport to a lot of great east coast beaches and hikes.

It honestly feels like a theme park at times with just how many pools and activities are available. If you can afford it, this is the 1 place to stay for families on Oahu.

Why I recommend this hotel: Disney Aulani Resort combines luxury accommodation with family fun. The kids club and massage center are just among a few of the many activities included in your stay. Attend ukelele lessons, free fire-pit story-telling at night and more and more!

Your kids will never be bored and the quality of entertainment and facilities is just beyond amazing. I lived on Oahu for two years and loved adventuring from the beaches to the mountains to the waterfalls! These are my most popular blog post and guides from the beautiful island of Oahu to help you plan your trip! See this article from Honolulu Magazine for clarification.

Pingback: A Visitors Guide to Hawaii — adventureography. There is no doubt this trail will test your mental toughness and endurance! As we mentioned above, the trail is comprised almost entirely of 1, railroad ties, which have quite large steps between them.

At the beginning of the stairs, the incline starts out at a more decent slope, but increases and gets tougher as you progress up to the crater. Due to the railroad ties age and how often they are used, most are showing some signs of deterioration.

However, the Kokonut Koalition , a group dedicated to preserving the trail for years to come, has been working on repairing the steps. You can see an up-to-date map with their progress here! After you park at the Koko Head District Park, you will go to the right side of the baseball field and then walk on Koko Head Park Road, before beginning the actual stairs. For the majority of the hike you will be climbing up the Koko Head Stairs, which makes the hike super straightforward and easy to follow.

Despite the difficulty of the hike, you will see people of all ages and ability levels on this trail. It is doable for almost anyone, as long as they can handle stairs. However, if hiking with kiddos, be careful with some of the spaces between the railroad ties. There is one spot in particular that can be tricky. We suggest crouching down a bit and holding onto the ties to help you balance a bit better. You do have an option of going around this area in the bush, to the right of the track, as well.

The hike takes most folks between 30 minutes-1 hour to get to the top, but since there is only one way to go up and down, you may have to battle two way traffic on the steps, which could prolong your hike a bit. Hawaii is perfect anytime of year , so no matter what time of year you visit, you are sure to have an amazing time and view from this hike.

Between the railroad ties, which can be slick when wet, and the metal grate on top that is slippery when wet, the hike is more dangerous in wet conditions. Although this hike is doable any time of the day, we highly recommend hiking at sunrise for a few reasons:. Sunset would be another amazing time to hike, but it will likely be busier than sunrise. However, our biggest piece of advice: avoid hiking mid-day! Hawaii can be warm and humid and hiking up these stairs in the heat and with the sun on you the entire time would be extra tough.

We went on a Monday morning at sunrise and while we were the first to the top, there were quite a few people that joined us, especially after the sun rose more.

Before hiking up the Koko Head Stairs, here are a few more important things to know, including how to respect the locals who live in this area. Koko Head is located in a more residential area and these residents have to deal with thousands of hikers taking over their neighborhood everyday, so please be respectful.

This includes not leaving any trash and not blasting music or being overly loud. There is a large parking lot right by the baseball field that can be used for this trail. However, many locals live near this area and use these fields, so PLEASE be respectful, only park legally, and do not block any houses. There is a restroom here in the parking lot if you need it before or after your hike. We have heard from locals that some hikers will use their yards as their bathroom.

According to AllTrails, this hike does not allow dogs. As always, we recommend having the 10 essentials on you when doing any hike, but here are a few key items we want to point out that will especially help you during this hike! Good Shoes The hike up to Koko Head requires climbing up tons of old railway ties. Having shoes with good grip is key! We wore our Chacos, which are hiking sandals, and they worked fine for us, but you may want something a bit sturdier.

I easily take half a dozen breaks from here to the top. I also remember staring at the last 20 steps, as I rest on the side trying to catch my breath and let the blood return to my legs! Surprisingly enough, I saw all types of hikers on this Koko Crater Trail, including folks who were both in and out of shape, children hiking up, and even a few who were walking up in flip flops!

I highly recommend wearing the proper hiking shoes if you decide to choose this Oahu hiking trail. The Koko Crater Trail will take you 30 minutes to 1 hr to reach the top. Give yourself another hour to relax up top before starting your descent.

You've earned it, so you might as well enjoy it! If you are unfamiliar with this hiking trail and area, consider going up with a guide, who will not only pick you up from your hotel , but show you points of interests along the way, provide useful tips, and talk about the history as well. Sign up for a guided tour. The Koko Head Steps are extremely popular with hundreds of hikers climbing it daily.

Add the rainy season and years in existence, there are some sections that needs attention A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help clean up, repair, and reinforce sections of this Oahu hiking trail. A group by the name of Kokonut Koalition is in partnership with the City of Honolulu to full rebuild these stairs! If you like this hike and want to see it preserved for the future, we encourage you to make a donation to help fulfill what is needed to start the necessary repairs.

See more details and make a donation. There is no better feeling than conquering those Koko Head Stairs and reaching the top! You will also discover a beautiful backside to the ridge, with views of the lava rock coastline and extensive Sandy Beach. There is a small ridgeline trail that extends outward and back down the other side of the mountain. This trail is narrow, steep and dangerous! I would not recommend exploring it! But there are some large flat rocky shelves where you can sit, rest your legs, and take in the views.

There are lots of neat areas to explore on top of the Koko Crater Trail. You will definitely want to give yourself some extra time to rest, explore, and take it all in. You owe it to yourself Wa'ahila Ridge Trail. Waiakekua Falls. Waimano Pools. Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail. Maui, Kauai, Big Island. Akaka Falls. Bamboo Forest. Kalalau Trail. Twin Falls. Volcanoes National Park. Wailua Falls. Waimea Canyon. Half Day Hiking Tour. Full Day Hiking Tour.

Koko head. Keep going as it eventually turns into Highway Similar Hikes.