Hawaii: Climbing Diamond Head Crater

One iconic place I got to visit while vacationing in Hawaii was Diamond Head Crater. The climb to the top wasn't so bad. There was a long, steep staircase we had to hike up; this was the most difficult part because we got tired easily and our leg muscles got weak. It's definitely worth getting over this "obstacle" because the view from the top of Diamond Head is breathtaking! I got to take some great photos of the ocean and Waikiki.

Fort Ruger was in the interior of Diamond Head. It was the first US Military reservation on Hawaii.

Some areas of Diamond Head were used to film the television show Lost.

The staircase has 74 steps.

The round-trip hike on Diamond head takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

 

Who came up with the name Diamond Head? Way back during the 19th century, British sailors thought there were diamonds within the rocks. These so-called diamonds were actually calcite crystals.

Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone. It is about 150,000 years old.

Our Trip to the Seattle Aquarium

 (click on the photos for a better view)

Hawaii: Kayaking

The first activity on our itinerary was kayaking at Kailua Beach located on the Windward Coast of Oahu. It was a small group tour led by professional kayaking guides. This was our first time kayaking and it was amazing. The water was a beautiful turquoise and we got to see some sea turtles.

Nā Mokulua, commonly known as the Twin Islands. We kayaked to Moku Nui (left) and it took about an hour. Kayaking to the islet was no easy task since we had to paddle against the current. Kayaking back to the beach was faster but you had to be careful that the waves didn't knock you over.

The larger island is Moku Nui and the smaller, Moku Iki.

I would love to live here

On Moku Niu

Moku Iki

The islet is a sea bird santuary.

Wedge-Tailed Shearwater chick

A teeny hermit crab

Lunch was provided with the tour. It was really nice to sit down and listen to the guides give us history about the island. We also got to try Hawaiian Sun Pass-O-Guava nectar drink. I was hooked! This drink is delicious and refreshing.

A blend of guava juice, passion fruit and orange juice. Delightful!

This 4-hour guided tour was booked through Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks Inc.

I'm glad my kayak didn't flip over ;)