About Honolulu's Diamond Head

One of My Favorite Neighborhoods in Honolulu, Hawaii - Diamond Head, also known as the Gold Coast

If there is one landmark that everyone remembers from Oahu, it's probably Diamond Head.

The condominiums near the oceanside base of Diamond Head crater are highly desirable for unobstructed beachfront ocean views.

Island residents and returning visitors refer to the coastal strip, at the foot of Diamond Head, from the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel to the Kainalu residential apartment building as the "Gold Coast", because the real estate is considered "as good as gold."

The neighborhood is located at the base of Diamond Head, near the Waikiki Aquarium, across from Kapiolani Park, on the beautiful Pacific Ocean, and within walking distance of Waikiki and its attractions.

Nicely secluded from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu by the expansive open acreage of Kapiolani Park, Diamond Head is only about a ten minute drive from downtown.

The Gold Coast consists of residential condominiums and cooperatives built in the late '50s and '60s. Many of the buildings have Kapiolani Park as a front yard, and all of the buildings have the Pacific Ocean as a back yard.

Most everyone agrees that those views are worth their weight in gold!!!

Attractions:

Diamond Head Crater - Trail
A popular hiking trail of the old military compound with fantastic ocean and city views at the top.

Parks:

Kapiolani Park
A beautiful 500 acre park at the base of Diamondhead.

Restaurants:

Michael's Restaurant
A world famous restaurant, serving American food, with fantastic ocean views located in the lobby of Colony Surf.

Weather:

Diamond Head weather is pretty is ideal year round, with a nice cool breeze and moderate temperatures. You'll find less rain in Diamond Head than on the Windward side in Kailua or Kaneohe, and the wind is not as strong either. Diamond Head, and really most of East Oahu, offers ideal weather with a dryer climate than the Windward side, but cooler than the west side.

For listings of Condos for sale in the Diamond Head, Gold Coast area of Honolulu, please see the Honolulu Featured condos on our website at www.HNLCondos.com.

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Diamond Head claimed another large sale recently. This is following a trend of the high end buyers realizing some great buys in this exclusive neighborhood. 3239 Noela St. closed for $8,750,000. The 10,544 square foot home that sits on over an acre was the former home of Jack Myers a local developer that moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. He sold this back in 2000 for $9 million. I'd say close to 99% of the homes on Oahu are worth more today than they were in 2000. Someone got a good buy here!

Honolulu Zoo in Hawaii- One of Oahu's Hidden Treasures

Too often overlooked by visitors to Honolulu and Waikiki, the Honolulu Zoo is one of the island of Oahu's hidden treasures.

Located in Kapi'oplani Park between the hotels and resorts of Waikiki and Diamond Head, the Honolulu Zoo is an easy walk from most Waikiki hotels.

The only zoo within 2300 miles, the Honolulu Zoo features many species of animals that you won't see in any mainland zoo, including a family of Komodo Dragons, Sumatran Tigers and several species unique to Hawaii such as the Hawaii State Bird, the Nene.

Find our more about the Honolulu Zoo at About.com, Hawaii and South Pacific Travel.

Or, view a gallery of 84 photos taken at the Honolulu Zoo.

And, if you're interested in owning a home or a vacation property walking distance to the zoo, the neighborhoods of Diamond Head and Waikiki offer many excellent opportunities.

Although every single condo building located in Waikiki, Honolulu is a short walk to the beach, and many offer amazing Pacific Ocean views, some condominium buyers want to be right on the beach!

And, almost considered part of the Waikiki Beach Neighborhood is the Diamond Head or Gold Coast area, located just east of Waikiki and sandwiched between Kapiolani Park (where the Zoo is located) and the Pacific Ocean.

Although almost everthing in the Diamond Head area is waterfront, here are the buildings:

2987 Kalakaua

3003 Kalakaua

3019 Kalakaua

Castle Surf Apartments

Colony Beach

Colony Surf

Coral Strand

Diamond Head Ambassador

Diamond Head Apartments

Diamond Head Beach Hotel

Kainalu Apartments

Oceanside Manor

Sans Souci

Seabreeze Apartments

Tahitienne

Tropic Seas

If you are looking for a Waterfront Condominium, there are plenty to choose from.

Please feel free to read the post regarding Waikiki Waterfront Condos Part 1.

Just beyond Waikiki at the base of Diamond Head is Honolulu's "Gold Coast". The Gold Coast is the last strip of buildings at the end of Kalakaua Ave. across from Kapiolani Park. Unlike the "hustle & bustle" of Waikiki, the Gold Coast is a little more quiet. The buildings consist of:

1. A few hotels such as The New Otani, The Diamond Head Beach Hotel (individually owned as condos) and The Lotus at Diamond Head (formerly a "W" hotel)
2. Private Clubs such as the Elk's Club and the Outrigger Canoe Club
3. The best oceanfront condos and co-ops on Oahu, the majority of which are now Fee Simple outside of San Souci, The Diamond Head Beach Hotel and a few units in 3003 Kalakaua Ave which are Leasehold.

Right out the front doors of these building offer great swimming, diving and surfing breaks such as Tongg's, Rice Bowls, Old Man's and several others. You've also got Kapiolani Park on the Mauka (mountain side) as I mentioned which is a great spot for outdoor activities and the finish line for the Honolulu Marathon, the Tinman Triathlon, etc. What's also great is the Gold Coast is within walking distance of the Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, and the Waikiki Shell which offers great concerts and entertainment.

If you think the Honolulu's Gold Coast is something that interests you, listings in MLS fall under the Diamond Head neighborhood and start around $100,000 for a leasehold condo at the Diamond Head Beach Hotel and go up to $4.9 million for a unit (entire 6th floor) at 3019 Kalakaua Ave. My grandmother's old penthouse unit at the Diamond Head Apartments sold for $4.5 million a few years ago, which is the highest sale to date. There have however been some other large sales this summer I previously posted about.

We've currently got a listing at the Diamond Head Ambassador priced at $595,000 Fee Simple, which is a 2 bed, 1 bath and priced $265,000 less than the previous owner paid in 2005, which is a great buy! If this or anything else on the Gold Coast interests you, give me a call to live your Hawaii Life on the slopes of Diamond Head.