ALOHA!
Hiking on Oahu will give you some of the best views. So of course you have to add one or two hikes to your Hawaii vacation itinerary!
The Oahu travel guide includes 7 of the best hikes on Oahu that are on the shorter side.
The selected hikes are visitor-friendly hikes, and all can typically be completed in under 2 hours. This includes time to take in the views.
This means that you can dedicate a morning or afternoon to hiking, and then have the other half of your day dedicated to another great activity on Oahu!
Make sure you are wearing the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii!
Quick list of the best Oahu hikes
- Diamond Head Hike (Best views of Waikiki)
- Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail (Best trail for whale watching)
- Manoa Falls Trail (Best waterfall hike on Oahu)
- Koko Crater Railway Trail (Most strenuous short hike on Oahu)
- Lanikai Pillbox Hike (Popular hike near one of the best beaches in Hawaii)
- Puu Maelieli Trail (Lesser known short hike on Oahu)
- Ehukai Pillbox Hike (Best short hike on the North Shore)
Pin the list of Oahu hikes for later!
See pictures from these hiking trails below!
Tip for international travelers: If you’ll be in Hawaii without data, use the “offline Google Maps” feature to download the Oahu map to your phone before your trip to Hawaii.
Absolute best things to do on the east side of Oahu away from Waikiki
Side note!
If you'll be snorkeling on your next vacation, consider wearing these types of UV swim shirts. Also see about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Oahu that will give you Hawaii vibes!
Map of the best short hikes on Oahu
Explore this map of Oahu hikes on Google Maps!
Top Oahu hikes
The time and distance listed for each of the hiking trails is meant as a general reference, as there are a number of factors that could influence these things.
Diamond Head Summit Trail
Best views of Waikiki Beach and downtown Honoulu
What is the distance of the trail? 1.6 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 1.5 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 10 minute drive
more trail info: diamond head hike – map + directions
nearby: things to do on waikiki beach – waikiki snorkeling
Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail
Best trail for whale watching + Best paved hikes on Oahu
What is the distance of the trail? 2 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 1.5 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 30 minute drive
more trail info: makapuu lighthouse trail – whale watching on oahu – map + directions
nearby: things to do in east oahu – hanauma bay snorkeling
Manoa Falls Trail
Best waterfalls hikes on Oahu
What is the distance of the trail? 1.6 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 2 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 20 minute drive
more trail info: manoa falls trail – map + directions
nearby: things to do in central oahu
Koko Crater Railway Trail
Best views of Hanauma Bay
What is the distance of the trail? 1.5 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 2 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Medium to hard
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 25 minute drive
more trail info: koko head hike – map + directions
nearby: things to do in east oahu – hanauma bay snorkeling
Lanikai Pillbox Hike
Best views of the Mokes aka Mokulua Islands
What is the distance of the trail? 1.2 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 1.5 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 40 minute drive
more trail info: lanikai pillbox hike – map + directions
nearby: things to do in east oahu – mokulua islands
Puu Maelieli Trail
Best views of Chinaman’s Hat and Kaneohe Bay
What is the distance of the trail? 1.5 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 2 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? About a 35 minute drive
more trail info: puu maelieli trail – map + directions
nearby: things to do in east oahu
Ehukai Pillbox Hike
Best views of the North Shore and Sunset Beach
What is the distance of the trail? 2 miles round trip
How much time will the hike take? 1 – 1.5 hours
What is the difficulty of the trail? Easy to medium
How far is the trail from Waikiki? A little over a 1 hour drive
more trail info: ehukai pillbox hike – map + directions
nearby: things to do on the north shore – north shore snorkeling
HIKING ON OAHU CAN BE DANGEROUS!
Be sure to take precautions and hike at your own risk.
You are responsible for your own safety.
While these trails are generally considered to be safe, conditions may arise that may make them unsafe.
Nature can be unpredictable. Trail access may change. Proper footwear is highly recommended. Take warning signs seriously.
No matter which hike you attempt, you must have a decent level of fitness.
TAKE WATER!
Even if you think you’ll be on the trail for less than an hour, it is always a good idea to take water on your hike. You will likely be hiking in hot weather that your body may not be acclimated to.
Not only that, but you may end up out longer than expected.
Taking snacks is also a very good idea, even if it’s a short hike. Again, just in case!
More hiking tips when you travel:
Pin the list of Oahu hikes for later!
HAPPY OAHU HIKING!
what to wear in hawaii >> what to wear hiking – what to wear snorkeling
things to do in oahu | map >> waikiki – north shore – east oahu – central oahu
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Here are some popular activities you need to know about to get some very-Hawaii experiences! Read the reviews on the partner websites listed below!
🐢 You can swim with turtles in Waikiki!
Read the reviews for the turtle canyon tour on viator and the turtle canyon tour on getyourguide.
🌺 Eat Hawaiian food at a luau with a fire show! Have a look at the Mauka Warriors Luau or the Toa Luau.
🐠 Here are things you must consider packing for Hawaii!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling in Hawaii without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
How to save money on your trip
I tend to use booking.com or hotels.com to look for the cheapest hotels. You can also try the expedia hotels site (good for car rentals too) or see if you like any of the vrbo vacation rentals.
Search for the cheapest car rentals at the Honolulu airport.
/end side note
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling
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