The State of Hawai‘i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) announced that reservations will now be needed for visitors to Lē‘ahi – the Diamond Head State Monument, starting on May 12, 2022.
“Diamond Head State Monument is one of Oʻahu’s most sought-after and visited attractions with stunning views along its hiking trail,” said the Hawai‘i’ Tourism Authority. “The new reservation system will mitigate environmental impacts sustained by foot traffic, reduce vehicle congestion in the park and surrounding neighborhoods, improve the experience of kamaʻāina and visitors enjoying the monument, and help preserve this landmark for future generations.”
The system will allow reservations up to 14 days in advance, and must be used by anyone without a Hawai‘i State Driver’s License or ID, including commercial tour and trolley visitors. Residents will still be able to use the park for free and without reservations, as long as there is available parking.
Visitors parking vehicles in the crater will be required to book in two-hour time slots beginning at 6 a.m., and two consecutive slots can be booked. Walk-in and drop-off visitors will be subject to one-hour entry time slots.
“This new reservation system will be instrumental in managing visitor capacity within Lēʻahi and protecting its natural environment and cultural sites, improving the experience for everyone and allowing us to be better stewards of this special place,” said John De Fries, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) president and CEO, who grew up in Waikīkī at the foot of Lēʻahi. “We thank the Department of Land and Natural Resources for their partnership, and we support our sister agency in its continued efforts at Lēʻahi and other sites across Hawaiʻi. Together with our industry partners, we are urging visitors to plan ahead when booking their trips and become familiarized with the new process.”
Pricing for entrance begins at $5 per person, with parking as an additional cost.
Park hours and visitor entrance fees are available at the DNLR website.
The goal of the new reservation system is to monitor and manage users at natural resource and cultural sites. It was developed by the residents of O‘ahu, and in partnership with the O‘ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB), DLNR and other state and county agencies, the visitor industry and community,
“We commend DLNR for bringing this reservation system to fruition, to support the efforts to manage the flow of visitors and residents into Diamond Head State Monument, and make the experience more enjoyable for all,” said Noelani Schilling-Wheeler, executive director of the O‘ahu Visitors Bureau. “As reservation systems have proven to be an effective tool for monitoring and managing capacity, this is an exciting and vital development for our community and industry. It directly contributes to our collective DMAP goal of ushering forth sustainable tourism management for our people and place.”
Diamond Head State Monument is the third state park to require reservations. Hā‘ena State Park on Kaua‘i and Waiʻānapanapa State Park on Maui have both implemented reservation systems in their parks.
For travelers unable to obtain reservations for their desired day, visit GoHawaii.com/Oahu to learn about other experiences and activities.
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